Cat not a good eater?

[python.princess]

Thanks for those links, Robin! Very informative!

[wolfy-hound]

After agreeing that checking out her mouth and teeth for abnormalities and possible bad teeth or absesses..
Try feeding her meals, instead of free-feeding. It might give her time to build a appetite, getting her to eat a bit more.
I actually only feed dry food, no wet, ever. High quality kitten styled food would be best(canned or dry). But, that's what I've done with all my cats, and other people have other opinions. As long as it's a High Quality food, that's a main thing.
Checking to be sure she doesn't have any parasites, and has a healthy mouth and teeth would be first on my list of things to check.

[python.princess]

After agreeing that checking out her mouth and teeth for abnormalities and possible bad teeth or absesses..
Try feeding her meals, instead of free-feeding. It might give her time to build a appetite, getting her to eat a bit more.
I actually only feed dry food, no wet, ever. High quality kitten styled food would be best(canned or dry). But, that's what I've done with all my cats, and other people have other opinions. As long as it's a High Quality food, that's a main thing.
Checking to be sure she doesn't have any parasites, and has a healthy mouth and teeth would be first on my list of things to check.

Her mouth looks clean and healthy. I haven't had a fecal done on her but, if she had parasites, wouldn't she eat more than normal cats would?

The canned food I have for her (which I think I'm going to make her main food source now) is all mainly meat products with a bunch of vitamins and minerals added in. We'll see how she does with a can a day. If she still doesn't start eating more, I'll start dividing it into separate meals. Thanks for the advice!

[SatanicIntention]

I would NOT feed her only canned.. There is not enough protein in a can of cat food (it's only about 10% max) to sustain a cat. A high quality dry food such as Innova, Wellness, Felidae, etc is all she needs, plus plenty of fresh water. On a high quality diet, adult cats rarely need more than 1/2 to 3/4 C of food per day. Some adult males prone to obesity do fine on 1/3 C per day.

I definitely agree with feeding her meals. They have something to look forward to and it gives them a routine.

If you can get her an appointment to have a fecal done and possibly have a dental done on her, it would help shed some light on her fussiness. Cats are very prone to dental disease, so having dentals done regularly is key. Some parasites can also make them anorexic, not wanting to eat.

[python.princess]

She is due for a booster shot pretty soon, so if there's no improvement, I'll ask Dr. Bender about it.

[rabernet]

I would NOT feed her only canned.. There is not enough protein in a can of cat food (it's only about 10% max) to sustain a cat. A high quality dry food such as Innova, Wellness, Felidae, etc is all she needs, plus plenty of fresh water. On a high quality diet, adult cats rarely need more than 1/2 to 3/4 C of food per day. Some adult males prone to obesity do fine on 1/3 C per day.

I definitely agree with feeding her meals. They have something to look forward to and it gives them a routine.

If you can get her an appointment to have a fecal done and possibly have a dental done on her, it would help shed some light on her fussiness. Cats are very prone to dental disease, so having dentals done regularly is key. Some parasites can also make them anorexic, not wanting to eat.

Becky, did you read the catinfo.org site? I'm wondering what your thoughts are on it, and the vet who recommends NO dry and only canned or raw? Most of the folks I talk to on cat related forums and are students of cat nutrition all agree that wet diets are far superior to dry.

[Reediculous]

She is due for a booster shot pretty soon, so if there's no improvement, I'll ask Dr. Bender about it.

this is a real touchy subject. i am by no means trying to force anything on you, but ..............well just check this out!

my dog has no vaccines and eats a raw diet ............... the only shot she will receive will be a rabies shot and thats not until she's a year old!


http://www.doglogic.com/vaccineinfo.htm

[SatanicIntention]

I'll believe what I've been taught from experienced veterinarians and vet techs, not what someone put up on a website.

If you read the label on canned cat food, the % of protein is only around 10-11% max. Cats need around 30-35% protein a day to thrive. They would have to eat a couple cans of cat food to get what they needed, and by then the calories would be outrageous. Feeding only canned food will greatly speed up dental disease, and dentals will have to be done alot more often. Feeding canned also reduces the cat's need for water, so they drink less, urinate less, which then sets up the bladder for an infection or uroliths. Feeding them kibbled food cleans their teeth, encourages saliva production which also cleans their teeth and mouth preventing excess bacteria build-up, and increases their need for water. Drink more, equals urinate more, equals more dilute urine which doesn't cause problems as often as concentrated urine does.

I do not like raw diets for cats or dogs as they are rarely supplemented or fed correctly. The majority of owners think that just muscle meat is sufficient(hence why zoos have problems with their big cats not breeding, because the diet wasn't sufficient).Cats need the entire animal to get anything out of it. Muscle, organ meat, intestines, digest, bones, brain, eyes, whatever, they need it all to get all of the necessary nutrients. There have been studies done on cats who have been fed raw diets and they ended up with HCM(hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) and blindness from the lack of taurine.

Also, bone fragments. Ever done surgery to remove bone pieces lodged in throats, stomach lining or intestines? Perforations are common, as are problems with the teeth(breaking of teeth, bleeding gingiva, teeth worn down quicker, cuts in the mouth and tongue).

You're going to be hard-pressed to find a vet or vet tech that thinks feeding raw is the best thing for them. Feed a high quality food that is free from by-products/artificial preservatives, useless grains such as corn/wheat/soy, and is meat-based, and you'll be good to go. Innova Evo, Solid Gold, Wellness, Felidae, Canidae, Blue Buffalo, Flint River Ranch, whatever else is out on the market now, will work fine. If the dog or cat has a protein allergy or is unable to process certain proteins(or any at all), then special diets need to be considered such as Hills Rx brand.

This is coming from a medical point of view. I want to prevent problems before they are allowed to happen, not increase the likelihood. I, as well as all of the vets and vet techs that I know, do not agree with raw feeding for dogs and cats. I can try to educate, but people will do what they want.

[Reediculous]

http://leerburg.com/vaccinosis.htm

[Reediculous]

I'll believe what I've been taught from experienced veterinarians and vet techs, not what someone put up on a website.

That is the biggest contradiction that i have ever heard! How often in this hobby alone are vets wrong?

anyway, i hope your not assuming that i have not done any research on this matter.

**back on topic** these were just suggestions Mel, i hope everything works out for you, and like i said before keep us updated!