Pet behaviourist shares their top five tips for getting your furry friend eating again
Cats have gained a bit of a reputation for being fussy, particularly when it comes to food, but sometimes their eating habits (or lack thereof) can be a sign of something bigger. Cats can be fussy eaters at the best of times but sometimes their unwillingness can be a sign of something bigger.
Hunting activity is ingrained in a cat’s DNA and when we take this activity away by simply providing food on a plate, it can have a knock-on impact.
So, to get your fussy feline eating enthusiastically again, Bella & Duke’s pet behaviourist Caroline Spencer shares her top tips:
- Understand your cat’s eating habits
Cats are naturally suspicious animals and new food can cause anxiety initially.
Keep them interested by incorporating play, especially chasing or hunting activities, before mealtime.
Cats also prefer their food at the same temperature as “prey” would be in the wild. Before placing their food down on a feeding board or plate pop your cat’s meal into a bowl and place in warm water to replicate this.
- Find the right feeding location
Cats tend to be private creatures who like the quiet and generally don’t like to be watched while eating.
Try to make sure the room they eat in is peaceful and free of activity during mealtime. No children running around, no radio playing or dishwasher running.
- Add tasty additions
Adding a favourite natural, dehydrated treat like our Supreme Sprats or a little bit of beaten raw egg to their food will encourage many fussy cats to get stuck in.
You could also sprinkle your fussy cat’s meal with antler powder, drizzle some bone broth over the top or even add a small amount of tinned sardines in spring water to enhance the aroma.
- Work out the best time to feed
Cats are mostly active at dawn and dusk and eat best in the early morning or late at night.
Have you noticed your cat has an increased amount of energy just about the time you settle down for the evening? Give them a meal after this expenditure of energy and also put food out around dawn.
- Find the right feeding surface
Many will be surprised to hear that cats don’t like the smell of plastic or their whiskers touching the side of a bowl while they’re trying to eat.
Try serving their food on a wooden board, glass or ceramic plate instead. Make sure it’s spotlessly clean too – cats don’t like to smell old food while they eat.
Caroline Spencer, Pet Behaviourist at Bella & Duke added; “Cats are notorious for being independent pets and that doesn’t stop when it comes to their food.
“Feeding a picky eater can be frustrating when they turn their nose up at mealtime, try to understand what might be affecting this, it could just be something as simple as the placement of where the food is put.”