Feeding Question

Hello-

I have a very healthy, active, male Maine Coon mix. He is approx a
year now and he HAS been tested twice (once within the last 3 months)
for FIV and Leukemia. My question is that he doesn't eat very much,
and when I say a little, I mean, not even a 1/4 pack of wet food and
nearly no dry food. He acts like he's hungry, but then eats for, I
swear, less then a minute. I've tried several brands and flavors
thinking maybe he is just finiky, but I now have a stock of several
bags of dry food he won't touch (will be donating them to the shelter
I guess). If he didn't act so hungry, I wouldn't be that concerned.
He's definitely on the thin side, but I wouldn't look at him and think
he was starving. Any thoughts?? Should I just suck it up and feed
him albacore tuna??

Thanks in advance!

I've tried several brands and flavors
thinking maybe he is just finiky, but I now have a stock of several
bags of dry food he won't touch (will be donating them to the shelter
I guess). If he didn't act so hungry, I wouldn't be that concerned.
He's definitely on the thin side, but I wouldn't look at him and think
he was starving. Any thoughts?? Should I just suck it up and feed
him albacore tuna??

Bootsie's like that. She's very lean, but not skinny. She only eats ProPlan dry
food, period. I already know that's not a good diet, but unfortunately Boots
doesn't read this newsgroup and she's the boss. If I give her canned, she not
only refuses, but she bolts and runs like her tail is on fire.
Don't give him tuna. It'll only make it worse and tuna's not a steady diet. How
about canned food? Does he refuse that too? BTW, the Petsmart I shop at has a
return policy on cat food. If the cat won't eat it, take it back and they'll
refund or exchange. Then they donate those bags to shelters.
Good luck. Keep trying. I hope you find something he likes.
Sherry

I've tried several brands and flavors
thinking maybe he is just finiky, but I now have a stock of several
bags of dry food he won't touch (will be donating them to the shelter
I guess). If he didn't act so hungry, I wouldn't be that concerned.
He's definitely on the thin side, but I wouldn't look at him and think
he was starving. Any thoughts?? Should I just suck it up and feed
him albacore tuna??

Bootsie's like that. She's very lean, but not skinny. She only eats ProPlan dry
food, period. I already know that's not a good diet, but unfortunately Boots
doesn't read this newsgroup and she's the boss. If I give her canned, she not
only refuses, but she bolts and runs like her tail is on fire.
Don't give him tuna. It'll only make it worse and tuna's not a steady diet. How
about canned food? Does he refuse that too? BTW, the Petsmart I shop at has a
return policy on cat food. If the cat won't eat it, take it back and they'll
refund or exchange. Then they donate those bags to shelters.
Good luck. Keep trying. I hope you find something he likes.
Sherry

What brands are you offering him? Maybe we can suggest some others.

Karen

"heynow" wrote in message
om...
Hello-

I have a very healthy, active, male Maine Coon mix. He is approx a
year now and he HAS been tested twice (once within the last 3 months)
for FIV and Leukemia. My question is that he doesn't eat very much,
and when I say a little, I mean, not even a 1/4 pack of wet food and
nearly no dry food. He acts like he's hungry, but then eats for, I
swear, less then a minute. I've tried several brands and flavors
thinking maybe he is just finiky, but I now have a stock of several
bags of dry food he won't touch (will be donating them to the shelter
I guess). If he didn't act so hungry, I wouldn't be that concerned.
He's definitely on the thin side, but I wouldn't look at him and think
he was starving. Any thoughts?? Should I just suck it up and feed
him albacore tuna??

Thanks in advance!

What brands are you offering him? Maybe we can suggest some others.

Karen

"heynow" wrote in message
om...
Hello-

I have a very healthy, active, male Maine Coon mix. He is approx a
year now and he HAS been tested twice (once within the last 3 months)
for FIV and Leukemia. My question is that he doesn't eat very much,
and when I say a little, I mean, not even a 1/4 pack of wet food and
nearly no dry food. He acts like he's hungry, but then eats for, I
swear, less then a minute. I've tried several brands and flavors
thinking maybe he is just finiky, but I now have a stock of several
bags of dry food he won't touch (will be donating them to the shelter
I guess). If he didn't act so hungry, I wouldn't be that concerned.
He's definitely on the thin side, but I wouldn't look at him and think
he was starving. Any thoughts?? Should I just suck it up and feed
him albacore tuna??

Thanks in advance!

