Flavour preferences

[khads]

Although I'm a first-time pet owner with a single kitty, I suspect the following is probably pretty common -- my cat, Whimsy, is absolutely addicted to seafood flavours.

I'm currently feeding her a mixture of some dry (Avoderm and Nutro) and mostly canned (Wellness and Avoderm). With the canned foods, Whimsy will eat only the seafood varieties (e.g. "tuna and crab meat" or "sardines, shrimp and crab meat") -- she occasionally tolerates a little chicken but definitely dislikes beef flavours. Although some of the cans list other meat ingredients, they ARE primarily seafood.

I'm just wondering if this kind of seafood-exclusive diet will cause any health issues in the long-term? I've attempted to give her a variety of different, decent brands -- is that sufficient?

Thanks for your help!

[Kristin7]

I should think if those foods are high quality (Wellness is, I'm not familiar with the other one) your kitty is getting enough variety. Mine really like the seafood flavors too, and chicken, and one of them definitely doesn't like beef, at least not for canned food. You could always try experimenting with some other good brands of canned food, or even try feeding her some cooked or raw meats (probably starting with chicken as she might like that - mine go nuts if they smell it).

[Jim Hall]

as long as its a cat food IE not just seafood on a plate lol she will be fine

MY Grl DU is the same way only worse, salmon not tuna not shrimp sometimes sardines but SALMOM fancy feast plaese

[sugarcatmom]

Actually, a diet high in fish is not ideal. For one, as you have already found out, it can be addicting for some cats due to it's stronger smell, which may create problems if you ever need to feed something else (like for instance, if the cat develops allergies - and fish allergies are quite common). Fish also tends to have higher levels of contaminants like mercury. AND, it has higher phosphorus than other meats, which can be a problem for compromised kidneys and urinary tract issues.

So all in all, I'd try to work towards a less fish-based diet, if at all possible. Start by mixing miniscule amounts of other foods into their current food and see if you can gradually increase the proportion.

[khads]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions!

Originally Posted by Kristin7

You could always try experimenting with some other good brands of canned food, or even try feeding her some cooked or raw meats (probably starting with chicken as she might like that - mine go nuts if they smell it).

I've tried a variety of different canned foods in assorted flavours and unfortunately it's pretty obvious that Whimsy prefers seafood over anything else. I guess I should be grateful that she happily downs the Avoderm Select Cuts seafood cans (her current favourite) instead of insisting on something worse!

I've also unsuccessfully tried introducing her to raw and cooked chicken and other meats -- I'm not sure she even recognizes any of that as food. Leave an unseasoned raw salmon fillet unattended on a cutting board, on the other hand, and she's up on the counter in a flash trying to nibble on it! She'll even lick the paper packet it came in.

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

So all in all, I'd try to work towards a less fish-based diet, if at all possible. Start by mixing miniscule amounts of other foods into their current food and see if you can gradually increase the proportion.

Thanks surgarcatmom! I'll start mixing other varieties into her seafood favourites -- as long as it smells overwhelmingly fishy, she's likely to scarf it down!