Cats suddenly dislike their food

[njg55]

You'd think after decades of cat ownership I wouldn't need to ask for advice, but here goes. I have four cats. Within the last week or so all of them have decided they don't like either of the two flavors of canned food I've been giving them for the past six months or so. I end up emptying most of it down the garbage disposal. Notice I said I'd been feeding them these varieties for a relatively short time; that's because they also suddenly stopped eating what I was giving them before. Do they really just get tired of a certain food after a while and want something new? Do the pet food manufacturers make changes in the formulation that consumers don't know about, which causes the cats to dislike it? I try to stick to what I consider high quality brands, recommended by the various veterinarians I've consulted (several of my cats have had to see specialists in the past year), so while the aisles of the pet food superstores are packed with choices, there are only a few I'd consider. At this point I'm probably going to try a few cans of the brand I was buying before I had switched to the one I'm getting now. I also feed them dry food, so no one's "starving," but I consider wet food an important part of their diet. Any advice for these picky pussycats?

 

[Furballsmom]

Do the pet food manufacturers make changes in the formulation that consumers don't know about, which causes the cats to dislike it?

Yes, they definitely do-they aren't required to revise the labels for three months, or maybe it's six, anyway a long time for a cat who doesn't like the change. Hang in there!!

 

[lisahe]

Do they really just get tired of a certain food after a while and want something new? Do the pet food manufacturers make changes in the formulation that consumers don't know about, which causes the cats to dislike it?

It can be both!

So we can give suggestions: What food(s) did your cats suddenly reject? And what kinds of food do they tend to like?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. After a few years on 2 different canned urinary care foods, Feeby decided she wasn't so keen on them - both of them at the same time. Long story short, I don't want to take her off of them, so I started buying Fancy Feast and mixing some with her regular food. So far that seems to have done the trick. You might just want to take another brand - don't know how to advise you on which ones - and just mix enough in to make it taste a bit differently.

 

[mizzely]

My cat won't eat the same food more than twice a week lol. I have to keep a rotation of several brands and flavors or she will put her nose up! So yes, definitely a possibility!

 

[MissClouseau]

If all four of them stopped eating the same food at the same time, I think it's more likely something about the food was off. Maybe it went bad before the expiration date -- the room was too hot maybe? Or something about their bowl was weird?

But on the other hand I agree with others, my cat also gets bored of the same food after a while. You are lucky if yours show that by not eating. Mine still eats but then throws up and when that happens I have to wait at least for like a year to go back to that food otherwise she gets nauseous with that food.

 

[Maria Bayote]

Same here. What they like this week they will abhor next week. It is so frustrating. I would find myself staring for almost an hour at different brands, labels and flavors at the grocery pet section, thinking if my cats would eat what I'd buy this time. It was better when my kids were toddlers. I could scold them or encourage them to eat what they did not like, but with my cats....oh well..

 

[Tik cat's mum]

My boy just refuses his wet food when he's wants a change. It is frustrating and worrying. I feel the same as you about the wet food needing to be part of his diet. And the manufacturer's do change the recipe it could be that. You could try mixing a bit of dry in with the wet see if they will eat it then.

 

[maggie101]

My cat Maggie eats a quarter can, comes back a few minutes later eats more and decides she wants something different. If she is tired of a food before the can is empty, mix it in with something else. She eats pate, shredded chicken, chicken duck with pieces of meat in gravy , lamb,turkey,rabbit.