Food refusal

[msrisotto]

Anyone want to buy a crate of Bozita?

I recently learnt that my cat would be better off on a wet food diet. She is currently on Iams biscuits with Sheba on Saturdays as a little treat - I would continue with Sheba as she adores it but unfortunately it is only about 4% real meat!

So I did a bit of research and bought Bozita online in the smallest quantity possible - a not small box with a dozen or so in. I thought she'd love it - it was beef and gravy, just like the Sheba she loves! But she won't touch it. I put a small bit in with her dry food to try and gradually transition her but she'd clearly rather starve and her resolve is stronger than mine. Help?

How old/healthy is she?

I'll confess that I'm pretty indulgent with Seniorboy (who is pernickety) because I want to get his meds down on a regular timescale and also some calories inside him. With a younger, healthier cat I'd take a tougher line.

(Do you have any neighbour with cats who you could swap with? On a sort of Jack Sprat and his wife basis.)

I'm trying to transition my new cat at present: she point blank refuses to even touch whatever I put down, regardless of texture or content. Which might explain why she is a bit skinny: the centre said they'd been putting down wet food.

We are only 4 days in and everything I've read says it can take months: I can't afford to waste that much food, so if she's still refusing it at the 30-day point, I'm giving up.

Goodness, MrsBert. Have her teeth and mouth been properly checked over? (I had to have both The Lodger (young cat) and Seniorboy (old codger, then 16 years of age) given a thorough dental overhaul when I came here - so I know how bad their teeth can get even when you're not expecting it. (I already knew Seniorboy's mouth was bad but it got to the point where it was 'risk the GA or lose him'.))

Have you tried her on 'titbits'? it's not something I would normally do but that degree of intransigence in the face of hunger would make me edgy.

By the way - cat food actually freezes pretty well so if you can beg some little pots from friends and family etc (washed out small food pots are fine) and have a freezer with a bit of room in it, you can give her small amounts of fresh and put the rest of the tin/pouch down for future use.)

PS - is she drinking?

(Sorry to hijack, OP.)

Sorry, I meant she is refusing wet food, not all food!

Yes, drinking about 120-160ml every 24 hours and all well in the toilet department, she just must not be used to wet food. But very hopeful I can get her to changer her mind.

Thanks for the tip ref freezing!

Phew. Maybe start a thread about it in a few days? (She might just have a 'thing' about dried food though.)