And if you think for a minute that I own this cat....

[kyrielle]

...boy have you got it backward.

Basta has always been finicky and has gotten moreso of late (probably an early warning sign of her illness but it did not seem out of character - argh!). So now she is snubbing her canned cat food (unless quite hungry - she did eat it while at the emergency vet), and the cat treats she really liked last week. And she's snubbing the Nutri-Cal we brought home from the vet. I thought she was the cat who liked it and wanted some when it was being fed to another cat, many years ago. Either I mis-recalled or her tastes have changed, neither being particularly impossible. She is eating the dry food, but I worry about her getting enough nutrition/calories that way, since she's almost toothless and just picks one at a time up and swallows. Good thing they are small dots, but still.

Today, I went into work and got my laptop to work from home (a big thank you to my boss for letting me do this so I can keep an eye on Basta's progress through the day!). This time I remembered the key that unlocks the security cable, so I even actually got the thing. On my way home, I stopped at the grocery store and picked up a couple boneless skinless chicken breasts. I have now poached one, and shredded it by hand (checking for bones as I did so, because I'm paranoid), and fed the cat about 1/5 to 1/4 of it (hurrah!)...by dangling it, one piece at a time, while she delicately picked it out of the air.

It was a big hit, though. She actually lunged a few times for it, and once dared to gnaw at my finger to get a piece off. (She usually won't eat right off my fingers, even if I invite - which is funny, because see 'almost toothless' - she doesn't hurt me at all. But this is very out of character for her, in a good way.)

Babe was all around, looking sulky, but when I later offered her a single piece, she snubbed it. Amusing.

Comments

[canyoncat.livejournal.com]

Bandit has become increasingly finicky in her old age as well. She also only eats very small portions but wants to eat frequently. I pick up the boneless chicken breasts for her too because she will almost always eat that without having to be convinced. I also like it in my salad and the other kitties get a treat so it works for everyone.e

[kyrielle]

I'm still amused that Babe snubbed it. And I'm not eating that chicken - Basta stuffed her head in the container at one point, then sneezed on it. LOL!

[retsuko.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Ah, the differences between cats and dogs! Our pup gobbled down his food, even right before the end (not to say that Basta is necessarily near the end of her life, or anything...) He would never have snubbed anything.

I'm glad to hear that she's at home, even if she's all finicky. ^-^;;

[kyrielle]

I'm not so sure that's cats/dogs, though in general I suppose the cats tend more to the finicky. I've known finicky dogs. And this chicken is one of the few times I have seen our Babe snub ANYTHING.

[mandydax.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad she's home and eating, even if it is coaxedly.

[kyrielle]

So am I. She's eaten some dried food, and over half a chicken breast, so...not too bad. (She even ate some after we gave her her pill, which is when she hated us and the world last time! I think she still did this time but not enough to give up her chicken. And maybe, just maybe, it will actually help her deal with the meds to get the taste out of her mouth and having something else in her stomach with it.)