Advice To Get Cat Eating Healthy Again

[Jludwick78]

My 17 year old cat just recovered from severe pancreatitis for 2 weeks where she wouldn’t eat anything and I had to syringe feed her. During this time I kept a plate of Fancy Feast out for her at all times because she’s always loved it and after 2 weeks she finally at a whole plate of it. I was ecstatic!

Now a week later that’s all I fed her to do whatever possible to keep her eating. Now I can’t get her off of it. She won’t eat anything else. She’d been on Instinct cans for 2 years. She’s also lost weight from the pancreatitis and I need to get that up.

Any advice on how and what I should get her back on? Keep trying Intinct?

I don’t want her eating fancy feast forever.

 

[mikameek]

I’m in the same place. I wanted to get Mika off foods with Vitamin K3 in them but also were healthy and had high protein for her. I just started picking up a 3 oz can of this and that from different brands. Right now we’re trying Halo and Nulo. She seems to really like the Halo! I also picked up some Blue Buffalo and some limited ingredients diet types.

Mika is pretty picky though and doesn’t like being fed the same thing for two meals in a row. I don’t know if it’s like that for you, but that’s why I have such a big rotation.

I’d just keep experimenting with different foods! TikiCat is great and so is Nutro. Mika also has really enjoyed Merrick.

 

[duckpond]

Unless the vet does not want her to eat the fancy feast i would probably let her eat it. Its so important that she eat, whether you like the food or not. I know the vitamin k3 is of concern, but honestly i would be concerned about the high fats in instinct as well? She was eating the instinct when she had the attack? The only foods i know that dont have the vitamin k3, and major high fat is some of Weruva flavors, like the paw lickin chicken. or some of the nutro flavors, but not all of them.

If she is eating ff, and doing well, i would have a hard time taking one of her age off of a food she loves, without a really sound reason?

 

[KarenKat]

duckpond , what’s the concern about high fat? Is it just getting the ideal balance for general health, or is there something to watch out for?

 

[Daisy6]

I agree Fancy Feast should not be fed forever, but you can't force her to eat foods that are healthier if she does not like them. Daisy eats dry Blue Wilderness so she will get enough calories because she does not eat any wet foods consistently. So I would continue buying Fancy Feast while also trying a variety of healthier foods to make sure she is eating something. Does she still like Instinct?

 

[lisahe]

duckpond , what’s the concern about high fat? Is it just getting the ideal balance for general health, or is there something to watch out for?

Fat is thought to be a cause of pancreatitis. I'd probably look at moving away from the Fancy Feast, too, to get to higher protein and lower fat, though that may be hard to find in a calorie-rich food. It might be worth considering homecooked food, Jludwick78 -- I use the EZ Complete supplement with boneless cooked meat and it really is easy. You can use whatever meat you like and as much fat as you like. Our cats love the food.

 

[KarenKat]

Thanks, lisahe !

 

[lisahe]

Thanks, lisahe !

I'm glad you asked: I had some faint recollection about fat and the pancreas but was happy to check into it!

 

[duckpond]

As lisahe says i dont think High fat is good for the pancreas, or anything else, honestly. Moderate fat is most likely ok for a healthy cat, but one that has pancreas issues i would look on the lower side of moderate. Fancy feast classics are a bit higher in fat than i like, but lower than some other foods, while still keeping to the low carbs. This is why i feed a lot of Tiki, Almo nature, and some of the weruva foods. There are others, these just pop in my head.

I get a little angry over paying for food that is more fat than protein.

 

[Jludwick78]

She was on Fancy Feast her whole life until 2 years ago when her kidney function started to decrease. So I put her on Weruva then all of a sudden she refused to eat it. Been on Instinct ever since. I’d read that Fancy Feast was really bad food. The vet recommend kidney food but I researched and decided I wanted her on more protein for her muscles.

So yes. She’s been on Instinct 2 years until last the pancreatitis. Now will only eat the Fancy Feast, going on a little over a week now.

I just want what’s best for her!

 

[duckpond]

I know, and its so hard to find food that they like, and that we think is good for them. I know some cats do quite well on the prescription foods, i think if it was beginning stages i would try high protein wet foods, later on, idk, maybe the prescription foods. Does she like the prescription foods?

