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Picky Eaters

MelissaAlice

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So when I picked Toothless up from the breeder she warned me that she was a picky eater.
I didn't think anything of it, Elfie was already on raw and I knew that the transition may be slow but that we would get there in the end.

What I didn't count on was just how STUBBORN this kitten was going to be!

It took me about a week to get over to mostly raw with just a touch of canned more for the smell then anything else. Then Elfie had to have her teeth done and so she was on mostly canned because it was easier for while she was healing and then with all her complications it lasted a little longer then I would have liked.

So when I was mixing Elfie's with canned Toothless could smell it and demanded the same mixture!
I caved and let her have it, thinking that when Elfie went back to an all raw diet so would Toothless.

I was very wrong :(

Elfie took to the raw again gladly, she loved the raw right from the beginning. Toothless however; well she would rather starve :wideyed:
I'm serious, if that mix is not at least 60% canned she wont touch it! I tried to be stubborn myself and say too bad .. but she started to lose weight so I had to give in!

Elfie has IBD and I cant put her back on canned, but I cant keep up with the 2 separate diets!

What am I suppose to do?!?
Anyone out there with picky eaters, or anyone have trouble transitioning? :banghead:
 

Toa and Ross

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Oh that stubborn little Toothless of yours! Maybe she refuses to eat pure raw because she thinks her name means she has no tooth so it's impossible for her to eat pure raw food? Okay that's a bad joke but I had to:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:.

Hope you'll get her to eat raw. You've been through enough worries so you deserve some rest and peace:).

Hi Toothless,as you know I love stubborn girls and from all stubborn girls I like you most. BUT sometimes you have to know when to stop being stubborn on sime things. Now it's time to stop being stubborn on raw food. So just eat it. It taste delicious! Toa, the mighty peanut.
 

Xandria

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Argh. I can imagine you're exasperated. It took a while for me to get Max back on track but he did eventually.

Have you tried different types of raw? For instance, different proteins, different ready-made brands? I'm sorry; I can't remember if you make it yourself -- what are you feeding right now?
 

MelissaAlice

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I don't make it myself, it's made locally by a couple who run a small company. They deal mostly with dogs but have worked very closely with me to tailor to my girls (even going so far as to grind a special bone fee batch for Elfie after her dental surgery)

We mix up the protein a bit too.
Turkey
Chicken
Duck
Beef
Lamb
Tripe
Hare

She tends to react the same way to all of them. I thought maybe she just didn't like or the other but nope!

She's even picky with the moisture content! If I add a little too much broth she wont eat it, if I don't add enough she wont eat it :banghead::banghead::banghead:
She turns her little nose up at pumpkin too! I add pumpkin to all of Elfie's meals, it helps with the IBD and she LOVES it .. nope not Toothless!!
 

Xandria

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And you've tried adding forti flora? You could also try a really gamey meat (extra smelly and rich) like venison.

And finally, you could also try using a mix-in like Better in the Raw or Alnutrin -- some cats I've heard really like the flavour of these.

Oh, and maybe adding a bit of krill or salmon oil on top of the food?

Wow... Toothless is really truly picky! Come on, Toothless, don't drive your mommy so crazy!
 

MelissaAlice

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I use flax oil with Elfie (I try to stay away from fish anything she gets a rash)

I was hoping the tripe would work like the gamier meats ( I know it smells strong to me) and still nothing

I have Better in the Raw ordered, I tried forta flora with Elfie and her IBD flared up worse then anything she'd ever been on so I'm leery about trying it again.

She truly is a stubborn little thing!!
I guess what my mother always wished on me is coming true .. I have a daughter who is as much trouble as I was!!! :jawdrop:
 

Xandria

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I'm hoping that Toothless just finally gives in and enjoys the food. I thought Max was fussy, but oh boy. That Toothless.

I wish I had more ideas!
 

MelissaAlice

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I'm hoping that when I have the bitr in she will take to that.

It just really freaked me out on Friday when I was just sitting watching her play and I noticed how thin she was getting!
I popped her on the scale and she was down by 3oz and for a kitten who only weighs 3.8lbs to begin with!!!

So I gave her just canned for about 5 meals to "fatten" her back up and now I'm back to mixing
 

Toa and Ross

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Toothless you weigh 3oz? I do like my girls skinny ans tiny but you're way to skinny. Come on baby do eat the raw food! Toa

Ps sorry Toothless this is the prednison that makes Toa talk like this. Don't you mind his words please!
 

Toa and Ross

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It's ok Toa, we understand.

