Is your cat not eating? If so, don’t panic quite yet, I have some solutions to try and get your cat to eat. Some owners instantly say they are just picky or spoiled, but don’t just assume that. There could be a very logical reason why your cat doesn’t dive right into their morning bowl of cat food. A cat not eating for an extended period of time can be very hard on their body. I will share some very basic reasons to why your cat might not be eating as well as more serious reasons that could mean you need to take your cat in to get checked.
Simple Reasons to Explain a Cat Not Eating
Being a pet owner can be hard, plain and simple. Never fully knowing what is going on with your pet is hard. They can’t speak to you to say they don’t like the taste of their food, they aren’t hungry, or maybe they are not feeling well. Either way, you have to try and guess what is going on.
Sickness
Sometimes a cat not eating is simply because they have a hidden sickness. Whether it is a basic infection, kidney problems, anxiety, etc. I always suggest if you can’t get your cat to eat their food after trying the different options I will list below it is best to take your cat in to be seen. Sometimes a kidney issue or infection might not show other symptoms besides not eating well. So if it has been a couple of days and you have attempted a handful of ways to try and get your cat to eat take them in.
Change In Environment
Look at your surroundings, recent visitors to your home, move, change in cat food brands, new pet, etc. Cats are a fan of habit and they like things to stay the same so if there have been other changes in their environment it can leave them feeling pretty uneasy.
Vaccines
If your cat or kitten recently had vaccinations you might see they are a little under the weather. While some vaccines show no symptoms in some animals in others it makes them feel sick for a few days.
Location Of Food
Depending on where you put your cat’s food and water bowls, you might want to see if there is anything that makes your cat uneasy. Having an open door, other animal food dishes around, and more can cause your cat to feel anxious. Just watch how they act as they walk up to their food bowl, do they act nervous or on high alert? Another big thing is if their food is too close to their litter box it could be turning them off.
Ways To Try And Get Your Cat To Eat
Heat The Food Up
If you feed wet food try heating it up a little or if you keep it on the counter, put in the fridge to chill it. Change the temperature to see if that changes their appetite.
Flavor Food
Consider pouring a little beef or chicken broth over your cat’s food or something that generally your cat loves. This might help lure them into eating. Plus if you serve up dry food wetting it down with liquid might change them wanting to eat, especially if they have a toothache and the crunchy food is hurting their teeth.
Change Food Bowls
Find more shallow dishes and see if that might help. Shallow bowls really can make a difference if the bowls you use now are a bit too deep for them to feel comfortable.
Medication
If you are trying to give your cat medicine by putting it in their cat food, stop. Buy pill pocket treats or find some food that will intrigue your cat. When you put it in your cat’s bowl of food and they know it is in there, they will reject the whole bowl of food.
At the end of the day, just try some different options and see what you can do. If you can’t get your cat to eat, the best thing is a trip to get checked and see if you can find any underlying issues.
Have you ever had any success with getting your cat to eat that isn’t listed above?
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