While there are many reasons why a cat may be a picky eater, some of the most common are:
1. Specific personal preference: Like us, most cats have personal preferences and may favour a certain texture, flavour and/or consistency when it comes to their food. Some cats will take this to the extreme and refuse anything else. These cats often eat their preferred foods with no issues but repeatedly turn their nose up at other foods.
2. Breed: While most cats will have food preferences, in the Vet Squad's experience purebred cats like Siamese, Persians and Oriental Shorthairs can be fussier than mixed breeds.
3. Learned behaviour: Some cats become fussier over time because they learn to wait for something better. Often owners inadvertently create this issue by giving in and offering their pet a higher-value treat if they don't eat their usual food. Feeding tasty 'human' food and changing diets too regularly can also contribute to this problem.
4. Not enough variety: While some cats are perfectly happy to remain on the same food for life, others initially eat their food well but become bored of it after a while. These cats will gradually show less interest in their usual food in favour of something new.
4. Anxiety: Anxiety is a common reason for cats to be fussy with their food. Periods of change or adjustment, such as moving house or a new family member (two- or four-legged) can affect appetite. Lack of privacy when eating and noisy eating environments can also trigger anxiety. These cats may have a fluctuating, 'on and off' appetite, or suddenly go off their food when a stressor occurs.
5. They're not food motivated: Many cats naturally prefer to graze on their food throughout the day rather than eat it all at once and this eating pattern can be mistaken for a picky appetite. Likewise, cats that are attention-motivated rather than food-motivated can be misidentified as fussy eaters.
