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5 top tips to encourage picky cats to eat
21st November 2019
Cats can have certain taste preferences, just like humans, so you may need to try a few different brands of food before finding one your cat is happy with. However, if you change your cat’s food at any time, be sure to do so gradually so that your cat doesn’t get an upset stomach.
Finding a food that your cat is happy with might not be the end of the story though, as there may be other reasons your cat is being picky about their food.
1. Keep food fresh
Cats who like to graze feed may turn their nose up at food that has been left in an open bowl because it has become stale later in the day. To keep is fresher for longer, serve your cat’s food in a SureFeed Sealed Pet Bowl. This product has a lid which closes onto a bowl with a seal to protect the food whilst it’s not being eaten.
When storing dry food, keep it in a sealed container and consider purchasing smaller bags of dry food which are less likely to become stale by the time you get to the end of the bag.
2. Food temperature
It is not a good idea to serve food straight out of the fridge as most cats prefer to eat their food at room temperature. If you store opened wet cat food in the fridge, allow it to come up to room temperature before serving it to your cat.
3. Food bowl location
In the wild, cats like to eat, drink and go to the toilet in different locations to avoid contamination, and it’s the same for domestic cats. Therefore, place their food bowl in a separate location to their water bowl and litter tray.
4. Multi-pet homes
Most cats do not like to share food and can be put off their food if there is a more dominant cat eating close to them. Plus, the dominant cat might even steal their food. Feed your cats in different locations around the home and give each cat a SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder or a SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect so that food theft can’t occur. The feeder will only open for a registered cat’s microchip or collar tag and remain closed for all other pets.
5. Cat treats
If you feed your cat too many food treats, then they could get a taste for them and be put off their normal food. Instead of treating them with food, try treating them with toys or a cuddle. This should ensure they are more likely to be hungry for their normal food and can also help prevent obesity.
