Why My Cat Is a Picky Eater: Understanding and Addressing Feline Food Preferences

This pet health content was written by a veterinarian, Dr. Debora Lichtenberg, VMD. It was reviewed for accuracy by Dr. Pippa Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS, and was last updated on July 16, 2024

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Understanding Why My Cat Is a Picky Eater

Shopping for cat food can feel like a daunting task. With so many options, it’s easy to become overwhelmed when trying to find something your cat will eat. Many cat owners face the challenge of their feline friends being finicky eaters, often leading to wasted food and frustration.

If you find yourself wondering, “Why is my cat a picky eater?” you’re not alone. This is a common issue that many cat owners encounter.

• Numerous cat food options can be overwhelming.
• Many cats leave portions of food untouched.
• Owners often struggle with wasted food.
• Finding the right food that your cat will eat can be frustrating.

I could speak volumes about this problem — that’s why this article is so long. Keep reading for tons of helpful advice.

The Challenge of Feeding a Picky Eater Cat

Feeding your finicky cat can be an emotional nightmare. You might feel worry, resentment, and even some anger. If there are so many choices in this consumer-driven world, why can’t you find the one thing your cat will eat?

• The pet food industry has created this problem.
• Supermarket shelves are filled with options marketed to us, not our cats.
• Trying to cater to every whim can lead to creating a problem-eater.

The solution lies with us, the consumers, to make informed choices and avoid getting caught up in the frenzy of trying to be Top Chef to our cats.

Are We to Blame for a Picky Eater Cat?

For the most part, finicky cats are not born. They are created. BY US!

• Starting a kitten or young cat on a healthy and varied diet increases the chances of them remaining a happy, munching kitty for life.
• Overfeeding and feeding dry food only creates the cat version of “Johnny won’t eat his vegetables!”
• Many Americans overfeed dry food or open a new can every time their cat walks into the kitchen, leading to unhealthy eating habits.

Feral cats stalk, kill, and eat small prey 8 or 9 times a day (source: stalk, kill and eat).

Now compare that to your house cat, who leaves the couch 8 times a day to eat his entire daily ration of dry junk food at an open trough. He’s eating 8 times his daily requirement of fatty, unhealthy food. And the walk back to the couch from the kitchen? It’s not a big calorie-burner.

The Dry Food Addiction in Cats

“He Only Eats Dry Food”

In the list of phrases I hate to hear from cat people, this tops the list.

• Cats who are addicted to low-end dry food can be the biggest challenges.
• If they’ve never been exposed to good canned food or even high-end dry food, they may hold out at all costs for their flavor-enhanced, animal digest–sprayed pieces of yellow, brown, and orange junk.
• They aren’t “finicky,” per se. They are simply used to eating Kitty Fritos. This is sadly akin to a child’s diet of fast food and potato chips.
• If your kids eat chicken nuggets and French fries, offering them a diet of high-quality protein and vegetables is not going to be easy.

Learn more about the addiction to low-end dry food.

Transitioning to New Foods for a Picky Eater Cat

Transitioning to new foods for a picky eater cat can be challenging but is often necessary for improving their diet and overall health. Here are some steps to make the transition smoother:

1. Gradual Introduction: Start by mixing a small amount of the new food with your cat’s current food. Gradually increase the proportion of new food over one to two weeks. This helps your cat adjust to the new taste and texture without causing digestive issues.
2. Matching Ingredients: When transitioning to a new food, try to match the primary ingredients with the old food. For instance, if your cat’s current food is primarily chicken-based, choose a new food with chicken as the main ingredient.
3. Consistency in Texture: Cats can be particular about the texture of their food. If your cat is used to eating pate, switching to a similar texture can make the transition easier. The same applies if your cat prefers chunks or gravy-based foods.
4. Temperature Matters: Some cats prefer their food at a specific temperature. Warming the new food slightly can enhance its aroma and make it more appealing to a picky eater cat.
5. Patience and Observation: Monitor your cat’s response to the new food. If they show signs of gastrointestinal upset, such as vomiting or diarrhea, slow down the transition process. Patience is key to successfully transitioning a picky eater cat to new food.

This video shows Freddy the cat refusing to eat his wet food, even though the other cats in the house are eating it:

The Risks of Keeping the Bowl Full for a Picky Eater Cat

“I Just Keep the Bowl Full”

This is the second worst phrase someone with a cat can admit.

• Cats conditioned to the never-ending dry buffet are at risk for developing obesity, urinary problems, and kidney failure, among other health issues.
• It would be like a human moving his recliner to a Las Vegas buffet.

The biggest way to avoid this nightmare is to never feed dry food only in the first place. But this is easier said than done, particularly when many cats are inherited or adopted with strong food preferences in place.

Benefits of Feeding Canned Food to a Picky Eater Cat

A New Can a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Many feline practitioners wish all kittens and new adoptions were fed a canned food diet exclusively (home-cooked and raw diets fit into this category with some qualifications).

