Help with Boots!

I definitely need some advice regarding my cat Boots.  He's a gorgeous part Maine Coon/part Rag Doll.  I've owned many cats in my life and I've been able to trim the nails of the most neurotic, even if it's one paw one day and one paw the next.  With Boots I need to take him to the vet but that's the least of my problems.

He has a skin problem with scabs all down his back. Because of the location, I don't think it's because of his nails but he does chew and pulls out tufts of hair.  However, he has a huge fur coat and there's no bare spots, but I do find it odd that he doesn't shed per say, but leaves little clumps of fur wherever he lies even if he isn't chewing on himself.  He also throws up fur balls.  I've tried putting a little apple cider vinegar in his water which he refuses to drink and yells at me.  I've gotten away with dissolving some acidophilus in a very little water and drizzling over his dry food and I can get away with that - kinda, as long as I mix it around really good. 

He will only eat kibble and a very, very little moist food. I would prefer he eat a better quality brand but he will only eat Royal Canin, Indoor Intense Hairball.  It has corn gluten meal and corn as ingredients which I'm not crazy about and whether it's genetically modified is the least of my problems.  He absolutely will not eat any other dry food.  I've tried everything, even mixing another brand with it to see if I can get him to cross over to a better brand - no way.  He will walk around yelling his head off if he's not fed the Royal Canin.  I even tried drizzling a little coconut oil over top and mixing in but he won't touch it.

He communicates about everything very well and it probably helps that animal communication (and animal welfare) is a very strong interest of mine which I practice, along with our two dogs.  Boots actually insists on going for a walk to the mailbox with my little yorkie-poo Rocky.  He can be sound asleep but I still have to tell him that we're going and he's at the door ready to go in a nano second.

Needless to say I'm very frustrated and would appreciate your input.  Oh yes, he has bad breath too and don't even suggest any pet toothpaste.  It would be all out war!

I hate to say this--and I know Boots isn't going to want to hear it--but his fur problem could be a result of allergies to any one/two of the ingredients in the dry food.
Here is an article about transitioning a dry food addict to wet food.
Regarding hairballs, check into egg yolk lechitin. It has a flavor most cats like.

I figured Boots's skin problem was because of the dry food he ONLY wants, and not a good quality. And for a food that's supposed to be for intense hairballs - well I don't know what it's supposed to do since Boots throws up huge fur balls and of course this scares me.   I want to feed him a better brand but you know cats.  People have told me that if I leave a new food for him that after a week and he's hungry he'll start to eat it.  The thought of hearing him holler for a week would drive me crazy, especially when I'm trying to sleep, but I just may have to resort to all out war.

I will check out the info you sent me and and thank-you  too for the suggestion for egg yolk lethicin. 

Maine Coons are experts at making their opinion well known. And just like most kitties, very stubborn. And so they will not eat even if they are famished---if the food displeases.  Does he enjoy canned food? Chicken? You may want to offer him some plain boiled chicken with the dry food to see if he'll eat the meat. And then offer him some canned foods too.

Fancy Feast classics are not so terrible and might be something kitty will eat (if he doesn't already).

You may want to try the cat version of the furminator--pricey but dang that gets a lot of loose hair off the fluffier beasts. That will help with the hairballs.

The hairballs won't be an issue once this is resolved, a good brushing at least weekly and he will be fine.

The problem with skin issues are only 3 basic things.

Fleas, no matter how much people swear they have never seen fleas or their cat is indoor only, they still get fleas.

Food allergies-very commonly corn gluten, grains. Causes scratching, chewing, fur loss, scabs and can get infected.

Ringworm-this is obviously not your issue.

Sooo...flea treat, I prefer Advantage 11 and my entire rescue group of cats get this treatment as well as my personal cats. I swear by it.

After 1 week you will see a great improvement and skin healing up nicely if fleas were the problem.

Also, Royal Canin isn't the worst food, but any dry food with corn gluten is crap and isn't meant for cats to eat in their daily diet.

So somehow you really need to get this guy off of it.

The fact is, he won't starve himself. Make the change gradual, play little trick things and get creative. Is there something he really loves, tuna juice, chicken baby food, etc?

If you want him on dry, please try to at least feed one meal a day of canned, as LauraG said, fancy feast classics are fine if he will go for those. This goes a long way in preventing male uti and crystals/blockages, as well as gives him a grain free meal and the extra water cats always benefit from.

It's not that 'I' want Boots to eat dry food.  Primarily that's all he wants.  He eats just a very little of any moist food I offer him.  Tuna, chicken - nothing interests him except that crappy Royal Canin.  A new brand of moist food came out called BFF and at first he seemed to really like it.  Now he won't bother with it.  I never thought Fancy Feasts was a good choice but I'm sure going to give it a try. 

