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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / June 2004Cats won't eat medicated food
One of my two cats has been urinating just outside the litter box, so the vet suggested they be tested for crystals in the urine. It seems they both have crystals, so the vet prescribed medicated food to help treat the crystals. I started feeding the food last night, and neither cat will eat it. Has anyone else had an experience with this? Any suggestions on how to get them to eat it? Thanks, Helene You can't force them to eat it. Your best bet is to feed them a good quality canned food that they like and hope that the extra water intake will dissolve the crystals. Withholding all other foods will probably not make them eat what they don't like. -MIKE Thanks for replying Mike. I am finding out that you are really right about them not eating it if they don't want to. They haven't eaten anything in over 24 hrs. I have a call into the vet now to see what else she suggests. My cats are really finicky about the canned food also. Even though they must be very hungry, they walked away from the canned this morning. We have wasted a ton of cat food trying to find one that they will eat consistantly. Boy, are cats odd sometimes!!! LOL Helene > You can't force them to eat it. Your best bet is to feed them a good > quality canned food that they like and hope that the extra water intake > will dissolve the crystals. Withholding all other foods will probably > not make them eat what they don't like. > > -MIKE >From: "Helene" helenejg@frontiernet.net >Thanks for replying Mike. I am finding out that you are really right about >them not eating it if they don't want to. They haven't eaten anything in >over 24 hrs. I have a call into the vet now to see what else she suggests. >My cats are really finicky about the canned food also. Even though they must >be very hungry, they walked away from the canned this morning. We have >wasted a ton of cat food trying to find one that they will eat consistantly. Hi Helene, That's the problem with these so-called prescription foods, many cats just won't eat them. What you might want to try is taking some dry food, put it in a towel or something, and then take a hammer and pound it into a powder. Then you can mix that powder into some canned food. Another option is to wet the powder and feed it like that at first, so the cats get used to the consistency of wet food. Once they get used to it, then you could try mixing with the canned. Good luck, Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm > >From: "Helene" helenejg@frontiernet.net > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html > Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm Thanks for your suggestions Lauren. We may have hit onto something they will eat. Today I called the vet, and then stopped at the office (I live about 40 miles away but had a doctor appointment close by.) to see what suggestions they had. They gave me a good size sample of Purina UR, and my cats gobble it down. I also bought a couple of cans of the Hills C/D to mix with the dry, since we try to get them to eat a little bit of canned food each day. I will still try your suggestions, though, since I have a whole bag of this dry stuff they won't eat, and it may be a week or so before we can get to the vets to get more of the food they like. After a month on the diet we are going to retest their urine. Helene >From: "Helene" helenejg@frontiernet.net >Thanks for your suggestions Lauren. We may have hit onto something they will >eat. Today I called the vet, and then stopped at the office (I live about 40 [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >the vets to get more of the food they like. After a month on the diet we are >going to retest their urine. That's great, Helene. I'm so glad to hear you found a food they'll eat. Are the Purine UR and the Hill's C/D for the same condition? I just wonder because you wouldn't want them to counter-act each other. But since you got it from the vet, I'm sure they told you it was ok to mix the two. I hope your kitties feel better soon :) Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm Yes, both foods are for the same condition--just different companies. They still like their old food better, but at least they won't starve, and hopefully they will be like their old selves soon. I'll like it better when they stop going outside the litter box again. LOL. Helene > >From: "Helene" helenejg@frontiernet.net > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html > Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm circa 09 Jun 2004 17:06:18 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, PawsForThought (darnit7@aol.comnolitter) said, > Hi Helene, > That's the problem with these so-called prescription foods, many cats just [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > of wet food. Once they get used to it, then you could try mixing with the > canned. An easier way to make the dry food "wet": Put it in a bowl. Add water. Put bowl in refrigerator, covered. Remove bowl from refrigerator when kibble has begun to look like wet bread. The food can then be thrown into a blender or food processor, or you can even mash it with a spoon, adding whatever you need to to make it palatable to the cat. Laura  SignatureExperience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde I think I'll try that. Maybe they'll eat it better. Thanks Laura. Helene > circa 09 Jun 2004 17:06:18 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, > PawsForThought (darnit7@aol.comnolitter) said, [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Laura circa Thu, 10 Jun 2004 13:00:00 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Helene (helenejg@frontiernet.net) said, > I think I'll try that. Maybe they'll eat it better. Thanks Laura. I know that my cats definitely prefer the minced K/D to the "regular" K/D, and I've heard from my vets that lots of cats who won't eat K/D at all will eat the minced stuff, so hopefully the minced/seafood C/D will be like that, too. Good luck. Laura SignatureExperience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde My cats don't seem to eat any cat foods that have chunks. For some reason they like smooth stuff. Helene > circa Thu, 10 Jun 2004 