Other things to get your cat to eat

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Noah & me (GA)

Noah & me (GA)

Member Since 2016
@Tracey&Jones @Phoebes
Fellow members of the scrawny cat club.
Just wondering what else might get Noah more interested in food. Lewis has a thing for smoked salmon and Noah seems interested in the chicken I cook for him, just not interested enough. I'm wondering if anyone has tried other meats like turkey, tuna, crab meat.
Noah is very solitary so the minute any of the other cats want to see what's on his plate he just walks away, very frustrating. I can't keep sprinkling Temptation treats on his food forever, they mess up his numbers.
 
I don’t have any scrawny cats right now, but when I get one who’s appetite is off I’ve used sardines or chicken liver. For the liver I heat it a few seconds in the microwave so it’s partially cooked. If you try that, go slowly, a few seconds at a time or it’ll explode in the micro- not pleasant...:confused:
 
If my Fena is in a mood, Mao (her brother) CANNOT be around - so I actually lure her into my bathroom, or my upstairs bedroom! You baby sounds like Fena these days, they want you close but not "right on top of them" -within about 2-3 feet, as they decide if they wanna eat, then eat.

TIPS -

Chicken breast, drumstick, wings - all good, if you cut/shred them, and drop a little juice/fat over them. Same with turkey!!

Tuna - if doing a tuna steak, BEWARE - the outsides will cook, the insides will be a bit medium rare.. some cats don't like that, or they don't like the 'cooked' outside. Start slow, and small. Save the drippings, though tuna is lean there WILL be some.

Salmon - watch the bones!! Pin bones are a pain, literally - if you get fresh from the deli or seafood counter, tell them to take the pin bones OUT. Then when home, press/feel the filet for yourself to double check. My Lucky got stuck with a pink bone once and I freaked out, he felt bad for about 3 days - NOT worth it. Again, there WILL be juice, collect it.

Crab/lobster - NOT THE LIVE SPECIMENS. I get it from the seafood counter, and make them rinse it before they package it up for me. Shelled clams, mussels, etc. too. RINSE. Once home, shred them up with a good fork - don't cut, "shred". Save the juices.

Shred, shred, shred - think of trying to make "mince meat" baby food. Add the/some juice, and microwave for 15 seconds at a time - You want it warm, but not "cooked". Or, you can use 1tablespoon juice and 1-2 tablespoons hot water.

Best combos I've found:

chicken & tuna
chicken & turkey
turkey & mussels
turkey & tuna
chicken & clams
shrimp & lobster

Just remember to start SMALL, slow and steady wins this race. Separate him from the others - keep close to him, within 2 feet but not TOO close. Keep a napkin/paper towel or spoon with you to help shovel down the food from the sides of the bowl to the middle, to help them eat. Talk to them, A LOT but soft voiced - low volume.

Another tip - if you cook his chicken for him, once you shred it up, add in 1-2 teaspoons of baby food meat - turkey, ham, etc. Just remember the label should be meat only and that meat's broth, nothing else. For Fena sometimes I have to do this, not often but sometimes.

WAIT, too - if you put the dish down and they don't automatically dig in, WAIT - be still. Bend down, hands on your knees, forearms on your knees - stay still, or stay still standing... wait. They WILL dip down and start eating. Be patient, breathe.. you've got this. :)
 
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For Jones...it is tuna which he can't have or kibble. He loves kibble. I have just started him on Nulo limited ingredient turkey. It hasn't affected his numbers as bad as I thought.

I have a bag of Y&A.....Jones can't have it...want me to send it to you? All the cats loved it.

Noah is hard to isolate isn't he?

Scritches for Noah.
 
Phoebes said:
Any cheese really
Click to expand...
The cheese thing. When it looks like Noah is just sadly dragging himself around the house he'll leap onto Cynthia's lap if she's eating anything with cheese from pizza to pasta. In 15 years he has never just sat beside me on the sofa. Maybe he resents that it's me doing all the poking.
Tracey&Jones said:
Noah is hard to isolate isn't he?
Click to expand...
He isolates himself except for Andy whom he just barely tolerates. If you're thinking about feeding him in a separate room forget it. That's like the one and only time we tried to crate him 100 years ago, he kicked and screamed like a jungle cat. If he has to leave the house he gets cocooned in piddle pads and 2 towels.
He probably gets the "everyone go away" behavior from me. It's the same look I have on public transit, "DO NOT even THINK about sitting here!":blackeye:
What is Y&A Tracey? Is it like Victor is on Y&R. I wonder if Luke and Laura are still married.
lukelaura1.jpg
 
Before the IBD I gave Baby a small amount of mozzarella or cheddar cheese. I slightly warmed it in the micro & rolled it into little balls. I usually put it on top & it would help her eat her food. The tuna & water in the can seemed to always be a hit even though she doesn’t like the tuna cat food?!? I don’t know how Noah’s teeth are but my little hyperthyroid kitty went nuts over crumbled up bacon on her food, & eggs as well. Good luck & I hope something helps his appetite! Of course when Baby stops eating & has a bout of pancreatitis...I give her 1/8 of a 15mg mirtazapine; an appetite stimulant.
 
What about feeding him in his closet. Or putting bits of his fave food in front of his nose when he is dozing .
I did that with Ty for a while. Just followed him about plonking down bits of food wherever he rested.


eidt... not in a bowl type way. Just in front of him.
 
Young and the Restless :woot: Luke and Laura :joyful: You are a hot mess, Dickson :bighug: And no, I’m not sure if they are still married :eek: Investigation may be called for here ;) Prayers sent for Noah appy, that something will tempt his taste buds :bighug: When most else fails , Elmo will eat out of my hand .....slowly...methodically .. :woot:
 
Luke and Laura were General Hospital royalty when I was growing up! Then they did something crazy like brought Tony Geary back to play someone else

We spent a lot of time offering usual and unusual tidbits to see what Grandpa would eat during his pancreatic flares. Stella and Chewy freeze dried nuggets were often the winner. We would soak a few pieces at a time in warm water just until they softened a little and offer one at a time almost as treats rather than mushed as food. He loved it and we could set a goal of 10 or so nuggets at a time. A daily serving was something like 60 for him, but we were happy with what we could get.

If all else failed, McDonald's chicken nuggets often won.

My vet gave him an injection of Convenia each time to counter any infection that could be brewing. We also gave B-12 in subQ fluids. The Convenia seemed to make a difference.
 
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