Help! My eyes are crossed and brain has turned to mush!

[MissKittysMom]

Hi! I've been hanging in the wings, spying. I am now  . Miss Kitty is giving me fits.

Lola, she's pulling out her fur again just like when you were here.

Here's the background - I've never had a pet before. This poor little kitty wandered into my yard (and my heart) all skin and bones. At the time I was trying to make ends meet on $200 income, any odd jobs I could find, and food stamps. I bought Special Kitty  and Purina dry  

Later, as funds increased, I switched to Friskies  plus the Purina. That's what we've been eating now. It is my only choice besides 9 Lives. I live 100 miles one way from civilization. I can tell whenever Friskies change the recipe - back to hair pulling. When I first got her, any flavor was just fine. Now I'm lucky if she will eat whitefish or tuna. (Yes, I know - fish! I lived in a Northwoods fishing community and know about mercury) I did buy some Blue Buffalo dry just before Thanksgiving and am mixing it with the Purina.

Then a few weeks ago, I had a light bulb moment and went to Amazon. I decided to spend my Social Security raise (yes, all $23 worth) and buy a grain free food - budget be damned! I bought Avo-Derm chicken (wet). I sat by the door eagerly awaiting the USPS lady. Kitty sniffed and walked away    Okay, maybe she wasn't ready for chicken again so I went back and bought their Tuna. Yep, same reaction! So now I have $60 worth of cat food. If this keeps up I may have to eat that!

I fed what Friskies I had here and bought some more when I went to the store 2 days ago. Well, damn!! They've adjusted that recipe again. She won't touch it. That's $9 more.

We are surviving on the Purina/Blue dry right now. Luckily she drinks tons of water. The Purina is there because I'm using up the last of the sack.

Anyway! Long story short. I am headed to the Big City the end of next week. What can I buy that is budget friendly, no grain, and can be ordered through Amazon (no s/h) or PetCo? I live on less than $800 a month so I'm really biting the bullet here.

Somewhere I read about an additive that would entice a cat to eat previously scorned food, but I can't find the thread again. Does it come by the case?? I can't really afford to through away the $60 worth of food. Will she become accustomed to it and refuse any other food? Can I cut back on it and convince her she really does like chicken?

I keep telling her there are starving kitties in Africa that would welcome her food. She said, "send it to them!"

Side note: She is nearing an ideal weight. But what a way to diet.

Help me!!!

p.s. Hi! Lola  

[CarnivorousCritter]

Welcome MissKitty's Mom!!  

Heads-up -- Purina foods are having mannnnny serious issues --  http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/ralston.html
Ditch it immediately.

Cats get addicted to the additives they put in those dry foods, to entice the animal to eat what it naturally wouldn't touch otherwise, which is why cats get labeled as "finicky" but here are some tips --   Warming the Avoderm up just a touch and/or sprinkling something stinky-pungent on the food could do it (like parmesan cheese.... cats go by their noses).

From Dr Lisa Pierson, she's a feline specialist and went through some extremely stubborn cases:

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


 

[Middle Child]

You can use Fortiflora sprinkled over canned food to encourage them to eat, most cats love it (because of the animal digest ) but fortiflora (made by Purina incidentally) is not cheap either.  Though you usually only need a sprinkle from a packet with each meal.

You have my most heart felt empathy for what you are going through with your little one.

[Middle Child]

PS I meant to add, congratulations on being Chosen!

[Growlies]

You can use Fortiflora sprinkled over canned food to encourage them to eat, most cats love it (because of the animal digest ) but fortiflora (made by Purina incidentally) is not cheap either.  Though you usually only need a sprinkle from a packet with each meal.

You have my most heart felt empathy for what you are going through with your little one.

If all your looking for is an attractant then Benito flakes are a better choice. As a probiotic raw green tripe is awesome.

[Middle Child]

If all your looking for is an attractant then Benito flakes are a better choice. As a probiotic raw green tripe is awesome.

Oh right, fish flakes would be more likely to appeal to a cat who has already shown a preference for fishy foods.

[Lola]

Well, HELLO Miss Kitty's Mom!!  

At one time, I would have suggested short term use of Fortiflora to help transition a feline to a wet food diet.  It has all the nasty and addictive ingredients in it that dry food does. I also used it (for some of our felines) when I would introduce a new brand or flavor.  But with alllll the issues Purina is having lately...I would go with Growlies suggestion of Bonito flakes.  

If I had to pull a guess out of my... I would ASSuME Miss Kitty is pulling her hair out, due to an allergic reaction to what she is being fed.  Others here, feel free to jump in.

For commercial canned food, Avoderm is a decent choice.  Here is a list of more grain free wet foods:
http://parenting-furkids.com/index.php?topic=916.0  PetCo (at least in my area) carries some of the brands listed in that link.

I'm always rotating brands, due to recipe changes, ingredients..in general, recalls, etc.  In your situation, I would start with one brand/flavor of grain free (Avoderm, as you have) and see if Miss Kitty stops with the hair pulling.  When she does (thinking positive here), then I would add in another brand and/or flavor.

The only fishy brand I feed (once in a while) is Weruva and/or Soulistic (Soulistic is made by Weruva and sold at PetCo).  I don't trust any other company's fish.  

You definitely need a food enticing topper (IMHO).  Miss Kitty is addicted to dry and some of the scary ingredients in the wet brands she thinks she likes.    

[Pookie]

I agree with Lola -- she may be pulling her hair out due to an allergic reaction to something in the food.

Another topper option is Eagle Pack Holistic Transition for Dogs and Cats.  There's also a probiotic version.  You just sprinkle it on top.  I don't know if it's available at Petco (didn't find it on their website), but Amazon carries it.  It doesn't come by the case, but usually a little sprinkle goes a loooong way.  I've never tried the Bonito Flakes, but that seems like a good option to try as well.

CC had a great suggestion -- try warming it up a little.  That releases the aroma and she may decide it smells good enough that she'll try it.  If not, the topper helps, too.  Not to stress you even more, though, but I have heard of cats that refuse a food, and it turned out there was something wrong with the food.  But if she won't eat ANYTHING that you give her . . . well . . . I'm thinking she's being "selective."

To answer your questions:  I haven't heard of cats getting accustomed to the topper (whichever kind is used) or refusing other foods as a result-- it's basically just a way to get them to try/used to the food under it, so they'll realize it's yummy. 

For another list of grain-free foods of various price ranges (including cheaper stuff like Friskies), visit ibdkitties.net.  Her list also include grain-free dry for those kittes that just WON'T eat wet.

Good luck!

[Lola]

Bonita Flakes are on their way to you...under the condition that you let us know if it did the trick to entice Miss Kitty to eat a better wet food?  

I also forgot to mention...as long as dry food was available (or within a 10 mile radius) we had a few major hold-outs.  Transitioning to wet food went much much much better, when dry was no longer an option.

[MissKittysMom]

   You're sooo good to me! Me and The Cat say, "THANKS".

I've been growing oat grass as a treat for Kitty. I tried clipping some on her AvoDerm and sometime last night she ate some, but not much. I thought it was festive looking - kinda like chives.

Where can I read up on Purina?  Sometimes I've thought about raising a few chickens. The feed mill sells Purina. Does this mean I would have naked chickens cause all their feathers fall out?   

I've struck up conversations with others when buying cat food. They are usually having the same flavor problem as me. That's what makes me think the Chinese are messing with stuff again.

[Lola]

Any updates concerning Miss Kitty?