Why do Cats Never Finish Their Food? A Kitty's Point of View!
ย Meow, meow. I'm not being fussy, honestly! It's just that sometimes I really can't eat all the food in my bowl, and there can be lots of reasons why.
If you don't 'speak cat', it might be hard to figure out why I might have left my food. These tips should help!
I wasn't hungry!
Us kitties like to talk to our humans, but that doesn't always mean we want something. Sometimes a meow can be a simple hello, and has nothing to do with food. Our friendly neighbour might also give me some treats, so this can mean that I'm not very hungry when it comes to mealtime at home.
My tummy is quite small!
Did you know that my tummy is only the size of a ping pong ball? It's only little, so it's best to feed me little and often! That way, you won't think I'm being fussy and my food will stay fresher as it won't be sitting in the bowl all day getting dried up and smelly!
My whiskers are sensitive
Did you know that my whiskers are super-sensitive?ย It sends my senses into overdrive if my whiskers are touching food around the side of my bowl - so can you please put only a small amount of food in the middle of my bowl, or perhaps use a flatter service like a plate? My whiskers are not there just to make me look more beautiful! They have very many uses, like helping me negotiate through tight holes in the hedge, or detecting prey - like a little mouse trying to sneak past. If my whiskers get dirty or wet from the food in my bowl, I have to spend time cleaning them to make sure they work properly!
I don't like change ย
I am, generally, not a fussy eater and am quite happy to have the same food all the time. If you need to change my food, please do this over time and gradually introduce a new flavour - I'm not keen on change. ย But don't stop giving me treats - they're nice any time of the day!
Keep it fresh
Although I might eat other things like bugs or mice - I only like to eat food out of the bowl when it's fresh - and will probably not even try to eat it if it has been in the bowl since yesterday and doesn't smell right! We cats have high standards when it comes to our food so I don't like to eat anything that's been hanging about.
I don't like where my bowl is located
Humans don't eat their dinner in the toilet, do they? Cats are the same! ย I don't like my food bowl to be close to my litter tray - or next to the noisy washing machine either. My human puts my bowl in a quiet, fresh-smelling, but accessible place! ย
Remember that if there's more than one cat in the household, we all want our own personal resources - cats are not good at sharing! You can even consider putting my bowl up high so that the dog can't get my food or interrupt me while I'm eating.
To help a perfect eating environment, you could even consider a FELIWAY Optimumย diffuser. My human uses one to help provide messages of enhanced serenity and make me feel secure enough to eat happily.
Sometimes I get stressed
Cats can sometimes get stressed about things that humans don't understand.ย For example, we don't like things being changed around the house. It takes us time to get used to changes such as a new kitten, pet or person in the home. Or maybe it's that time of the year when there are lots of fireworks being let off. These are all things like this can put me off my food!
So, try and figure out what might be making your cat stressed or anxious and take action to help us through it. As there may be an underlying reason why we never finish our food - always get us checked out by a vet, especially if we're just not eating.
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