Feeding Picky Eaters, My Cats

There is nothing quite as exasperating than being owned by a couple of cats who act as if they are hungry but keep refusing the nutritious grainless canned cat food I serve them. And there is nothing more rewarding when they chow down with delight. But recently our two Oriental Shorthair cats, Hubble and Hush Puppy, have developed an overwhelming "jones "for a variety of cat food that I, as a most discerning cat foodie, consider unacceptable kitty "junk food." Mea culpa! Worse, I'm the one that got them started on it, out of pure frustration. Cats gotta eat! To top it all off, Hubble, our white Oriental is undergoing extensive tests to get to the bottom of his recent bout of vomiting, and is also being treated with antibiotics for a mild respiratory infection which must be given with food. You can only imagine my frustration! After sniffing the venison, duck or lamb I offer, they just walk away, turning up their noses in disgust. Even the sample of a highly nutritious raw food diet made for felines to which our veterinarian received rave reviews from clients, was instantly rejected. I have been known to even get down on my knees begging them to surrender, whetting their appetites with turkey, chicken or beef baby food, since cats cannot go for extended periods of time refusing food without potential problems. Whatever is a cat mom to do? I was forced to take action at the local supermarket. My head was spinning from reading all the labels of commercial cat food. But honestly; wasn't I there in the first place to find a food they would more than likely devour with gusto? It must have taken me close to an hour to settle on a brand. While the first ingredient on the label was poultry broth and by-by-products, and it contained wheat gluten, which I don't agree with, I grabbed several cans of different flavors just to see how they would respond. Both cats rapidly polished off their dinners leaving not even a dollop of gravy, licking their chops with delight as they purred away. Was I enabling two feline junk food addicts? But 15 minutes after Hubble polished off his breakfast, up it came. I am right back to square one! What am I to do? Share your thoughts in a comment.