Pate

[mrsdlw]

My rescue cat Luna had tooth problems while in rescue. I was told she only eats pate. Plus dry food. Everyday it's a game to eat her wet food. I chop it up and make a pile in a peak shape for her to eat. Eats the top off and comes to get me to arrange another peak and so on until it's all eaten. Is there another way that she will eat without my help?

 

[Alldara]

Watering it down a bit should help. Experiment with different amounts of water in it. I like to fill the bottom of the can up about a cm or two and add that much to mix into the pate.

 

[DeesCats]

What size is the container you are using for the food? Some cats don't like their whiskers to touch the sides of bowls. I use flattish plates for my cats, I think they call them dessert plates.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Some cats will only eat pate - my cat is like that, and she doesn't have teeth issues. I don't try to feed her chunks, shreds, etc, because she will only lick off the gravy and leave the meat pieces behind. My cat also needs her food re-scooped up into a pile after each time she eats some, and I do add a bit of water every time as well. She flattens out the food in the dish, and won't eat any again until it has been piled back up. So, the simplest way to resolve your issue is to only feed her pates and re-scoop as needed.

You also could try using a blender to make other forms/textures of food into a pate-like consistency to see if your cat will eat them that way. But, you still may have to re-scoop them too.

Another thing to consider is a motion activated or timed mult-dish feeder. A timed one can be set to open up a new slot every hour or so, just as a example. You could place a pile of food in each slot so that she has a new pile to eat from each time. Somewhere in that process, you could then combine the 'leftovers' from each slot to make new piles. Still some effort on your part, but perhaps a little less frequently.

 

[mrsdlw]

What size is the container you are using for the food? Some cats don't like their whiskers to touch the sides of bowls. I use flattish plates for my cats, I think they call them dessert plates.

Yes I use a flat plate

 

[mrsdlw]

Some cats will only eat pate - my cat is like that, and she doesn't have teeth issues. I don't try to feed her chunks, shreds, etc, because she will only lick off the gravy and leave the meat pieces behind. My cat also needs her food re-scooped up into a pile after each time she eats some, and I do add a bit of water every time as well. She flattens out the food in the dish, and won't eat any again until it has been piled back up. So, the simplest way to resolve your issue is to only feed her pates and re-scoop as needed.

You also could try using a blender to make other forms/textures of food into a pate-like consistency to see if your cat will eat them that way. But, you still may have to re-scoop them too.

Another thing to consider is a motion activated or timed mult-dish feeder. A timed one can be set to open up a new slot every hour or so, just as a example. You could place a pile of food in each slot so that she has a new pile to eat from each time. Somewhere in that process, you could then combine the 'leftovers' from each slot to make new piles. Still some effort on your part, but perhaps a little less frequently.

This re scooping just started. She has lived here a year already. Why now?

 

[maggie101]

My rescue cat Luna had tooth problems while in rescue. I was told she only eats pate. Plus dry food. Everyday it's a game to eat her wet food. I chop it up and make a pile in a peak shape for her to eat. Eats the top off and comes to get me to arrange another peak and so on until it's all eaten. Is there another way that she will eat without my help?

Maybe the pieces are too big? Nulo canned is minced,very small pieces. I read somewhere that minced is better for cats with teeth problems

 

[FeebysOwner]

This re scooping just started. She has lived here a year already. Why now?

I wasn't aware from your first post that this was an entirely new issue, given that you were told she would only eat pate. So, you are saying that just up until recently, she was eating pate and did not have to have it re-scooped? Or did you change her food to something other than pate, and that is when the issue started?

If all she has eaten is pate, and this is a new issue, then she may be experiencing additional dental issues.

 

[mrsdlw]

I wasn't aware from your first post that this was an entirely new issue, given that you were told she would only eat pate. So, you are saying that just up until recently, she was eating pate and did not have to have it re-scooped? Or did you change her food to something other than pate, and that is when the issue started?

If all she has eaten is pate, and this is a new issue, then she may be experiencing additional dental issues.

Luna has eaten pate since I've had her. It's just lately she wants me to rescoop until she is all done. I just thinks she wants the attention. She eats dry food no problem.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Luna has eaten pate since I've had her. It's just lately she wants me to rescoop until she is all done. I just thinks she wants the attention. She eats dry food no problem.

Unless you know Luna actually chews her dry food, usually those cats who have dental issues can easily lap up a morsel and swallow it whole - maybe bite it in half, but that is about it. Tbh, many cats - dental issues or not - swallow their dry food whole. It is not quite the same thing as getting pate out of a dish.

