Baby food and cats

[Jessika]

I could be wrong, but I've heard with picky eaters it isn't wise to switch their foods a lot because that's what causes them to be picky? IF that's the case, just stick her on one food, leave it out... a healthy cat will not allow itself to starve, so she WILL eat it. Until then I suggest still trying to find some healthy additive to add that she likes.

If you're mixing small amounts of baby food to her kibble, and she likes it, I don't see it as being a huge concern since she is still getting the necessary nutrients (taurine, etc) from the kibble.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Since she loves her dry food, have you tried mixing both wet and dry food together? I do this with my picky boy Sunny so he'll eat his dry food and it works. I also add a bit of water to help moisten everything. I hope that you'll find something wet that she'll like. Good luck.

[fragrancehound]

I have a pet water fountain too! Shadow loves it but Magic is afraid of it. Basically she needs more moisture in her diet and preferably a wet food that will not give her the runs. As of now she does really well on the Innova dry. She likes is and it doesn't give her an upset stomach or the runs. I am just having the most difficult time finding a wet food she will eat.

I should clarify that all these wet foods I have tried have been over a span of 1 year. I have not switched her food from week to week. I believe I have given enough time between trying each new food. She just doesn't like wet food much. My little Magic is an odd kitty sometimes but so darn adorable.

[Catty1]

HOW ABOUT - forget the wet food and just go with lactose free milk?

That can be Whiskas for cats, or even the human variety. This will give her more liquid.

I would think the kibble has enough nutrients, including Taurine (which the Whiskas milk also has).

Does she have an ordinary water bowl? Hopefully she uses that.

[jenluckenbach]

If she eats dry reliably AND she eats the canned cat food with the baby food mixed in, I would say it would not be harmful. The idea is that baby food alone would not give her the nutrients needed, but if it is just as a flavor booster, how could it hurt? (my vet always suggests mixing baby food with canned food to start kittens on or give to cats off their feed).

Also, I would try mixing wet and dry. If she eats it then you can actually add sme water to it and she would get EXTRA water.

Also, it sounds like you are trying all the high end foods (which of course, is good) excet I have found that the cats actually PREFER the junk food! Try Meow Mix Market Selects or other such foods. She might snarf them down.

[fragrancehound]

I have plenty of regular water bowls around the house that she uses. I think she is afraid of the humming noise that the pet fountain makes.

Like I said I am not too concerned as of yet about the baby food. She loves her dry food which has all the necessary nutrients a cat needs including taurine. I'm just thinking ahead. Right now she seems to like the baby food mixed in with the Innova wet food but I can't help but to wonder about long term affects. I guess I worry too much.

It dawned on me that I have never tried the Whiskas brand. I keep reading the ingredient label and it bothers me about some of the stuff they put in there....a lot of by-products. It would be my luck though that she would probably love it.

[Medusa]

I'll admit to not having ready every post on this thread so at the risk of repeating, I would say that long term, I wouldn't feed a cat baby food. But my old vet started Puddy on baby food and cooked elbow macaroni cuz her tummy was so sensitive. It was just to get her over the hump until she could eat regular cat food. Baby food is missing a lot of ingredients that furkids need, one of which is taurine but then, I'm sure you know that. As for the fountain, mine is as quiet as can be. Sometimes I have to check to make sure it's on so if your kitty is afraid of the vibrations, there are fountains out there that are quiet. Good luck.