13:00:00 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, > Helene (helenejg@frontiernet.net) said, [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Laura circa Fri, 11 Jun 2004 01:14:34 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Helene (helenejg@frontiernet.net) said, > My cats don't seem to eat any cat foods that have chunks. For some reason > they like smooth stuff. The minced Hill's food isn't really like other minced cat food- the minced K/D looks a lot like canned corned beef hash, in fact (dunno about the C/D). Anyway, you may still want to give it a shot, and it's easily mashed up with a fork to make it smooth. Laura SignatureExperience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde Thanks for the info Laura. I'm game for anything. Helene > circa Fri, 11 Jun 2004 01:14:34 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, > Helene (helenejg@frontiernet.net) said, [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Laura circa Fri, 11 Jun 2004 12:37:31 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Helene (helenejg@frontiernet.net) said, > Thanks for the info Laura. I'm game for anything. Good luck. :-) Laura SignatureExperience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde >From: darnit7@aol.comnolitter (PawsForThought) >That's the problem with these so-called prescription foods, many cats just >won't eat them. "so-called prescription foods"?? You don't believe that they are "prescription only"?? You're living in the past if you don't believe that "many" cats will eat these kinds of diets. That might have been the case many, many years ago, but it's just not likely any more. There are various Prescription FLUTD diets out there...patience is the key. >What you might want to try is taking some dry food, put it in >a towel or something, and then take a hammer and pound it into a powder. >Then >you can mix that powder into some canned food. Depending on the canned food (many are kitten formulas only), this won't help solve the actual problem of treating FLUTD. Fortunately we have found something they will eat. The vet gave me Purina UR, and they seem to really like it. I will sleep better tonight knowing they're not hungry. Helene > You can't force them to eat it. Your best bet is to feed them a good > quality canned food that they like and hope that the extra water intake > will dissolve the crystals. Withholding all other foods will probably > not make them eat what they don't like. > > -MIKE > One of my two cats has been urinating just outside the litter box, so the > vet suggested they be tested for crystals in the urine. It seems they both [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Thanks, > Helene Aside from the excellent suggestion by the first reply, let me give some warning about this food. I was taking care of a cat with the same condition. The Science Diet s/d or whatever that is dry, the cat ate. But the same thing in canned was awful, terribly high fat content - which can be DANGEROUS. The cat ate the special food but developed a stone which is worse than the crystals because an operation is needed. The uppity cat-only vet did not have her staff warn that his high fat food can cause stones in some cats. The cats may be smarter than you think. Be careful of this prescription food. The most important thing is water. Water Water Water which makes up most of canned food, around 78%. Make sure you are not free-feeding these cats. Dry food requires more water than the cats can possibly drink. Cats are originally desert animals and get their water from their prey. Just feed high quality food, preferably balanced in calcium and phosphorus with not that high in phosphorus or protein is what I would go after and perhaps slightly acidic to help dissolve the crystals. I feed now 1/2 high quality wet with some dry kibble that is rated for dental help by Science Diet, using the prescription t/d but their regular Oral Care is also now certified for dental. Again, no free-feeding and be careful of too much dry food. Soak it in water, do what you need to do to get that water content up. For medicated foods, look around for somewhat acidic and rated for crystals. There are other foods. You did not specify the food but I bet it's Science Diet c/d and then s/d, yes? Thanks for the warning about the food. I'm going to have to do something differently, but don't know just what since both cats are finicky about canned food also. I have been changing the water a couple of times a day hoping they will drink more if it's fresh, but still don't see them drinking all that much. They like to drink out a a leaky furnace pipe we have in the basement, so I was thinking about getting a fountain to see if they would drink the water out of that. Thanks again for all your suggestions. Helene Helene > > One of my two cats has been urinating just outside the litter box, so the > > vet suggested they be tested for crystals in the urine. It seems they both [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > crystals. There are other foods. You did not specify the food but I > bet it's Science Diet c/d and then s/d, yes? I am having the same problem with Farfou. After 5 days of almost not eating, I started putting out his old food again. And he ate a little bit tonight. My mistake was not to give him the time to adjust to the prescription food (Hill's C/D). I was/am so afraid the crystals could come back I didn't even think about that. I added some chicken in it to help acidfy the food and his urine. I am going to get another prescription food tomorrow, IVD. Let's see if he will touch this one ... The importants points here are: No free feeding - which I was doing, since my 2 other cats are slow and small eaters, they need to come back many time to their food. One of them has cancer and I need her to eat as much as she wants. No dry food, as pointed out already, cats don't drink enough and this would exacerbate the problem. Increase the water intake. Someone in another group mentionned a water fountain (PetMate Fresh Flow or a Drinkwell Pet Fountain) which will increase the quantity of water your cat will drink. I need to get one myself. Patricia > Thanks for the warning about the food. I'm going to have to do something > differently, but don't know just what since both cats are finicky about [quoted text clipped - 59 lines] > > crystals. There are other foods. You did not specify the food but I > > bet it's Science Diet c/d and then s/d, yes? All great points Patricia. I have been measuring out their food in the a.m. and then refilling again in the afternoon or evening. They rarely eat all I give them, so I guess that would be considered free feeding. I'd appreciate opinions on how I've been doing this. Should I pick up the dish after a certain time if it's not eaten? My cats don't like many of the canned foods, but I could add water to the dry food. But most assuredly, anything I try they won't like!!! LOL Helene p.s.