I suppose if you are convinced that attention is the only reason behind this, you can start ignoring her and see what happens. I know with my cat, she just wouldn't eat. Been there, done that.

Feeby is 19+ yo cat and can eat hard treats without a problem, but she only bites them in half before swallowing, and yet she does what Luna does with her pate. Although, at Feeby's age she likely has some plaque buildup and gingivitis.

So, if not anything to do with dental issues, it may just be Luna's now decided to eat that way. You may have to try the multiple serving feeder suggestion I mentioned above.

 

[mrsdlw]

Unless you know Luna actually chews her dry food, usually those cats who have dental issues can easily lap up a morsel and swallow it whole - maybe bite it in half, but that is about it. Tbh, many cats - dental issues or not - swallow their dry food whole. It is not quite the same thing as getting pate out of a dish.

I suppose if you are convinced that attention is the only reason behind this, you can start ignoring her and see what happens. I know with my cat, she just wouldn't eat. Been there, done that.

Feeby is 19+ yo cat and can eat hard treats without a problem, but she only bites them in half before swallowing, and yet she does what Luna does with her pate. Although, at Feeby's age she likely has some plaque buildup and gingivitis.

So, if not anything to do with dental issues, it may just be Luna's now decided to eat that way. You may have to try the multiple serving feeder suggestion I mentioned above.

You are right. I ignore her and she comes to get me or she won't eat. I love her and worry about her. Thanks for the tips

 

[FeebysOwner]

You know, I suppose you could try to add some dry food into the pate and see if that would get her to eat the pate without flattening it out. Maybe worth a try. But, you'd probably still end up with having to add more dry after a period of time, because if it sat too long that way, the dry would become much softer. I didn't try that with Feeby because she wouldn't eat the two things mixed - .

 

[mrsdlw]

You know, I suppose you could try to add some dry food into the pate and see if that would get her to eat the pate without flattening it out. Maybe worth a try. But, you'd probably still end up with having to add more dry after a period of time, because if it sat too long that way, the dry would become much softer. I didn't try that with Feeby because she wouldn't eat the two things mixed - .

Luna won't eat both mixed either.

 

[maggie101]

You are right. I ignore her and she comes to get me or she won't eat. I love her and worry about her. Thanks for the tips

For my cat that had dental surgery she loves pate but can only eat it in chunks. She eats ff classics and nulo minced. The pate I refrigerate first

 

[iPappy]

You are right. I ignore her and she comes to get me or she won't eat. I love her and worry about her. Thanks for the tips

I wonder if she thinks it's a fun little game or something like that, if she has no dental issues. Have you tried building a few smaller "towers" of food and seeing what she does vs. one big one?
I'm assuming she's the cat in your avatar? She's absolutely adorable!

 

[lisahe]

I wonder if she thinks it's a fun little game or something like that, if she has no dental issues. Have you tried building a few smaller "towers" of food and seeing what she does vs. one big one?
I'm assuming she's the cat in your avatar? She's absolutely adorable!

This is as likely a conclusion as any: cats sometimes get bored and want a little extra attention. A few other factors Cat Catering (meaning: me) has noticed in our house:
-one cat is very picky about where she eats: she'll refuse the meal in one place but then eat it, happily, ten seconds later if I put it somewhere else (this happened at lunch today!)
-constipation can cause problems like this, too, because a cat just doesn't feel right
-some cats get bored with their food and need a variety of foods on their menu
-stress, everything from changes in the weather to noise, can also cause them to eat less (or more)
-others' mentions about watering down food or plating it (ha) in chunks ring very true to me since every cat has preferences... which can change depending on their whims and the consistency of the food
-you might want to check food labels to be sure recipes haven't changed; refusal to eat can start with a new ingredient

These are all true stories. And some of them took some time to unravel.

I also agree with iPappy your cat is adorable! I hope you can get her eating well again soon..

 

[mrsdlw]

Thanks all!

 

[Furballsmom]

My rescue cat Luna had tooth problems while in rescue.

When is the last time you had her in to a vet? Did you get these dental issues taken care of? Not only can they become painful, they can cause issues with other organs in the body such as the heart.

 

[mrsdlw]

I am sorry. I failed to say Luna had her dental problems were corrected before she was adopted by me. They have a vet on site.

 

[Furballsmom]

I understand, thank you for the information.