Tilly - what a picky eater!!!!!

[Nomilynn]

Well, since I've stopped free feeding, Tilly has totally turned up her nose at the food she and Nutmeg eat. It's Iams Hairball mixed in with Kitten. The idea was to wean Nutmeg off the kitten and gradually move to Iams hairball, and it didn't really matter if Tilly got a bit of kitten food because she's very active and I knew it wouldn't put on weight. Weeelll.. Tilly HATES kitten food! Nutmeg gobbles it up no problems, but Tilly hates it, and wants Bassett's reducing formula. It's weird, because the reducing formula smells like bread (it's meant to reduce weight in cats) while the kitten food smells like fish. But, Tilly can't have the reducing stuff because if anything Tilly is too skinny - she's certainly not fat!!!

So I brought home four different samples today, and lined up little piles. Tilly totally rejected the Purina food and the Eukanuba food, sort of tasted Medi-Cal Fibre Formula, and ate several nibbles of Medi-Cal Preventative Formula (preventative meaning for normally active, healthy cats.. I asked.. I was afraid it meant something ominous). But, she's so picky.. I'm afraid it's only a one time thing! So tonight at supper meal, I'll give her two choices and see what she picks. Nutmeg ate all the food :rolleyes: so I'm not really worried about what I end up with.. she'll adapt to almost anything. SIGH!! KIDS!!!!! :rolleyes: :D :rolleyes: :D :D

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

silly kitty!!!

My two are far from picky!!! When I get up in the morning Jupiter RUNS for the pantry where I keep the food and then scoots over to the bowl when I open it because HE KNOWS that I am getting HIS food out.....
they eat Iiams....

well come to think of it once I accidentally bought the Iiams hairball and I could tell they didn't really like it... They usually eat 1 cup of food a day and that bag lasted FOREVER!!!

[Nomilynn]

Originally posted by Sara luvs her Tinky
well come to think of it once I accidentally bought the Iiams hairball and I could tell they didn't really like it... They usually eat 1 cup of food a day and that bag lasted FOREVER!!!

Tilly will eat the weight control, hairball Iams!!!! Seems as though she is obsessed with her weight!!! Heheh! :D

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

Seems as though she is obsessed with her weight!!! Heheh!

*lol*;)

[jenluckenbach]

Tilly is just trying to watch her girlish figure!:rolleyes:

[NoahsMommy]

I think they must put something in there to make them want that food. Both Basil and Noah love to steal Livvy's "lite" food!!

What funny kitters you have Nom!! I think its the calico/tortie in them.... ;)

[krazyaboutkatz]

I have some lite and regular Nutro Complete Care and Sunny seems to prefer the lite. Storm prefers the regular and Cirrus just loves to eat so he doesn't care. :D

[Nomilynn]

I tried to feed Tilly tonight, and she just will not eat! :( I really hope that nothing is wrong. I don't know how to make it more appealing to her at all. If she isn't eating by Monday she's getting a vet visit..

Maybe I'm just expecting her to eat too often? They have a tablespoon of wet food in the mornings, as a treat, and then they eat about three more times during the day. Nutmeg and Bassett always eat at meal times. Maybe Tilly just isn't hungry as much??? :confused:

[HayleyRosie]

Tilly,

Please start eating for you mommy. She is getting really worried and she also said if you don't eat she is going to take you to the white coats. I would eat rather than have to visit the white coats! I sure hope your not eating beacuse you are not feeling well.

I will be thinking of you my dear friend Tilly,

Hayley

P.S. Mandy wanted me to say hello to you for her.

[IttyBittyKitty]

It is proof positive that furkids really are teenagers in fur coats! What does this remind you of ... "No Mum, I don't like those" ... "I'm not eating that, Mum" and my personal favourite (and my own mother confessed to doing this) feeding unwanted food to the dog!

[emily_the_spoiled]

When I first got Tanner as a kitten I tried to give him the Iams kitten food and he just wouldn't have anything to do with it. I then switched to Science diet nature's best kitten food and he would eat it. Unfortunately Emily loved it also and wasn't so concerned with her "girlish" figure so she gained some weight off it.

I finally found one that they both will eat (and it is actually made in Canada so you shouldn't have problems getting it). They are now on Nature's Recipe Optimum Maintenance Feline available at Pet Smart. For some reason this one seems to be doing the trick for now...

Good luck with Tilly.

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Ally gets bored if she has the same food too often, so I have a bowl with two dividers in it, and when she starts leaving one side untouched then I know she is ready for a change. At the moment I have the following in the pantry...

Friskies Go Kat: Duck; Chicken; Salmon; Tuna

Whiskers Croquets: Beef & Lamb; Chiken & Turkey

Meow Mix

Kit n Kaboodle
Whiskas Nuggets: Chicken; Ocean Fish; Gourmet Meat

KiteKat: Beef; Chicken

I tried her with Iams, and she refused to eat it.

The other problem I have is that all the foods are imported, and supply is sporadic. eg at the moment I cant find Meow Mix or Kit n Kaboodle in the shops. So I have to make sure she will eat whatever is in stock!

During March when the war in Iraq started, my husband had to drive through to Saudi to buy cat food and litter, as there was none in Bahrain. It was a worrying experience, so now I am paranoid - I have shelves full of the stuff!!!

Quite ironic really - everyone else was stocking up on tinned food; batteries, bottled water JUST IN CASE - I was freaking out about cat food!!!;)

[Nomilynn]

Tilly just refuses to eat :( She has not eaten all day, and I'm getting quite concerned. I'm going to phone the vet in the morning. I hope it's nothing serious. She has not been eating properly for about a week now. She's not throwing up or anything, but she just will not eat. I presented her with five different kinds of food, and she sort of licked one flavour, and refused the rest. I don't know what to do! :( She's lost weight since we've gone from free feeding - and now with her not eating.. she's so skinny anyway. Please pray that she'll start eating.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Naomi, I'm so sorry to hear that Tilly still isn't eating. :( I sure hope that there's nothing seriously wrong with her. Prayers and positive thoughts are on the way. Please keep us updated.

[Nomilynn]

quick update - I was starting to freak out that Tilly hadn't had real food in like two days, so I mixed in some canned with some dry. She gobbled down about a 3rd of a cup. I'm wondering if she has problems with her teeth? It's like she doens't want to chew the dry food. When she's finished washing her face, I'll check her teeth and see what might be happening. I'm going to call the vet tomorrow regradless.. either way I think she should be checked.

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Good idea - if she will eat soft food but not the dry kind, maybe her little mouth is bothering her.

Sending prayers and positive thoughts for a speedy recovery!

[Nomilynn]

Well, I called the vet today. They said that most likely, Tilly is just being picky. I got some stuff for her teeth to clean them, and the vet said to just mix wet food with the dry to make sure she's eating enough, and basically to watch her. I'll let you all know if there is more change. So far, she is quite enjoying having wet food three times a day!!! :D