- I would also like to get the water fountain, but can't find in my area, so guess I'll order online. > I am having the same problem with Farfou. > After 5 days of almost not eating, I started putting out his old food [quoted text clipped - 87 lines] > > > crystals. There are other foods. You did not specify the food but I > > > bet it's Science Diet c/d and then s/d, yes? circa Fri, 11 Jun 2004 12:56:37 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Helene (helenejg@frontiernet.net) said, > All great points Patricia. I have been measuring out their food in the a.m. > and then refilling again in the afternoon or evening. They rarely eat all I > give them, so I guess that would be considered free feeding. I'd appreciate > opinions on how I've been doing this. Should I pick up the dish after a > certain time if it's not eaten? Yup. 20-30 minutes is what I?ve seen most recommended. Unfortunately, it?s impossible to do with my cats as the one who needs the food the most has some weird eating habits. He stalks the food for a few minutes, sniffing around it. Then he slowly goes up and starts eating it. After eating a little bit, he walks away, and then goes back about a half hour later to do the same thing again. Eventually, he eats all the food, but it takes him *forever* to do it. :-) Laura SignatureExperience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde I can try picking it up with my cats, but I have one cat that sounds like yours. She eats a few pieces and then walks away. Then she comes back later for more. But maybe if I picked the dish up she would realize that she has to eat what she wants while the dish is down there. I bought the drinking fountain tonight. I found out about another pet store in a town near us and they had it. It was pricey, but one of my cats seems to love it. The other will take some time getting used to it just like with everything else. Helene > circa Fri, 11 Jun 2004 12:56:37 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, > Helene (helenejg@frontiernet.net) said, [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Laura circa Sat, 12 Jun 2004 01:37:47 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Helene (helenejg@frontiernet.net) said, > I can try picking it up with my cats, but I have one cat that sounds like > yours. She eats a few pieces and then walks away. Then she comes back later > for more. But maybe if I picked the dish up she would realize that she has > to eat what she wants while the dish is down there. It never worked for my Jacob. :-) > I bought the drinking > fountain tonight. I found out about another pet store in a town near us and > they had it. It was pricey, but one of my cats seems to love it. The other > will take some time getting used to it just like with everything else. Yes, I'm actually surprised that one of them took to it so quickly! Laura SignatureExperience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde > circa Sat, 12 Jun 2004 01:37:47 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, > Helene (helenejg@frontiernet.net) said, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > It never worked for my Jacob. :-) Cats will be cats!!! LOL > > I bought the drinking > > fountain tonight. I found out about another pet store in a town near us and > > they had it. It was pricey, but one of my cats seems to love it. The other > > will take some time getting used to it just like with everything else. > > Yes, I'm actually surprised that one of them took to it so quickly! Well, that would be Cameo, our adaptable cat. > Laura > > One of my two cats has been urinating just outside the litter box, so the > > vet suggested they be tested for crystals in the urine. It seems they both [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > did not have her staff warn that his high fat food can cause stones in > some cats. How long was the cat being fed Prescription Diet s/d? > > Aside from the excellent suggestion by the first reply, let me give > > some warning about this food. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > How long was the cat being fed Prescription Diet s/d? Just one month, that's all it took. It was c/d and then s/d as I recall. One is almost all pig fat, disgusting, in the can. X-ray did not show a stone one month previously. I was extremely upset because the cat's owner would most likely refuse the $1000 operation and have the cat put to sleep. Can you believe that? And the arguments of the owner were horrible. Cats don't have souls, she would snort. It's a behavioral problem. And this is coming from a christian minister. Unbelievable. circa 9 Jun 2004 20:10:06 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Tree Line (treeline12345@yahoo.com) said, > I was extremely upset because > the cat's owner would most likely refuse the $1000 operation and have > the cat put to sleep. Can you believe that? And the arguments of the > owner were horrible. Cats don't have souls, she would snort. It's a > behavioral problem. And this is coming from a christian minister. > Unbelievable. Those who proclaim their xtianity loudest often practice it least, in my experience. Laura SignatureExperience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde > > > > Aside from the excellent suggestion by the first reply, let me give [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > behavioral problem. And this is coming from a christian minister. > Unbelievable. Thanks for the info - point of fact it is impossible to develop a CaOx stone in "less than one month". Prescription Diet s/d is contraindicated in cats with a pre-disposition to CaOx stone development. Either the xray missed the stone, it was improperly