Hello everyone. Last year I adopted a cat (she had a bad parent and was beaten a lot- still traumatized) and until 6 months ago she's been normally eat wet food (regularly cooked chicken breast). Due to gum infection, she has lost several of her teeth. 6 months ago she lost another one and after that, she wouldn't eat chicken or any wet food at all. Just her dry food from her bowl and dry treats from my hand. It was like she wanted to eat but she couldn't, even by hand feeding. I tried so hard and from two months ago she started to eat chicken only from my hand. I was wondering if it is a behavioral problem or she just cannot eat otherwise?
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My cat suddenly eats wet food only from my hand
- Thread starter Tinytoon
- Start Date
If she can and eat dry food from a bowl I don’t see any physical reason why she cant eat wet food. Psychological maybe if she associates the wet food with having a sore mouth. Perhaps trying a different brand or flavor of wet food from that previously served, and start setting the chicken down and not hand feeding her. So long as she eats her dry she won’t starve and if she wants the chicken enough she will eat it without being hand fed.
I just noticed that the wet food she is being offered is home cooked chicken? Have you tried commercial wet catfood? It may appeal to her more than home cooked chicken and has more nutrients in it for her.
Plain cooked chicken is not a proper diet for cats. It lacks essential vitamins and minerals a cat needs. There are commercial brands of canned cat food that are complete diets and are basically shredded chicken.
Have you taken the cat to the vet for the dental issues? Dental issues are painful and can cause a cat to not eat. A full exam and blood work wouldn't be bad idea to do either.
Have you taken the cat to the vet for the dental issues? Dental issues are painful and can cause a cat to not eat. A full exam and blood work wouldn't be bad idea to do either.
How about putting her food dish on a raised platform?
If she’s eating from your hand, that would be about six inches above the floor. Maybe she’s uncomfortable bending down to eat. Putting her dish on a box, six inches high might make her more comfortable and more willing to eat.
Also try feeding her from a flat dish instead of a bowl.
Some cats don’t like getting their whiskers tweaked on the sides of the bowl. Since she has dental issues, her mouth and face might be more sensitive, causing her to shy when her whiskers tweak the bowl.
If she’s eating from your hand, that would be about six inches above the floor. Maybe she’s uncomfortable bending down to eat. Putting her dish on a box, six inches high might make her more comfortable and more willing to eat.
Also try feeding her from a flat dish instead of a bowl.
Some cats don’t like getting their whiskers tweaked on the sides of the bowl. Since she has dental issues, her mouth and face might be more sensitive, causing her to shy when her whiskers tweak the bowl.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
I tried setting the chicken down, but she refuses to eat. She really loves eating it but only by hand feeding. I'll keep trying to encourage her to eat from the plate. Thanks!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
Yes I tried. Before she lost another tooth she loved it, but after that doesn't even smell the wet cat food
But apparently she loves the chicken!- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
She just eats a small amount of cooked chicken and the vet said it's ok
I did not know this. The problem is after she lost another tooth she doesn't even smell the cat canned food. Of course. I take her to vet regularly. We did a full exam and blood work, She's fine for now. But the vet said she might looses all of her teeth in 2/3 years.
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- #9
Oh I haven't tried this yet! Thank you so much!
