won't eat anything but tuna...

.....pretty much. might eat pouches of wet food eventually eg over night but initially only has a bite or of in jelly licks the jelly off, tried the parmesan trick not really making much difference. not even keen on cooked chicken. apart from the issue this causes with insulin - do you think it indicates anything else? I have tried just about every UK wet food on the list - am throwing most of it away. any ideas??? any help welcome thankyou

 

Any signs of nausea (a common problem with digestive upsets, IBD, pancreatitis, ketosis/DKA)? Here are some useful sites for checking clinical signs:

Nausea and appetite problems (Tanya's Site)

Nausea symptom checker (catcentric.org)

The Tanya's Site link has a list of treatments for feline nausea problems.

If a kitty's off their food it's a wise precaution to be more vigilant about checking urine for ketones (using Ketostix or similar), especially if it's making it difficult to administer insulin. If the kitty is not eating enough to administer insulin safely it's highly advisable to put a call in to the vet ASAP to discuss what to do (e.g. give a 'token' dose) until you can get the kitty to the vet for a checkup. More info on ketones here:

Testing your cat for ketones

Tips for collecting urine samples


Mogs
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do you think it means anything that she will eat tuna though? thanks for replying btw

 

I don’t know if that means anything other than that’s just what she likes. Tuna alone doesn’t have all the nutrients she needs. Will she eat tuna cat food? Have you tried mixing tuna with other cat food? Use plenty tuna to start, then gradually decrease the amount.

 

I will try that Sharon thanks. Im worried ,but the fact that she will happily eat tuna makes me think it is possibly just her being picky. Im hoping thats all it is...though even that's not ideal for her condition. thanks again ...off to mix some tuna in with her untouched supper,

 

Good luck and Keep us posted!

 

It is good that she is at least eating something for the time being. Other foods might be upsetting her tummy, or she may just not like the taste. I feel your pain over the trial and error to find a food that agrees with the cat (been there).

Some cats will lick the jelly off food and only go back for the chunks later on, but that's no help at all when you're trying to treat a diabetic! Have you tried pouring some of the tuna water over the pouched food and mixing it in a bit to see if she'll eat more for the feed at insulin time? Also, some caregivers say that their cats like Bonita flakes as toppers on their regular food (not sure if you can get similar in the UK).

Another thing that might be worth trying is to crumble up some freeze-dried protein treats over the food. I've had a fair bit of success with that. Sainsbury's do Thrive pet treats if you want to give it a try (and I'm sure the likes of Morrison's and independent pet shops in your area may also carry them). If it works then you can get less pricey Cosma Snackies freeze-dried treats from Zooplus:

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_treats_catnip/cosma_cat_snacks
They're available in chicken, fish and tuna flavours. The XXL ones are a bit cheaper and you can break them up into smaller chunks. I use the chicken treats and blitz up a handful to make a 'chicken powder' to sprinkle over the wet food, but you can actually crumble them into a powder with your fingers. I've not tried the fish or tuna varieties so don't know how easy they are to crumble.

Some caregivers swear by Fortiflora as an appetite enhancer. It's the same sort of stuff that they spray on kibble to make it palatable to cats. It's not cheap (try animeddirect.co.uk - usually have the best online prices) but you only need a tiny sprinkle and a sachet can last for a few days. Word of warning: Fortiflora contains probiotics so it may not be a good thing to give to a cat with any history of pancreatitis. Also, not all cats like it and it can make some kitties nauseated.


Mogs
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thanks, seemed to be an improvement but then went back to being fussy...then ok ish again....think it may be a long road ...