read, or some other error was made. Prescription Diet s/d will indeed induce CaOx stones when fed over extended periods of time, it is for that reason that the diet is not to be fed for more than a 6 month period of time. Some breeds, Burmese, Himalayan, Persian should be carefully watched when fed a dissolution diet due to thier inherent genetic pre-disposition to develop CaOx stones. > treeline12345@yahoo.com (Tree Line) wrote in message > > > > Aside from the excellent suggestion by the first reply, let me give > > > > some warning about this food. [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > watched when fed a dissolution diet due to thier inherent genetic > pre-disposition to develop CaOx stones. Thanks for the info. How about two months to develop Calcium Oxide crystals. I looked after the cat for only one month, but given another two weeks before me and another two weeks after me, I would think the cat had about six weeks of the short term of s/d, followed by the long-term c/d. I also had that backwards, s/d is given first. There was not any blood in the urine at first but there was after two months. The blood in the urine indicated a possibility of a stone. Does this sound about right? Now it could be these bozoes missed the stone in the x-rays and missed the blood in the urine. But if they are right and no blood and no stones at first = you're pretty sure that it's _impossible_ to have a stone created in such a short time? This cat was 14 years of age and rather obese but highly mobile for such a relatively old cat carrying a lot of fat. Could that speed up the formation of the stone? Thanks again for your reasoned and informative input. circa 12 Jun 2004 06:18:29 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Tree Line (treeline12345@yahoo.com) said, > > treeline12345@yahoo.com (Tree Line) wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > > Thanks again for your reasoned and informative input. A couple of links that may or may not help... http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=88223 http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=31655 http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00125.htm http://www.purina.ca/images/articles/pdf/DietaryRoleInFeline.pdf http://web.vet.cornell.edu/Public/FHC/urinary.html http://www.animalhealthcare.ca/contents/content_careguides2.asp? get=faq&id=65&category=22 In short, it would seem that genetic predisposition and a host of other factors are probably responsible for formation of CaOx stones; a couple of months of s/d wouldn't do it. Laura SignatureExperience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde << I started feeding the food last night, and neither cat will eat it. Has anyone else had an experience with this? Any suggestions on how to get them to eat it? >> Is it Hill's c/d or what? Other companies also make prescription foods so ask your vet for a different maker. Are you feeding the dry or wet? Candace (take the litter out before replying by e-mail) See my cats: http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace "One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other than human." (Loren Eisely) > << I started feeding the food last night, and neither cat will eat > it. Has anyone else had an experience with this? Any suggestions on how to [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > "One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other > than human." (Loren Eisely) Yes, it is the Hill's, and we're using the dry. > One of my two cats has been urinating just outside the litter box, so the > vet suggested they be tested for crystals in the urine. It seems they both [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Thanks, > Helene Helene, Cats are neophobic in contrast to dogs which often neophilic. Neophobic means simply they dislike change or new things. Any transition of a food must be done over a period of time, mixing ever larger amounts of the new food with the old. Cats can also be very sensitive to the development of food aversion. If the food is presented at a bad time - in the clinic, at home while the cat is feeling badly, etc, it can develop an aversion to that food based upon an association of that food and the bad feelings the cat had. A single meal associated with some bad thing can lead to the refusal of a cat to eat that food. (Mugford, 1971) You will need to transistion the food slowly and be sure the food is presented in an environment where the cat is not stressed, unhappy or ill. It took a long time to develop the crystals in the cat, switching the food does not have to be done overnight, but should rather take a week at least. You can try the canned version of the same food, but the dry versions are usually the most palatable and most widely accepted. Try heating the food in the microwave for a few seconds, be sure the food is presented at "good times" while petting, etc. You may need to present the food over a period of good times so they lose the food aversion they have acquired. If you are using a dry food you can add some water to it and microwave it. Thanks Steve, I will try all your suggestions. I had the same thought myself, and have been mixing the two prescription foods because they seem to like the one kind better. I think I should try mixing some of their old food in until they get used to it. Thanks again. Helene > > One of my two cats has been urinating just outside the litter box, so the > > vet suggested they be tested for crystals in the urine. It seems they both [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > aversion they have acquired. If you are using a dry food you can add > some water to it and microwave it. Thanks everyone for your advice. My cats are eating their food much better now. One of the them still pees outside the box, but I'm hoping they will stop this by the end of the month of eating the food. If not, not sure what to do. My husband is not as patient about these things as I am, and I must say even I am getting a bit tired of it. Helene > One of my two cats has been urinating just outside the litter box, so the > vet suggested they be tested for crystals in the urine. It seems they both [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Thanks, > Helene |
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