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-   -   Sugarcatmom and Growler-advice please (http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=54390)

Love4himies July 14th, 2008 12:24 PM

Sugarcatmom and Growler-advice please
 
I have been trying to wean all my group off Orijen for obvious reasons. The last die hard is Jasper.


Sweet Pea is OVERWEIGHT (by about 4lbs :eek:) and will eat anything AND everything so I can't leave any food down on the floor or she will eat it.:yell::frustrated: No problem getting her off kibble.

Puddles eats her three meals a day as she has since she has been 12 weeks so she is easy, just have to make sure Sweet Pea is locked up while she eats and she eats when her food is put down. She has been off kibble for a while so no issues with her.

So now Jasper:

He has some mental/stress issues and is very passive. He won't eat if there is any activity in the house. He gets very stressed and walks around and around the island. He won't eat if Sweet Pea is around (she would beat him up when he tried to eat when her kittens wanted to eat from his bowl). If it is quiet and he starts to eat, but will stop as soon as he hears a noise.
When we were putting down kibble and allowing him to eat when he wanted he maintained his weight. Now that he is on canned with very limited kibble, he has lost about 2 lbs very quickly (kibble sprinkled on his Wellness). I have started locking him in the bedroom with us at night and bringing his food in with him so he will eat. The problem seems to be that he won't spend enough time eating to get enough calories with canned.

Any change seems to stress this guy out. I am worried his weight loss will continue. He is actually at a healthy weight now, he was a little porky before. If only Sweet Pea would loose some.:frustrated:

Should I continue with kibble or stick to my guns as I did with Puddles and have him eat only canned?

sugarcatmom July 14th, 2008 05:19 PM

Hmm, that's a tough one. You know how generally anti-kibble I am, but I admit that there are times when it's not so cut-and-dried. I can only tell you what I would do, and that's based on my limited perspective of your particular situation. What if you were to cut out all the kibble but weigh Jasper frequently to keep track of anymore changes? It's possible that his weight is just balancing out and will level off, and hopefully his appetite will pick up the slack. Can you sneak him more food at quieter times periodically? If he still continues to lose weight, then maybe a small amount of kibble ain't so bad (Innova EVO is the highest in calories at 612/cup), as long as he still gets predominantly wet. Could it be that he also needs more enticement with the canned? Something like Real Food Toppers crumbled on top, or some tuna juice or parmesan cheese? A pinch of nutritional yeast powder also works well.

Jasper sounds like such a sweet, sensitive soul. I totally understand how frustrating it can be when kitties don't eat the way you want them to. Early on in Aztec's diabetes, he had some serious appetite issues and my whole life revolved around trying to get enough food in him. I would sit beside him while he ate and hold my breath until he was done. If the phone rang or hubby walked in and disturbed us, that was it, Aztec would walk away and I would literally start crying. Entirely different story today! Now he's a little pig and I'm having trouble getting his weight down (which is complicated by being diabetic).

Let me know how it goes, and give that handsome cat of yours some extra chin scritches for me.

Love4himies July 14th, 2008 06:09 PM

Thanks sugarcatmom, I really want him off kibble (and would really like him on raw, but that won't be for a while). I will start weighing him tonight. How often do you think I weigh him? I really like the weight he is now.

I am feeling the same way as you were with Aztec and sounds like they are very similar. The real food toppers worked with Puddles, but didn't entice him at all. Maybe I'l try different flavours like lamb, he is fed mainly Wellness, chicken, beef and chicken, and turkey. He has allergies to grains and gets horrible diarrhea and will literally scratch his eyes until they bleed.

Winston July 14th, 2008 06:59 PM

Have you tried DVP Venison and Green Pea? Honestly I never could get Tabitha to eat any canned at all but she has turned into a hound! with this stuff! she actually drives me crazy now for it! might be worth a shot! I know what you mean about a skittish cat! my boy was the same way! he has adjusted noe but it can be tough!

Cindy

Love4himies July 14th, 2008 07:03 PM

Thanks Winston, I think I will try him on different flavours. That's the one problem with adopting an adult cat, if they are fussy, it is so hard to find what they like.