• This canned diet should consist of various flavors and textures.
• If your cat has an intense desire to eat only fish or only shredded food, try to break this habit before it becomes an embedded food preference.
• It’s much easier to transition your cat to a well-rounded or special diet if necessary if he’s not addicted to a solitary food or flavor.

Is My Cat Really a Picky Eater?

At least 10 times a week someone tells me their cat “is finicky.” Then I make eye contact with the 15-pound tub of lard-puss on my exam table.

• Many people think their cat is finicky because Mr. Tubby leaves some food behind on occasion or doesn’t dive into the new can of shredded morsels of gravy-laden poultry bits and tuna flakes on a bed of Florentine spinach with egg.
• Tubby is probably saying he doesn’t feel like the brunch menu right now mixed in with his charcuterie.
• More likely, Tubs ate plenty 2 hours ago and he just isn’t hungry. He doesn’t care that you spent $1.29 on 3 ounces of cat food.

Assess if your cat is truly finicky or simply full from a recent meal.

Is My Cat Really a Skinny Picky Eater?

Okay, humans, is your cat really skinny, or are you just channeling your misplaced jealousy of your girlfriend who has been a size 2 since high school?

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Does your cat eat every day? If the answer is YES, your cat is probably fine.
• Is your cat’s weight stable? If YES, your cat is probably fine.
• Is your cat acting normal, with good energy for her stage in life? If YES, your cat is probably fine.

One of the most important parts of your cat’s annual checkup is a record of her weight.

But if it isn’t time for a visit and you are concerned about weight loss or gain, just bring your cat to your vet and have a tech weigh and compare the weights on the chart. This is a free service.

What Is a Normal Weight for a Picky Eater Cat?

You know, cats are like people. We don’t all fit into that size 2. Nor are we all size 18s. There is a huge variety of cat body types, cat metabolism, caloric needs, and lifestyles.

Seriously, when you ask yourself if you just need to eat less, eat better, or just go to the gym, ask Fluffmuff on the couch the same questions.

• Weight trends and body condition score are more important than actual weight in many cases. This is where your vet should have this important info stored in your kitty’s record.

By now, I hope you’ve thought about how you feed your cat, if he is skinny or overweight, and if he is truly a picky eater or just addicted to a dry diet.

Learn more about weight trends and body condition.

Keep reading, because next I offer some suggestions on how to tempt a truly picky eater cat and how to get your dry food junkie into rehab to get over his addiction.

Dealing with a Truly Picky Eater Cat

The truly picky eater cat tests your patience and makes you open up more cans of food than seems humanly possible.

• This seems wasteful, as it should. What to do with all those opened, licked but not eaten cans? Put them in the refrigerator and try again later? Fat chance.
• Unlike me, cats don’t see the virtue in leftovers. Even microwaving a refrigerated can of cat food does nothing for most cats and leaves your house smelling like old meat compost.

If you are worried about your cat’s appetite, bring this problem up with your vet to make sure your cat is just a picky eater and not sick. Weight loss or GI symptoms can mean there’s more to this than being picky.

As I mentioned earlier, if your cat eats every day and maintains a decent weight, chances are he’s okay and may just not be turned on by food.

Piggies and Pickers

Cats, like people, can have “food issues:”

• They can be social eaters or need total seclusion.
• They can have intense food preferences or eat anything you offer, including dog food.
• They can overeat or undereat. Even over-eaters can be “finicky.”

Conditioned to 1 Food

Many cats like to stick with the familiar. They can be afraid to try new things, so buying and offering a vast majority of foods may be enforcing rather than solving the problem of the finicky eater.

Introducing a healthier diet or trying to find something your cat “likes” takes time and patience.

Most finicky eaters eat enough dry food or one canned food to get by. The goal is to broaden the finicky cat’s horizons with a healthier diet and to get the dry-food addicts off the stuff.

Here are the big problems with dry foods:

• The protein is more plant-based than animal-based.
• Carbohydrates are too high.
• Water content is too low. Even if the dry food induces your cat to drink a lot of water, it’s not sufficient.

Picky Eater Cat: Understanding Their Food Issues

Cats, like people, can have “food issues”:

• They can be social eaters or need total seclusion.
• They can have intense food preferences or eat anything you offer, including dog food.
• They can overeat or undereat. Even over-eaters can be “finicky.”

Conditioned to One Food

Many cats like to stick with the familiar. They can be afraid to try new things, so buying and offering a vast majority of foods may be enforcing rather than solving the problem of the picky eater cat.

Introducing a healthier diet or trying to find something your cat “likes” takes time and patience.

• Most picky eater cats eat enough dry food or one canned food to get by.
• The goal is to broaden the picky cat’s horizons with a healthier diet and to get the dry-food addicts off the stuff.

Here are the big problems with dry foods:

• The protein is more plant-based than animal-based.
• Carbohydrates are too high.
• Water content is too low. Even if the dry food induces your cat to drink a lot of water, it’s not sufficient.

Overfeeding and Its Risks

You may think your cat should eat more than she actually needs. Most Americans believe the ideal body weight for a cat is actually an overweight cat. Our culture is killing its cats with too much food.

