Tips for Feeding a Picky Cat

I brought a very friendly stray into my home about two months ago. As a child, our family dog suffered medical issues because he was overweight, so I've always been obsessed with making sure my pets get the healthiest food and maintain a healthy weight. After some research, I settled on Wellness dry cat food because its heavy on proteins, low in fillers, and - being dry - good for her teeth.

Well, she got sick a few weeks ago after her spaying surgery. She ran a slight fever and refused to eat. For an entire week. After an expensive day at the vet on an IV drip, she was put on prescription wet food to help put back on the weight she lost. She's much better now, and it's time to transition her back onto her dry food, but she's refusing to eat again.

Since we've treated her fever and infection, I'm beginning to wonder if she really did refuse to eat because she was ill, or if it was a mini hunger strike because she doesn't like the food. I've heard cats can be picky eaters, and I've already seen her refuse to eat for a solid week, so I'm afraid she would honestly rather starve herself than eat food that's good for her.

Am I being too paranoid in wanting to keep her on the Wellness food? Does anyone know any tips to convince her to eat? Can anyone recommend other brands that are particularly healthy for cats? This is the first cat I've ever owned as an adult, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

The cat I had when I was younger went on a mini-hunger strike like that for a couple weeks. During that time we tried a few different foods and even tried adding a little bit of ketchup on top of her food for laughs. (LOL- she ate that up and after that nobody was able to leave tomatoes on the counter or ketchup on a plate without her attacking it!)
We finally got her to eat the food she was eating beforehand mixed with another brand. We mixed them the rest of her life til she passed (at 17 years).
The one she had been on was Purina Cat Chow and the one we ended up mixing in was ProPlan.
I've never been the type that is too particular about what brand I feed, I just want them to eat.

Fair enough. I've finally adopted that attitude, too: if it's cat food, and she's eating, good enough!

I've also finally found a brand she likes. It's more aromatic, and probably tastier, than the healthier stuff she was on. I might try that half / half mix you described, just to get healthier brands into her, but right now, she's eating and that's good enough for me!