Sassy cats –The refugee cat with the dumpster diving habit

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“Where is my food?”

You know that feeling when your child is finally potty-trained? I know what it feels like.

You want to shout from the rooftops! Sing Hallelujah! Do the Snoopy dance! Tell anyone who will listen!

No, I did not potty train a child…or a cat. Cats come trained. Let me start from the beginning.

Gracie is the new catkid. She came in January and has had a gazillion health setbacks. You can read them here and here.

She recently needed dental surgery and after that refused to eat the kibble she loved. It hurt her booboos.

After much trial and error (driving me crazy) she settled on Fancy Feast chicken but only grilled and with a little real chicken on top. (Must have real chicken.)

She was dumpster diving into our kitchen garbage can. It stopped with her chicken selection and also the fact that I stopped putting any food stuff in there. (Can I hear a Hallelujah?)

All was good. For a week.

Then she got a stomach bug. For two days she threw up everything she ate. (Ok, I’m crazy again.)

She refused all food. Slowly, ever so slowly, I got her to eat real chicken. Then I started slipping in the chicken cat food, teaspoon by teaspoon.

One day I slipped in some turkey cat food. She gave me the stink eye but ate it! (Another Hallelujah please!)

We went from eating about two tablespoons of food a day to a half can every hour. We worked up to needing tractor-trailer loads of cat food! (Don’t ask. I am a weak person.)

Now I’m working to get her on a schedule and on more variety. She’s not happy about schedules. She has a staff who will wait on her whenever she wants. Room service without the tipping.

I’d love to say I put on my big girl bloomers and got tough but the truth is that I had to do some things that required me to be out of the house for extended periods during the day. I missed the puppy dog eyes, the dramatics of a starving cat (this cat is Academy award material) and the pathetic no one loves me postures. She adjusted. Mostly.

When the final transition is done and she eats like a normal cat, you will hear me sing from the rooftops! Perhaps maybe even a little dance!

In the meantime the other cats are enjoying extra meals. If you open a can, they will come. Especially my Hoover cat Hazel.

Next plan is to get Hazel back on her diet.

“Nobody loves me. They are starving me! Please call Animal Protective Services!”

Postscript: I wrote this on Monday. As is always the case, things change quickly in this house especially when it has to do with Gracie. She is now eating like a starving lion waiting for the tasty Christians. I am considering liquidating all our assets so she doesn’t starve. She has broadened her horizons. So far she has scorned beef and we haven’t reintroduced any fish but most other flavors are winners even those with cheese. Tomorrow is another day. What a cat!

80 thoughts on “Sassy cats –The refugee cat with the dumpster diving habit”

  1. Pingback: Sassy cats — Peaceful pictures | Views and Mews by Coffee Kat

  2. You get a bus ribbon for patience, Kate. It’s frustrating to have so much to offer our pet babies and then when we can’t meet their needs it’s truly difficult. It sounds like Gracie has crossed an important threshold! Woo-hoo!

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    • I have picky eaters here but she tops them all. Yesterday I tried something new that a blogger said was crack for cat. Well, she’s not into cat crack. Fortunately Hazel ate it and I adjusted things. I need to get her off the need for real chicken on top. I’ve been cooking it plain and packaging to freeze but that will get old for sure.

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  3. You are truly wonderful… when I was struggling with my fussy cat and stomach problems, the vet told me no beef – bad for cats, and no milk – bad for cats… we manged the no-beef, but the milk crept back in whenever I had a cup of tea… her milk in a tiny tiny dish…

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    • She won’t eat beef or fish except for the steak scraps she stole. She’s all about the poultry. My vet says the best food for a touchy stomach is duck or lamb. Both are expensive so I’m trying to stay with the more standard poultry selections I can buy in cases. As for milk, she is a milk drinker. I get the lactose free milk for her. When she wasn’t eating anything, it was the only thing she consumed.

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  4. Entertaining post for me, but I’m not the one having the cat feeding struggles. I can relate in part though because we just got back from a week puppy and kitty sitting for our son. Animals like to keep us on our toes. 🙂

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  5. “Eats like a normal cat.” What does that even mean? My three cats all have different menus and eating habits… and just when I think I have everybody figured out it all changes. When I win the Lotto they are getting their own chef.

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  9. Gracie is one lucky duck/cat to have a cat-ering service available on call. I think it’s all a test to see if you really care and once she is convinced of your true love there will be no more eating disorders. I don’t understand cats but consider myself an all-animal whisperer who can read critter minds. 🙂

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  14. I know my cats are sick when they won’t eat. Piggies, all.

    I had to potty train my dogs (they only use a designated part of the yard as their toilet). Woofie was easy. Fey — the ghetto elk — was not. She was used to peeing everywhere. Including the house. Including the expensive carpet. It took ages!

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    • When a dish isn’t emptied, I go out of my way to find out who is sick. There is no other reason unless they don’t like it. Then they usually have their way of telling me that, like dumping it upside down. Fortunately, cats come potty trained compliments of their mom.

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  23. Gracie is a challenge, Kate! You won’t be bored with her quirky self around. Makes me wonder about all the things that happened to her before she landed in your 5 star resort. I am glad she is eating and what she is eating is staying down. I will be waiting to hear you sing from the rooftops! Got my fingers crossed for you and I am so happy she landed in your home!

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