Winston July 14th, 2008 07:06 PM

I have tried every brand on the market and they snub them all! But for some reason this one they LOVE! I'm doing the same thing trying to wean them off kibble which they have been on all their lives! Its tough! but we are up to almost a full can of that a day! I am worried that she will get sick of it! But for now she loves it!

Cindy

growler~GateKeeper July 14th, 2008 11:00 PM

[B]L4H[/B] Does Jasper like fish?....

Wellness Salmon & Trout canned = calcium dry matter.......1.70%
............................................= phosphorus dry matter..1.28%
............................................= potassium dry matter....0.97%

Would he eat the canned w/a little bit of raw topped on it? That would give a little extra good calories added to what he'll eat.

Jim Hall July 14th, 2008 11:14 PM

arghhhh i have no advice but i have been ther and feel your pain

Love4himies July 15th, 2008 06:32 AM

[QUOTE=growler;623322][B]L4H[/B] Does Jasper like fish?....

Wellness Salmon & Trout canned = calcium dry matter.......1.70%
............................................= phosphorus dry matter..1.28%
............................................= potassium dry matter....0.97%

Would he eat the canned w/a little bit of raw topped on it? That would give a little extra good calories added to what he'll eat.[/QUOTE]

I wish he would eat a bit of raw, I have tried mixing it, warming it, no go :frustrated:. I'm going to buy different flavours for him tonight.

Love4himies July 15th, 2008 06:33 AM

Weighed him last night, he is down to 11 lbs, he has lost 3 lbs in the last 6 weeks.:sad:

Chris21711 July 15th, 2008 09:26 AM

[QUOTE=Winston;623175]Have you tried DVP Venison and Green Pea? Honestly I never could get Tabitha to eat any canned at all but she has turned into a hound! with this stuff! she actually drives me crazy now for it! might be worth a shot! I know what you mean about a skittish cat! my boy was the same way! he has adjusted noe but it can be tough!

Cindy[/QUOTE]

Winston - what is DVP :confused: I'm giving the cats Wellness grain free, but Kale is not that keen.
Sorry to hi-jack L4H, trying to get finnicky cats to eat is a pain.:yell:
Kale is similar to Jasper, everything has to be a certain way and a certain karma around the room, the slightest movement and he goes running. Lord knows why we've had him since he was itsy-bitsy.

Love4himies July 15th, 2008 09:32 AM

[QUOTE=Chris21711;623438]Winston - what is DVP :confused: I'm giving the cats Wellness grain free, but Kale is not that keen.
Sorry to hi-jack L4H, trying to get finnicky cats to eat is a pain.:yell:
Kale is similar to Jasper, everything has to be a certain way and a certain karma around the room, the slightest movement and he goes running. Lord knows why we've had him since he was itsy-bitsy.[/QUOTE]

Don't worry about the hijack, doesn't bother me especially if it is on the same subject, we all can learn.

DVP is Dick Van Patten, Natural Balance.

Puddles wouldn't eat Wellness either until I sprinkled some pulverized freeze dried salmon on it. She was a fish food addict (fancy feast). Now she loves it. I think it is what ever they get used to.

That is funny how you describe karma's environment in order for him to eat :laughing: Yes, Jasper is the same way. Even a differnt plate sends him into stress mode.

Love4himies July 15th, 2008 09:33 AM

[QUOTE=Love4himies;623368]Weighed him last night, he is down to 11 lbs, he has lost 3 lbs in the last 6 weeks.:sad:[/QUOTE]

Forgot to mention, I took the weight off him and added it to my hips, yikes I am up 6 lbs :eek:

Chris21711 July 15th, 2008 09:45 AM

[QUOTE=Love4himies;623442]Forgot to mention, I took the weight off him and added it to my hips, yikes I am up 6 lbs :eek:[/QUOTE]

At least it's not going to waste :laughing:
Herbie can be eating and I drop something from the fridge right next to him, maybe he will look and then again maybe not he just carries on munching. Kale on the other hand who eats on the other side of the kitchen, runs half a mile, if I'm putting dishes away, no way in the cupboard close to him, that's reason to scat also. :confused:

Love4himies July 16th, 2008 07:30 AM

Bought some Instinct canned Lamb, Venison and Rabbit:

[url]http://www.naturesvariety.com/instinct_cat_can[/url]

