Scooter is one fussy cat!

My cat Scooter (who will be 4 years old next week!) has alwasy been a very fussy cat when it comes to food. I have tried many different brands of cat food, and just about every flavour, and he turns his nose up at 99% of them. I finally managed to get him to eat the grocery store brand chicken and turkey dinners, which worked for quite some time until recently he decided that he doesn't like that flavour either.
He hasn't eaten anything since Saturday night, and at first I thought he was sick, but he is using the litter box regularly, he is full of energy and he is still drinking water.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get him to eat, or any particular type of food that their fussy cats will eat? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Hi nsweezie, I have a similar problem - check out the advice under Cat Health under 'stressed cat'.

I have never had a finicky cat. ever!
But when I have a sick cat that will not eat, they always say the smellier the food the better. You know, the salmon or the tuna flavor. Does your vet have a suggestion. They usually know what will work.

About 27 years ago, I took in a Maine Coon, abandoned cat. I had the same problem with him. The only cat food he woud eat was canned liver and chicken. I remember spending many dollars in sampling all the cat foods available then. What he did eat was all the birds, lizards, and ground squirrels he could find. What a mess, when he brought them into the house. One day he brought in a quail, and the bird got lose in the house, The cat (I called Tom), was chasing the injured bird all over the house and with feathers flying everywhere. Finally I got the bird outside, without Tom's acceptance! But I had a mess to clean up. :)

........wayne

Sat here reading through the threads - and trying to catch up - when I read this one I had a sudden thought - Why don't they make mouse flavoured cat food!!! Sorry - the pain killers must be affecting my brain. :o :o :o

Lynne

I'm not sure what would be best for Scooter, but I recommend you feed him nutrical in a syringe while he isn't eating.. just to keep him healthy. Have you tried straight tuna? The low sodium kind may be okay. These aren't good long term suggestions, but in the meantime, you know.
There are plenty of cookbooks out there with homemade pet food recipes. You may need to whip up something special for the finicky little guy. Also, if he likes the canned people tuna, try pouring some of the juice onto his food. Maybe it'll flavor it.

Oh, and one more thing. I don't know if I'd go rushing off to the vet about it, but its worth asking next time you're in. I'd be interested to know if maybe he has a bad taste- bad teeth, or if there is something funny with his tastebuds or something affecting his ability to taste food.

Hello

I can't really help because I have a very fussy cat, he likes food for awhile then he doesn't like after. My Joey likes this cat Active Life, it is expensive. It cost $2.99. It is really hard when you got a fussy cat. Maybe your cat is like my cat, only like expensive food. Does your cat like catnip? If so, want you try put cat nip on top of the food and see if that works.

Bastet is fussy too - she only eats Eukabana dried food and chicken catfood but I also try her with a little raw meat to tempt her occasionally. She eats other weird stuff but to get her to eat kitty food is a nightmare!

The vet here suggested specially formulated cat's milk if she decides she doesn't want to eat. At least I know then she is getting at least some of what she needs. Usually though she stops eating if she is stressed (or I am stressed) about something.

I would try him with some raw or even lightly cooked meat. See if he will try that.

Other than that I have no suggestions.

Well, Scooter is still fussy, I guess that will never change. However, he has developed a passion for our supermarket's chicken dinner (which, by the way STINKS!) so he has that now, and he likes to eat the cat crunchies.
Scooter, despite being picky, is still a huge cat, almost 20 pounds, but not overweight according to the vet. Even though he is huge, he is a gentle giant, all the other cats boss him around and I would say that he gets picked on more than any of the other cats. He is particularly intimidated by my sister's cat Mack, who is tiny (maybe 5 pounds), but runs Scooter's life

My in-laws cat is fussy too. She will only eat two flavors of "Fancy Feast"...they are the fish varieties.