How long can she not eat?

[PoodleMommy]

I am attempting for the last time to switch my cat to a good quality food.

In the past I have tried EVERY high quality food.

The last try is FROMM... well she has eaten only a few kibbles in the last 4 days.

She also refuses any nutri-cal.

My question is, how long can she go without eating?

Should I give and give her back her BAD food, or just wait it out?

I feel like a horrible parent, even though I am trying to do what is best for her...grrr....

Elissa

 

[Squidbert]

Can you maybe do it gradually by mixing some of the 'bad' stuff with the new stuff? Maybe that'll work..

 

[PoodleMommy]

I orginally tried the mixing method and she picked out "her" food and refused to ever touch the other kind...

This is the pickiest, most stubborn cat on the planet.
Shes just lucky shes cute and lovable or she would be in another home

Elissa

 

[vanillasugar]

Cats can easily turn themselves anorexic which can be very dangerous for them. She needs to eat SOMETHING every 24 hours, even if it's just a portion of what she's supposed to get in a day. If she's at all overweight I wouldn't risk any longer than that at all.

Are you free-feeding or meal-feeding? I've found to get fussy cats to decide to eat something new, they need to first be eating at timed meals. By the time mealtime comes around, they are hungry and more willing to try something new. Put food down for 20 minutes or so, and what's uneaten back up. Try first with 3 or so meals a day on the food you know she'll eat. Then start introducing the new food at mealtimes. If she doesn't eat by the 24 hours, feed her a small portion of what she will eat, and try again the next day. Feed her what will sustain her but will keep her a little hungry (it's the natural feeling of hunger that will convince her to eat the new food).

Good luck!

 

[PoodleMommy]

She is absolutley overweight and has only eaten a little turkey and steak today, both of which she took off my plate

My problem is if i give her ANY of the old food at all, it will only give her the will to hold out even longer, because she thinks she will get it again at some point in time.

Ugh... I dont know what to do... I really dont want her eating IAMS anymore and I found hair in it last time...YUCK

Elissa

 

[vanillasugar]

My problem is if i give her ANY of the old food at all, it will only give her the will to hold out even longer, because she thinks she will get it again at some point in time.

If you're only giving her enough so that she doesn't get sick, it shouldn't be a problem as she's still hungry. But granted, I know how stubborn cats can be, it took me 6 months to convince mine to eat raw!

 

[PoodleMommy]

How much is enough so that she doesnt get sick?

Elissa

 

[vanillasugar]

I found this article, it might help you out! It's designed to help transition to canned food, but the same technique can be used from kibble to a better kibble.

http://www.catinfo.org/#Transitioning_Dry_Food_Addicts_to_Canned_Food_

 

[PoodleMommy]

Thanks very much for the site, it was very useful, i gave her a little of the food she likes and she threw it up...GRRR... Now I am worried she could be sick from all this... Ill have to see how things go tonight and tmrw.

Elissa

 

[Squidbert]

Awww.. good luck hun! Hopefully it'll get all sorted out soon.. cat's can be too picky for their own good sometimes..

 

[PoodleMommy]

Awww.. good luck hun! Hopefully it'll get all sorted out soon.. cat's can be too picky for their own good sometimes..

Thanks... it is soo frustrating when you are trying to do what is best for them and they just will not listen to you.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

what about home cooked meals?

 

[AnimalLoverCatRescuer]

What is the bad food you were previously feeding her?

How are you offering her the Nutri-Cal?

What is the new brand you are trying to get her to eat?

Try feeding her wet Solid Gold. It is just like people kind of canned tuna and it's stinkiness should coax her to eat (warm it up if it deosn't work). In the meantime it is a great quality food so if she still takes awhile eating her new brand of food, at least she is eating something. If she doesnt usually eat wet, she could have a bit of the runs, but you gotta get her eating something. Or at least drinking something if she isn't. Cats get dehydrated super fast and can go downhill quick. Wet food helps in this and it is also healthier, more like a natural raw diet, less fattening. Dry food has more carbs so if your cat is overweight you should really look into an all wet or mostly wet diet.

There is a really great cat forum just like as big as this one. I don't know if I am allowed to post it here, but it is for cats not a competing dog forum so I will post it and the mods can delete it if there is a problem. It is thecatsite.com ask your question there and you will get answers from a ton of cat people.