Teen Kitty Is A Picky Eater!!!

[danteshuman]

I tried starving him to eat his wet food (variety of wet food I rotate) & feed him 4 small meals a day for months!!! Still he often snubs it! So I noticed he wasn’t gaining weight like his brother and last month I started free feeding him dry food and he usually eats 1/4-1/3 cup dry per day. It made a difference he gained some weight in the last month!

I know he is part ragdoll & part siamese (his mom looked like his sister, picture of sis included.) So I’m assuming he will grow until 2 years old. His birthday is 09/14/2018.

Since taking away his food before he finishes growing, might stunt his growth; how will I know when he finishes growing? Is it safe to wait him out on the wet food and withhold the dry? When is he old enough that I can take away the dry except at night?

I tell him “eat your food” about 10 times a day!

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Wow, what a gorgeous cat!! He looks pretty good body wise but of course that's a bit difficult with a long haired fluff-ster.

This may help with that if you aren't already familiar;

https://www.petmd.com/sites/default/files/nestle_purina_cat_body_condition_chart_crop.jpg

You're right, you don't want to withhold food from him, and with a cat that isn't food motivated, you may have a challenge knowing, so if I were you I'd play it safe and keep feeding him as much as you can get him to eat for at least 2 years, maybe 2.5 or a little longer.

If you haven't seen this, take a look at things here, there might be something that helps including utilizing a flat paper plate

Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!

 

[danteshuman]

No the fluffy one is his sister Cami (& what his mom looked liked.) Here is a picture of Jackie the picky eating punk!


When he is at my mom’s house and he has to compete with his brother & sister, Jackie gobbles his wet food up! Twerp!!! I included a pic of his brother (black) that is all buff. Their sister Cami is well getting kinda chubby under her fur. The pictures of them together are from months ago. The other pictures of Nick & Jackie are from the last 30 days or so. (yes before & after Nick lost his tail.) Here is a comparison of Nick & Jackie from two weeks ago:

 

[Furballsmom]

Whoops, you're right, I missed your explanation of that in your first post - I was going too fast, I'm sorry!

It's possible that he may just be a slimmer body-type, but in any case I'd still try and keep him eating, --especially when he's not having to compete so as to make up for that, and as mentioned for a couple years by the way, they really are all marvelous looking cats

When is he old enough that I can take away the dry except at night?

Try weighing him every couple weeks and keep a log - it's challenging when you see how he looks compared to his siblings, but you're right - they may not be getting enough exercise

In any case, when you see that his weight is stabilizing for 2-3 months after he's about two years old, then you can test the theory of cutting back on the kibble. How does that sound?

 

[danteshuman]

Sounds good but another year of tossing out lots of wet food

 

[Furballsmom]

Have you tried any toppers?

I have a post in that thread above of different things that can be used as toppers, even interesting things like dry pasta etc.

 

[danteshuman]

I looked at Bonita flakes (hate shrimp) & freeze dried stuff (snubbed freeze dried salmon in the past!)

Lil soups are toppers and basically ice cream for cats! He loves them! I have to hide them because if he gets his paws on the he (& his siblings) will bite into the plastic lid poking holes in it and eat it! So if something is half lil soup and he still snubs it I think I’m passed toppers! I tried kitty endure & he hated it. He loves cheese but it gives him the runs. I looked at Trader Joe’s for goats milk but I didn’t see any. Should I try ordering goats milk in cartons online and see if he will eat it?

Now he hates Sheba (he loved it 2 months ago!) He hated my BFF 4 months ago and now he likes it. So thismonth I’m trying Sheba, fancy feast Tuscany salmon, fancy feast Tuscany tuna, my bfff variety (2 different variety packs) & fancy feast gravy lovers chicken or turkey or beef. Picky little brat! basically I’m giving lots of variety in hopes he will not be sick of things. I order things off Chewy so I can’t buy individual cans.

 

[danteshuman]

Kitty ensure

 

[Neko-chan's mama]

I order on Chewy too, but when I was trying out new foods and flavors I went to the pet store and bought single cans. It's more expensive, but at least I wasn't wasting a whole case which costs even more.

 

[Furballsmom]

I order things off Chewy so I can’t buy individual cans.

Try Only Natural Pet, they carry quite a few brands of cat foods, and they allow small quantity ordering.

On the goats milk, you could try - maybe see if you have a local grocery store that might carry it.

Bonito is tuna, would that matter? I had the same issue with my boy and freeze dried things, but there are days he LOVES dried minnows, and there are times he'll go for dried boar (by Orijen) or some other novel protein. Maybe you could try something like that

 

[danteshuman]

I think he would like tuna, maybe? Sometimes he seems to get sick of tuna & salmon but he loves fish. I will try it, I guess.

No local stores carry goats milk (and I don’t want to buy a big container of dried goat’s milk if he hates it.) I will call Trader Joe’s and see if I can order it.

 

[Furballsmom]