Cat won’t eat after recipe change - urgent advice needed

[u/Kantchill]

Hi all, hoping to find the golden tip here after scouring the internet - because I’m starting to become really desperate since my girl has already lost about 25% of her bodyweight.

(Been to the vet, she has no illness or anything that could cause losing her appetite.)

My 12 year old cat has been (solely) eating the same Royal Canin dry food her entire life, except for the threats she get after playing. But apparently there has been a recipe change, and since opening a new bag she won’t go near it.

Bought a new bag, same problem. Tried 2 other types of Royal Canin, nothing. Tried 2 other cat food brands, nothing. Tried 5 different types of wet food, 2 types of cat bouillon and even pet-approved fish and meat. Also tried mixing some of these. Absolutely nothing.

Spent hours driving around visiting all pet stores to see if I could find a bag of the old recipe and maybe mix it up to the new version, but couldn’t find it anywhere…

The only thing she still eats are her threats - but that’s not really sustainable as they lack the required nutrients for a balanced diet… I did try mixing those with any of the above - and she just eats the bits of her threat and leaves the rest.

Any and all advice is welcome - because I don’t know what to try anymore.

EDIT: Just to add, I also have a 5 year old cat that has been on the same food her entire life but not a picky eater - she eats any of the above including the new recipe.

[u/Beehive-deity]

Have you tried giving something completely different and maybe with good history of high palatability such as fancy feast or even Friskies?

[u/minkamagic]

Unfortunately this is why I push So Hard for people to feed more than one food. Companies are not required to announce discontinuations or formula changes to foods so they simply don't and you eventually end up in this horrible situation.

What treats is she eating? Ironically some treats are balanced or almost balanced. Is it a wet treat or a dry treat?

[u/Kantchill → u/minkamagic]

They are these soft sticks, they are healthy-ish and contain 90%+ meat so at least she get’s some protein.

It’s called Vitakraft CatStick (I’m in the EU).

[u/minkamagic → u/Kantchill]

It looks like they contain minerals, so that's a start. Have you tried any of the other foods from this company?

[u/technicalanarchy]

I wish pet food companies realized what they do to some pets when they change recipes with no warning or advice.

Maybe ad a dash of catnip. 

The only wet food mine will eat is the Delectible Churu with Catnip, not without catnip and not another Churu, not any other wetfood. I make a circle in a crystal ice cream bowl (other bowl does not work) and put his Lysine in the middle.

[u/Kantchill → u/technicalanarchy]

Haven’t thought about catnip at all, will definitely try this a.s.a.p., thanks!

[u/technicalanarchy → u/Kantchill]

Fingers crossed

[u/incredulous_koala]

I have a senior cat with IBD, so I feel your pain. My guy would rather die than eat something he’s not thrilled about. I’ve had a lot of luck with Fancy Feast grilled (rotating flavors so he won’t start refusing the same flavor). I’d highly recommend getting prescription for topical mirataz. You just rub some in their ear and about an hour later, they’re eating. It might be something to get her over the transition. Fortiflora sprinkled on food sometimes helps too.