Warming cold food?

[saitenyo]

As you guys know, I've been trying to improve my cats' diet by removing grain and adding high-quality canned. They eat a certain amount every morning with great enthusiasm, although I still can't get them to eat more than 1/4 of a 5.5 oz can each in the morning.

The main problem I have is their evening meal. When I put their food down at night they start nibbling, but usually leave half or more just sitting there. Apollo will eat more than Athena, but Athena barely touches it.

As they're still growing kittens, I really want to make sure they don't starve, so I offer them some Core dry to make up for the wet they don't eat. But of course I'm aware that it's possible they're not eating their wet food in anticipation for the dry. The dry I put in their bowl (3/4 cup between the two of them) is always completely gone by morning so I know they're eating that. I'd rather they eat more wet but I don't want to take their dry away completely if they won't eat enough of their wet. And I had been hoping to at least keep them willing to eat some dry since it's easier on the occasional night/day I have to be away from home.

I'm wondering, could temperature be a factor? The food they get in the morning is a fresh can. The food they get at night is usually the second half of that can that's been sitting in the fridge all day. I've tried leaving it out until it reaches room temp and sometimes they'll eat more then, but sometimes not. From what I can recall, when I've fed them with smaller cans (since BB Wilderness only comes in 3oz cans) they seem more enthusiastic, since their evening meal is a fresh non-refrigerated can also.

Is there a better way to re-heat cold wet food? Can I microwave it a tiny bit? Or do you think something other than temperature is causing them not to eat in the evenings?

[WhiteKitties]

I warm my girls' food in the microwave because they won't eat it cold. I buy the bigger 13+ ounce cans of Evo and Wellness and portion them out into small Tupperwares to freeze for the week. Each night I take out what I need for the following day and put it in the fridge to thaw, then microwave it for 15 -20 seconds to warm it up. The girls gobble it right up then!

Some people say warming the food in the microwave is bad, but this is the only way to go for me. I refuse to buy 3 ounce cans of food to avoid having to refrigerate anything, as it's ridiculously expensive to buy smaller cans. And the girls won't touch the food if it's cold.

I used to leave dry food out but Fern wasn't interested in eating all of her wet food, so I stopped leaving anything out. Now they get 2 wet meals and 2 dry snacks and all is well.

[Smirkitty]

I add warm water to the food and mix it up. That seems to work for my boys.

[razzle]

I refrig an leftover food then heat it up in the microwave for 13 seconds and mix it up well so there are no hot spots. People like their foods warm or hot.

Kathy

[kittywitty]

I have the same situation with my kitties. They love to eat the food when I first open the can but any leftovers they can be picky. What I found that works is letting the refrigerated can (which has a cover on it) sit in a bowl warm water for a few minutes. Once it is close to room temperature, if they don't eat it, I will some tuna flakes or some freeze dried treats over the food which entices them to eat it.

[Susan]

If they're getting a half can of the food in the morning and the other half later that same day, then you don't need to put the food in the fridge. Canned cat food can be left out of the fridge for up to 18 or so hours, as long as it's tightly covered. I keep a few small tupperware dishes with lids. I give my girls half a 5.5 oz can of food between them in the morning and then put the other half in the tupperware dish, put the lid on and leave it on the kitchen counter. I then give them the other half in the early evening after I come home from work. I only put their food in the fridge if I won't be using it until the next day.

P.S. My girls rarely go on my counters, even if I leave food out. If yours do, then you might want to put the covered food in a cupboard!

[saitenyo]

Originally Posted by Susan

If they're getting a half can of the food in the morning and the other half later that same day, then you don't need to put the food in the fridge. Canned cat food can be left out of the fridge for up to 18 or so hours, as long as it's tightly covered. I keep a few small tupperware dishes with lids. I give my girls half a 5.5 oz can of food between them in the morning and then put the other half in the tupperware dish, put the lid on and leave it on the kitchen counter. I then give them the other half in the early evening after I come home from work. I only put their food in the fridge if I won't be using it until the next day.

P.S. My girls rarely go on my counters, even if I leave food out. If yours do, then you might want to put the covered food in a cupboard!

Oh, if leaving it out is safe, then that sounds ideal. I have those little pet food can tupperware lids that fit right on the 5.5 oz cans. I'll try that tomorrow and see if they find their dinner meal more palatable.

Mine...sort of go on counters. Apollo was taught not to, but now Athena is big enough to jump up there and Apollo is following her up there again. Thankfully I've got a hall cupboard where I keep all the cat food and they can't reach that one.

Do you feed your girls just that wet or any dry with that? Because I was worried that half a 5.5 oz can between them each meal (so one can a day total split between them) wasn't enough, but they refuse to eat more than that. Mine do get some dry but I'm still trying to figure out how much of that to give them with the half 5.5oz can of wet a day.

[Smirkitty]

I put down 3/4 cup of kibble in the evening after they've eaten their wet dinner. They rarely eat it all, though.

[katlover13]

I always microwave the special renal diet food I give RayRay because it is more tempting for him to eat if it's warm. I figured if microwaved food is ok for humans then it should be ok for cats, too. This is the first time I ever heard anything about it not being good.

[Susan]

Originally Posted by saitenyo

Do you feed your girls just that wet or any dry with that? Because I was worried that half a 5.5 oz can between them each meal (so one can a day total split between them) wasn't enough, but they refuse to eat more than that. Mine do get some dry but I'm still trying to figure out how much of that to give them with the half 5.5oz can of wet a day.

Muffs and Abby also get 1/4 cup of dry between them as a bedtime snack. That might be a bit light for your two, since yours are younger than mine and so yours are still growing. Also, my girls are quite small (7.5 lbs and 8.5 lbs full grown).