Hi,

I've had a problem for a few months with two kittens now aged 6mths. One male and one female, brother and sister. From 11 weeks they wouldn't eat anything except chicken or Tesco Finest which is 75% chicken and white like the meat. Its also 69p for a tiny tin. I'm on a very low income and with two eating 3 tins each a day its costing me nearly £30 a week just for their food which is absolutely beyond my means. I've tried every pouch and tin from whiskas to sheba in the supermarkets. Jelly and gravy. Various flavours and they won't even approach the plate. I've tried putting in tiny amounts of the normal cat food into their tesco finest so they can't even see it in the hopes of gradually changing them over but they just know its there and won't even look at it. I've done this for weeks with no success. I'm really at the end of my tether with this. I know some will say that supermarket food is rubbish etc and to get things from online stores but i just can't afford it. And i know they'll turn their nose up if its not white and chicken.

I recently spoke to the pdsa vet who said to just stop putting out the tessco finest and to put out canned food (I've chosen kit e kat) and that eventually they will eat it. That they're animals and will eat when they realise they have no other choice. They haven't eaten now for 40 hours and religiously I have been putting out fresh plates of the canned food. They are crying and pawing at the kitchen door for food and showing no interest still in eating what i'm putting out.

Previously i tried this and only lasted 24 hours but am told to wait it out. I'm worried not only for the cats health by doing this, but that it just wont work and they'll starve themselves to death rather than eat anything thats not pure chicken. I have no options here because to continue feeding them at a cost of over £5 a day can't happen.

If anyone has been through this and can give me any encouragement i'd be grateful.

Many thanks

Suzanna

O Dear. I wouldn't be inclined to leave it any longer. I do understand the problem. Have you thought of trying dried food? I know a lot of people here think that is terrible but I understand budgets! With dried food you can often get free samples of very small quantities so that you don't have to waste too much - and cats do find it very palatable.

Regarding tinned food, try Classic, as cheap as kitekat and in my experience more likely to be accepted. Or perhaps try working downwards gradually - try pouches (you can buy those individually and they are a bit cheaper). Try tins of whiskas or felix. Regard those as a stepping stone to where you want to be.

Liz

I've tried felix and sheba and every make both pouch and tin. They won't touch it. Dried food was my first choice but they won't look at any make of that and don't even seem to recognise it as food.

The vet at the pdsa said to put out the normal tinned cat food and that eventually they will eat it so i guess it must be safe to do it that way

Do your kittens like treats,Dreamies or the like that you could crumble and sprinkle over the top of the food,or a pinch of brewers yeast sprinkled on top.As Lizward says though please dont leave them without food any longer,it can be dangerous for cats not to eat for so long.Your vet was IMO being a bit irresponsible to tell you to leave them and they will eat eventually.I will have a think on what else you can try and get back to you if i think of something,but for today get them to eat something.

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If they really haven't eaten anything for 40 hours plus you need to feed them something ASAP even if it's just a small amount so that they are still hungry. Not eating can be very dangerous for cats as it can lead to the onset of fatty liver disease.

In the short run whilst you are trying to wean them onto something else it might be worth you trying the black feline fayre (make sure it's the black pouches as the blue ones are complementary) pouches which you can get from Asda and Morrisons. They are similar to the Tesco Finest (shredded chicken in jelly) but are about 45p for a 85g a pouch or tin so a fair bit cheaper.

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/brand...e_In_ASDA.html

Hi

Thanks for the responses. I've just refreshed the kit e kat but added roast chicken to it and mixed it in because i think 40 hours without food is too long. They are so hungry they are for the first time dragging bits of the chicken of the plate and eating it. The chicken has some of the jelly on it so its a start maybe. They are activily avoiding the lumps of brown meat though. The male is more actively going for the chicken. The little female who is tiny isn't too happy and will hardly touch it.

Could you tell me if the black feline fayre meat content is white like chicken? Thats a brilliant idea if it is because a pouch will contain more than the tiny tins and is cheaper. I know though that a lot of the pouch stuff that says its chicken is brown in colour and they won't eat it.

thanks

I sympathise with your problem .My Ragdoll is a fussy sod and would,if given the chance eat dry food only.I've ordered food from Germany ,all high meat content,tried all the better quality locally available foods and I'm met with stubborn resistance.I have found that as I said earlier sprinkling crushed treats/brewers yeast(from holland&barrat) definitely helped.I'm not really surprised that they wont eat Kit e kat as it is so very different.I think the black pouch feline fayre is white meat but to be honest I 've tried so many I'm not certain but it is worth a try.Have you tried Hi life foods.Sainsburys stock some variety's also Pets at Home.Its a nightmare finding affordable food without losing quality.

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It is white strips of actual chicken in a bit of clear jelly. You can buy the pouches in singles (I think tins only come in packs of 3) there is chicken and ham and I think plain chicken.

Unfortunately as you have found the problem with shredded type foods is that it can get to a stage whereby they won't touch anything that is of a different texture. It can take a lot of perseverence to get them eating other foods but eventually you will get there.

HI

My mum has a ginger boy that since a kitten refused to eat anything but chicken breast. he is now 9 and she tried anything and everything even starvation which he was quite happy to accept it seemed!!!

the Vet eventually gave in and said this is real he will not eat anything else!
My mum had 5 other cats at the time and she was by no means spoiling him.

Chicken only has not been good to him over the years he has a bowel problem which causes his back leg muscles to go into spasm so he sometimes struggles to walk. He is a big Ginger boy any way and it costs her a fortune to feed. He is on more medication as each month passes!! ironically the only way she can get him to take the bowel granuals is blended in STEAKD

Hmmmmm makes you wonder

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Thanks for that i'll nip up this week to get some and hopefully they'll take to it. I am back today to feeding them the roast chicken because seeing them not eat at all worried me. sorry to be a pain but you mention tins as well? Do the tins contain the same white strips in clear jelly too?

Thanks for all the answers everyone, first place i've come too thats really given good info and help. I'll let you know how it goes

Suz