advice on food please.

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nanny pamy
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advice on food please.

Post by nanny pamy »

Hello everyone. Im new here and ive just spent over an hour reading the posts. What a lovely forum. Well I got my cat 5 months ago from the rescue centre. He beautiful. He,d been badly treated, frightened of everything (people, noises, even birds flying past the windows.) But hes coming out of his shell slowly. Hes such a quiet gentle boy and so affectionate and follows us around everywhere like a little dog. At the moment he just likes it to be him and us and if anyone else comes he runs off to hide till they,ve gone but he,s now starting to creep back downstairs to peep at them from a distance and sometimes slowly comes back into the room and have some treats. I always ask visitors not to shout or make sudden movements around him and everyones very understanding. So I think im doing things right considering ive never had a cat before. Anyway my question is, does he need *wet food*. He loves the dry Purina GoCat (salmon flavour) but doesn't seem to like wet food. Ive tried whiskers which he looked at in disgust, and ive tried the pouches but the only one he will eat is the little tins of Gourmet Gold with ocean fish and even then he will only eat about half the tin. Then he goes and sits by his food cubourd till I get the Purina GoCat out. Ive only ever introduced the wet foods gradualy but it seems he rather not eat than try them. I asked the vets opinion and he said *just feed him what he likes and as much as he likes*. But ive read that they need some wet food too. So sorry for the very long post but any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers. x
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jan1957
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by jan1957 »

Hi Nanny Pamy
Welcome to CC; I've found it to be a wonderful support group and I hope you do too.
How old is your boy? Does he have any health problems? What's his name?
My two furbabes are nearly 8 and my black velvet Georgie will eat practically anything but my furry bundle of love Eric is majorly fussy and will only eat fish. Since kittens they've had Science Plan dry food tuna low fat (E&G have always been big boned :D ) but since they were 7 our vet told us to swap over to Senior Food and the only low fat flavour is chicken. It's been gradual but they will both eat it now. I leave out their dry food and they do nibble it now and then. They also have Hi Live fish pouches or Applaws fish pouches but honestly some days they'll nibble a mouthful and walk away, or enjoy half a sachet each for breakfast and then again for supper. I'm neurotic about my boys even after all these years and my other half is the same. But our very patient and understanding vet is always reassuring me that E&G would never let themselves go hungry! I place two filled water bowls in the kitchen two upstairs and two in the garden (which collect rain water which they prefer). They love drinking from puddles too. The most important thing is that furries drink water. I also sometimes add a little water to their wet food.
If your boy has dietary problems there is a vast rang of special food which Im sure others on here are more expert on than me.
I'm sorry I've filled a page.......hope I've given you some help.
Happy Sunday
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Kay
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by Kay »

I have three cats, and none of them are very keen on wet food - one likes the Gourmet pate too, and I freeze half the tin if I think she won't eat all of it in a day (in the winter I would just keep the rest in the fridge)

I give Trigger several pieces of Tesco cooked chicken breast every day, as he won't eat any wet cat food - because it is frozen it is quite wet when defrosted, so your boy might go for that - and if he doesn't you can eat it yourself - a bag lasts 10 days so that is 35p a day

I feed a variety of good quality dry foods, and have a fountain and water bowls outside
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by nanny pamy »

Hes 4 yrs old and his name is Theo.and no health problems now. He was in a bad way when he was taken to the rescue. Under fed, full of fleas, eye infection, bald patches. And very very scared. He was in the rescue for a year and they told me the other cats bullied him. I just had to save him. He didn't even know how to play. He was terrified of toys and used to run and hide. Then I read online about a toy called Dabird. I googled it and got one from Amazon. Flying Frenzy its called but they have all different types. The first time we showed him it he ran away and did a *number 2* in the living room with fright. But we kept showing him it then giving treats till he got used to it and now he loves it. He races round after it and jumps over the furnature chasing it. Its so funny. And its real good exercise for him because I haven't let him outside yet. I don't think he would cope well outside with being so timid and there are a few aggresive cats around where we live.,l will try to put a picture on if I can work out how.
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jan1957
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by jan1957 »

DaBird is fabulous for playtime. If you can, Google Jackson Galaxy who is the ultimate Cat Whisperer (his tv series Cat Frm Hell is great....when it's on; for some reason Animal Planet never show a full series) but I think he introduced DaBird.
It's lovely that you were able to give Theo a forever home and with your love patience and care, he'll be able to thrive and enjoy life.
My two are garden cats, we had cat netting put on top of all our fences (we have a small garden) as we were worried more about the roads near where we live. It was just something I couldn't cope with - letting them out into the streets, but I have to say the majority of my friends who adopt furbabies do let them out after quite a while of home loving and rehabilitation.
Let us know how Theo gets on.
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bobbys girl
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by bobbys girl »

