Transitioning difficult cat from kibble to canned?

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Tasha & Darwin

Member Since 2017
I have an extremely stubborn kitty, Darwin, who will not touch any food other than kibble. He has never taken any kind of treat, canned food, raw food, "human" food of any kind. In fact, if offered, he will walk away from it as if he's been offended.

That being said, he is now Diabetic, and I really want to get him over to canned, but I know it'll be, not only, a long road, but a more difficult one as I need to ensure he is eating ENOUGH to keep his BG level from slipping too low.

We have two other cats in the house that are happy to eat canned food, and both eat in two separate spots - they are "typical" cats and demand their canned food at the regular feeding times.

With a multi-cat household, I am wondering if I need to get Darwin separate from the others to monitor his actual food intake. At the moment, he is free fed a set mount of dry kibble, but I want to get him to timed meal so that I can start the transition onto canned. I am at a loss of how to get the three on the same timed meal schedule while ensuring I don't cause Darwin to become Hypoglycemic.

I am somewhat limited in space as far as separating him. The only big room I have to separate Darwin to is the bedroom (which the cats don't have access too as our female has urinated on the bed before), but he is already very resistant to handling, and once he goes under that bed - he's very difficult to coax out...

Does anyone have any advice/stories/suggestions?

**ETA: Darwin is about 6.5 years old. He is currently eating Nature's Recipe Grain Free Indoor Formula dry food (I plan to switch him to EVO right away, and then start the transition to canned). Is JUST (this morning) started on Glargine insulin at 2 units twice daily. And I have purchased a ReliOn Micro Glucometer to test his BG levels. His BG on his lab panel at the vet was 350, and he had 4+ urine glucose, and trace Ketones. He also has Feline Herpes (and this current, worst flair up he's ever had) is what triggered me to wonder if something was wrong), and asthma.
 
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Evo isn't bad but the new formula is like 12% carb.


Young Again Zero carb food available at Youngagainpetfood.com is 1%
Dr. Elsley's Clean Protein is around 5%
 
Yeah it used to be 8. Both young again zero and dr elseys will send a free sample if you ask. You could see which your cat prefers.
Oh wow! Thanks for that advice! He's super picky, so that would make the decision a little easier than buying a bag!
 
Oh wow! Thanks for that advice! He's super picky, so that would make the decision a little easier than buying a bag!
The bags are expensive but last along time, especially the young again because it's nutrient dense and high in calories so they eat a lot less of it.
 
Just an insight I like to give about Young Again. I buy the 8lb bag for one kitty and it lasts over 2 1/2 months. About the same duration the 28lb bag of his old food lasted :)
 
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