Conference misery::feline_v1

    MARY,
    
    You didn't mention how old your Chauncey is.  If s/he is very young,
    s/he could be confused about the general use of the mouth.  I know
    my Shawsheen was two months old when I got him.  He always looked
    very funny when he was drinking water.  He would try to bite it. 
    Then he would get this stunned look in his eyes when it didn't
    work.  This could go on for hours, since the only liquid he would
    get would be from licking his wet face.  He did get over it, but
    to this day - once in a while he will start to drink by trying to
    chomp at the water. 

    He's just five months old.  And come to think of it, he's not too
    good at water either.  But he does really well with Fancy Feast!
    He wants to chew my fingers (with those sharp kitten teeth!), but
    he doesn't seem to know what to do with anything solid.  Poor baby...
    I'm not overly concerned with getting him on a dry food diet, but
    I hate to think he's going hungry when he canned food gets eaten
    up and he doesn't know what to do with the other stuff.  Sounds
    like brain damage to me!!!
    
    M.

    Mary,
    
    My cats won't touch Pounce, or any of those cat treats at all...they
    all do the same thing...take it with their mouth, drop it to the
    floor, and bat it around till it goes under the refridgerator!!!
    
    You  may try taking the dry food and adding warm water to soften
    it....and add a little less water every day.  This might give him
    the idea.  That's how I wean kittens to dry food.  My 9 week old
    kittens are eatting dry, they also get cans of "Amore", but I don't
    worry about them now when the canned food is gone.
    
    

    I would not be concerned.  Maybe he just doesn't like Pounce.  I
    have three cats, full grown, and one will like one thing, the other
    will just play with it, and the other just ignore it.
    
    I think the one that is NOT eating the Pounce has more brains than
    the one who is.  The kitten may be saying, "Hey, this stuff is kitty
    junk food. If you're gonna gimmie treats how 'bout piece of that
    there chicken or some of that there poached salmon?"
    
    You may find that if you try a brand of dry food such as Science Diet
    or Tami Ami the kitten may like that.

    Happy food hunting...
    

    Well, I've tried Science Diet, IAMS adult and kitten varieties,
    and Tami as well.  No go.  Since I didn't have any poached salmon
    left in the fridge, I gave him some little pieces of chicken and
    he didn't know what to do with them either.  He'd get them into
    his mouth, and then they'd fall out and he'd bat them around the
    kitchen.  I dunno.  I'll try adding water to the dry and making
    mush out of it, and I'll also try the nugget style canned food.
    I agree that Pounces are kitty junk food, but it did make me aware
    that he didn't know what to do with it!  He's doing fine with Fancy
    Feast, but I'd feel better if he knew how to chew something solid!
    And I'd also like him to get the extra nutrition in kitten food.
    
    I'll try the poached salmon tonite!
    
    Mary

    
    Mary,
    
    The more you describe, the more I agree - it does sound like brain
    damage (only kidding!).  Around my house the problem is in trying
    to find a food that the skinny kitty will love, but the fat kitty
    will only pick at.  So far each new brand of food is gobbled up
    by my "armfill of cat", while the slim one just keeps looking up at
    me as if to say "when is she going to make up her mind what she
    wants us to eat".  I do agree with a previous reply, though.  These
    little furry beasties do have a talent for training humans. 
    
    
                                             good luck!
    

    Mary,  I think you're right, he simply does not know how 
           to chew.  I don't think it is a matter of him waiting
           for the right food to come along.  Talk to your vet
           about it.
    
    Donna
    

    Been awhile... How is Chauncy doing now?
    Might try Science diet canned kitten food.
    Smells about the same as the dry, and mine decided 
    for themselves they liked the dry better and started
    leaving the wet stuff alone as they grew up.
    \sjm

    Chauncey seems to be doing better with is eating problem.  I did
    try the Science Diet kitten formula, and he loved it.  Unfortunately,
    so did Honey, my 4-year-old Himmy.  Because of the high mineral
    content in the kitten food, my vet doesn't want Honey to be able
    to get at it.  The next step was to give Chauncey chunks of food
    that taste so wonderful, he's have to chew them.  Turkey has been
    in abundance around my house the past couple of months, and that
    seemed like the best bet.  He would pick up a piece, and hold it
    to his mouth with his paw so when it fell out, he'd be able to get
    it back in right away.  But he still won't touch dry food.  He now
    eats the nugget style 9 Lives canned, and has no problem with the
    Amore tiny nugget dinners.  He's also becoming extremely finickey;
    one time he'll eat a particular flavor like crazy, the next time
    he won't touch it.  Spoiled brat...  Maybe he'll be like Honey and
    will decide dry food is terrific.
    
    Now, about his eyes....he had his tear duct surgery last Tuesday
    and it was only partially successful.  My vet could only find his
    lower ducts and was able to open them, but he was unable to locate
    his upper tear ducts to open them.  So it's back for more surgery
    when he gets older.  His eyes seem to be much better, although they
    are still a little runny, it's nothing like it was before.  Chauncey
    tolerated the surgery very well, and was much more concerned about
    the loss of his privates than his bruised eyes!
    
    Thanks to all who have expressed their concern over my little guy
    and offered their advice and prayers.  Some times, you get a new
    kitten, bring him in the house, show him where the litter box and
    the food are located and he's just fine.  And then, there are the
    Chaunceys of the world who you sit up nights with, and get a part
    time job to pay the vet bills!  But I wouldn't give him up for
    anything!  When he lies on my lap, making bread on my arm, drooling
    away, purring to beat the band, it's worth it!
    
    Mary

    Another Chauncey update...
    
    Chauncey can chew!  The little brat now eats only dry food, but
    will (like Honey) lick the gravy from canned food.  I've been giving
    him Iams Kitten food, which Honey doesn't seem to care for, and
    he's doing great eating it.  He still won't touch Pounces, though!
    
    And now the bad news...he needs another eye operation, which will
    be done this Friday.  He has had a couple more eye infections which
    cleared up with antibiotics and the come back again a couple weeks
    later.  So, the vet is going to make another attempt at his tear
    ducts.  And he's still very small for his age ("tiny", the vet says)
    as he's 10 months old and not yet 6 pounds, so he's still on NutriCal.
    Sigh....
    
    Thanks to all of you for the advice and encouragement you've sent
    along over the months.  It's much appreciated (and needed!)!
    
    Mary

    Mary,
    
    Be of good faith.  My Missy had the darndest health problems for
    the first year of her life.  Several were said to be "terminal".
    I just refused to give up on her and she lived to the age of 20.
    It is just a theory, but I feel I had a special bond with her because
    of all we have been thru.  GOOD LUCK!

    Mary,
    
    I'm so happy that things in general are going better for 
    Chauncey.  Believe it or not, I think the fact that you are able
    to refer to him as "the little brat" is a good sign for all!  
    When the outlook was less optimistic, you would *never* have used
    such routine joking (although I admit I have not re-read all these
    notes, so perhaps I am wrong?).
    
    Our thoughts will again be with you on Friday.
    
    Best, 
    		Penelope
    
    		and Cosette and Fantine (with whom I have consulted)
    		
    		and Nutmeg and Tag-Along (whom I have *not* consulted
    			long distance about this, but I just KNOW they
    			would be in agreement!)

    Chauncey had his eye surgery last Friday, and seems to be doing
    rather well.  The vet was able to flush his tear ducts, again, and
    his eyes look alot better.  He's still on antibiotics, but is doing
    just fine.
    
    Again, thanks for your thoughts and good wishes.  Little Ca-Ca-Face
    thanks you, too!
    
    Mary (& Chauncey)