tips for switching brands with picky kitties

[mscatamaran]

Currently Odessa and Norah were eating FF and some 9L. I finally am ready to put a stop to that. I've tried this twice in the past only to feel like I have no choice than to give them what they were eating.

Odessa originally gave me a really hard time when switching her from dry to wet. I wasted so many cans, you would not believe it! But after about a month of kinda eating, its as though she just woke up one day and decided to eat. She usually finishes her plate without any problems. She's 3.

Norah ate dry until I transitioned her. She sometimes finishes her plate but at least eats half of a 3 oz portion. She's 10.

Based on what they've eaten well in the past, I'd like to feed them Wellness (either the grain free pouches or the patte cans). Should I just give them the new food or am I going to have to transition/trick them into eating the new food (by mixing the old with the new then adding more new food incrementally)?

 

[cat person]

Originally Posted by mscatamaran

Based on what they've eaten well in the past, I'd like to feed them Wellness (either the grain free pouches or the patte cans).

You could try other grain free canned foods, such as Evo, Daves, Before Grain, Chicken Soup For the Pet Lovers Soul and so on.

The only reason I say other wet foods, is that my very picky cat Panda took a long time to like Wellness. But now she loves it

. For how long only time will tell

.

Originally Posted by mscatamaran

Should I just give them the new food

You could try doing that, yes

. But, do not be disappointed if they do not eat it right away. Given there history.

Originally Posted by mscatamaran

or am I going to have to transition/trick them into eating the new food (by mixing the old with the new then adding more new food incrementally)?

I think you will have to most likely transition/trick them into eating there new food

. But you already know how to do it

.

 

[sillysiberians]

I didn't have much luck with mixing a little of the new food in with the old. Miss Mowzers ate right around the new stuff. What I did was give her a tiny side dish of the old food (~1/4 cup) and a normal serving of the new stuff. It makes for a cranky few days and some disruptive nights. Just make sure you keep providing a small amount of the old food so that she's not going hungry. She'll give in to trying the new stuff eventually. Once you know she's eaten some of it for a couple days, try giving the new food only.

Keep in mind that sometimes new food can result in some bathroom troubles. It's [mostly] normal, just be mindful that if things are out of the ordinary for more than a couple days, the new food may really not be agreeing with her.

Also, I shop at PetPeople, which will refund the food if your cat doesn't like it. As long as you bring the food back and kitty didn't eat the entire bag, they'll give you store credit and donate the opened bags to the local cat welfare. I don't know if other chains have the same policy, but it has been really helpful with Mowzers' picky tastes in chow.

 

[olivesmom]

Not sure if you have this chain, but I've heard that "Pet Extreme" will also take back food if your pet doesn't like/eat it.

 

[space1101]

Joshua wasn't excited about canned food in the beginning. What I did was that I put something he doesn't like in his plate, like a piece of tukey breast, at meal time. He turned up his nose and kept looking at me. After 5 minutes, I gave him the canned food, which has stronger taste than turkey breast, and he gladly ate it. It would work only if you don't have dry food out all the time. Now he only gets like 5 pieces of kibbles as snack.