This entry was posted on 2014-08-04 by Schalk.

In researching “why cats are such fussy eaters” I came across a research article that may have the answer. In conclusion the scientists state that cats unlike many other mammals lack the gene needed to taste sweet compounds. Explained like this:

A unique taste bud receptor consisting of the results of two genes allows for recognition of sugary substances. They found that one of the genes called pseudogene in cats is missing; as the receptor isn’t complete a cat cannot experience a sweet taste.

The authors state that cats living in the wild have a much higher protein diet then that of carbohydrates and this genetic difference could explain why. Therefore as domesticated cats are also carnivores a high protein and low carbohydrate diet would be ideal.

10 tips- 1. Preferences

The food preferences of a cat are formed at a young age. Foods that its mother ate throughout pregnancy and while nursing as well as the foods it’s exposed to in its early life all contribute to its preferences. So therefore to avoid causing an upset digestive tract you should give your young kitten different types of food specifically in small amounts for many days. As some cats grow older they may for example develop kidney disease, which could possibly be managed better with tinned foods, therefore its important for the cat to agree with this kind of food.

2.  Relaxed

If your cat is relaxed it will generally have a much larger appetite and eat better. Cats living in the wild were able to take their time when eating, as they would usually hunt alone. Commonly cats may decide that they would like to stay clear of the feeding area, as another pet has bullied them. If you own many cats try and separate the feeding locations, as to prevent this. A stressful home environment can affect your cat’s appetite too. Try putting the food in an elevated location, out of dogs or children’s reach. Make sure your cats feeding time is as unstressful as possible.

3.  Aroma/Temperature/Texture/Shape/Feline anatomy

The first food related factor that can affect your cats eating behavior is aroma, which is vital. Dry food doesn’t give off much of a smell while canned foods give off its scent more readily. As this is the case canned food is usually preferred.

The next is temperature that is important to consider, as cold foods give off less smell. If you keep your tinned cat foods in the fridge, before feeding its advised to first heat up the food to about 38 degrees Celsius, making sure to stir it to prevent burning. In addition cats like humans are sensitive to weather/temperatures therefore a hot day will suppress your cats appetite.

Texture, cats much prefer foods that are wet and solid. Tests have been done to see weather the shape of food is also a contributing factor to a cats eating behavior. Kristopher Figge did a study in a controlled environment that consisted of 25 cats. They were given different shaped dry food over a course of two days. The foods shaped like an “O” (disc) were the most preferred but a very close second was the foods shaped like an “X”(cross/star).

Lastly we have feline anatomy, specifically the teeth. A cat has pointy teeth that don’t consist of any flat chewing surfaces; because of this they can’t grind their food. They also don’t have the ability to move their jaws horizontally and therefore struggle to chew. Generally domestic cats will consume their dry food whole, unless swallowing isn’t an option e.g. bigger food.

4.  Medication

If you have had problems with giving your cat medication in the past then you probably have resorted to adding the medication to its food. More often then not, because a cat has such a good sense of smell it will be able to notice that you have interfered. Some medication isn’t supposed to be chewed; it’s meant to remain in tacked while traveling to the stomach where it will dissolve. The pill contents may be bitter and will therefore probably spoil the taste of your cat’s food. A Cat is cleaver, once medication has been added to its food and its conscious of this fact; it is very likely to reject the food all together. Not just specifically the food containing the medication.

Ensure that medicating your cat is a different activity to that of feeding. There are specific soft treats designed to conceal medication. There are also some medications that can be made into a cream for example which can just be applied to the affected area. If administering a pill or liquid is a must then try clicker training. This will allow your cat to either accept the process or help you create a fast, unstressful method for issuing the medication. Getting your cat to allow you to touch its mouth at a young age will help you a lot as it grows older. Ask your vet for advise on how to handle and medicate your cat.

5.  Water and food

It may be unappealing to your cat if you locate its food and water in the same place e.g. a water and food dispenser. Some cats much rather prefer that you put their food and water in separate locations.

6. Adding water to food

To increase you cat’s water intake you may have experimented with adding water to its food, which results in uneaten, wet food. Furthermore if you have tried combining water with wet food, it may change the texture completely and will seem far less appealing to your cat.

7.  Too near the litter box

We are not inclined to eat our food in the bathroom and most cats follow the same principle. Amongst cats removing themselves from the living area and covering their waste when finished are very significant elements to survival. If you feed your cat near its waste there may be much confusion. There have been many cases where cats have developed litter box avoidance problems, in others it results in fussy eating or just creates unnecessary anxiety at mealtime. In addition always ensure that your cats water and food bowls are clean, you don’t want to eat from a dirty bowl and nor does your cat.

8.  Medical problems

Changes in eating behavior could mean that your cat is suffering from a medically related problem. These could come in the form of a disease or a toothache that could be causing pain when your cat tries to chew. Your cat’s sense of smell can be lost due to respiratory problems resulting in rejection of food, as smell is very important to a cat. If your cat started to reject its food you should treat it as a potential alert that something isn’t medically right. Go to the vet and have your cat examined.

9.  Wrong food

Many people often make the mistake of trying to make homemade food or just simply giving their cats foods that don’t contain a balanced diet. If you would prefer to give your cat raw foods or homemade foods then ensure that you consult with you vet, as to create a meal program that meets all the requirements for a balanced diet.

10.  Making foods better

Its very frustrating when you just cant seem to get your kitten to eat, so you may have resorted to adding a few yummies to make the food seem more appealing e.g. tuna, chicken. Sadly this doesn’t work, all you have managed to do is increased your kittens taste expectations which results in possibly only eating when the yummies have been added. Only in cases where your vet has advised you to supplement your cats diet should you do so, trying to trick your cat wont work.

You may be able to affect some of these guidelines, but rather through trial and error will you usually be able to find a food that suits your particular cat. Even though is may get frustrating at times you just have forgive your furry friends and except that it can’t entirely relinquish its finicky ways.

What cat food do we suggest

At Pet Heaven we offer a range of different cats foods specifically formulated for your kitten or cats needs. Your kitten can try out foods from Eukanuba, Royal Canin, Hills, Hills ideal balance ect. Your cat can try out foods from Eukanuba, Royal Canin, Hills, Hills ideal balance ect. Alternatively see full range here.