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Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and Miki, the kitten who made me a cat person.
I have had dogs since I was a kid. There was rarely any issue with their appetite, only in times of illness. Since rescuing Miki, I expected him to be a good eater as well, and it never occurred to me that cats could be so fussy. Soon enough, I realized, I have a very picky kitten. As much as I try to offer a selection of food brands and types, Miki seems to indulge only in his dry food and treats, while everything else seems to go to waste.
How It All Began
Since Miki became the absolute favorite four-legged member of our family last year, for the first few months he was a big foodie. He was quite skinny when I rescued him, and naturally I spoiled him with all the possible wet food flavors I could find. It was a joy watching him eat with such enthusiasm and excitement, licking the bowl clean almost every single time. I thought to myself, this is great, he will grow into a strong little cat and will easily accept all the food I offer, without any issues.
Miki (enthusiastically) eating out of his bowl
Why Would It Be Simple?
Soon I realized Miki is not into fish, and beef and chicken seemed to be his favorite. I figured, that’s fine, as he was still eating like a horse. But not for too much longer. One day, as if something changed and Miki refused his wet food altogether. I didn’t think much of it at the time, as he was eating his kibble and was bright and playful like usual. I had some noisy work done around the house, and I assumed he was a little stressed. But since that day, wet food has dropped to the bottom of the list on his daily food menu.
I Tried Almost Everything
Since then, I have tried so many brands and flavors of wet food, and have barely found two that he seemed to like. And that was it. On some days, Miki is completely uninterested in wet food, which always makes me worry. Being a vet, I understand how important it is to keep cats well hydrated, as they are not great drinkers anyway, so it does pain me to think he is such a big fan of kibble instead of wet food. Luckily he does drink sufficiently, and loves sharing the water bowl with the dogs.
Recently I also realized he loves pate treats and for this he will literally leap across the room when he sees me holding it in my hand. It’s become our special nighttime bonding routine and he will lick it off from the package as I am squeezing the pate out. So, for lack of a better idea, I started mixing the pate with his wet food, and this seems to get the job done on most days.
He’s a cat of strong opinions…
Fillers and Flavorings Can Be Problematic
Looking back at why he went off his wet food, I have no real explanation, but one thing did occur to me. The wet food he so loves, the one that made it to his list of favorites, is from a reputable brand, but the reason he remains interested in it may actually be the tasty fillers. I have tried some other meaty meals for him, and he remains unimpressed. But he does occasionally hunt and will eat his prey whole, which is a good source of nutrition and moisture. Luckily for our local wildlife, this is not very often.
Miki hunting on a log
Bottom Line
No matter what we do, cats tend to do whatever they want. Being used to dogs, who love to please their owners and are usually food motivated, having a cat that isn’t, is a big game changer for me. And as cat parents we only want what is best for them, although their idea of best may be something quite different. After all, the only thing we can do is try to understand them and fulfill their needs as best as possible. Wishing all of you cat parents luck in this, at times, challenging task!
