# Cats going off food. How to stop a cat being bored with their daily diet??



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

I feed my two cats a tin of wet Felix cat food between them each day and sometimes a little dry whiskers (usually speratley from the wet).
They have a variety of all the flavours. Chicken, tuna, cod and plaice, beef, prawn. The prawn have only just become available in my local store in a multipack with other fishy flavours that they used to eat. 
So I thought I'd get two more packs in ready while they're on offer cos they like the prawn flavour. But the last two days they have been having one or two bites of the tuna and cod n plaice flavours and walking off. They leave it all. 
I think they're bored? They seem ok with the meaty ones. Now I havnt got the receipt anymore and probably can't return them to swap for a different flavour.
I added a bit of dry to it today which perked their interest a bit more but that was it. They must get bored like humans do.
Any ideas seeing as I'm stuck with the fishy flavours?

Btw we dnt have much human food here that's ok for cats to add to it or replace it with. I did think it could be their teeth because the one has tartar on her back teeth but the other ones teeth seem fine. If it was their mouth in any way wouldn't they go for the soft food anyway instead of the dry so it wouldn't be so sore, even if they didnt like it?


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

My cats eat the same food every day and have done for the whole of their lives. I might change them onto a different dried complete food if it suits my pocket better, but once they're on that if I'm happy with the results on them, then they're on that for maybe years. Certainly what I'm currently feeding they've been eating for a minimum of 6 years!

No offence at all, whatsoever, but I think worried or overprotective owners, and owners who tend to 'humanise' their pets, tend to think that if an animal refuses food *and it isn't ill,*then they have to find something they will eat, so they change the food and the animal thinks "Great- something different!" - then it stops eating that and the owner goes and gets another different food and suddenly your cat is running your life.

To be totally honest, cats won't starve themselves to death - if these were my cats I'd have a look at their teeth, or get the vet to do it, and if there aren't any bad teeth that might be causing the problem, then I'd put their food down and leave it all day. Anything that's left at the evening feed time I'd throw out and put another dish of the same food fresh down for them.

May seem harsh but I don't agree with anthropomorphism or allowing your pets to dictate your life - sorry! :blush:


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

feorag said:


> My cats eat the same food every day and have done for the whole of their lives. I might change them onto a different dried complete food if it suits my pocket better, but once they're on that if I'm happy with the results on them, then they're on that for maybe years. Certainly what I'm currently feeding they've been eating for a minimum of 6 years!
> 
> No offence at all, whatsoever, but I think worried or overprotective owners, and owners who tend to 'humanise' their pets, tend to think that if an animal refuses food *and it isn't ill,*then they have to find something they will eat, so they change the food and the animal thinks "Great- something different!" - then it stops eating that and the owner goes and gets another different food and suddenly your cat is running your life.
> 
> ...


 
My first ever cat was when I was 18 and my mother used to buy her whiskas in a certain flavour until Kizzy got bored with it and refused to eat so she would then stockpile her favourite flavour until Kizzy went off that too:lol2: My own cats now are fed the same brand and flavour of dried food that they have always had for years and other than an odd treat of chicken or high meat content pouches thats all they get. 1/2 a tin of cat meat doesnt sound a lot for a cat as it has a very high water content, have you checked the feeding guide on the tin?
I would suspect that if they are both not eating their could be a problem with their health so maybe get them checked over by a vet to put your mind at rest.


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## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks both. I'm pretty sure it is cos theyre bored. The one is eating it again now cos my husband ticked him into thinking it was a fresh bowl lol. Could it be something to do with the bowl? They have five different bowls all of the same size, except one which is huge (acually a dog bowl lol).
They eat out of one for two days with me cleaning it with kitchen roll straight after each meal and after two days they go onto another bowl and it goes on until all bowls are used up and then they are all washed at once with washing up liquid before starting again. 
Been doing this a while now but my mum recently told me cats dont like it if their whiskers touch the sides of the bowl when they eat and it can put them off? It was on tv. I dunno about that and they dont seem to have a problem.

