Fussy cat

[Violetpuma]

Hello,

I’m just looking for some advice about my fussy 7 year old cat. She has a bowl James Wellbeloved dry cat food and 2 pouches of wet food a day. The problem is she will only lick the jelly from the wet food (Perle Gourmet meat range not fish as she won’t touch that). I buy the Hi life chicken pouches to alternate and she will sometimes eat it all and others not touch a drop. She is actively looking for the wet food though so don’t feel I can cut it out.

I’ve tried so many different types of cat food ranging from expensive to the cheapest stuff and she turns her nose up at everything apart from the above.

These pics show my most recent order from Zooplus to see if she will try something different but it’s an absolute no from her for any of them.

She is slightly overweight and the vet told me to reduce the amount of dry food I’m giving her, so I’m not worried about that. It’s just frustrating at how fussy she is and expensive knowing that it’s just the jelly she wants and not the actual meat.

I got rid of the chunks of jelly type food when I had a fussy cat that just licked the jelly off.

Successes for us have been really really smelly cat food. Animonda Carny is usually popular. Top favourite (and budget) is Canagan herring or salmon. The Canagan tins of tuna also disappear.

Also if your cat is a bit overweight they can afford to be fussy. If you cut down portions a lot the fussiness does reduce, they aren't daft.

I think that the 'meat' isn't really meat - a lot of cat food uses all different kinds of alternatives that look meaty but aren't. Cheap cat foods like Felix and Whiskas have less than 10% meat (might be as low as4%)
Have you considered dumping the wet food altogether? Maybe add a dab of something like lick-e-lix to make it appetising and perhaps just add some actual meat? I think James Well beloved is a complete dry food.
Mine eat JW dry food, cooked fish/chicken with some wet food through the day too. I have one cat that will only eat Sheba small sachets but the others are broadly less fussy and are liking Lily's kitchen and some Felix tasty shreds at the moment.

Thanks @AnnaMagnani. I’ve tried Animoda Carny and several others before and she wouldn’t entertain it. The only good thing is that our local cat rescue gets lots of donations from me!

Thats another £50 wasted on food which I could really have done without spending on her.

I think I will try and wean her off the jelly stuff. She just makes me feel guilty by miaowing and circling my legs as soon as I go anywhere when it is mealtimes.

My cat is fussy. He will happily eat Purina dried food, grazes from the bowl all day but expectantly looks at me each time he comes in expecting a whole new bowl. Easily fooled by me shaking the dry food at him. He also goes mad for a pouch with gravy but will only eat the gravy and nothing else. Literally licks the meat dry. Actually won't even attempt any real meat or fish...will activate hunt out and steel cheese though which makes him vomit. I only do the gravy pouches at Christmas or when poorly because they cost a fortune. He is healthy.

Yes, I agree about very poor meat content and it didn’t really didn’t plan on feeding her Perle Gourmet but she is just so fussy. I’ve tried all the different cat foods at Pets at Home and lots from zooplus including lily's kitchen, applaws, butchers choice.

Oh look has arrived waiting acting like she hasn’t been fed in days!

She looks half starved poor thing 😉

@Violetpuma what a beauty she is!! Clearly only the most expensive food would be fit for such a queen!

I feed my girl a raw diet mixed with a big whiskas. I get Purform pouches. She’s not really fussy but seems to appreciate the whiskas for the extra taste.

My boys won't eat the expensive wet foods. I make up for it by also giving them high meat grain free dry food. I give a mix of wet foods of various varieties.

Mine eat Sheba - it's not the highest quality but we're guaranteed empty bowls. I switch between jelly, gravy, fish and poultry so they get a variety.

If she eats dry food could you just give up on the wet?

Or give something like one sachet of cat soup for enjoyment rather than nutrition?

I have the advantage of one dustbin cat so no food is ever wasted here.

The only wet food Penelope will eat is Sheba flakes. Even own brand flakes are not good enough. 🙄 Cheddar will not touch wet food at all.

I suspect that your cat will have read this and be inwardly very pleased with herself.

My girl will eat anything but my fussy boy will only eat felix