Unhappy cat.. What should I do?

[blessedatlast]

My cat has been put on a prescription diet from the vet to make his urine more acidic.. He liked it for a bit, then went off it, so I got another brand of the same type of diet from the vet.. He hates that now too.. He always had such a wide variety of flavours before, different flavoured whiskas, I'd feed him bits of ham, chicken breast etc and now he is just allowed this diet..

He still eats the dried food, but hates the wet food and meows constantly, leading me to his bowl He will eat it when he is hungry, but I feel bad. He obviously likes variety...

I had a suggestion that maybe I can make up some gravy and mix it in to change the taste a little? OR just mix in a tiny bit of other cat food.. I don't want to risk him getting sick again though... Any suggestions??

And yes, my cat is spoilt.. He has been brought up that way

[Kazbah]

The science diet is more bland, but you can get it in either fish or meat flavours. If he's just started on the new diet, then he really needs to stick to it until he goes on maintenance diet. Good luck

(keep your resolve, just think of the vet bills to catheterise him if you waver!)

[PumpkinZulu]

Cats can really wrap us around their little paw you know

If it's a good quality science diet, it should be fine. Cats take a bit of time to adjust to a new diet, it can upset their tummies initially, so stick to it. Maybe try weaning him in, mixing old food with new food until there is only new food. Also, if he likes a more wet food, mix water in with the kibble and make it into a mush, and see how he goes xx

[blessedatlast]

It's not the 'Science diet' its the 'Prescription diet'.. But yeah 2 flavours aren't enough!!!

just think of the vet bills to catheterise him if you waver!)

Oh yes, I know.. Thats why I am trying so hard to stick to it.. Lol Also, it's not that he doesn't like it at all, he just likes variety.. He has been on it for about 8wks now.. 2 flavours in 8wks!!! He not likin that!! Maybe PZ I can much his dry food with water? I'll try.. Thanks so much for your replies

[Ryatha]

I hear you on unhappy cat meows, I can't stand my cat crying either

Is there anyway of finding out what he can and can't eat and making some food for him yourself? That way you can add in some flavoursome things for him to keep him happy.

Otherwise, lots of cuddles usally help

[blessedatlast]

Yeah, I cuddle him lots.. Thing is he has started to wake me early in the morning hungry, but hasn't eaten the stuff from the night before.. If he was brought up on the food from a kitty, that would be different, but TBH if he didn't eat the night before, I would throw it out and refresh it with new stuff!!! He is just spoilt.. I wouldn't know where to start with *making* his food, but thought maybe I could flavour it somehow.. I will investigate further..

[AnyDream]

Our little puss is on a urine-thingy diet, has been for a couple of years. We just give her the dry food. Very occasionally lash out on a can of their brand as a treat. We put the food up during the day, and it comes down of an evening. That's it. No choices. If he is hungry he will eat it...eventually.

[blessedatlast]

I know he will eat it if there are no choices... But I feel bad.. I have brought him up spoilt so now he expects it.. He doesn't understand why Mummy says no now, when I never did before.. He doesn't understand I am doing it for his health.. He is just a poor pussy cat lol WHO MEOWS LOTS!!!

[angelaartsstudent]

My first cat's bladder got fully crystalised and blocked up and needed an operation then the same special diet to keep him being able to wee.

When I was a kid, Science Diet wasn't around so the vet put him on a strict diet of raw chicken giblets and necks (with the occasional wing to give him something crunchy) and no bikkies. Poor thing was so depressed about it for quite a while, but he got used to it eventually and lived another 7 years very happily. Still used to run at the sound of any type of tin being opened.

I think your kitty will get used to it...cats are just generally slow to accept change, I think. He will soon learn that it doesn't mean that you love him any less.

[christy]

The thing with the prescription diet is its lower in sodium and the pH is lower to aide in keeping the bladder in a better position.

I totally get it, maybe while you are getting him used to it, you could do things like adding 1 tbsp of low sodium chicken stock on the food hot to help increase the palatability. You could give a chicken neck every other day. Or one sardine a week on top of the dry food. I would only worry about adding a lot of foods into his diet... keep going with the dry food and as Marydean said, you could start taking the food away for part of the day and then that makes him more eager to eat when it is there. He will get used to it.

Adding hot water to the food will bring out the smell and increase the palatability. Maybe its a good idea to just start with that? See how you go?