Feeding Kittens Issues

Everything was just fine when I had just one kitten. Although finicky at first, my Ragdoll,  Artemis, would eat anything. So I got him used to Wellness Kitten food.

When I introduced a rescue kitten little girl, Jessie, she was eating Science Diet… and since Artie would eat anything I started putting that down and gradually mixing in Wellness.

To make a long story short, every time I made the conversion to 100% Wellness Kitten food, Jessie would eat it just fine and vomit 2-3 hours later. I made the connection the third time it happened.

So I tried going back to Science Diet Kitten and all of a sudden NEITHER of them like it, just leave it there. Fortunately I leave out Ideal Balance dried food which both will eat without any problem, but that is just there for daily free feeding, I still want to focus on wet food.

I've tried several brands with limited success. Blue Buffalo worked for a few days, but now they walk away. Soulistic they LOVE, but it gives her Diarrhea. And, like I said, they've lost love for Science Diet.

I would like to feed a high quality no grain food but found that they both like (and tolerate) Sheba. I'm thinking of going to Sheba and trying to mix Wellness back in and hope that she grows out of her sensitivity. As long as it isn't 100%, she can handle it.

Does this sound reasonable? Oh, on some days (and simply because they are kittens and need the calories) I have put down human grade tuna just to give them something I KNOW they will eat.

One more thing, She is five months old and probably teething - I see her having some difficulty eating (except the little darling will overcome it for tuna).

It is a problem when you have one picky eater and one with sensitivity problems. Feed them what they will tolerate. Even a lower-quality food is better than nothing at all.

Well, he wasn't picky until she came along. I swear they "learn" from each other.

So I've begun trying things w/o a careful introduction because, well, nothing to introduce from.

MaxCat Kitten food (Chicken & Liver) - both devoured it, and no signs of vomiting 3 hours later. Thumbs up. I was concerned because it look as rich as the Wellness food.

So score two for that one, they like it (for now), and I don't see signs of digestive distress. Gives me hope that I can solve this.

Keep trying to find more wet foods they'll like and can tolerate. The more variety you can work into their diet, the less likely you'll run into finicky eating, OR at the very least,  you'll always have a back up if they suddenly stop liking a food again, or the brand does a recall or changes the formula. It happens.

Sheba, Fancy Feast classics, even a few of the Friskies pates aren't bad. PetSmart also has their own brand, Authority, that's good. Many grain free canned foods add other stuff that still isn't great for our kitty's, like potato or vegetables like peas.

With your sensitive tummy kitty, I'd try and watch what ingredients might be setting these episodes off or don't set it off. Look for the common denominator in the foods. Is it a certain protein? Is it what is added, such as vegetables? That sort of thing.  Maybe try limited ingredient foods.

Katluver4life said:

Keep trying to find more wet foods they'll like and can tolerate. The more variety you can work into their diet, the less likely you'll run into finicky eating, OR at the very least,  you'll always have a back up if they suddenly stop liking a food again, or the brand does a recall or changes the formula. It happens.

Sheba, Fancy Feast classics, even a few of the Friskies pates aren't bad. PetSmart also has their own brand, Authority, that's good. Many grain free canned foods add other stuff that still isn't great for our kitty's, like potato or vegetables like peas.

With your sensitive tummy kitty, I'd try and watch what ingredients might be setting these episodes off or don't set it off. Look for the common denominator in the foods. Is it a certain protein? Is it what is added, such as vegetables? That sort of thing.  Maybe try limited ingredient foods.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll go back and read the ingredients for Wellness. Since I only bought only one can of each test brand kitten food (tired of guessing and winding up with a few cans left over - which, I hope, I WILL use eventually, unless he hated it too), I fed Canyon Creek Kitten (Chicken and Rice). At first they seemed put off, or, at best, indifferent. It seems they were simply not enthused by it - after an hour they both finished it this morning. But I had to leave before my "3 hour" window when she vomits if it bothers her. So I guess I'll find out tonight.

I'm not worried because they both eat the dry food I leave out.

Son of a gun... I just read the ingredients on Wellness and MaxCat and from MY limited understanding, except for beef liver, I like MaxCat better. While no grain in either, Wellness had lots of veggies (I suppose there is a justification for some of them). Seems I've still got a lot to learn. Wellness is supposed to be one of the better brands.

And MaxCat cost less. I didn't find any evidence of gastric distress in the litter box either. Getting hopeful that this little foray will have a happy ending.