Hi everyone,

I have 2 beautiful Maine Coons, Loki and Merlin, who are 8 and 3 months old.

Loki has always been a very fussy eater. I have tried her with, to name a few, Purely, Natures Menu, Hi Life, Hills, Whiskas, Felix, and she has refused all of them. She seems to particularly dislike any pate style foods. The only complete wet foods she will eat is Gourmet Perle and Purina One, so it seems she likes chunks in gravy. Saying that, she has previously refused felix/whiskas food in gravy... She does love applaws, but as this is complementary only gets it as an occasional treat.

Merlin is less fussy and seems to like most foods. However, like Loki, he seems to dislike pate style foods. My sister gave me some Grau to try him with, and he looked at me with disdain and walked away! Given that he usually inhales his food, this was a big sign he did not approve.

Since joining this forum I have become much more educated about food, and want to feed them both a good quality wet food. I also ideally want to feed them the same food.

I have read Hobbs’ brilliant thread, and in an ideal world would like to feed in rotation something like Animonda Carny, Grau, Bozita and Smilla. However, most of these are pate style (apart from perhaps the Bozita varieties in gravy/jelly which are less good quality?).

So, in short, can anybody recommend some good quality complete foods that are not pate style that I can try? And if all else fails, am I a terrible cat owner if I stick with what I know they will eat (Gourmet Perle and Purina One)? They also have Royal Canin kitten 36 dry food, which I know is not the best quality, but is what the breeder fed them and they seem to love it.

Thanks,
Rosie.

You could go for Schmusy, they do sachets which are chunks in gravy, very popular here (I have a Loki too, but a boy, also fussy!!). Maybe try bozita chunks too, I think the problem is the high quantities of jelly in the packs so they do not fill the cat up as much as other foods, but I don't think they are terrible quality.

I have problems getting mine to eat pate styles too and though the Bozita in jelly isn't as good as the pate it's much better than the likes of Whiska's and Felix. I found the Schmussy a bit sloppy but the girls ate it so it's worth a look at that one.
No, you're not a terrible owner if you stick what you know they will eat - eating something is better than nothing at all.
Have you ever considered raw?

__________________

How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

Miamor pouches look very similar to felix so maybe you could try those. You can get them in jelly and gravy.

Schmusy pouches as mentioned are looks wise, similar to Whiskas in gravy. But don't buy the meat cans as those are pate, but the fish flavours are real fish.

Your cat's may like the Yarrah cans, they're chunks in a sauce and come in 3 flavors.

Thanks for all your sugestions so far, I will schmusy, bozita, miamor and yarrah. If you had showed me those four words 6 months ago and asked me what they were, I don't think cat food would have ever crossed my mind!

Chez, great name choice! Our Loki was originally supposed to be a boy (the breeder was a bit casual with her sexing, and becasue she was ginger and big didn't look too closely and assumed she was a he!). Despite finding out weeks before we picked her up that he was a she, we couldn't bring ourselves to change her name. luckily most people don't know the origins of the name, and I don't think it sounds too masculine.

Rosie.x

mine is the same doesn't like pate- i bought a whole load last christmas from Lily's kitchen and she refused to eat it- v expensive mistake

anyway she seems to like Bozita...both the gravy and jelly so will stick to that although started to get a bit concerned that its not as high quality as pate and has a lot of gravy/jelly. Also place where i was ordering the prices have gone up which is a shame as I was able to pick and try flavours for her for 99p each tetra pack - other websites seem to sell them in bulk

I would like to try Grau for her but not sure of the grains in it and I believe its in pate form? does anybody know where I can get a trial pack as don't want to order too much in case she hates it

thanks

k

Do you know if the schmusy fish pouches are red or white tuna meat?

__________________


A dog will come to call, A cat will take a message and get back to you

I've only had the sardine and red perch so far so I'm not sure about the tuna sorry.

I think we have the same cat except for name, breed, colour...lol...mine will pretty much only eat Gourmet Perle too. However, I am having luck with the bozita chunks in gravy, introducing it *very* slowly. But the suggestions for Schmusy, Miamor and Yarrah are interesting too. Gravy-crazy cats, eh?

__________________

Sheba is also in chunks (Essense packs.). Merlin is also very special with his food. I´ve even oredered from USA 8as they seem to be most advanced in cat food). I alternate, Almo nature, Applaws, Defu, Schesir and Weruva for him. He didn´t like Iams (chunks). I have tried almost every zooplus wet food.