No offence taken btw lol. I know my cats rule my life. I wouldnt go as far as some people do with spending thousands upon thousands on parties and clothes etc or weddings lol. But they are my little babies and part of the family so they do get presents at Xmas and birthdays.
I will just let them eat what they want and chuck the rest. The vet said it can mess with their systems or make them I'll if you chain their food too quick and with Muffin having a very sensitive stomach all his life having getting ill a lot when younger, they said to stick to one brand that's not too rich. Nothing too cheap or expensive so just Felix or whiskers. Seeing as they were already on Felix wet anyway I stuck to that and instead of mixing the cheapy dry foods with the brands I stuck to whiskers dry for them also. Its still all very rich and i think i didnt help Rolos wring or teeth at all with the treats after reading the sugar in them. They've stopped having those now and are just having dental each day. I can't change to a daily dental staple diet like one vet suggested cos of Muffins stomach. Don't want more problems on top of anything else. I'll keep up with the dental treats everyday and the toothpaste, I'll check their teeth again. They're going up to the vets soon for a checkup anyway. Their cat baskets finally arrived so letting them get used to it a bit first.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

BlackRose said:


> Thanks both. I'm pretty sure it is cos theyre bored. The one is eating it again now cos my husband ticked him into thinking it was a fresh bowl lol. Could it be something to do with the bowl? They have five different bowls all of the same size, except one which is huge (acually a dog bowl lol).
> They eat out of one for two days with me cleaning it with kitchen roll straight after each meal and after two days they go onto another bowl and it goes on until all bowls are used up and then they are all washed at once with washing up liquid before starting again.
> Been doing this a while now but my mum recently told me cats dont like it if their whiskers touch the sides of the bowl when they eat and it can put them off? It was on tv. I dunno about that and they dont seem to have a problem.
> 
> ...


 

A lot of cat dont like plastic dishes so if you arent already using them try a pot or stainless steel bowl ( an old cereal bowl will do)


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## kemist (Jan 25, 2009)

As above cats wont starve themselves. When we went on holiday the cat wouldn't eat his dry food because the catsitter gave in and gave him treats, tuna, or pouches. When we came back he tried it on for a couple of days then went back to eating normally. He eats what he is given hills science plan dry and whatever pouches are on offer.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Agreed plastic bowls not good for cats - it can cause feline acne, so stay away from plastic. I've never heard the one about cats not liking it if their whiskers touch the side of the bowl, as my cats will eat out of anything, they'll finish off the coffee dregs in a cup and eat a Mcdonalds McFlurry and there's no way their whiskers don't touch the sides when they're doing that!! :lol2:

To be honest I've never fed my cats Whiskas for over 20 years. They don't like it and I don't like it. When it comes to wet food my cats get Felix tins and Hi-Life Gourmet pure fish tins and Feline Fayre fish flavours. I never give mine red meat like Beef or liver, they only get chicken rabbit and fish flavours and that never changes. :2thumb:


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## Shellsfeathers&fur (Jan 18, 2009)

Our 2 eat off bone china saucers - ones that have been around for years as we all use mugs these days! They have Whiskas tins and Sainsbury's dry food and are now 14.

Many (and I mean many) years ago our Siamese cat was fed 2 saucers a day boiled boned rabbit which was cooked in her special saucepan ie never used for anything else - once a week, chopped up and then put into the fridge.

Happy days - she died 5 weeks before she was 20 and sadly my Father, who did the chopping, died a few weeks ago, sorry wandered off topic there.


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## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

I'll look into some different bowls then. Shame as their newest one I got specially made with their names on it lol. 

I think the best diet for cats is a nore natural one.

Im so sorry Stephen to hear about your dad


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## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Still having problems with them today not eating much at all. I'm going to see if I can buy a single tin or two of meaty flavoured Felix tomorrow to see if it really is cos they are bored or not and I'll give the vet a ring too to ask about it all.
They are both sleeping much more than normal, especially the one. Is that normal for cats this time of year? I mean they still play, run around and get excited about food meowing for it and waiting by the kitchen door until they realise what it is. Maybe its cos I havnt played with them rhe kart few days as much as I normally do? they spend nearly all the time sleeping and they're both only just over 5 yrs old!

On the bowl discussion don't the stainless steel or metal bowls go all funny and have a metally taste to them (much like our tinned food does?) I tend to think those kind of bowls smell funny even when clean?
My cats bowls stink even after just one meal in a clean bowl!


