Finicky eater

Cats are not finicky eaters by nature. We inadvertently create this problem by substituting food for love.

Before you do anything about your finicky eater, see a veterinarian to make sure she is not off her diet because of poor health. Next, if your cat is healthy, check to see if the local mouse population is slowly being reduced. I have often wondered how a cat who eats raw mice can be categorized as a finicky eater! Lastly, make sure your cat is not being fed by a loving, but unwise, neighbor.

If your cat is not getting food elsewhere, then it is best to choose a good quality food as a staple and to introduce tiny tidbits of a variety of food (not enough to ruin her appetite) as lures and rewards for coming when called, or staying off the counter, or for not scratching the furniture. Use training tidbits just before the main meal.

A cat will become finicky for two reasons. She has been given only one kind of food all of her life and suddenly that has been changed, so she goes on a hunger strike. Or she has been given many different kinds of food and continues to want more and more variety, seemingly never satisfied. To force a healthy cat to change her finicky ways, present a high quality food at mealtime and, if not consumed, present it again and again until hunger forces consumption. It is best not to leave the food down all day but to present it at regular mealtimes. Leaving it there all day can create a finicky eater and a fat cat!

If you choose a high quality food, there is really no need for vitamin supplementation. You will pay more for good cat food but you will use less because a small feeding amount has more nutrients and is more thoroughly digested.

It is not a good idea to feed tablescraps to your cat. Cats need a high protein diet with appropriate nutrient additives. Tablescraps are not an adequate substitute for these necessary nutrients. If your cat is eating your plants, she may be lacking certain minerals in her diet. You can grow wheat grass in a pot for her to munch.

Use a dry pelleted food provided your cat drinks plenty of water. Dry food helps keep her teeth clean. It is not as likely to be gulped, sometimes a cause of flatulence, and there are no smelly cans in the refrigerator. If your cat drinks very little water, then a semi-moist or moist cat food would be appropriate.

If your cat has suddenly quit eating and checks out as healthy, you might try changing her dish. Some plastic bowls cause an allergic reaction and create tiny sores on the cat's lips. During the dry, cold weather, a metal bowl may give a static electric shock. Use a glass bowl if you suspect either of the above.