Feeding Meep (cystitis questions!)

Ok. So, those who have been following along know that Meep, who will be
10 this year, has had two bouts of cystitis attacks that sent her to the
vet, and more recently had two "almost" episodes.

I'm doing everything I can to keep her hydrated and medicated, she has a
bowl in our bedroom, a Drinkwell downstairs, and a glucosamine
supplement in her wet food. She gets a high-quality dry food (currently
Royal Canin Senior or Iams Active Maturity), portion controlled.

The problem has always been with the wet food. Though she complains
bitterly if I'm late putting out her wet food in the evening, she rarely
eats it. I've found she's a junk food junky: Prefers only what are
probably the least healthy varieties around, and almost always only the
fish varieties, which I understand isn't healthy in the long run either.
She will now only eat the all-fish Fancy Feast varieties, and the bags
of Felix (usually). She's started ignoring varieties and brands she
formerly would usually eat.

She also won't touch natural foods like beef or chicken, except for
Parmesan cheese, bread, salmon, prawns or tuna, so a home-cooked diet
seems to be out too.

I'm desperately trying to get her to eat her moist foods, because that's
where I mix in her daily dose of glucosamine, and I know water intake is
critical to keeping her from developing crystals. Without wet food, I'd
have to pill her every night and we'd both be extremely unhappy.

I don't have enough evidence to say for sure, but her almost attacks may
coincide with multiple days of not getting her full (or any) wet
food/glucosamine each night.

So I guess what I'm asking is: Should I just give up and serve her fish
junk food as she wants, to ensure she's getting enough moisture and her
meds in a non-stressful manner, or should I just feed her the healthy
dry and pill her every night. Or are there other options?

Oh, and yes I've tried feeding her only the wet. She'd rather starve,
apparently.

I'm doing my best to try to keep her healthy, but she's not helping any.

Phil, or anybody, any advice to help me keep my finicky cat peeing
normally?

jmc

Suddenly, without warning, Diane exclaimed (14-Jan-06 7:34 PM):
In article ,
jmc wrote:

She will now only eat the all-fish Fancy Feast varieties, and the bags
of Felix (usually).

Have you tried canned Felix? My friend brought some back from Ireland,
and it made Hodge pee quite a bit, which I think helped keep him clear
(different problem, but still . . .).


She'll sometimes eat the canned stuff. If he was suffering from
blockages, I think it's the same problem. Manifests differently in
males and females - girls rarely block 'cause, well, the hole's bigger.

Am I right in assuming Felix is what my vet calls "junk food" though?
She prefers the "As good as it looks" variety.

jmc

jmc,
There is a company called FlavorX, they are best known for human
childrens medicine flavoring, bubblegum, cherry etc. They have recently
created a product called DPak. It is very small vial and you put a
couple drops on the surface of the water. It is basically a very smelly
oil that floats on the surface. It comes in severl cat oriented
flavors. The few people I have known who have tried it have been very
happy with it. They have website and I think it's simply
www.flavorx.com - if that doesn't work, Google around a bit.

does she like milk? Some of my cats do so I give them Lactaid 2%. they
don't get diarrhea from the Lactaid and it gets more fluid into them.
My cats also prefer ice water to regular tap water. the things we do
for our loved ones.

Suddenly, without warning, exclaimed (15-Jan-06 8:32
PM):
does she like milk? Some of my cats do so I give them Lactaid 2%. they
don't get diarrhea from the Lactaid and it gets more fluid into them.
My cats also prefer ice water to regular tap water. the things we do
for our loved ones.


Nope, won't touch it. Also is indifferent to ice cubes, even when we
lived in the desert. Likes fresh water, but seems indifferent to ice
water vs fresh from the tap.

Darn fussy cat Gotta give her credit though, she knows what she
wants! Just wish I did too...

jmc

"jmc" wrote in message
...
Ok. So, those who have been following along know that Meep, who will be
10 this year, has had two bouts of cystitis attacks that sent her to the
vet, and more recently had two "almost" episodes.

I'm doing everything I can to keep her hydrated and medicated, she has a
bowl in our bedroom, a Drinkwell downstairs, and a glucosamine
supplement in her wet food. She gets a high-quality dry food (currently
Royal Canin Senior or Iams Active Maturity), portion controlled.

The problem has always been with the wet food. Though she complains
bitterly if I'm late putting out her wet food in the evening, she rarely
eats it. I've found she's a junk food junky: Prefers only what are
probably the least healthy varieties around, and almost always only the
fish varieties, which I understand isn't healthy in the long run either.
She will now only eat the all-fish Fancy Feast varieties, and the bags
of Felix (usually). She's started ignoring varieties and brands she
formerly would usually eat.

She also won't touch natural foods like beef or chicken, except for
Parmesan cheese, bread, salmon, prawns or tuna, so a home-cooked diet
seems to be out too.

I'm desperately trying to get her to eat her moist foods, because that's
where I mix in her daily dose of glucosamine, and I know water intake is
critical to keeping her from developing crystals. Without wet food, I'd
have to pill her every night and we'd both be extremely unhappy.

I don't have enough evidence to say for sure, but her almost attacks may
coincide with multiple days of not getting her full (or any) wet
food/glucosamine each night.

So I guess what I'm asking is: Should I just give up and serve her fish
junk food as she wants, to ensure she's getting enough moisture and her
meds in a non-stressful manner, or should I just feed her the healthy
dry and pill her every night. Or are there other options?

Oh, and yes I've tried feeding her only the wet. She'd rather starve,
apparently.

I'm doing my best to try to keep her healthy, but she's not helping any.

Phil, or anybody, any advice to help me keep my finicky cat peeing
normally?

jmc

Try offering her canned food without glucosamine. One of the risks of
medicating a cat's regular food is that she might develop an aversion to the
food. If you add medication to a cat's food, use a sacrificial food so she
doesn't develop an aversion to her regular food.

You might be able to increase her water intake by offering her chicken or
turkey broth- plain home made broth without any seasoning- not the canned
junk. Make up a batch and freeze it in ice cube trays; put a cube or two in
her water bowl a few times a day.

Best of luck,

Phil