Many cat owners have experienced it: After purchasing a bulk package of a food your cat practically inhaled, suddenly he couldn’t be less impressed. Is he being snobby? Is he sick? Is there something wrong with the food? It could be all three, or a number of other possibilities. Read on to learn how to crack the case of the picky feline.

What Should a Cat Eat?

A cat is an obligate carnivore, meaning they must eat meat to get all their nutritional needs met. Generally, their diets should be mostly protein with some fat and carbs. They also require certain vitamins like preformed Vitamin A, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids, including taurine.

Cats shouldn’t usually require supplements because they should be able to get all their nutrients from food formulated for cats. To be sure their food is nutritionally complete, you can check the ingredient list and/or discuss the best options with your veterinarian. You’ll want to purchase foods that have meat or meat byproducts as the primary ingredients. Your cat may also require a different formula based on their life stage or health issues.

While cats can get most of their hydration from wet food, it’s also important to always have fresh, clean water available for them.

Why Are Cats So Picky About Food?

When a cat suddenly stops eating, and this keeps up for at least 24 hours, there is a chance they’re dealing with health problems. Dental issues can make eating painful, arthritis can make it hard for a cat to reach their food bowl, a digestive blockage can get in the way of eating, and kidney or gastrointestinal issues can cause an upset stomach. When cats, especially those that are overweight, don’t eat or eat very little for several days, they can also develop something called fatty liver disease. While it’s likely that something less serious is at play, bear in mind that a vet visit may be in order.

Apart from health issues, your cat may be put off the food. This could be because it’s too cold, they’d rather eat smaller meals throughout the day like they would in the wild, food may have gone stale or not be very fresh, their dish may be a bit too dirty, or you could be trying a food they ate when they were sick in the past. Sometimes they’re just not excited about a new food when they were happy with the old one, or they could be getting such a variety that they’re holding out for their favorites. There’s a chance they could be overeating, too, especially if they have outdoor access and they’re snacking on mice or treats from the neighbors.

Often, stress can be a factor, too. Your cat’s food bowl may be in a busy area, or one of the other pets may be trying to get at it. It could be too close to the litter box or in a new place altogether. Changes around the house can be off-putting, too, as can extreme weather like heat waves.

How Do You Feed a Picky Cat?

So, how do you work around these issues and get that picky eater to enjoy a meal? After ruling out health issues, you’ll want to be sure you feed your cat away from other pets in a quiet, calm room without a litter box nearby. Though they may not enjoy having other pets nearby, they may like to eat with their human around, so they may want you to sit with them while they eat.

Make sure their dish is cleaned after each use and all their food is stored properly to ensure freshness. If you need to move their food bowl, do it gradually, not all at once.

Apart from environment, make sure the food is palatable. Sometimes heating food up, especially if it was stored in the fridge, can help. Sometimes you can tempt them to dig into food by putting broth or a few treats on top. The texture may be an issue, too, so try different forms of wet food to see if your cat prefers a pate, shreds, or morsels in gravy.

Because cats naturally eat smaller meals throughout the day, you can try leaving small amounts out for 15 to 30 minutes several times throughout the day and then put away what they haven’t finished. Moving from free feeding to scheduled feeding will also let your cat know food will only be available for a limited time, so they’d better eat it then if they want it. Allowing them to “hunt” for their food by using a puzzle toy can nurture their natural instincts, as well.

During a food transition, be sure to properly ease your cat into it, too, as switching all at once can cause digestive issues. Start with a small amount of the new food with mostly the old food, and over a week, gradually change those amounts until it’s all the new food. Always be sure to feed according to the label and use treats sparingly so your cat isn't already full at mealtime.

Finally, if you have your cat from a young age, exposing kittens to a wide range of foods can make them more accepting of them later.

Though finicky eating is yet another quirk of these already quirky animals, would you really have them any other way?