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CATPOINT COMMUNITY ARTICLE # 311 :
Knowing When Your Cat Is Bored with his food...

“Aaarr..rggh!! It’s annoying when I saw they did not finished their meal and always left a left-over in their bowl. Why they act like that? Is there something wrong..??”

Have you ever experienced similiar things like the above? Certainly. Sometimes cats act like that, but if allowed would be fatal to their health, because cat still need energy from their food intake.

Some factors which may cause cats lazy to eat
õ Bored with the same food
õ Problem with the served food
õ The container / bowl where the food is placed is not clean and the located too close to the cat’s litter.
õ Receiving food from other sources.
õ Getting problem with their teeth, gums and or throat

Bored with the same food
Bored..? Can cats get bored too with their food? Of course, same as human, cats also wants a new taste or texture than they what receive daily, but it does not mean we can drastically change their food from one day to another. You should recognise the sign of boredom by identifying these symptoms

õ Not showing enthusiasm during meal time or when owners preparing the cats food.
õ The cat only sniff the foods or try a little but spit it out again.
õ Cats prefer to veer away when they sniff the same smell.

When these symptoms are occuring, things need to be taken into hands, such as:
õ Mix the main food with another brand, which certainly has stronger flavour. With measuring 70% ordinary food that serve every day and 30% another brand.
õ Help cats by gently feeding the food into their mouth, soften the dry food with warm water or warm cat milk.
õ Give them wet food / canned food as a snack 2 - 3 times a week or give a little between their meal time. Wet feeding is not recommended for long term because the ingredients is lack of nutritions, and can also accelerate plaque / tartar.
õ Give supplement to increase appetite.

Occasionally Cat Lovers can also provide home made food made from boiled chicken meat, minced meat or chicken liver stew. It also can generate their appetite because it is made from fresh ingredients.

Problem with food that served

1. Perished Food
In warm weather, dry food easily become stale, check immediately their food is still edible, or not.

2. Food are too cold
Cats loves a warm meal or at least according room temperature. Cats will not be interested if wet food that presented cold because removed from refrigerator. Highly recommended to warm up the food first before served.

3. Food does not have enough protein
Check the ingredients on the packaging. Make sure the main material is high quality meat. Because so many cat food products that it implies only derived from corn or rice flour, this is why cats do not have appetite to eat.

The container / bowl where the food is placed is not clean and the located too close to the cat’s litter.

1. Dirty Food Bowls
Cats usually will refuse the food if they smell unpleasant from their bowl, because wash not clean, so the remaining food still stuck to the bowl.

2. Cat allergic with their food container / bowl
There are some cats that have allergies with their bowl made from plastic, which causes small wounds on their lips.

3. Be taken when eating foods
Some cats feel uncomfortable with attention while eating. Cats also needs privacy, so it is advisable to locate a place to eat in areas far from the noise or busy household.

4. Disturbed by the presence of other pets
Cats will look nervous or anxious when other pets watching he/she eat. You must put the food in separate areas away from the presence of other animals.

5. Bowls and containers are located too close to the kitty litter.
As finicky eater they are, cats do not prefer to have their food to be put or having their food close to where they passed their business as it delure them from their appetite.

Getting foods from other source

Sometimes cats will not eat because their stomach are filled or they are waiting for something better food. A cat can ignore the food, if :

1. Cats already eat elsewhere
Cats who are used play outside the house, usually prefer to find their own food, such as capturing small animals or eating food served by neighbors to be presented to their own pets.

2. Outwit owner
If you often provide snack, your cat will reject their meal because they call out for the snack. Generally, cats will quickly learn to trick the owner by pretending to lose appetite.

3. Getting problem with their teeth, gums and throat
Same as humans, cats would be reluctant to eat when they have problems such as severe gingivitis or mouth abscess.Breath odors, swollen gums and the power to chew is weak. You should bring to the veterinarian immediately for the further treatment.

Now you know why your cats suddenly refuse their meal. Check all the factors and do not hesitate to give them variation in their food. If our cat happy, we happy too right?

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http://www.blupointpet.com/catpoint/details/AvodermWetFoodCat.html

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http://www.blupointpet.com/catpoint/details/NutriplusGel.html