In article ,
enlightened us with...
Hello-

I have a very healthy, active, male Maine Coon mix. He is approx a
year now and he HAS been tested twice (once within the last 3 months)
for FIV and Leukemia. My question is that he doesn't eat very much,
and when I say a little, I mean, not even a 1/4 pack of wet food and
nearly no dry food. He acts like he's hungry, but then eats for, I
swear, less then a minute. I've tried several brands and flavors
thinking maybe he is just finiky, but I now have a stock of several
bags of dry food he won't touch (will be donating them to the shelter
I guess). If he didn't act so hungry, I wouldn't be that concerned.
He's definitely on the thin side, but I wouldn't look at him and think
he was starving. Any thoughts?? Should I just suck it up and feed
him albacore tuna??


Tuna lacks the taurine so essential for cats. Without taurine, they go
blind. Taurine can be found in natural sources as well as commercial
food, of course, such as rodent brains.
http://www.bluecross.org.in/petcare018.html

Feed commercial food. You can give him tuna (watch for mercury as well),
but not exclusively.

There are other things that can make a cat not want to eat besides being
"picky". Has he been checked to make sure his teeth are all okay, there
are no abscesses, no problems with his jaw? Is he at all congested or
stuffy? Is it possible eating gives him an upset tummy? A full vet check
is in order before deciding he's just being a finicky doofus. He may
have an enlarged organ pressing against his stomach, making him feel
full.

You can supplement his diet with a thick paste called Enervite (other
brands include KittyVite, NutriMalt) that has extra calories, fat, and
vitamins. It works pretty well as an appetite stimulant, too.

If you can get him to eat wet food, it is better for him than dry.
Try heating the food. It makes it smell better.
Also, try free-feeding him if he isn't already. Leave some dry down for
him to munch on all day.

Good luck!

--
--
~kaeli~
A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

In article ,
enlightened us with...
Hello-

I have a very healthy, active, male Maine Coon mix. He is approx a
year now and he HAS been tested twice (once within the last 3 months)
for FIV and Leukemia. My question is that he doesn't eat very much,
and when I say a little, I mean, not even a 1/4 pack of wet food and
nearly no dry food. He acts like he's hungry, but then eats for, I
swear, less then a minute. I've tried several brands and flavors
thinking maybe he is just finiky, but I now have a stock of several
bags of dry food he won't touch (will be donating them to the shelter
I guess). If he didn't act so hungry, I wouldn't be that concerned.
He's definitely on the thin side, but I wouldn't look at him and think
he was starving. Any thoughts?? Should I just suck it up and feed
him albacore tuna??


Tuna lacks the taurine so essential for cats. Without taurine, they go
blind. Taurine can be found in natural sources as well as commercial
food, of course, such as rodent brains.
http://www.bluecross.org.in/petcare018.html

Feed commercial food. You can give him tuna (watch for mercury as well),
but not exclusively.

There are other things that can make a cat not want to eat besides being
"picky". Has he been checked to make sure his teeth are all okay, there
are no abscesses, no problems with his jaw? Is he at all congested or
stuffy? Is it possible eating gives him an upset tummy? A full vet check
is in order before deciding he's just being a finicky doofus. He may
have an enlarged organ pressing against his stomach, making him feel
full.

You can supplement his diet with a thick paste called Enervite (other
brands include KittyVite, NutriMalt) that has extra calories, fat, and
vitamins. It works pretty well as an appetite stimulant, too.

If you can get him to eat wet food, it is better for him than dry.
Try heating the food. It makes it smell better.
Also, try free-feeding him if he isn't already. Leave some dry down for
him to munch on all day.

Good luck!

--
--
~kaeli~
A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

Man o man, I feel like I've been through them all! Sci Diet, Pro
Plan, Iams, Purina One, Friskies, even the ol' Meow Mix! Can food,
packet food, wet food, dry food, 'savory pate' and then some! Thanks
for the PetSmart tip, I'll keep trying...I have had cats my whole
life and have always heard they are finiky, but good lord!

Man o man, I feel like I've been through them all! Sci Diet, Pro
Plan, Iams, Purina One, Friskies, even the ol' Meow Mix! Can food,
packet food, wet food, dry food, 'savory pate' and then some! Thanks
for the PetSmart tip, I'll keep trying...I have had cats my whole
life and have always heard they are finiky, but good lord!

Try to look at a health food store and try a brand called Petguard. I have
the pickiest cats in the world (TM) and they like the Turkey Barley Lite and
the Premium feast, Chicken stew light. Another thought is see if your vet
will let you buy some a/d which is a canned food for anemic or convelecing
cats. It is high packed calorie and EXTREMELY palatable. It may well be your
cat should eat this. I've also known it to "kickstart" an appetite.

Karen

"heynow" wrote in message
om...
Man o man, I feel like I've been through them all! Sci Diet, Pro
Plan, Iams, Purina One, Friskies, even the ol' Meow Mix! Can food,
packet food, wet food, dry food, 'savory pate' and then some! Thanks
for the PetSmart tip, I'll keep trying...I have had cats my whole
life and have always heard they are finiky, but good lord!