help - my cat is addictied to Friskies!

Actually Friskies Dental Diet, which he has been eating ever since he turned up his nose at the expensive kitten food I bought him and began raiding my other cat's bowl.

I've learned alot from browsing this site, enough to realize that food with corn as the main ingrediant isn't the best for him. I have tried switching him to Purina One, and I am now trying Natural Balance, but he doesn't seem like it. Anyone have any tips for switching a finicky cat's food? If he doesn't like a food at first, should I just give up and try the next one?

Also, is the junk food actually bad for him? I have thought of just continuing to mix the food so he can still eat Friskies but have to eat some of the healthy stuff, too. (that is, if I can't find one he likes!)

thanks!

I've heard that you shouldn't really give up if a cat doesn't like a food right away. Have you been gradually switching him over to a healthier food... putting in his food about 75% of his old food and 25% of his new food for a while, then making the equation 50%/50% and so on? Eventaully, after a few weeks, all he will be eating is the new food.

About whether junk food is bad for him - there are a lot of opinions over this. Personally, I wouldn't feed him Friskies because, like you, I've done the research... I feed Baylee Nutro Natural Choice, which she loves. Some people say that cats can live a long time on junk food, like some humans can... but then again if you feed healthier, then the cat has that much more of a chance of having a healthier life, you know?

I'm sure others will come along with their thoughts... that's just mine. Hope it helps and let me know if you have any other questions!

I am sure others will tell you, it is available in walmart ect... I do feel that junk food is bad for cats, and if you are financially able to do it try and feed premium cat food. there are lots out there, innova, california natural, solid gold,petguard, felidae. When I adopted my female she was feed purina, and my cat smelled the food that came with her, and went crazy for it, I would not let him eat it. I say just keep on trying you will find something out there, and like was said before make the change slowly, if you don't want loose stools. Good luck .cat.

Ari gave you some good advice. I do feel junk food is bad *unless* it's all one can get an ill cat to eat, and even then, only as a last resort to have them eating something.

Another brand to consider would be Merrick, and Active Life (hard to find now, and hopefully going back into production some time this year...just an awesome line of foods).

I think junk food isnt the greatest. And yet there is always that talk of what is junk and what is not. I feed Purina Pro Plan Adult care to my cats, and they are thriving. Its the preimum Purina, and yet some may call it junk because its Purina..

And I give friskies wet in the morning, each cat gets 1/4th of a can.. maybe its not the healthiest of wet foods. But they wont touch anything else. And will have a fit of not eating the dry if they dont get their morning wet..

thanks for the advice everyone!

I have been gradually switching his food for a little over a week, and now its at the point where he picks the few Friskies out of the bowl and meows for more.
I'm taking this to mean that he really doesn't like the Natural Balance. I seems like he would at least be eating some by now...

It sounds like almost all cats prefer the junk food to the healthy stuff?
(guess i can't really blame them considering what I eat half the time )

I just don't want to make him eat something he doesn't like...even if its good for him, I feel so guilty! But I guess there are a lot more brands to try - maybe I can find something he will be okay with.

I'm sure you can eventually convince him that healthy food tastes good! Baylee likes Nutro Natural Choice, Petguard and Chicken Soup for the Soul when we tried that. You can also try putting some of the new kibble in a treat ball for him to bat around if you already have one... I do that with Baylee and her Petguard and she considers those kibble a treat!