I have two that for wet food will mostly only eat salmon. I read all the bad about feeding too much fish, but you have to feed them something, so i understand about that. mine ate weruva for a long time, then just no more.. they never would eat instinct, mine wont eat a lot of foods.

If FF is all she will eat, i would feed it, maybe offering other foods regularly to the little girl too? sometimes a vet will prescribe a phosphorous binder for a kidney cat that will not eat prescription foods, maybe ask your vet about that?

Im sure you have seen this link, but she is good to show the fat in foods.

https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf

 

[duckpond]

Is your avatar the girl we are talking about? She looks like a real sweetheart! give her hugs from me..

 

[Jludwick78]

I tried samples of the kidney foods and she wouldn’t eat them. Her kidney disease is still in the lower stages so that’s good.

I also read about them eating too much fish and that’s all she’d eat of the weruva. I’ll take a look at that list.

 

[1 bruce 1]

She was on Fancy Feast her whole life until 2 years ago when her kidney function started to decrease. So I put her on Weruva then all of a sudden she refused to eat it. Been on Instinct ever since. I’d read that Fancy Feast was really bad food. The vet recommend kidney food but I researched and decided I wanted her on more protein for her muscles.

So yes. She’s been on Instinct 2 years until last the pancreatitis. Now will only eat the Fancy Feast, going on a little over a week now.

I just want what’s best for her!

How do you think she would do if you tried mixing the foods together, even if you did 90% FF and 10% something else?
We had a dog with pancreatitis. High fat was a big no no for him, and even if he did eat something fatty after his experience, he'd act like his stomach/insides hurt for days =/

 

[Jludwick78]

Is your avatar the girl we are talking about? She looks like a real sweetheart! give her hugs from me..

Yes thats the girl Elvis. Lol
A nickname that started with her black sideburns. She is spoiled rotten and super sweet. Everyone at the vet loves her.

 

[duckpond]

Such a cute girl and love Elvis for a name Keep spoiling her rotten! She looks like such a pretty little sweet thing

 

[duckpond]

Does she mostly like pate? Or will she eat minced and shreds as well?

 

[Jludwick78]

Does she mostly like pate? Or will she eat minced and shreds as well?

She eats all of it. But if the food is too chunky I have to chop it up small.

 

[duckpond]

for minced foods my guys sometimes like american journey that i get from chewy, nutro minced and sliced flavors, also the Nulo Minced flavors. Im not sure on the phosphorous in these, and while not LOW fat they are not terribly high either. If you have a pet store nearby you could find all of these, except for the American Journey. And if you have a store that sells weruva see if they have the new slide, in the pouches. My guys might like the chicken and liver. Karu is another new food my guys are liking. The Salmon and turkey only so far.

Maybe someone else might post some foods their guys do well on.

 

[zoocat]

I think this is one of the better foods I’ve found in terms of high protein, moderate fat and low carb and no fish, V-K, agar-agar or carrageenan and with decently high calories The only problem for a kitty with kidney issues is the higher phosphorus level (402 mg/100 kcals per catinfo.org). I think I remember Fancy Feast Classics are about that high too though and do have more fat.

Against The Grain Caribbean Club With Chicken & Cheese
catinfo.org shows caloric distribution as protein 77% fat 23% and Carbs 0% with 74 calories for a 3 oz can It’s shredded chicken with small chunks of cheese.

Chicken, Water Sufficient For Processing, Cheddar Cheese, Tricalcium Phosphate, Palm Oil, Tapioca, Taurine, Xanthan Gum, Vitamins (vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin Supplement, Choline Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (ferrous Sulfate Monohydrate, Zinc Sulfate Heptahydrate, Manganese Sulfate Monohydrate, Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Iodide, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate Monohydrate, Sodium Selenite)

Dry Matter Analysis
The manufacturer's published guaranteed analysis values normalized for moisture content.
Protein: (min). 75%
Fat: (min). 11%
Fiber: (max). 3%
Carbs: (est). 3%
Ash: (est). 8%