But she lost 3oz, she weighs about 3lbs 8oz. She was down to about 3lbs 5oz when she was refusing to eat!

Oh I guess I'm busted! I have to admit I don't know about the american weights. I just looked it up. A mosquito even weights more then 3oz. Stupid stupid me!

But seriously: I do hope Toothless starts to eat the raw food. I wish I had a clever idea how you could trick in on eating the raw.
 

MelissaAlice

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I think that tonight when it's time for their dinner I'm going to put Toothless's in one of my bowls and pretend to eat it.
She is OBSESSED with people food, I have to eat standing up most of the time! And even that doesn't stop her, she just climbs up my leg!
 

Xandria

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I think that tonight when it's time for their dinner I'm going to put Toothless's in one of my bowls and pretend to eat it.
She is OBSESSED with people food, I have to eat standing up most of the time! And even that doesn't stop her, she just climbs up my leg!

Yes, let us know if that works. Toothless is a funny naked. But needs to EAT!!!
 

Kate

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In order to get Jack to eat his raw diet I've had to resort to putting a little tuna on top of the bowl. He eats it happily that way. I'm only putting on about 1/8 of a tsp, but seems to be enough to keep him eating. I hope to slowly over time wean out the tuna.

I hope you find a way to adjust the diet to meet your needs :)
 

Calicocious

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Oh what a stubborn kitten! I had one of those too. You mentioned Elfie had a flare up with the fortiflora but did you try it with Toothless? It shouldn't affect them the same way. It really is like crack to them. My Phiona goes nuts for it! If Toothless likes fish you can try Bonita flakes. I hope you can find something that does the trick. Keep at it, it's worth it in the end.
 

MelissaAlice

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@Calicocious - I haven't tried it with Toothless, and I'm reluctant too because Elfie always tries to lick her bowl clean when Toothless walks away!

I may try some sort of tuna or canned meat instead of the canned cat food.

I wouldn't worry so much, except that the more commercial cat food she eats the worse her poops seems to get!
 

Toa and Ross

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How did it go? Did Toothless wanted to eat the raw food when you pretended it was yours? Or are you on a raw food diet now?
 

pussiette

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I would just feed something that keeps the weight on is balanced and has good poop --- I've always had to feed separate and yes it's frustrating and hard but sometimes it's the best. Good luck.
 

MelissaAlice

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@Toa and Ross
She ate it, but it was still mixed with some canned.

I think that today I will head to the grocery store and see if I can find something that will make it more appealing.

@pussiette
It's not that I mind feeding different, but Elfie is a little sneak thief (I think she was trained by the ninja mice) and always manages to get some of whatever Toothless has. With her IBD that makes me nervous
 

Toa and Ross

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Good to hear she ate the raw. Maybe it will work if you ad a little less canned food with the raw food everyday? Maybe if you do it real slow it will work. But probably stubborn Toothless will notice and refuse to eat it when there's too little canned food.

Hope you find something tastefull that makes Toothless eat and doesn't make Elfie sick!
 

Calicocious

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@Calicocious - I haven't tried it with Toothless, and I'm reluctant too because Elfie always tries to lick her bowl clean when Toothless walks away!

I may try some sort of tuna or canned meat instead of the canned cat food.

I wouldn't worry so much, except that the more commercial cat food she eats the worse her poops seems to get!

Oh boy! A thief in your midst :wideyed: that can definitely complicate things. I have to referee my two at meal time. One eats faster than the other and then helps herself to her sisters food too.
Would you be able to try feeding in seperate areas? One behind closed doors like a bathroom. At least for a bit until Toothless is transitioned to raw. Might give you the freedom to try more things to entice her anyway. And that would keep the canned away from Miss Elfie, sneaky little girl ;)
 

MelissaAlice

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Ok so I think I'm in shock right now ...

I put Elfies food down, today is chicken mixed with pumpkin and a little bone broth.
And I had Toothless's bowl in my hand I was about to walk to the other side of the room and put it down ... before I could she shoved Elfie out of the way and started eating hers!!

So I ran back to the kitchen made up a bowl the same way I do Elfie's and put it down ...

SHE'S EATING IT
no canned in it at all!

Like I said .. In shock o_O:wideyed::eek::jawdrop:
 

MelissaAlice

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Oh My Freaking Goodness!

She followed me back into the kitchen when she was done her bowl and begged me for more! Which of course I made for her right away!

YUP ... she all of that too!!!

and still not a drop of canned food anywhere!

(Elfie's a bit ticked off at me, she begs all the time and I never give in)
 
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