My cat is a very picky eater and won't eat. What's the vet's advice?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 8 months old | 6.5 lbs
My cat is very finicky eater since he was only few months. I've already tried everything what does vet advice to me. I've tried everything as much as I can do. I've been doing a lot of things for his whole life just to make him eat but it doesn't work. He's very thin and he's not even sick. His food is just going to trash. I'm clueless about taking care of him when he was a kitten. Since now I know how to take care of a cat rightly, is it okay to give him up and start with another new kitten????
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on December 3rd, 2017
Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Wilkie is not wanting to eat, there could be medical reasons behind this behavior such as dental disease or a tooth or oral infection. Other possibilities may include something infectious, organ dysfunction, an endocrine disorder, or other causes. If all medical conditions have been entirely ruled out by a veterinarian, then my best advice is to just stick with one brand of food and try not to change the food or add other food items to it to entice him to eat as this will allow him to become a very picky eater. Try giving him only one type of food-if he is healthy and well, he will not starve himself! He will eventually learn to eat what is given to him. I hope this helps and thank you for posting!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on July 8th, 2017
Cats tend to develop food preferences at a young age, so the best way to prevent a cat from being finicky later is to introduce a wide variety when they're kittens. The down side of this, however, is that too much variation can lead to diarrhea - so there's no perfect solution! Unfortunately, as Wilkie is already over a year old, he has probably already developed his preferences and so all you can do is offer food and try to find what he likes. If his finicky habits are a new development, however, and he's not even eating the food he likes as well as he should, or if he wasn't this finicky previously, then I would recommend having him seen by a vet, as a sudden decrease in appetite could indicate that he's sick. I would be particularly worried if you're noticing any weight loss, as it is never normal for an animal to eat less to the point of weight loss. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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