Fed him the lamb and he gobbled it up. When I was buying NV Lamb raw for the kittens, he would come in the kitchen an meow with the kittens while I was preparing their food, I would give him some but he wouldn't eat it.:sad:. I wonder if he was fed lamb in his previous home. He ate almost a full can since last night.:D

I also bought some Wellness Delight treats and he loves those too. I sprinkled some on his breaky this morning:

[url]http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_wellness_treats_pure_delights.html[/url]

14+kitties July 16th, 2008 08:46 AM

Hopefully he's found something he likes and will keep on eating. That isn't good losing that much weight that fast. :sad:

sugarcatmom July 16th, 2008 09:15 AM

[QUOTE=Love4himies;623862]Fed him the lamb and he gobbled it up.


I also bought some Wellness Delight treats and he loves those too. I sprinkled some on his breaky this morning:
[/QUOTE]


Yay!!!!! I hope he keeps it up. :highfive:

ancientgirl July 16th, 2008 09:19 AM

OH! I haven't seen those Wellness treats! I didn't know they had any. I had thought Greenies were something healthy to give them but apparently it's not. I'm going to look for these!

L4H, I hope you get Jasper on the right track food wise. My fussiest eater is Oksana. She likes the Wellness but she eats very little at meal time and prefers to eat a little here and there throughout the day and evening. I've managed to get my gang off of kibble during the week and only give them a little bit on the weekend.

Love4himies July 16th, 2008 09:30 AM

Jasper can't eat Greenies, they have grains in them. Anytime I tried any food with grains he get very loose poops and they stink:yuck: so no foods with grains in my house. He was eating Orijen quite nicely and we would put down kibble when ever he was at the pantry. Now I want him off kibble, but he doesn't eat the canned fast enough before Sweet Pea or the kittens gobble it up, and the little he does eat just doesn't have enough calories to sustain him, and if there is any little noise while he is eating, he stops and runs off.

So I have to find a food he really, really likes so he will gobble it up. Lamb seems to be it, will try venison tonight :fingerscr.

The other good news, Sweet Pea doesn't seem to care for the lamb so she didn't gobble it up. And Puddles, well she is a tiny muncher and won't touch any food that isn't her "normal".

The Wellness treats are new, Global didn't even have them on the shelves yet, they just came in yesterday, but they opened the box for me so I could buy some:D $5 per small bag :eek:

ancientgirl July 16th, 2008 10:16 AM

That's about the same price as Pet Food Direct on the web. Hopefully Petco will sell them or I can find somewhere that will sell them.

It's good the girls don't like Lamb, at least that's a plus for Jasper. He can have his food to himself. I saw a brand at the specialty pet store called Wysong. I didn't have a chance to look at the ingredients, but all they sell at this place is the good high quality brands so maybe that is something you can look into.:shrug:

growler~GateKeeper July 16th, 2008 04:08 PM

Wysong is good & grain free, However the canned formulas are only for intermittent or supplemental feeding, they don't have the full nutritional supplements including Taurine that cats need.

ancientgirl July 16th, 2008 05:42 PM

[QUOTE=growler;624062]Wysong is good & grain free, However the canned formulas are only for intermittent or supplemental feeding, they don't have the full nutritional supplements including Taurine that cats need.[/QUOTE]

Lovely how they seem to withhold that fact. They have that at this place I go now and then to get my gang Wellness. I actually thought about buying that for them not long ago. At least it's something I can give them just not alone.

growler~GateKeeper July 16th, 2008 09:01 PM

It is mentioned on their website you have to find it though, it should also be stated on the cans as well. It is fine to feed as a snack or as 1 meal with something else provided the other meal that day is a nutritionally complete one. Not one to feed as a regular part of their diet unless you have something to go with it.

sugarcatmom July 16th, 2008 09:40 PM

The Wysong "Au Jus" cans aren't complete (although you can buy Wysong's Call of the Wild supplement to add to them), but their "Gourmet" and "Stew in
Gravy" lines are. The Gourmet stuff isn't grain-free though, but it is low-carb.
[url]http://www.wysong.net/page/WOTTPWS/CTGY/FD[/url]

ancientgirl July 17th, 2008 07:38 AM

I'm going to give it a look into. On the weekends I like to give the gang a special treat of an extra snack during the day. This might be something they would appreciate.

