What if they don't feel like eating?

[KitKat26]

So I feel like I've been having to hand feed Piper. I make her raw 3-4 times a day. I put it in tupperware and leave it in hot water to warm up to room temp. then I give it to her and she will take a few licks and then walk away, I have to keep putting her back in front of her food to get her to eat. I have to do this every time I feed her which is time consuming and is hard to do especially when I am getting ready for work in the morning.

Is there anything I can do different? I feel like shes a little kid that you try to get them to eat and all they want to do is play.

I also think that she might get cold halfway through eating and she stops so I ordered her a top from etsy, I'm hoping that will help.

 

[Toa and Ross]

@KitKat26 this sounds so familair. My both boys had a period where they just took 3 tiny bites from there raw food and then walked away. I was constantly busy trying to make them eat. Specially in the morning before going to bed I got crazy of it and my boys got crazy from me. So I decided to stop....not with giving them food of course but with trying to force them.
I put the bowls with food for them, calm them and if they eat I'll say something like "good boys". When they don't eat I ignore them and leave the food in the bowl.

The first times I left to work I asked my neighbor to take a look an hour later...all food was gone!

Oh and I used to make the raw food on room temperature for them but I found out that the love it when the meat is chilly from the fridge:wideyed:.

Hope this work for Piper too.

 

[KitKat26]

@KitKat26 this sounds so familair. My both boys had a period where they just took 3 tiny bites from there raw food and then walked away. I was constantly busy trying to make them eat. Specially in the morning before going to bed I got crazy of it and my boys got crazy from me. So I decided to stop....not with giving them food of course but with trying to force them.
I put the bowls with food for them, calm them and if they eat I'll say something like "good boys". When they don't eat I ignore them and leave the food in the bowl.

The first times I left to work I asked my neighbor to take a look an hour later...all food was gone!

Oh and I used to make the raw food on room temperature for them but I found out that the love it when the meat is chilly from the fridge:wideyed:.

Hope this work for Piper too.

I noticed sometimes if she is hungry enough she will eat it straight from the fridge but i can see her little back shiver and she stops after a few bites so I thought, she isn't eating because she is cold and wants to get back in bed under the blanket. I was also afraid to leave the food out because it will go bad after sitting there for awhile so I've been grabbing her like 4 times to put her back in front of her bowl. I think tonight I will just take it out of the fridge, put it in her bowl, show it to her once and leave it and I'll see what happens.

I just have to make sure that she is getting enough food since she is a kitten and is still growing. I'm afraid she won't eat enough. We'll see how tonight goes thanks for sharing your experience

 

[Catzzzmeow]

It is great you are keeping an eye on this. Some cats/kittens just do not like certain food. If she does not pick up on eating enough, you might need to pass on feeding raw. Just like with human babies, not all take to breastfeeding. The important thing is making sure they get the needed nutrients. There are several good quality foods out there as a back up.

Patti

 

[KitKat26]

It is great you are keeping an eye on this. Some cats/kittens just do not like certain food. If she does not pick up on eating enough, you might need to pass on feeding raw. Just like with human babies, not all take to breastfeeding. The important thing is making sure they get the needed nutrients. There are several good quality foods out there as a back up.

Patti

I know she likes raw the very first time I gave her raw she went to town on it. A lot of the time if I leave it sitting for 15-20 mins and then put her back, she'll finish the whole thing. It's just hard to keep her focused on the task at hand, lol

 

[Toa and Ross]

I noticed sometimes if she is hungry enough she will eat it straight from the fridge but i can see her little back shiver and she stops after a few bites so I thought, she isn't eating because she is cold and wants to get back in bed under the blanket. I was also afraid to leave the food out because it will go bad after sitting there for awhile so I've been grabbing her like 4 times to put her back in front of her bowl. I think tonight I will just take it out of the fridge, put it in her bowl, show it to her once and leave it and I'll see what happens.

I just have to make sure that she is getting enough food since she is a kitten and is still growing. I'm afraid she won't eat enough. We'll see how tonight goes thanks for sharing your experience

Oh and I just remembered my boys loved the raw food thefirst month. They did eat it like crazy. Then they slowed down. When I added a new flavour they ate like piggies again. They like the rabbit but they love the beef! So I switch between the rabbit and the beef.
Does Piper likes all the flavours the same?

 

[KitKat26]

Oh and I just remembered my boys loved the raw food thefirst month. They did eat it like crazy. Then they slowed down. When I added a new flavour they ate like piggies again. They like the rabbit but they love the beef! So I switch between the rabbit and the beef.
Does Piper likes all the flavours the same?

I actually have only given her chicken since I started her on raw. I have 60 lbs. worth of frozen chicken blend in my freezer right now, I guess I could always switch it up and get turkey or beef next time or wait till I'm halfway through this batch and then order 30 lbs. of a different meat and rotate proteins.

 

[JenFid]

Both Mulder and Ponzu do this too. I'll put their food out when I get up, they'll take a couple bites, then walk away, either to play or follow me around the house. I just leave it, and it's always gone by the time I get home. I'm assuming once both my husband and I are out of the house they probably finish eating. I used to warm it up but noticed they don't seem to care either way so they get it just straight out of the fridge now.

