1. Get In Touch With Your Veterinarian
It’s always a good precaution to check in with your vet if your cats eating habits begin to become concerning. Your veterinarian should be able to help you understand what is going on and help detect or rule out any possible underlying medical issues.
2. Warm food brings out the taste
Heating your cats food can bring out the taste and smell while also softening the food too! This quick tip may easily help entice your cat to take a nibble! It really helps to know though if your cat enjoys the food you’re using to begin with. For picky eaters this is crucial as no matter what you do to the food, if they don’t like the taste, 9 out of 10 times they will continue to dislike it. Make sure to stir the food to avoid any hot spots that might be too hot to eat.
3. Try Out Different Food Textures
There can be many reasons as to why your cat is not eating as he or she should be. Dental pain, illness, physical and mental conditions, and being picky are some of the most prevalent reasons as to why your kitty won’t eat. If it is not an immediate issue of concern you should try to assess and test before the possibly costly visit to the vet. As a side note, if your cat has not eaten for days its best you contact a veterinarian as soon as possible to avoid any further health complications.
You should test different food textures from solid to soft. Cats can develop dental issues, especially when that of an older age, hard food can be much less appetizing when your kitty associates eating it with pain. Try canned foods including chunky and pate, but you can also add some water to your cats hard food and see if that helps.
4. Try Different Flavors
So this one is pretty obvious but you may be surprised at what your cat may like and dislike. A vast majority of cats are attracted to fishy foods but we have seen plenty of cats that dislike even tuna out of the can, we have also seen cats that dislike canned tuna but love it fresh. Most cans of cat food are under $1.00 and its worth testing a few different flavors after assessing what texture of food your cat may like the most. Look for meat based treats with a high protein content and low to no fillers as these may be more appealing as well.
5. Go All Natural
Cats are naturally carnivores, thus meat and fish may be the trick. Sometimes the real un-adjusted thing can help kick start an appetite. Try canned fish, fresh & cooked fish in small quantities, cooked chicken and very lean low fat cooked red meat to spark interest in eating. Keep in mind it’s a good idea to contact a vet and see if this is acceptable within your cats diet.
Be sure to keep in mind that fluid intake is also important, when trying the above methods feel free to add a little bit of water to help with hydration.
Finding the perfect solution to your pets dietary concerns can be complicated at times, try these tips to see if you can get your cat past any current or future eating issues!