I see they have a gourmet seafood and even snacks. I don't like to give them seafood often, just now and then, and they love it.

Love4himies July 26th, 2008 05:39 PM

Update
 
Jasper's weight has stablized. He absolutely loves Instinct: Lamb, Venison and Rabbit, Lamb being his favourite, so he gets that brand.

I have had to add kibble sprinkled on the top to add calories, but added water to the canned hoping to make up for the lack of moisture in his kibble. I really wanted to be kibble free so I will try again in the winter when he isn't so active. He runs like a dog when he is outside, climbs trees and runs after the chipmunk and resident turkey.

His "special" dinner is kept locked up from Sweet Pea, who can't have any extra calories (so zero kibble) and Puddles, who has to have extra water and low phosphorus food.

He is locked in the bedroom with Puddles and I at night and that is when he does the majority of his eating.

SolaMio July 26th, 2008 05:50 PM

You have probably seen this, and it seems that you've found a solution, L4H, but Innova has a reduced fat wet food: [url]http://www.naturapet.com/brands/innova.asp[/url]
I'm considering it for my Millie, as she seems to be getting a little, er, rotund...
I didn't know EVO was so high in calories. I'm currently feeding a bit of wet EVO with some dry California Natural (either Chicken or Herring). :cat:

Love4himies July 26th, 2008 06:04 PM

[QUOTE=SolaMio;629375]You have probably seen this, and it seems that you've found a solution, L4H, but Innova has a reduced fat wet food: [url]http://www.naturapet.com/brands/innova.asp[/url]
I'm considering it for my Millie, as she seems to be getting a little, er, rotund...
I didn't know EVO was so high in calories. I'm currently feeding a bit of wet EVO with some dry California Natural (either Chicken or Herring). :cat:[/QUOTE]

Thanks solamio, the problem with Sweet Pea is quantity, so I think I need to really control her food intake (which I am doing now by locking up Jasper's food. Puddles eats while Sweet Pea is locked up and eats almost all her food at once). She is currently eating 50% Organics by Nature and 50% Wellness grain free or now, Instinct. She needs very low carb food or she gets very moody. I am hoping with the strict quantity intake she will get used to a lower calorie intake and won't crave so much food. She has actually lost some weight since I have taken away all her kibble.

SolaMio July 26th, 2008 06:09 PM

[QUOTE=Love4himies;629388]Thanks solamio, the problem with Sweet Pea is quantity, so I think I need to really control her food intake (which I am doing now by locking up Jasper's food. Puddles eats while Sweet Pea is locked up and eats almost all her food at once). She is currently eating 50% Organics by Nature and 50% Wellness grain free or now, Instinct. She needs very low carb food or she gets very moody. I am hoping with the strict quantity intake she will get used to a lower calorie intake and won't crave so much food. She has actually lost some weight since I have taken away all her kibble.[/QUOTE]

Ohhh quantity... I have had to really limit the amount I'm feeding the girls, too. I switched to higher quality food and lowered the amount because Layla was overweight when we adopted her from the SPCA. Millie was always a pretty small cat. Now the shoe is on the other foot- Layla looks tiny in comparison to ballooned Millie. :sad: I don't think she's on her way to cat obesity, but she's still a bit larger than I feel comfortable with. I'm going to check with the vet at her next visit. But even he said (about Millie) "I don't think she'll ever be a LARGE cat". Boy was he wrong... :rolleyes:

Love4himies July 26th, 2008 06:38 PM

[QUOTE=SolaMio;629392]Ohhh quantity... I have had to really limit the amount I'm feeding the girls, too. I switched to higher quality food and lowered the amount because Layla was overweight when we adopted her from the SPCA. Millie was always a pretty small cat. Now the shoe is on the other foot- Layla looks tiny in comparison to ballooned Millie. :sad: I don't think she's on her way to cat obesity, but she's still a bit larger than I feel comfortable with. I'm going to check with the vet at her next visit. But even he said (about Millie) "I don't think she'll ever be a LARGE cat". Boy was he wrong... :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]


Sweet Pea's stomach stretched so much that she wants to eat 3 times the norm for an adult cat. I couldn't believe what she would eat when she was nursing:eek: All my fault, I should have cut down her food while she was weaning her kittens.


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