It's worth a try once at least, if there's still food left when you get home you can just toss it. Sometimes when it seems like they are being picky, I'll take a piece of their favorite freeze dried chicken treats and make sure they see me crumbling it up over their food. That usually gives them incentive to finish their plate, haha.

 

[KitKat26]

Both Mulder and Ponzu do this too. I'll put their food out when I get up, they'll take a couple bites, then walk away, either to play or follow me around the house. I just leave it, and it's always gone by the time I get home. I'm assuming once both my husband and I are out of the house they probably finish eating. I used to warm it up but noticed they don't seem to care either way so they get it just straight out of the fridge now.

It's worth a try once at least, if there's still food left when you get home you can just toss it. Sometimes when it seems like they are being picky, I'll take a piece of their favorite freeze dried chicken treats and make sure they see me crumbling it up over their food. That usually gives them incentive to finish their plate, haha.

lol, I just tried the treat thing this morning, I took her lysine treat and like 3 kibble from Booeys food and made her watch me sprinkle it and she ate a bit and then left, twice....again. This time I just left the house and left her food on the floor. I'm going home at lunch, I'll let you know if it's still there .

 

[Kate]

I hope you find success when you check back home at lunch today. I would recommend trying a different protein, maybe turkey. Not that different. I used to feed chicken, but both mine decided they hated chicken and won't touch it. Just keep at it. As long as she eating something, not losing weight and using the litter box, she'll be fine. Good luck!

 

[Toa and Ross]

Fingers and paws crossed she ate her breakfast when you come home for lunch!

 

[KitKat26]

Fingers and paws crossed she ate her breakfast when you come home for lunch!

So I went home, and she didn't touch her food I threw that out, washed her bowl, gave her fresh food and she wouldn't touch that either so I tried something. I put her bowl in a new location, by the front door where we have some windows. She positioned her body in the sun so the rays hit her and that worked, she ate the whole thing. Last night after many attempts in the kitchen I finally moved her bowl and put it in a random place, on top of her turbo scratcher in the living room, and she ate the whole thing. What the hell...

20150923_124255

• KitKat26
• Sep 23, 2015

 

[momdeeze]

You can try getting some forta flora. I swear my cats would eat sawdust with it sprinkled on top. I keep it on hand for when any of them get picky and don't want to eat.

 

[Kate]

What a little stinker! At least she ate though Maybe you'll have to set her up to eat on top of a heating pad Hopefully you'll find a spot where she is happy and will eat consistently!

 

[KitKat26]

You can try getting some forta flora. I swear my cats would eat sawdust with it sprinkled on top. I keep it on hand for when any of them get picky and don't want to eat.

Is it flavored with something? I will do that.

 

[Toa and Ross]

Piper is addicted to the sun. So she just wanted to have her bowl on another spot. Sigh, sometimes it would be easy when they could talk!

 

[Xandria]

I'm sorry, but... LMAO.

I'm glad to know that Max is not the only crazy eater. Max loves to eat, but he is a Prima Donna.

Quite frequently he decides that he doesn't want to eat in the place that he is normally served. I think it's become a game of "find the spot that he wants to eat for this meal". Hubby figured out that he prefers to eat where he is warm – in front of the fireplace, on a windowsill where the sunlight is streaming in, or on top of a heated blanket. I tend to take a harsher stance than hubby, and won't follow Max around with the food all the time. If he doesn't eat, then I take it away and try once more (by then he is hungry and definitely eats). But hubby definitely placates, serves Max his food in a warmer area, and Max gobbles it up. Honestly, I think he is playing games.

Max definitely prefers rotated proteins. I rotate the proteins jar by jar. Each jar contains half a pound, which equates to about 2 meals. So for 2 meals in a row he will get the same protein. I have 3 different proteins that I rotate through. But every once in a while he decides he doesn't like a certain protein for a few days, and then after a while he gobbles it up with the same enthusiasm as the other proteins. Again, is he playing games, or is he just being a Prima Donna? For instance, kangaroo used to be his favourite protein, and now these days it seems that it's venison. Then there was one week he couldn't get enough of camel, and then one day he decided he didn't want camel for a few days.

Like Patti said, not all foods work for all cats. I would definitely try switching up the proteins 1st.

As an aside, I heat up Max's meals in a stainless steel bowl as it seems to retain the heat better than plastic (plus, I don't really care for plastic). Not sure if that will help.

Good luck! Keep us informed.

 

[KitKat26]

I'm sorry, but... LMAO.

I'm glad to know that Max is not the only crazy eater. Max loves to eat, but he is a Prima Donna.

Quite frequently he decides that he doesn't want to eat in the place that he is normally served. I think it's become a game of "find the spot that he wants to eat for this meal". Hubby figured out that he prefers to eat where he is warm – in front of the fireplace, on a windowsill where the sunlight is streaming in, or on top of a heated blanket. I tend to take a harsher stance than hubby, and won't follow Max around with the food all the time. If he doesn't eat, then I take it away and try once more (by then he is hungry and definitely eats). But hubby definitely placates, serves Max his food in a warmer area, and Max gobbles it up. Honestly, I think he is playing games.

