Cat Chat Feline Forum

Now I know cat can be/are fussy eaters, but I don't know what to do with him next. He's 18 months, been with me about a year. I've been feeding him Whiskas dry as Felix double delicious meat in jelly. He's been fine with that until a few months ago he would not eat the Chicken one (I now have about 60 pouches I don't know what to do with) then he went off the Beef and now he's off the Lamb. I've tried Asda own cheap pouches, he won't touch them. I've tried Felix fish in jelly he will eat them sometimes, I've also tried Whiskas meat in jelly again he will only eat them sometimes. I don't know what to do next. Do I put down one of the pouches he has liked in the past as say eat it or go hungry. Just give him dry, he will eat that as a second choice only. Starve him for a couple of days, I don't know. What would you do? He seems healthy, he runs around, catches mice (eats the heads, mmm) does what he's always done.

They can drive you up the wall can't they! Do not starve him though, they can also be stubborn little sods and it only takes a few days of drastically reduced calories to run the risk of hepatic lipidosis. Keep offering different foods, there are literally dozens to choose from. Different styles - pates, jellies, gravies, tins and pouches, even complementary treat foods for those times when he really just won't touch anything else - but only put one meal down per mealtime, don't keep opening more if one is refused. If he will eat the dry then that is your backup. Keep the ones he won't eat and try them again in a few weeks. Bottom line - the cost of some wasted food donated to a shelter is still cheaper and better than treating for HL.

do you shop online? if you do, have you come across Zooplus, who sell many more foods than are available in the shops

they offer trial packs too, which you might find useful https://www.zooplus.co.uk/specials/cats/trial_specials

OK the starving option is out, thanks for the info in that. I brought a few Whiskas tins months ago that I've been holding back just in case I ran out of the pouches. I gave him a quarter of a tin this morning and he cleared the bowl. I'll give hin some more later and see what happens. I have over 100 pouches so I'll try and sneak one in now and again, maybe if the tins work out I'll try and mix a bit of the pouches in. or take them to the cat place I got him from.

I have shopped at Zooplus and I've looked at those trial packs, but with the postage its too much. I'm on a budget.

Thanks both for you input, I just don't know what to do for the best sometimes.

When Tilly is being a bit of a Madam and refusing to eat her dinner (happens every now and then), I have had success with putting one of the 50g Gourmet Mon petit sachets on top. She then eats that and continues on down into the food she refused to eat 10 seconds earlier.

Alan's post has given me a thought, have you tried sprinkling his dry on top of his wet food?

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I have tried putting the spring water juice from a tin of tuna on his dinner in the past, that sometimes works. I'll give the dry on top of the wet next. Good news, he has eaten the tin stuff so I'll keep him on those for a few days then try the pouches again.