Will a Finicky Cat Starve Itself?

[Willowy]

I think that far to often we put human feelings and emotions onto our cats. Cats are not vengeful, they are not calculating, and they are certainly not going anorexic just to get back at someone.

I don't think anybody said they were :dk:. Animals don't do this, not even dogs (dog people do like to think dogs are refusing to eat to manipulate them or some such rot. No, they're opportunistic scavengers and are hoping something they like better will show up). Cats do it, probably, because they're naturally suspicious of new things and do not recognize it as edible.

But since this was asked:

Will a cat literally starve itself to death and die if it is forced to eat chicken -vs- tuna or pate -vs- stew against it's will? Is there a reason why no one ever leaves the food sit there until the cat is hungry enough to eat it?

Yes, some cats will refuse to eat food they don't like, even to the point of getting hepatic lipidosis (and, untreated, this will kill them). This is why it's not advised to just let the food sit until the cat gets hungry enough to eat it. Dietary changes must be made slowly and gradually.

Since that was the point of the OP, I'm not really sure where the other arguments came in.

 

[chloe92us]

Since you're getting a kitten, start off feeding what it was at the breeder/ rescue. Then decide what you WANT to feed it. Then slowly incorporate the new food. When we got our kitten, he was on dry food, so I slowly switched to wet which he preferred. However, I made the mistake of offering too many different textures, so he gained a preference for non-pâté foods. Pates are easier to find, have more calories per can, etc, so I wish I had never introduced him to chunky foods. Had I known what I know now, I would have only offered him pâté. He was thrilled with them until he discovered what else was out there lol. My other cat prefers pâté, so feeding them is a bit of a hassle. I can make them both happy by mixing a can of pâté with a can of chunky and they'll both eat it. However, that forces me to buy the small cans which is more expensive.

 

[Willowy]

I will say that people who open can after can of food they KNOW the cat will eat, looking for what flavor the kitty wants that day, are being silly. Give the cat 10 minutes to think about it, for pete's sake . Unless the cat has a particular health condition necessitating that he/she eat right that second, let it sit for a while, let the cat build up an appetite. But if someone wants to fuss over their pet, who am I to judge? If it makes them happy.

 

[purrrdy]

Those who had free-fed cats die from not eating, are you sure the cats were not being bullied at the food dish and it went unnoticed?

Eating is like breathing. It seems to me that when an animal refuses to perform a most basic instinct for survival, there must be another underlying problem.

The last cat I owned was about 18 or 20 years ago, before we knew about kibble dehydration etc. He was free fed his entire life, I never paid one bit of attention to his food dish or what he was being fed (because I was young and more concerned about partying with my friends at that age), and he never had a single food issue in his life. If he ever did dislike a certain food he was fed, it surely went unnoticed and he eventually ate as he was always healthy and at a great weight.

 

[2cats4me]

 
Those who had free-fed cats die from not eating, are you sure the cats were not being bullied at the food dish and it went unnoticed?

Eating is like breathing. It seems to me that when an animal refuses to perform a most basic instinct for survival, there must be another underlying problem.

No , it was nothing like that,  there was always enough dishes for each cat  and they always ate just fine .. Rudy , the cat who died , was always a good eater . Never had any problems until that happened . .. That is the main reason my vet wanted to do an Autopsy .. Before that Rudy was healthy .. 

I stopped free feeding after that ..   My choice , I like to know when and exactly how much my cats are eating .. 

 

[bigperm20]

I know I've seen both my cats refuse to eat the same kind and flavor of canned food they've eaten 100 times.

I've seen them do it morecthan once, too. They just get sick of something and decide to wait for something different

I didn't hover over them. I'd let the plate sit there for hours, i'd stir it up, but still no eating. I'd eventually late in the evening, open another can of the same food and they'd just walk away.

Neither cat was over 2 years old. Both were healthy at least according torte vet.

Those who say cat's aren't stubborn have never been around my two.

 

[p3 and the king]

 
Those who had free-fed cats die from not eating, are you sure the cats were not being bullied at the food dish and it went unnoticed?

Eating is like breathing. It seems to me that when an animal refuses to perform a most basic instinct for survival, there must be another underlying problem.

The last cat I owned was about 18 or 20 years ago, before we knew about kibble dehydration etc. He was free fed his entire life, I never paid one bit of attention to his food dish or what he was being fed (because I was young and more concerned about partying with my friends at that age), and he never had a single food issue in his life. If he ever did dislike a certain food he was fed, it surely went unnoticed and he eventually ate as he was always healthy and at a great weight.

People can only speak from their own experiences or what they believe.  The truth is, you bring up a valid point.  If there is an issue with an alpha personality cat bullying another cat, yes, they can keep them from eating.   Usually there is an underlying problem, I believe, and many educated professionals believe, than just pickiness.  I am not saying pickiness does not exist, but it is beneficial to pay attention to the cat food and what is going on before it gets to a point where they are sick and if you are going to switch foods, switch gradually to make sure the cat accepts it.

 

[quiet]

One thing we all have to remember is that every cat is an individual. Just because no harm came to one cat that (__________)  insert anything here, doesn't mean it won't harm another cat.

The other thing is if anyone here remembers the huge cat food recall in 2007 I think, well, maybe the cats are not eating a certain can of food because it is tainted? Could be huh?

I agree with what P3 and the king is saying. She or he is taking this from a medical point of view and she is correct.

There are cats such as my male cat that was only fed dry his entire life. I have tried to switch him to canned but in the beginning he would have starved himself into hepatic lipidosis had I not given him his dry. I tried for 4 hours and he wouldn't touch the canned. I won't withhold food from a fat cat longer than 4 hours. Finally since getting Cheetah, who won't eat dry, he has seen her eat the canned and will now take a few bites of the canned when it is put down. He still needs to have his kibble crack or he would die. Same with Cheetah, if I decided to only feed her dry, she would also die because she doesn't see it as a food source.

I am inserting a picture of them for comic relief. I don't think I have to say which one is Rusty.

127.jpg

• quiet
• Jun 16, 2014

another one so you know they are friends

Rusty and Cheetah Couch.jpg

• quiet
• Jun 16, 2014

 

[oneandahalfcats]

The important focus is that if a cat is not eating or eating enough, they are at risk. Period. Whether it is on account of pickiness or an underlying cause is for a vet to decide. Both are valid causes.

Here is an article (and companion video) by a vet on the subject of hepatic lipidosis in cats: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/12/13/feline-hepatic-lipidosis.aspx

 

[scorpgirl68]

Please, tell that to my Brody... :/