Hi Nanny Pamy,
welcome to CC. You are not alone when it comes to fussy pussies! It's like a kitty restaurant around here - 'what would modom like today'.
Dry food is fine as long as there is a water bowl alongside. Ours will drink tap water if nothing else is available (I don't like our tap water - too much like a swimming pool, so I can't blame the kitties). There are always saucers of rainwater by the door and they often drink from the pond.
We used to feed them Whiskers and Go Cat dry food - it's ok but there are better quality ones out there. We now feed them Iams and I'm always on the look out for 'special offers'!
They like Lidl's Coshida in Jelly - cheap, but they wolf it down.
Tommy loves his meat. I buy Iceland ready cooked Chicken portions for him and if we have chicken or beef I always save some for him (minus any sauces).
Bobby used to eat just dry food, but since his op. he likes mainly wet food. His favourite by far is Applaws Ocean Fish. They all like that.
Purdy loves prawns (Iceland again) she gets a few for breakfast.
If I make sushi, they form a queue for the offcuts. Good grief, the little beggars eat better that we do! :roll:
Just one thing, if you find something new that he does like, don't be tempted to buy a lot until you are sure it's not a fad!

As for toys, try a cardboard box - hours of amusement for nothing! :lol:
Best wishes
nanny pamy
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by nanny pamy »

Thanks for the replies. Ive been to lidel and got some coshida in jelly to try him with later. And the Tesco cooked chicken Is a great idea. Ive been trying to put his photo on here but not having any luck. Im not that good with computers. I,ll be popping back in here each day now because theres great info on here for cat novices like me. Thanks again folks. :)
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by nanny pamy »

Just wanted to share. I just gave theo the coshida in jelly and he ate all the jelly in one go and left all the little bits of meat :lol: . He seemed to really like the jelly though so at least he,s had something wet.
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Janey
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by Janey »

Hi nanny pamy, good to hear that you managed to get Theo to eat some part of the wet food. Another thought - you could try mushing the meat with the jelly before serving, I always do that because a lot of cats will just lick the jelly or gravy off. Btw, I care for some ferals who prefer dry food and I have a stray cat here at the moment who won't eat dry if there's wet food. It's good if they will eat some of both but some cats just prefer some textures/tastes just like us I suppose :)
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Jacks
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by Jacks »

Hi Nanny Pamy, Your boy sounds a lovely little guy and so lucky to have found such a caring and sensitive home!

One little tip about water which I have found really helps - cats prefer not to have their water next to their food - so place the bowl across the kitchen from the food area.

Some cats prefer a glass bowl to a ceramic or metal one - it's the transparency.

Running water is more attractive than standing water - some cats love a pet fountain. I don't have one because amongst my 4 is an ex-feral kitten who already puts her paw in the bowl with the water to lap and treats a water device like a toy for water play and it went EVERYWHERE...

Probably for all the above reasons their favourite water bowl if the back door is open is a transparent plastic bird feeding bowl filled from the outdoor hose, in the shade under the edge of the patio table. They will drink from that even if there are leaves floating in it - in fact I think they quite like the 'eau naturelle' nature of this offering :-)
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bobbys girl
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by bobbys girl »

Has Theo discovered the 'Big White Box' (fridge) Yet? Tommy will often sit on top of the fridge with his big paws curled over the edge looking hopeful. He gets all excited when it's opened.
nanny pamy
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by nanny pamy »

Oh jacks Ive got the water and food bowls right next to each other so I,l move the water now. A pet fountain sounds lovely. And bobbys girl I have a cubourd for his food and as soon as I come down in the morning he stands by it. That was the funny thing when I tried him with whiskers. He looked up at me and walked over to *his* cubourd and meowed at me. Hes such a funny little character. I swear he knows what we say. If I say *do you want to play* he runs in the other room and brings his toy like a dog. And when I say *food* he goes to his cubourd. Sometimes he just follows me everywhere and keeps pawing me and meowing but im not sure what it is he wants. It really is a learning thing isn't it. When I go to work I cant wait to get back and he,s always waiting at the window and runs to greet me. awww
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bobbys girl
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by bobbys girl »

Oh that's lovely. Sounds like you are making a real friend there.
Bobby came in soaking wet this morning and stood very patiently while I toweled him dry, lifting his feet one at a time - which must be hard for a 3 legged cat. He loves having his tummy tickled. If I tried that with the others I'd be wearing them! :lol:
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kittiesmom
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Re: advice on food please.

Post by kittiesmom »

:) Hi and welcome, I don't think its a case of needing wet or dry its more what they will eat. My female Tilly will only eat wet and Scooby will only eat dry, and they are both healthy and happy. :D
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