...Encouraging a cat to eat & drink
• Try different cat foods, some prefer dry, some prefer seafood etc. This may not be simply a cat being "fussy", the animal may be feeling very insecure (they may not be keen on changes) so the scent, taste and presence of something familiar may trigger eating. Ask the re-homing center or cattery s/he came from what food the cat ate there.
• Leave the animal in peace with their food at first, your anxiety & attention to their appetite could relay to them that something is wrong, or the food is not safe to eat.
• Try warming the food up just a little, this will release flavour, odours & can make a meal more appealing. Cats do not have as many taste buds as we do. Naturally, a cats prey is body temperature, so food coming directly from the fridge may not make as much sense to a cat. Flavour & smell can become subdued by cold. (they could even have sensitive teeth)
• Some cats will eat with company & attention, provided that it is a trusted presence. As kittens learning to eat solids, their mother will place food in front of her neonates for them to eat. They will not eat unless she does this. An insecure cat may have reverted to fearful kittenish behaviour & can need reassurance that the food is safe to eat. (you can pretend to eat some of the food yourself - if the cat is beginning to trust you). Sometimes laying down nearby so the cat can see you yourself eating, will reassure the cat to join in & eat their own meal. Try to avoid too much eye contact, make sure to blink & yawn, this will portray that you are relaxed.
• Sprinkling a little catnip over food can sometimes encourage tasting & then eating
• Flavourful food on the end of a spoon, gently offered to a cat may trigger taste buds. Do this while keeping as low to the ground as possible, there is no way of standing upright & towering over a cat without imposition.
Good quality commercial catfoods such as Applaws can be very tempting, particularly their tuna varieties. This sort of food can be very rich however, so if a cat is not used to rich wet food, too much can make them sick. It may be best to use just a little as a appetite trigger for a more bland diet at first. If it works, you could try mixing a little into their less interesting food.
It is important to avoid giving cats Tuna in oils, brine or salt water which has been tinned for humans! They are not poisonous, but cats systems do not deal well with added nutrients, this can be bad for their health & wellbeing.
• Some cats will respond to a little cheese, ham or chicken breast meat.
Plainly cooked chicken breast meat, is very easy for cats to digest & is recommended for sensitive stomachs
Warning - never give an animal anything cooked which could have any bones or bone fragments in it! When cooked, bones become brittle and can splinter dangerously if bitten. Sharp objects can be lethal if ingested.
• If a cat is not eating well after more than a few days, you should call a vet for advice.
• A little specially formulated cat milk, can also be left down for them as a treat. (this should never be a substitute for fresh water!)
Cats could be put off their food because of health reasons, anxiety & stress, if the food is not fresh, or they are bored of it
The licking of lips can be a sign of hunger, but also anxiety
Watching a cat eat can make them self conscious & may put them off
Leave food near their safe den & leave the cat in peace with it, don't pressure them
Fresh water must always be available, even if you don't see them drinking it
Tasty treats offered with a spoon can be a way of acclimatising a nervous cat to you
