Changing 17yo cat's diet

Hi, I wonder if someone can help me? My 17yo rescue cat has always been fed whiskas. Over the years several attempts have been made to switch to better quality food which she eats enthusiastically for a week or so then completely turns her nose up and will not eat until she's given whiskas again. About three weeks ago she had a tooth removed and after I gave her very soft, pate like food which was easy to chew. She loved it and ate it all in almost one go at every sitting. Grasping onto this, I decided to try to get her off whiskas again. I bought at least twenty different types of good quality food, some she liked some she didn't. So, I bought a supply of the ones she likes, only to have her go off them again a week or so later. She's not off her food, last night I gave in and gave her whiskas to see what happened, and she ate the lot! My question is, shall I persever and keep finding new things for her to try and give her a really varied choice? Or at 17 has she earned the right to eat what she likes?! I want her to have good quality food that is good for her but I don't want to distress her or cause her problems if it's better to leave her on whiskas now. Thank you.

Try some wet food she likes with a few pieces of the dry sprinkled on top, she may eat both!

What kind of Whiskas does she eat? It might not be all that bad, depending.

What was the soft, pate style food she liked so much? Is there some reason she can't continue eating that?

If she likes a very soft pate, maybe she would enjoy Nutro Natural Choice "soft loaf". A lot of picky cats, including mine, really like it.

momto3cats said:

 
What kind of Whiskas does she eat? It might not be all that bad, depending.

What was the soft, pate style food she liked so much? Is there some reason she can't continue eating that?

If she likes a very soft pate, maybe she would enjoy Nutro Natural Choice "soft loaf". A lot of picky cats, including mine, really like it.

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I'm with momto3cats: maybe the Whiskas isn't really that bad?

That said, since you have the new foods, I wonder if it might be possible to keep feeding her the Whiskas that you know she'll eat but also give her some of the newer foods, as occasional (maybe once every five days or week?) variety meals. I just wouldn't try to get her to eat too much of the newer foods too fast; I also wouldn't mix two foods in one bowl.

Sometimes an occasional variety meal introduction works with our cats: we have a big rotation of canned foods, so they get each food no more frequently than once every two or three weeks weeks. I know that sounds crazy! The thing is that they like all the foods in the rotation but just get bored with them if they get them too often. Sometimes it helps to use toppers, as @bonepicker suggested: I use crumbled Pure Bites or freeze-dried raw foods. Sometimes those will entice them to eat foods they don't even like.

The exception to the rotation rule is Nutro Natural Choice: the cats eat minced chicken, sliced turkey, and chunky loaf chicken in a three-day rotation. momto3cats is right in saying that a lot of picky cats like Nutro Natural Choice!

Good luck! And welcome to the Cat Site!

My sympathies. I have a 19+ year old cat who has lost a couple of teeth (both upper and lower canines on the same side) and is fussy about what she will eat.

I have discovered that if I take her Fancy Feast (classic tender beef feast and classic turkey and giblets only) and smoosh it up in a Magic Bullet with a little water she will happily lap it up.

For my convenience I do it all in the morning (2 1/2 three-ounce cans plus 4 teaspoons of water) and divvy the later-in-the-day servings into small jars that go into the refrigerator. When it is time to feed I rewarm in the microwave.

Thank you all so much for replying! I didn't get any notifications so I've only just seen your messages. The whiskas is pouches with chunks in either gravy or jelly, I alternated flavours and textures. The pate seemed to work while she was recovering from the extraction but then she turned her nose up at that after a week or so.

I managed to get her on canagans (a brand based on shredded chicken with various other meats/fish added) and she ate it for months but now she's gone off that too! She's still eating just less than normal and probably less than she should be. She's a big cat (over 10lbs at last vet weigh!) so can probably stand to lose a bit and still manages her treats. I'll try different food again over the next couple of days along with your suggestions then a trip to the vet might be order to make sure she hasn't got problems with any other teeth or worse. She doesn't seem any different in herself so hopefully neither :cross:

I have to bribe my girl by sprinkling crushed purebite freeze dried chicken or bonito flakes

Just my own thoughts here (I'm sure some would disagree) - I probably wouldn't try to force a change in food for a 17 year old. It's fine to try it, but if they don't like it so be it. Cats can be so finicky and older cats even more so. Again - just my own thoughts there. No judgement 

I imagine it's like my mom's doctor trying to get her to eat better. She's 78 and says she's old and will eat what she wants. 

kizzycat said:

 I want her to have good quality food that is good for her but I don't want to distress her or cause her problems if it's better to leave her on whiskas now. Thank you.

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Donutte said:

 
Just my own thoughts here (I'm sure some would disagree) - I probably wouldn't try to force a change in food for a 17 year old. It's fine to try it, but if they don't like it so be it. Cats can be so finicky and older cats even more so. Again - just my own thoughts there. No judgement 

I imagine it's like my mom's doctor trying to get her to eat better. She's 78 and says she's old and will eat what she wants. 

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I think I agree with what Donutte says: if there aren't any health problems, it might be better to just leave her on Whiskas and avoid the distress!

Thanks again for all your replies. Kitty went to the vet and had some antibiotics and a painkiller for a small cut on her gum. It seems to have worked and she's eating well again. I've got her a supply of the food she likes and as far as I'm concerned she can have whatever she wants now! As long as she's happy and eating that's what's important. The vet said she's in great condition for a cat her age and she's actually put on weight since she was last weighed so she must be doing ok! It's lovely to have found a site where people love kitties and are happy to help others