As for fleas, I also have two dogs and I have different problems with them, but they don't have fleas which I figure they'd get from Boots.  I've owned many cats and I have a keen eye for fleas.  I'm quite sure it's the dry food causing all the problems. I give all my pets great massages including Boots, which he loves, but gives me the evil eye and gets in a snit when I try to brush him - go figure.  However, isn't a 'healthy' dry food good for their teeth?  My dogs chew bones and bully sticks which I think is good for their teeth.

P.S.  Boots 'demands' a fresh bowl of water twice a day.  He communicates very clearly what he wants.

Thank-you.  I have read and need to re-read the sources you sent me - much appreciated.

Oh I understand that it's not really what you choose but his as for the dry food.

I was wondering if there was something he can't resist as in tuna water so you could perhaps use that to your advantage while working on a slow transition, since obviously, if that is the cause for his skin issue, whether he is happy with a change, it's likely necessary.

One of my personal cats, Krissy, who is in my posts picture, is my girl, she is the reason for my eyes being wide open to all the cats who need my help, for starting my rescue group, and every life I have saved. Definitely an angel who fell from the skies to light up my life, etc. who came to me at just 4 hours old.

She is now nearly 12 and fat. Chubby, fatty girl. I would do everything in my power to change that, and have done many things, but know it is her genetic disposition and not alot I can do.

However, she WAS a dry food addict, to the core!

It's been a looong haul, but she is now on an all canned food diet. Not the best, mostly fancy feast, gotta go with what she will eat, but as a treat, just before bed, I give her a small handful of Before Grain (BG) dry food, she crunches that up and her teeth have stayed clean and healthy.

She was VERY resistant. Now it's in the past thankfully, she only lost maybe 1 1/2 lbs, but the canned diet is in her favor at least. Stick to trying the classics though, the others are not as good. Her coat is as soft as a bunny and shiny, bright eyes, just good all around.

As for fleas, if he has a bed or a spot he lays in regularly, just watch for little pepper dots. Flea poop.

augidog said:

 
It's not that 'I' want Boots to eat dry food.  Primarily that's all he wants.  He eats just a very little of any moist food I offer him.  Tuna, chicken - nothing interests him except that crappy Royal Canin.  A new brand of moist food came out called BFF and at first he seemed to really like it.  Now he won't bother with it.  I never thought Fancy Feasts was a good choice but I'm sure going to give it a try. 

As for fleas, I also have two dogs and I have different problems with them, but they don't have fleas which I figure they'd get from Boots.  I've owned many cats and I have a keen eye for fleas.  I'm quite sure it's the dry food causing all the problems. I give all my pets great massages including Boots, which he loves, but gives me the evil eye and gets in a snit when I try to brush him - go figure.  However, isn't a 'healthy' dry food good for their teeth?  My dogs chew bones and bully sticks which I think is good for their teeth.

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I call that "cat law." If at first they like it, you can be sure they won't again.

I wonder if at least some grain free dry food might be interesting for Boots? That would at least get rid of the ingredients that cause the allergies. Then any transition to more wet is less immediately high stakes. As for tooth action, cats are notorious for crunching their food bits once--if that--and then swallowing the kibble whole. Some canned foods are apparently more "sticky" and that is what can contribute to gingivitis. I've seen these dentastix type things for cats, and also these thick spongy "treats" that while edible are designed to have cats sink their teeth into them to help clean them. I forget what they are called. A vet sold them...anyway only one cat liked them.He pretty much ate it right away though.

the dry v wet food thing is mostly about moisture and in some instance--the presence of cereal grain fillers that cats don't use very well. So they are dehydrated AND likely short on the healthy type of protein.

But as we all know cats are not people pleasers and pretty much are going to do what they want.

I will try to help you with Boots. I can't say I've ever seen a Maine Coon x Ragdoll. You need to get Boots accustomed to having his feet messed with. Make sure to use a strong light so you can see well.

It sounds like Boots has flea scabs. You will have to get rid of the fleas if you want to get rid of the scabs. You will need to treat your home, too.

In order to control hairballs, you will want to groom Boots every day. You can also put a dab of white petroleum jelly on his leg (below the elbow) and he will lick it off. Instead of the petroleum jelly, you can use a commercial hairball remedy and give it the same way. If he doesn't like the coconut oil, you can try olive oil.

A lot of cats prefer kibble over canned food. Royal Canin is a good quality food. It's a good food choice if you want your cat to maintain a lean, muscular body.  It's also a great coat enhancing food. Have you tried Taste of the Wild? I am in the process of switching Lilly over to Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Feline Formula Roasted Venison & Smoked Salmon Dry Cat Food because I wanted a grain-free food for her.

I'm a big proponent of animal rights.

Be very careful letting Boots outside. If he is outside, keep a good eye on him. I can't tell you how many run over cats I see on the road.

Make sure Boots has constant access to fresh water. Dry food is better than canned for dental health, too.