Diet For Cats

If there is one thing cats absolutely can’t stand, it’s a change in their diet. Sometimes, however, a diet is prescribed due to health problems, whereby we are “only” faced with the question: change of feed – and how do we go about it?

Experience has shown that cats have no objection to sick food – as long as they are healthy; this has been tested multiple times. But as soon as they really need the diet, the fun ends and they refuse with such stubbornness that after initial helplessness (on both sides) the only thing left is capitulation. Ours. But as a rule, we have the better cards if our kitty has always been fed a varied diet. And almost everyone can be tricked a bit.

Diet? Not With Me!

Of course, you can’t turn everything upside down overnight, because not even the most good-natured cat will probably play along. Every change requires a lot of patience, even to “better” because most cats often don’t even try the unknown, even less bland food because it usually lacks the appealing smell component.

• To compensate for this, people like to cheat with fish. This isn’t a bad idea in and of itself, provided you treat fish like spice and use it to “scent” the meal a bit. Of course, this won’t do any good forsworn fish tigers, then you’ll have to resort to plan B (see below);
• An alternative to sprinkling on top is vitamin yeast flakes, which most cats appreciate. If your kitty doesn’t know this yet, sprinkle half of the meal and leave the other “pure” – you can tell whether it tastes good by which half she starts with.
• The same applies, of course, to any similar “secret recipe” that you know your cat will love.

This has the advantage that Mieze meets something familiar at the beginning and after the first (unfamiliar) bite of the “underneath” realizes that it doesn’t taste that bad. Especially since after trying the appetizers, hunger often predominates – or not. Larger pieces of the much-loved fillet of beef, e.g. B. usually turn out to be an own goal, because they can easily be picked out of the “inedible” rest.

Persuasion

If the first trick didn’t work, we just have to try it step by step. That means – if it hasn’t been tested yet – that we

• stick a tiny sample on the cat’s lips or behind its fangs (but don’t force it, otherwise the battle will be lost for the foreseeable future);
• If the blow doesn’t hit them right away, appetizer number two follows, and so on. Hand-feeding is tedious, but it can be rewarding, especially when she’s praised to the bone—because a cat wants to please her loved one, too. With limits, of course. If it worked, it is slowly reduced: The last two bites end up on the plate, then three, then four – until you are satisfied that you stand by and do not skimp on praise.

But if the cat thinks you’re a prankster because you actually thought you could get away with it – then the “hardcore” version follows, namely Plan B.

Plan B

She shouldn’t be able to watch the preparation! Cats have a special sense of human insidiousness – or has yours never disappeared without a trace just before a visit to the vet or deworming was on the agenda?

• Hide a small spoonful of the new one in the usual food, and mix well. Once she accepts, leave it there for a few days before gradually increasing the amount in the same manner—until she a) is persuaded or b) refuses. In this case, a command is given back to the amount (or slightly less) previously accepted.
• If none of that helps either, you need a vacation (or at least a weekend) and throughout the day you only serve small bites of the usual, about a third of which are mixed with the new. Put the plate away again after 30 minutes so that you can offer the same thing again later, just freshly prepared.

If plan B also failed, you can accept total refusal for a maximum of 24 hours before you surrender and return to your usual food.

Again With Feeling

Sick or convalescent cats are not candidates for “try-outs” as we also cannot waste time with an already weakened cat. Dieting should not be started until recovery, for two reasons:

• Forcing food on the cat by force would involve so much stress and excitement that no “healthy” effect can take effect!
• There is always a risk that she will choke or vomit it all up again.

Incidentally, some sick cats are only afraid of the “mass” lying on the plate. If you have a general lack of appetite, it often helps to serve the food as a thin, creamy porridge, and most people lick it a little. In addition, sick people usually need a lot of fluids anyway. Sometimes supplements can also be drawn up in a disposable syringe (without a needle, of course!) and applied behind the fangs. If that works without stress, try liquid food. If that doesn’t work either, the veterinarian must consider an alternative.