A reader writes:

I want my cat to eat food that’s better for him, but he won’t! How do I get him to like what I give him?

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Dear Readers,

This is a tough one.

Many of the reasons cats have a well-deserved reputation as fussy eaters is hardwired into their brains. As predators, they rely on their mother to teach them what is good to eat. In adolescence, the cat goes out on their own, confident of what is good for them. Once this window closes, it’s hard to open it again.

Cats also have an exquisite sense of taste because of their vulnerability to toxins. This makes them slow to accept a new food, and fussy about their water sources, as well. We have to remember that this has always worked for them; the cat has limited abilities to clear toxins from their body. They evolved to be fussy about what they take in, rather than being good at getting rid of it. This is also why they are so quick to throw up.

Cats always move from a point of familiarity. Start with just a spoonful of the new food to mix with their old food. Gradually change the proportions in their mix until they have switched over. This also works in transitioning them from dry to canned.

Don’t be impatient. Two or three tries is not enough to convince a cat. Of course they should continue eating. Mix small portions of the new blend, offer that first, and if the begging becomes unbearable, then offer small portions of their regular food, side by side. That way it’s up to them to go for all the courses.

If we offer the new blend often enough, it becomes familiar. This is where patience will work for us. Like many of us, cats dislike change. This is multiplied where food is concerned. If the new blend is showing up as an option often enough, it’s no longer so strange to them.

Good meal hygiene is always important, but it becomes particularly so when we are switching foods. Something a cat accepts when they know they like the food will be too much when combined with a new food. So feed the cat from shallow glass or ceramic bowls, which don’t retain odors or bacteria. Use well-rinsed, clean bowls each time; we like that, and so does the cat.

I’m not above tuna juice, a teensy smidge of garlic powder, or meat drippings to tempt a cat into trying a new food. Any form of meat the cat already enjoys as a treat can be added to show the new food is good. Make it more appealing by zapping it in the microwave for a few seconds, enough to make it aromatic. This way we can store canned foods in the refrigerator and still make them fresh and palatable.

Emotional issues are also factors when we are dealing with the cat’s food. Time on the street or other deprivations can drive cats into eating stuff out of desperation. Once they land in a home where they like the food, New Food carries the same scary implications it did when they were trying to make the best of their bad lot. New Food might mean New Situations and, horrors! New Home. They are going to be reluctant to set a paw on that path.

Getting cats to eat new foods has to be a matter of persuasion. It’s not possible to take a “my way or the highway” approach. Just like small children, cats aren’t capable of flinging themselves into new taste sensations.

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