Vets will sometimes prescribe food for cats. This is done to ensure they are getting the right nutrients and/or treatment for their health. However, this doesn’t mean the cat is always going to be onboard with the idea! Instead, there are times when a cat won’t eat prescription food at all.
If your cat won’t eat prescription food, it’s recommended to use flavor enhancers, maintain a positive attitude, experiment with different temperatures, and/or ask the vet for alternatives.
It’s common for ill cats to refuse eating prescription food. It’s difficult due to their symptoms and it won’t be as satisfying as their regular cat food. This is why a lot of cats refuse to eat prescription food and don’t want to even come close!
Key factors include:
- Type of Prescription Food
- Natural Preferences
- Timing
If your cat won’t eat prescription food, there is no reason to panic. You will have more than enough chances to make adjustments until the cat is happy.
Since the cat can’t speak to you, it becomes important to mix things up a bit. See what works. The more your experiment, the easier it will get to hit the sweet spot with your cat.
This article will shed light on what to do if your cat won’t eat prescription food. These tips will go a long way in making sure the cat does eat its prescription food as soon as you want it to.
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Tips To Follow If Your Cat Won’t Eat Prescription Food
1. Use a Flavor Enhancer
Prescription food is not always going to taste good.
Some cats refuse to eat this type of food because it just doesn’t have a pleasant taste. Just like humans, cats are also picky eaters and will have personal preferences that sway their decisions.
However, this is not the end of the world.
If your cat won’t eat prescription food, take the time to find flavor enhancers. These are commonly sold on the open market and can be a good option when you want to add a twist to the cat’s prescription food. Just a little bit of the flavor enhancer might get the job done.
Please do speak to your vet to find out which type of flavor enhancer works best for your cat’s medical history.
2. Maintain a Positive Attitude When Giving The Food
This is an underrated tip.
If your cat won’t eat prescription food, it is important to maintain a positive attitude when giving the food. Cats will pick up on these details and they won’t be happy if you aren’t.
The cat is already ill, so you want to make things as fun as possible. Just maintaining a positive attitude can get the cat to give it a shot.
A lot of cat owners are depressed when giving the cat something it doesn’t like. You may even try to get forceful in the hopes of improving the cat’s condition!
This is the wrong approach to take and dangerous.
You don’t want the cat to associate something that’s good for her as a bad thing. This is when the cat will make all future treatments a difficult process.
3. Change the Temperature
If your cat won’t eat prescription food, it is best to try changing the food’s temperature.
It doesn’t have to be by a lot.
Just warming the food a bit could make a real difference. It might start to have a different taste and/or texture to it due to the heat and sometimes that is enough.
Play around with this to see how the cat reacts.
Even a subtle change in the cat’s willingness due to the temperature is a real win. It is a good step in the right direction.
Related Questions
1. What Do I Do If My Cat Won’t Eat Renal Food?
If a cat won’t eat renal food, it’s important not to force the issue. Instead, persuade the cat to eat the food by changing its flavor profile, warming it, and/or using flavor enhancers.
2. How Can I Get My Cat To Eat Prescription Food?
The best way to get your cat to eat prescription food is to use flavor enhancers, change the food’s temperature, and/or try positive reinforcement when giving the food.
Final Thoughts
These are the tips to follow if your cat won’t eat prescription food.
It is a tough situation to be in but not the end of the world! You can make a difference by implementing the tips that have been offered here.
Here’s more on cats – how to help a gagging cat, helping a cat that ate a moth, giving alkaline water to a thirsty cat, and getting neutered cat to live with other cats.