Max definitely prefers rotated proteins. I rotate the proteins jar by jar. Each jar contains half a pound, which equates to about 2 meals. So for 2 meals in a row he will get the same protein. I have 3 different proteins that I rotate through. But every once in a while he decides he doesn't like a certain protein for a few days, and then after a while he gobbles it up with the same enthusiasm as the other proteins. Again, is he playing games, or is he just being a Prima Donna? For instance, kangaroo used to be his favourite protein, and now these days it seems that it's venison. Then there was one week he couldn't get enough of camel, and then one day he decided he didn't want camel for a few days.

Like Patti said, not all foods work for all cats. I would definitely try switching up the proteins 1st.

As an aside, I heat up Max's meals in a stainless steel bowl as it seems to retain the heat better than plastic (plus, I don't really care for plastic). Not sure if that will help.

Good luck! Keep us informed.

Ok, I'm glad I'm not alone either, looool. It's gotten so bad I've actually had to cover her with a blanket while she is eating, or carry her in her igloo and place it in front of the food bowl. I caught hubby holding her and the food bowl in the other hand and almost hand feeding her. I'm suprised he didn't chew it up and spit it in her mouth like a bird.

The orders only come once a month so until i can place a new order I'm going to keep moving the bowl around. I know I asked this on another post of mine, but is it ok to mix beef and chicken?

 

[Xandria]

I don't see why you can't mix beef and chicken. But I'm sure you will use up all your chicken eventually by just rotating the proteins.

I also forgot to mention that sometimes while they are going through a growth spurt they don't eat too much… They spend all their time sleeping. So Max has missed a number of meals over time simply because he was more interested in sleeping (to grow) then he was in eating. Although whenever he came out of these episodes, he ate a lot of food.

I just got back from feeding him his afternoon meal, which he gobbled back quite quickly in his regular feeding area. Tonight it may be a whole other story! LOL. They really know how to keep us on our toes.

I love how your hubby is trying to feed him.

 

[KitKat26]

I don't see why you can't mix beef and chicken. But I'm sure you will use up all your chicken eventually by just rotating the proteins.

I also forgot to mention that sometimes while they are going through a growth spurt they don't eat too much… They spend all their time sleeping. So Max has missed a number of meals over time simply because he was more interested in sleeping (to grow) then he was in eating. Although whenever he came out of these episodes, he ate a lot of food.

I just got back from feeding him his afternoon meal, which he gobbled back quite quickly in his regular feeding area. Tonight it may be a whole other story! LOL. They really know how to keep us on our toes.

I love how your hubby is trying to feed him.

It's all starting to make sense now. I noticed she's not as hyper as she was and she's been sleeping a lot. She just takes a couple of licks and walks away but sometimes she eats the entire thing. At least she hasn't been losing weight.

I'm going to get some turkey from the store right now and mix it with her chicken and see what she does. I'll try beef next. Thanks for sharing your stories with Max

 

[momdeeze]

Is it flavored with something? I will do that.

It's some kind of meat digest and probiotics. It's like crack for them!

 

[KitKat26]

I mixed ground turkey in her chicken last night and that really seemed to help. She was way more enthusiastic about eat it this time around. Although she is still not eating the quantity I would like her to eat so I just waited a few minutes and put her back to finish it.

 

[Toa and Ross]

I mixed ground turkey in her chicken last night and that really seemed to help. She was way more enthusiastic about eat it this time around. Although she is still not eating the quantity I would like her to eat so I just waited a few minutes and put her back to finish it.

Glad to hear you found something that helps her to eat a little more!
Like @Xandria says there are times they don't eat that much. My boys were never such goed eaters as Max. In the morning the eat 80-100 gram, evening 80-100 gram and before going to sleep 50 gram.
But some days they don't eat more the 100 gram totally a day. Last days they're hungery and they ate 150 gram each meal and yell at me when it's time to eat:wideyed:.

Hope Piper will also start yelling for her food soon!

 

[KitKat26]

Glad to hear you found something that helps her to eat a little more!
Like @Xandria says there are times they don't eat that much. My boys were never such goed eaters as Max. In the morning the eat 80-100 gram, evening 80-100 gram and before going to sleep 50 gram.
But some days they don't eat more the 100 gram totally a day. Last days they're hungery and they ate 150 gram each meal and yell at me when it's time to eat:wideyed:.

Hope Piper will also start yelling for her food soon!

Ok, hopefully her portions are normal then, I think I've been trying to feed her at least 6 -8 oz. a day (170-226 grams) a day thinking well shes a baby, shes growing, she has to eat a lot but maybe she just is eating as much as she needs. I'm probably making a bigger deal out of it then I should. She did really good today though, I think shes eatin 4-5 oz. so far today.

 

[Hairless Blessing]

I hope your baby, starts, eating the raw, and will feel very good.