Environmental Factors and Stress

Environmental factors and stress can significantly impact your cat’s eating habits. Understanding these influences can help you manage a picky eater cat more effectively.

1. Location of Food Bowl: Cats prefer to eat in quiet, low-traffic areas. If your cat’s food bowl is in a busy part of the house, consider moving it to a more secluded spot.
2. Cleanliness: Ensure your cat’s feeding area and bowls are clean. Cats are particular about hygiene, and a dirty bowl can deter them from eating.
3. Proximity to Litter Box: Avoid placing the food bowl near the litter box. Cats dislike eating near where they eliminate, and this can make a picky eater cat even more reluctant to eat.
4. Changes in Household: New pets, a new baby, or even rearranging furniture can stress your cat and affect their eating habits. Try to keep changes gradual and give your cat time to adjust.
5. Multiple Feeding Stations: In multi-cat households, providing separate feeding stations can reduce competition and stress during meal times. This can encourage a picky eater cat to eat more comfortably.

By addressing these environmental factors, you can create a more conducive eating environment for your picky eater cat, helping them feel secure and more likely to eat regularly.

Environmental Factors

It may not be the food at all that’s keeping Freddie from the food bowl. Something may have scared Fred when a particular food was served. Unbeknownst to you, there might be certain flavors or textures that have confused him or made a variety of foods undesirable.

• Has anything changed in your house, like a new cat, a new puppy, or even a new bowl? Cats can have compulsions about food and food aversions just like people.
• Fred may just want his old bowl back or his old feeding station returned, particularly if his food was moved to make room for a dog or a baby or another cat.

Solitary Eaters

Cats prefer their own bowl. They may even prefer their very own place at the table, far away from any other cats in the house.

• Cats who want total privacy when eating present a particular but not insurmountable challenge.
• Recognizing your cat’s peculiar eating behaviors is half the battle. Then you can move on to his food preferences.

Feline Suicide by Hunger Strike

This is not funny. A subset of cats will test your patience to the max and stop eating for days if you don’t give them what they want.

• If they are truly on a hunger strike, you need to get them to eat. Cats can develop a fatty liver syndrome called hepatic lipidosis, caused by starvation. Obese cats are more at risk.
• Cats should not go more than 24 hours without eating. If your cat has not eaten for more than 24 hours because he is sick or acting sick, please bring him to your veterinarian.
• But if he is not eating because you are trying to change his diet or offering him a healthier diet, you need to break down and give him a little of what he wants after 24 hours.

Tips to Get My Cat to Eat When My Cat Is a Picky Eater

Dealing with a picky eater cat can be challenging, but here are some tips to help get even the most stubborn cats to eat.

1. Make your picky eater cat hungry.
   • Stop free-feeding. Let your cat get really hungry during the day. Natural hunger can work in your favor.
2. Establish a feeding schedule.
   • Begin feeding 2 meals a day. After a 12-hour fast, most cats will dive into the first thing you put down, which should be a small portion of healthy canned cat food.
3. Play before feeding times.
   • Exercise stimulates appetite. Play with your cat before feeding to encourage hunger.
4. Transition from dry to canned food.
   • Keep dry food out of sight and gradually introduce canned food. For hunger strikers, sprinkle a tiny amount of tuna or chicken on the food to entice them.
5. Use social eating to your advantage.
   • Some cats prefer to eat with you. Petting and feeding them in a quiet environment can encourage eating.
6. Try different appealing foods.
   • Raw meat, baby food, or deli meats can be appealing. Follow safety protocols.
7. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese or FortiFlora.
   • A small sprinkle of Parmesan cheese or a probiotic like FortiFlora can make the food more attractive.
8. Moisten dry food.
   • Moistening dry food can help, but discard after 20 minutes to avoid bacteria and mold.
9. Mix lower-end canned foods with better options.
   • If your cat likes a lower-end canned food, mix it with a better quality or prescription diet to improve their nutrition.

Remember, patience and consistency are key when dealing with a picky eater cat.

Additional Resources and Final Thoughts on Picky Eater Cats

There’s a lot more info on transitioning the hard-core dry food addict or feeding the sick cat, but I’ve gone on long enough for one article.

I have borrowed heavily from information found at a great website — catinfo.org — by Dr. Lisa A. Pierson, DVM, who is really dedicated to feeding cats a healthy diet. Please visit her site.

Just remember that your cats are individuals. My house has been inhabited by obese-buds, skinny-minnies, piggy-wiggies, and finicky-wicketies. Cats have lots of food issues, just like your friends and kids. The key is finding out what works and what keeps them healthy.

I remember when my kids wanted to eat frozen pizza and tater tots, and I felt like the worst mother in the world. Now they’re eating kale and Swiss chard. YEAH!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

References

• PetMD. “Why Are Cats Such Picky Eaters?” https://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/why-are-cats-picky-eaters
• VCA Hospitals. “Feline Picky Eaters.” https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-picky-eaters
• Hill’s Pet Nutrition. “Cat Picky Eater: Why & How to Cope.” https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/nutrition-feeding/cat-picky-eater