Update on Kitty

[Krislady]

Miss Minerva seems to be doing much better - we've done a couple of things.

First, we sort of rearranged her feeding schedule - she had been getting fed twice a day - 4am and 4pm. A little fiddling around with canned versus dry, and various combinations, but basically, she'd get 1/3 cup of kibble in the morning and an equivalent amount of kibble mixed with canned food in the evening.

Although she was ralphing up her breakfast, she seemed to be otherwise feeling fine - no (ahem) catbox issues, still eating and drinking normally, and just as cranky as ever. I did notice, though, that even though she was STARVING she didn't always even finish her food. She seems to have a particular dislike for salmon flavored food, which is odd, because she goes bat-snot crazy for ACTUAL salmon. . . but she just didn't seem to really care for her kibble at all.

So now here's what we've done -

She gets about 1/2-2/3 cup of kibble and 1/4 can of canned food a day - and it's split into 4 meals instead of two. I figure if she's eating less more often, she'd avoid the STARVING TO DEATH feeling and the need to inhale her breakfast.

The scoop we use for her is a 1/3 cup measure, though I've asked my husband to make it a "scant" scoop. She gets 1/2 a scoop first thing in the morning, about 4, and the other half after I get back from walking the dog, along with a couple of treats.

Get this - she's even eating kibble out of my hand like it's a treat, just like the dog does!

I never said either one of them was particularly clever . . .

She also still gets her teaspoon or so of plain yogurt after breakfast - and she does love her yogurt!

The biggest change, though, has been that, rather than waiting until 4 to feed her, my husband gives her another half scoop of kibble plus 1/4 can of food before walking the dog - about 2:30. So she's not STARVING, though she certainly doesn't mind eating then.

And finally, she gets the other half scoop of kibble sometime after we have dinner and before we go to bed - and that seems to be keeping her happy overnight.

Oh, and we changed her kibble to a different type - Vibrant Maturity (heh!), which she really seems to like.

Gosh, it really is like having a couple of toddlers, isn't it? Picky, needy toddlers.

[Connie Lea]

I'm so glad Minerva is doing better. They are definitely like kids - what they like one day, they turn up their noses the next.

[K9 Owned]

I was reading this thinking that it was a brilliant idea to feed her smaller portions more often. I also wondered right up until the second to last line why you wouldn't just feed her something she likes to eat and agrees with her.

You sucked me in.

[Krislady]

I do try to avoid changing her food if I can - she's always been a bit of a delicate flower in that respect.

I do think the biggest issue is that she'd been snarfing it down so fast it came right back up.

Pigger.

[Saralaya]

Sounds like a terrific solution Kris! WTG...you guys worked really hard to make things right for Miss Minerva.

BTW... the "salmon" flavored cat food is nothing like the real deal.... (read the labels one day if you can tolerate it...and you'll see why). I have the opposite issue with picky Miss Stella...she is SO totally addicted to Fancy Feast ( thank you previous people.... ) that she turned up her little nose at real salmon for quite awhile. She does LOVE and DEMAND her tuna thought whenever I open a can! They always get a little bit of tuna as a treat when I make Tuna salad. Stella still won't eat canned salmon though.... just the "junk food" version!

[Connie Lea]

It's so funny what they like and don't like. I guess cats and dogs are just like people, have different tastes. Kris you have done such a good job with Minerva and, of course, Jar.

[Krislady]

Connie, you're so nice.

Sara, I always give kitty the tuna juice too - she LOVES it! I've always done that with our cats, and my husband was absolutely astonished by the idea. It had never occurred to him.

[Debbwl]

Connie Lea wrote:
It's so funny what they like and don't like. I guess cats and dogs are just like people, have different tastes. Kris you have done such a good job with Minerva and, of course, Jar.

Yes they are and I am so glad she is doing better and keeping some food down.