Cat Food Analysis: 5 Reasons Why Your Cat Won’t Eat

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Most cats enjoy eating. True, they may be picky when it comes to finding just the right food that pleases them, but once you find it, you’ll have a pet who rivals the pooch when it comes to demanding dinner. When the food bowl is empty, a cat will have no problem sauntering up and letting you know that it’s suppertime.

Just Not Hungry

When food is poured into the bowl and kitty takes a look and walks away, you know that something isn’t right. Though it is a concern when any animal refuses food, with cats, it can be dangerous. When an animal doesn’t eat enough, their body will draw upon reserves of stored fat for energy. But before the fat can be converted to energy, it must be processed by the liver and that processing requires protein.

If a cat stops eating, the protein supplies run out quickly and your kitty can face the possibility of liver failure.

The Top 5

Loss of appetite is the first sign that something is not right with your pet, so when she stops eating, you’ll want to make an appointment to see the vet. There are several reasons why your cat might not be eating, but today we’ll look at the top 5 most common reasons:

Dental Issues
GI Issues
Recent Vaccination
Anxiety or Depression
Pickiness

Dental Damage

Dental disease can be a problem in senior cats, but mouth sores, bad teeth, or tumors can happen at any age. They might be sore from an injury or an infection making it difficult or painful to chew. If your cat has an abscess tooth, inflamed gums, or even a broken tooth, she won’t eat for fear of making the pain worse.

The good thing is, your vet can tell if she has a dental problem and most can be fixed with a deep cleaning, an extraction, or even a round of antibiotics if infection is present. Try to stick with softer foods that kitty can eat easily, like Whiskas Ocean fish Entrée, but only until she is healed enough to make the switch back. Dry food can be essential in keeping her teeth and gums healthy as the hard food will help get rid of plaque and keeps gums clean. Try Royal Canin Veterinary Dental Dry.

Tummy Trouble

If your cat is suffering from loose stools or vomiting along with his refusal to eat, you may be looking at various GI issues that can be causing the problem, such as:

Colitis (inflammation of the colon)
Gastroenteritis (inflammation or infection of the GI tract)
Pancreatitis (inflammation or infection of the pancreas)
Blockage in intestine
Cancer

Kidney disease can share the same signs as GI issues, so the sooner you get your cat to the vet for a proper diagnosis, the sooner you’ll find the culprit and start nursing him back to health. Don’t attempt to switch to a new cat food until you discover the source of the tummy trouble.

Vaccines

Did your cat lose her taste for food shortly after you took her to the vet for a routine vaccination? If so, she might just be having an adverse reaction to her shots. Vaccinations can literally save your cat’s life when it comes to keeping her safe from many diseases, but sometimes mild side effects, such as loss of appetite, can occur. This is usually temporary and should correct itself within a day or two.

Mind Your Surroundings

If you have taken kitty to the vet and the vet cannot find any physical issues that can cause the lack of appetite, it could be something psychological.

Just like humans, your cat can be affected by everything that is going on around them, from a change in habitat (a move) or a change in familiarity (a new baby). Cats are sensitive and they can suffer from anxiety and depression. If your cat has stopped eating, think about any changes that have happened in the home. Has someone moved out? Has someone moved in? Even something as simple as getting rid of the old, familiar living room furniture and bringing in a brand-new showroom-smelling set can wreak havoc on their senses. Keep this in mind and try to give your cat some extra love and care and keep him on as much of a routine schedule as possible.

Finicky Feline

If nothing in your home has changed, and your cat has gotten a clean bill of health, it might just be a classic case of the finicky kitty. No matter what kind of food you want to feed her, it won’t do you any good if she won’t eat it. Do a cat food analysis and figure out what it is that you want your cat to eat and try to come up with a food that is pleasing to her and still holds the nutritional value that you desire.

Try mixing things up and offering foods that go beyond the traditional chicken and beef, such as:

A cat food analysis might actually lead you to wondering if your kitty has grain allergies that are preventing him from digging in, so going with a grain free variety might help. Consider trying:

Back To Basics

Getting your cat back to her healthy eating self is essential, so be sure to give her every opportunity to get better and start loving her food again. She’s only going to eat what she likes, so give her the opportunity to do her own cat food analysis by offering her the best and the tastiest food available.