How to Get a Picky Cat to Eat Canned Food

Try these tips if your picky cat turns away from canned food.
i white angora cat turning away from food bowl image by Stephen Orsillo from Fotolia.com

Canned cat food is great for your kitty’s health because it provides more protein and hydration than dry food. But cats have a reputation for being picky eaters and they may turn down canned food at first. Try these simple tips to help add canned food to your cat’s diet.

Step 1

Look for the same flavors as your cat’s favorite dry food. If the cat always eats salmon-flavored food from a particular brand, start with that brand’s salmon-flavored canned food.

Step 2

Mix some canned food with the dry food that your cat enjoys. Having a familiar flavor in his dish might help the kitty get used to trying something new.

Step 3

Try a new flavor. If your cat used to eat wet food but is turning away from it, she may have just gotten bored. Switching up the flavors, brands or textures will give her something new.

Step 4

Take away the dry food. If you leave dry food out for your cat to free-feed, there is no reason for her to try wet food if she doesn’t want to.

Step 5

Use a different food bowl. A cat’s whiskers are very sensitive, so a wide, shallow bowl will work best for letting them get to the food without bumping their whiskers on the sides. You can even try serving the wet food on a small plate or saucer.

Step 6

Heat up the food for a few seconds in the microwave. You don’t want it to be hot, but you can bring it up to about body temperature. This will enhance the smell for your kitty, which is a big part of what drives them to eat.

the nest

×