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

BlackRose said:


> Still having problems with them today not eating much at all. I'm going to see if I can buy a single tin or two of meaty flavoured Felix tomorrow to see if it really is cos they are bored or not and I'll give the vet a ring too to ask about it all.
> They are both sleeping much more than normal, especially the one. Is that normal for cats this time of year? I mean they still play, run around and get excited about food meowing for it and waiting by the kitchen door until they realise what it is. Maybe its cos I havnt played with them rhe kart few days as much as I normally do? they spend nearly all the time sleeping and they're both only just over 5 yrs old!
> 
> On the bowl discussion don't the stainless steel or metal bowls go all funny and have a metally taste to them (much like our tinned food does?) I tend to think those kind of bowls smell funny even when clean?
> My cats bowls stink even after just one meal in a clean bowl!


 
I do wonder if your cats are sickening for something although at 5 years old they will be slowing down a bit. Stainless steel doesnt taint the contents at all but plastic does. When you wash a ss dish it doesnt smell of anything unlike plastic which holds the smell.
I hope they eat when you change their food as its so worrying when they go off their food.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I tend to agree with Shell on both counts - certainly s.steel is better than plastic. my cats have stainless steel water dishes and normal crockery food dishes.

As far as the slowing down, they are just approaching 'middle age' for cats so it could just be an age thing.

The most important thing is, have you noticed _any _other changes, physical or behavioural, apart from the food and sleeping. Have either of them lost weight. 

Have you checked their mouths to see if they have any teeth - if you can't, then smell their breath - if there's a bad tooth in there, then there breath should smell bad, but if the problem is neck lesions, which is the most common disease in feline dentristy (and which resulted in my foundation queen having all her teeth removed at 8-9 years of age) then you won't see or smell anything because the tooth is decaying on or underneath the gum line.

Cats are also very prone to thyroid problems which can come on as early as 5, but which does tend to happen a little later than that. If it's an underactive thyroid, (less common in cats) then they will sleep more, but they will also put on weight - overactive would make them more active, restless, underweight and eating a lot more, so it's definitely not an overactive thryoid. Having said that it's highly unlikely that both of them would come down with the same problem at the same time.

I still think it might be worth getting them checked over by your vet to be sure that it isn't a physical problem, rather than a 'mental' one, like boredom.


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## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks. Yeah they are definatly getting checked out. The one at least has smelly breath and the vet has seen her about that. When i played with them last night they went mad over the laser pen, string and other toys. Then they slept really well all night and are eating better today so I guess they are just feeling lazy or bored or something. The weather changing all the time doesn't help. They just ate some dry food and are back asleep now. I'll look into getting new bowls asap.


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## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Hmmm Muffin has gone to the bowl twice since I been home in the last hour for a really long drink. I know cats drink fir ages when they do want some but I very rarely see mine go for any. I've moved the water bowl into the hall next to their food now (which puts Rolo off eating which was part of the problem) so I can keep an eye on who's drinking what. It used to be in the bathroom. Whenever I'm home all day I'm gonna try to remember to jot down how many times they visit the loo or have water. also gonna hafta start monitoring their hearts again to be on the safe side and check their gums to make sure they're nice n pink and not purple, white or red.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

BlackRose said:


> Hmmm Muffin has gone to the bowl twice since I been home in the last hour for a really long drink. I know cats drink fir ages when they do want some but I very rarely see mine go for any. I've moved the water bowl into the hall next to their food now (which puts Rolo off eating which was part of the problem) so I can keep an eye on who's drinking what. It used to be in the bathroom. Whenever I'm home all day I'm gonna try to remember to jot down how many times they visit the loo or have water. also gonna hafta start monitoring their hearts again to be on the safe side and check their gums to make sure they're nice n pink and not purple, white or red.


 
Have they had a heart problem in the past?


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## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Found out a few months ago that Muffins got a grade 3/4 heart murmur which they didn't mention before so it must've come on suddenly for some reason


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

We had fussy cats until we changed them onto Vets Kitchen salmon. Now I have to close the door while I fill up their bowls, because otherwise they're on the worktop trying to eat it before I've dished it out!

Also they have HiLife 60% mixed in with it sometimes.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

+1 for stainless steel dishes. Plastic ones are awful for cleaning properly.


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