Cats Picky Eating: Reasons and Solutions Explained

However, in a domestic cat's environment, pickiness in eating is most likely caused by the owner's actions. Here are some common reasons for this behavior:

1. Overeating

Cats that are constantly fed may develop a picky eating habit. This is often seen in cats with freefeeding diets, as they have access to food at all times, which naturally diminishes their interest in new foods. It's important to note that this is due to the cat being full, not necessarily because of pickiness.

2. Overindulgence

When owners continuously and excessively provide treats, which are usually more appealing than regular food, cats may prefer the taste of treats over their regular diet. This leads them to choose only the most palatable foods.

3. Ignorance of Food

Cats might not recognize certain ingredients as food when they first encounter them outside of their regular diet. The different smells and textures can make them hesitant and refuse to eat new foods.

4. Signs of Illness

Sudden pickiness in cats, accompanied by symptoms like lethargy and a lack of energy, may indicate illness. This could be due to a decrease in the cat's sense of smell and taste or a decrease in appetite, leading to pickiness. In such cases, it's important to consult a veterinarian.

5. Chemical Flavors

Chemical flavor enhancers are often used in domestic pet food. Many owners have reported that their cats refuse to eat when switching from domestic to imported pet food. This is often due to the cat's dependence on the chemical flavors.

How to Address a Cat's Picky Eating:

1.定时定量

Prevent cats from being constantly full by feeding them at regular intervals. This encourages them to try new foods when offered. If a cat shows no interest in eating after 2030 minutes, remove the food. This helps the cat develop a habit of eating at specific times due to hunger, which can reduce their aversion to new foods. It's crucial to stop giving the cat too many treats, as this can undermine the effectiveness of the timed feeding method.

2. Mixing New and Old Ingredients

Allowing cats to smell and understand the taste of new ingredients while eating their regular food can help them become more open to trying new foods.

3. Heating the Food

Research suggests that cats generally prefer warm food. Some believe this is because cats are natural hunters and associate warm food with freshness. Others suggest that cold food has less active odor molecules, making it less appealing to cats. By heating the food to a comfortable temperature, you can encourage the cat to smell the food and improve their picky eating habits.

4. Avoiding Domestic Pet Food

Chemical flavor dependency is a unique pet disease in China, affecting both the psychological and physical wellbeing of cats. This dependency can lead to overeating and various physical conditions, such as chronic kidney failure or urinary tract diseases, often caused by the pet food itself.

It's important to avoid the habit of immediately questioning the quality of food or snacks if a cat refuses to eat, and then switching to a different food. This can lead to longterm behavioral dependence, where the cat expects the owner to change the food, resulting in frequent and prolonged refusal to eat. The cat's natural hunting instincts can be altered by the owner's actions. It's not something to be taken lightly; in 2014, I witnessed a cat that was so pampered by its owner that it starved to death in the hospital. The cause was the cat's psychological refusal to eat due to overindulgence.