What Do You Feed Your Kitten/Cat?

[OneEyedDiva]

And what does your pet prefer? I started our kitten out with pate, mainly kitten food. I also ordered Fromm's Kitten Gold, dry food, at her vet's advice. Before I found that my son also bought two different flavors of Fromm's cat food. A few weeks after we got her, she refused to eat the pate. I had watched some Jackson Galaxy (aka Cat Daddy) videos about cat food and nutrition, one of which he blasted dry food and showed why. His reasons backed by cat nutritionists, made sense to me, so I looked for canned food she might eat and "discovered" Friskies shreds, meaty bits with gravy and glazed infused with crab; she loves them. A couple of weeks ago, she stopped eating the kibble; good thing I had bought the Friskies. I do trick her though....I mix some of the dry into the gravy and let it sit so it's soaked in gravy in time for the next feeding. Since these Friskies varieties are not kitten food, I add a vitamin to some of the servings to make sure she's getting enough taurine.

What have you been feeding your cat/kitten? Your pet's age? Your pet's favorite? And is she/he finicky? Mine sometimes won't eat leftovers until I pretend to have fixed a brand new meal (really just adding a little more food [or water when it was kibble] then mixing).

 

[Gemma]

I have 5 cats indoors. 3 are 12 years old and 2 are 1 years old. They all once were feral kittens which I brought in from the woods. I've always fed them Fancy Feast wet and dry. They will eat no pate at all. I tried and they just wouldn't touch it. They are happy, healthy and thriving.

Outdoors, I take care of a clowder of 15 feral cats, ranging from 9 months old to 3 years old. They get the same food as my indoor cats, but I will mix pate in with the regular Fancy Feast wet food which they love. Also, for dry food, I mix Fancy Feast dry and Friskies Gravy Swirlers dry cat food together. They too are all healthy, happy and thriving.

None of these cats will touch the shreds. I tried to no avail.

 

[charry]

We have 4 strays, that I feed and water
but I’m told ,they shouldn’t drink milk ..is this right ?
they love cheese tho …

 

[Gemma]

they shouldn’t drink milk ..is this right ?

Right. Most cats are lactose intolerant as they don't have the enzyme (lactase) in their intestines to digest the sugar in milk (lactose). Giving them cows milk can give them diarrhea and make them throw up.

 

[OneEyedDiva]

We have 4 strays, that I feed and water
but I’m told ,they shouldn’t drink milk ..is this right ?
they love cheese tho …

Charry Bless you and @Gemma for taking care of the feral cats. Gemma is right and Cat Daddy covered this. Most cats are lactose intolerant. I thought I was doing something good by buying kitten milk for Deja. I noticed right away it gave her diarrhea. Yet I see that cat rescuers often feed the tiniest kittens milk..maybe they use some kind of special formula.

 

[Gemma]

I see that cat rescuers often feed the tiniest kittens milk..maybe they use some kind of special formula.

Yes, there is a Kitten Milk Replacer for kittens under 7 weeks of age and tiny bottles with nipples on them to use.

 

[NorthernLight]

Diva, it's been a while since I had a fussy kitty. I do know that sometimes they can be "tricked" into eating leftovers. Good luck figuring it out!

 

[OneEyedDiva]

Yes, there is a Kitten Milk Replacer for kittens under 7 weeks of age and tiny bottles with nipples on them to use.

I've seen those tiny bottles in the kitten rescue videos and articles I have become addicted to.
@charry Deja liked the shreds but I figure the meaty bits are even heartier. Since I'm now getting them in the 24 can variety (chicken, gourmet grill and beef), I'll just keep buying those. She didn't like the one that had turkey and cheese and wouldn't eat it until I took all the tiny cheese balls out; I think that was the shreds.