Tips on switching cat food

17 years ago

Our six year old kitty Oscar that we adopted last September is having kindey problems (may have been caused by tainted food consumed in December/January, maybe not, we don't know). Our vet says that his kidney problems aren't advanced but his urine is diluted, he urinates a lot and one of his levels is high...all other tests, bloodwork, etc., are normal.

But, to try to reverse his current mild condition, we are trying to switch him to canned Purina NF Kidney Function Formula from the vet. Our other cat Dana solely eats dry so we switched her to the dry NF because Oscar does occassionally eat dry food. Dana had zero problems switching to NF (it figures since she is the one that doesn't need to eat it). But oscar wants little to do with the wet or dry NF. I've tried mixing the NF canned with his old canned food but he won't touch it. I've tried putting it on my finger and coaxing him or petting him or tring to make it a game but he just gives me that I-don't-care-what-you-do-I'm-not-going-to-eat-that-crap look.

I'm at my wits end. I feel like when I give him his old food that I am killing him. But when I give him the NF and he won't eat it I feel like I'm starving him and thus killing him. The last thing our vet wants is for Oscar to not eat. She thinks the stress of not eating will exacerbate the problem or possibly harm his liver.

So, does anyone have any tips on getting a cat to eat food that he hates?

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Comments (9)

laurief_gw
17 years ago
Don't bother to try to get him to eat the food he hates. Your vet is correct. It is far more important that Oscar eats SOMETHING than that he eats the kidney diet. Let him eat what he's willing to eat. The same holds true even for cats in advanced stages of kidney failure.

Having said that, there are several different companies that manufacture prescription kidney diets. Call around to all of the vets in your area and see if you can find these other brands. Buy both the canned and dry formulas (just samples of each, if possible) to see if you can find one that Oscar will eat. Maybe you'll get lucky.

One trick that might make the food more appealing is to warm it in the microwave right before feeding. Warming brings out the aroma which may pique Oscar's interest and appetite. Just make sure you don't get it warm enough to burn his mouth. You want it smelly, not hot.

But again, Oscar has to eat SOMETHING to protect his liver, so feed him what he'll eat.

Good luck,

Laurie
oddity
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks Laurie. I've tried heating it up but, that didn't work either. We've also tried him on the Science Diet kidney food but the first bit he ate, he threw up and wouldn't go back to it. He was somewhat interested in the NF for the first few days but has since changed his mind.

Rest assured he is eating because I am scared out of my mind of Fatty Liver Disease. I just wish he'd choose to eat the NF.

I'll check to see if there are other brands besides the Science Diet and Purina. Maybe I'll get lucky.
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biwako_of_abi
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My very fussy 15-year-old won't touch the K/D in cans, but he made no fuss at all over switching to their kibbles. If there is a flavor of kibbles that your cat especially likes, you might be able to switch him over by giving him that and very gradually increasing the proportion of K/D kibbles that you mix into it. I hope it works out for you!
sheltiemom
17 years ago
You may want to try mixing a small amount of chicken baby (human) food into the new food. He more than likely will go for the baby food and, maybe, in the process begin to develop a liking for the new food.
Pamela Church
17 years ago
We just changed our cats over to Natural Balance food (both wet and dry) because of all of the mess with the recalls. We mixed the dry with our old food to transition them to the New Balance, and to our surprise, all six of them (even the ultra picky eaters) ate the new food and left the old. They continued doing this for days till we finally just scrapped the old stuff and went with straight New Balance. They love it! And they scarf down the wet food too. And I love the ingredient list. Check with your vet. They do have special foods for allergies. Maybe one of those would be good for your kitty.

Here is a link that might be useful: Natural Balance
tess_5b
17 years ago
Hi there from someone who is also "owned" by an Oscar. My Oscar is 17.5 and has CRF, he's had it for 2 years now and we are definitely at the advanced stage unfortunately. He also has heart disease. Oscar won't eat k/d either, doesn't matter what brand - we've tried all that are available to us: Eukanuka, Hills, Royal Canin, Purina, MediCal. He just hates them. Currently I'm banging my head against the wall with trying to find food he'll eat - he's a cuts & gravy cat so with the horrid recall I'm left with very little variety: Friskies, which he doesn't like, and Fancy Feast, which is marginal at best.

The big thing about managing CRF is watching their protein and phosphorous intakes. You don't have to feed your Oscar k/d food if he won't eat it, just try and choose foods that are lower in protein and phosphorous that he will eat. I've linked a page to a CRF info site that is really helpful, it has links to the Kat Karma site and Janet & Binkie's site that are lists of canned and dry food that give you protein and phosphorous numbers so that you can make smarter choices for Oscar. From the Kat Karma lists I try to choose foods that have phosphorous of less than 1% - leaves me with only a few Fancy Feast flavours unfortunately. If your Oscar will eat them the Science Diet Adult wet food is a good choice since it's low in protein and phosphorous with numbers very similar to the k/d diets. Wellness is also good food, phosphorous less than 1% and quality ingredients - my other heart disease boy is eating it and loves it. My Oscar eats Wellness kibble and likes it.

tess

Here is a link that might be useful: Tanya's Feline CRF Food Info Centre
Boopadaboo
17 years ago
Tess - Have you tried Lick Your Chops? It is not as good as some brands, but above fancy feast from what I have read. I have a CRF kitty (I am sure due to eating tainted food grrrrrr - another story) and she is a cuts and gravy lover too. I have not been able to get Sadie to eat much of the Wellness or Prarie. No special Kidney food either. She scarfed up the the Lick your chops turkey and sweet potato. I am off to get more tonight. I think it is because it is very loose and liquidy compared to other canned foods that arent cuts and gravy.

I am so worried about keeping Sadies weight up and balancing that with better food I have been trying everything. I don't know if they use menu foods which bothers me, but they do not use wheat gluten.
silvergold
17 years ago
Natural Balance recalled two of their allergy foods yesterday. See their web page.
oddity
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks everyone for the advice, and thanks to tess for the lists. I will continue the search for a better food that Oscar will eat. Oscar is a cuts and gravy cat also which does make things difficult. Thanks again.

Tips on switching cat food

Comments (9)

laurief_gw

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Tips on switching cat food

Comments (9)

laurief_gw

oddityOriginal Author

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oddity
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