Conference misery::feline_v1

    You might try writing to the companies, or calling them -- they
    may have a number available from 800 information.
    

    First of all, I can't understand why they don't like IAMS.  That
    stuff even smells good to me...I hate the smells of most cat foods.
    
    When I brought my newest cat Tequilla to the vet, and told him what
    she'd been eating (Meow Mix and Kal Kan), his response was "junk
    food".  So I changed her diet to match that of Schnapps - Triumph.
    When the package was finished I went to IAMS, as the vet prescribed.
    
    Yes, there was some problems with changing brands, but if that is
    all you give them...they should catch on when they get hungry enough.
    Mine did in about a day.
    
    

    Just note regarding the Feline Vitality which is all well enough
    if the cats begin eating it as kittens, but introducing a cat to
    the product later requires a slow introduction into the feeding
    by mixing it gradually into the food they are accustomed to eating.
    While I worked at the pet supply store there were a number of
    complaints from people who gave this product to their cats without
    the gradual introduction we strongly advised as not doing so results
    in diarrhea (spelling?) This does not last long but it can be avoided
    by slow introduction; after that cats do very well on it.
    Fran
    

    Just a word of advice about Friskies dry cat food - I'd stay away
    from it.  I don't know what it is about *that stuff* but it never
    fails if I give it to my cats, my male will get diarrhea (same
    color of the food too) every time.  I thought he was just having
    a problem (so to speak) at first, but there is definitely something
    in it that doesn't agree with him.  My other 3 females don't have
    any problem with it.
    
    Pam

    When I used to feed Grocery Store Kitty Junk Food (particularly
    Crave and Purina Cat Chow) if anyone missed the box, the stool would
    actually stain the floor red.  YUCK!!!!!   
    
    I'm having real good luck with IAMS.  I've been feeding IAMS dry
    for over a year now with no problems.  I usually give my kids a
    treat of a can or two of Friskies Buffet (either Beef or Turkey)
    a couple times a week. 
    
    If you don't give them anything else, they will eat the "kitty health
    food" sooner or later.
    
    Be Strong!!
    cin
    

Cats hate changes in food - and they will resist...my feeling is that I'm
more in a position to know what's good for em, and I'm the one buying...
when they get hungry enough, they eat.  It never fails because cats are
not suicidal at all - they will eat!

Adding the food gradually to what they are used to, will generally get rid
of the problem, but whatever fuss they make, get them on something with
some nutrition in it....what you feed them now is like a constant diet
of junk food (quoth my vet).

We've had good luck with science diet feline - and my males are getting
up there in age with no urinary track problems.  I recommend it.

    Boy, am I glad to hear there are other fussy kitties out there besides
    Lightning and DejaVu.  They won't eat anything when I try to introduce
    one of the special low-ash foods.
    
    Lightning is disgustingly healthy (according to her vet) and Deja
    is sleek and trim (not an ounce of fat).  
    
    As long as the vet tells me my babies are ok, I'm not going to try
    to change their eating habits.  They don't even like the baby food
    that everyone says they should love.  
    
    I do read the backs of cans and check the bag on the dry food and
    try to keep the ash at a minimum and so far have been doing good.
    
    Besides,  I eat everything that isn't good for me (red meat,
    cheesecake, butter, coffee, etc) and still only weigh 89 lbs and
    have no high-blood pressure, heart problems, or weight problems.
    
    Sandi  (Lightning's & DejaVu's mom)
    
    

    Roberta/
    As you know I live in the Nashua area.  We have a pet supply store
    that carrys Blue Seal feeds. They make pet foods for every kind
    of animal going.  They make a LOW ASH dry cat food called Cat Care.
    It comes in 10lb bags and cost around $6.
    
    It really seems to hit the spot with Mocha. He did not do well on
    IAMS.
    

    When I had to change Sy's diet, from store bought junk to RD (no
    flavor according to the vet), he balked at the very idea.  So, I
    started by mixing Gerbers baby food and RD (Sy couldn't have anymore
    store bought food, the vet told me it would flare up the pancress
    and kill him).  Anyway,  after mixing approx. 4-1 ratio, 4=Gerbers
    meat flavors, I slowly cut the ratio and now he only eats the RD.
     In fact he DEMANDS the food.
    
    Don't give in the demands of those furfaces. 
    
    Linda