How to know why a cat doesn't like the food given?

When I put out some canned cat food, she will eat some then walk off. Sometimes she eats the rest later. Sometimes she never touches it any more, ever, even many hours later when I'm sure she's hungry.  Even with food she likes, she typically eats some, walks off and eats more later. But never, if it's been out so long that it dried out. 

For food she ignores, is it because she doesn't like the taste?  The cat word for that is "rrreow".  Is it because the wet canned food has dried out (but still moist to my fingers)?  The cat word for that is also "rrreow".   Is it too warm, or too cold?   "Rrreow", of course.   Maybe she doesn't like the chunks of meat and would prefer pate, or bigger chunks or smaller, or softer chunks, or more gravy, or more or less of something.  All explained in cat language as "rrreow".    

How to know why my cat isn't eating the stuff on her plate?

How much food are you feeding her? Cats don't have huge stomachs and it's not unusual for them the graze rather than eat all their food at once.

If she is eating the food then she likes it and there is no harm in leaving wet food out in normal temperatures for a few hours.

For my cats, I might add a few drops of water to the food if they don't eat it right away or wrap up the food bowls in cling wrap and put it in the fridge for a hour before reserving it. They also have dry food out, so they won't go hungry.

 My cat eats a third to maybe half a can when I feed her. She will "snack" on most of the remainder throughout the next few hours or so. Whatever is left after that I simply throw away, wash her dish, and it's ready for her next feeding time.

CJCovington said:

 My cat eats a third to maybe half a can when I feed her. She will "snack" on most of the remainder throughout the next few hours or so. Whatever is left after that I simply throw away, wash her dish, and it's ready for her next feeding time.

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This I pretty much what I do with my two. It seems to work well.

Every cat is different and has different tastes, just like us humans.  Some cats like chicken, some like beef.  Some like chunks, some like pates.  Some like it warm, some like it cold.  Some like it soupy, some like it on the dryer side.  Some like to eat in smaller portions, several times a day, some like to eat bigger portions, several times a day .  I've currently got two cats,and their tastes are as different as night and day, so at any given time I've got a few different cans of food open and covered in the fridge.  When I'm away for the day, I have to leave very specific instructions for my hubby and what to feed them as it's not as simple as saying "open this can and split it between the two"

One of my guys will eat his entire bowl (usually about 2/3 of a 3 oz can with water added ) in one sitting, inhale it pretty much.  His brother, on the other hand, will eat about 2/3 of his bowl, and then walk away.  I know, though, that he will be back in approx 15 minutes to finish it off.  So i just cover up his bowl with a heavy book or something (mainly to keep his brother from eating it) then keep an eye out for him to return.  He'll usually mew for me when he's ready to eat the rest

So, what I'm really getting at is that YOU, as the cat feeder, must figure out by trial and error, what your little furry friend likes and dislikes, and then feed her appropriately.  Cats will practically starve themselves to death if they don't like something...honestly they will.  OH, and I forgot to mention.  Their tastes will change.  Something they love today they might not love tomorrow, and vice versa.  That's why rotating foods is a good idea.  I switch between several foods so they don't get stuck on just one.  They may have chicken chunks in the morning, beef pate for lunch, turkey and salmon slices for dinner and so on (well, ONE of mine does this...the other - not so much )

I don't feed dry, except in place of a treat when brushing. They have timed meals and the two of them split a can and eat it all, so do the two ferals I feed outside! I found what they like and feed those 4 flavors! Mine like Merrick and whole earth farms rabbit, beef and duck pates and Soulistic chicken pate& shreds dinner in gelee. I sprinkle Purebites freeze dried chicken on top! I buy dog size bag at chewy or amazon. They never leave any, I feed am and pm

Yes, I don't feed any dry food either, and also feed timed meals (except for the fact that I know Tinky eats ONE meal in two sittings ...but it's still timed.  If he doesn't return within that 15 minutes, I pull it up and he has to wait until the next meal.)

to answer your question - cats are weird. one day I'll give them a taste of the bacon I'm cooking, the next time they snub it. Sprinkling freeze dried treats on top of canned food is a HUGE help. I've gotton mine to with NV Raw Boost rabbit. I squish a couple up & sprinkle over the top of the food, lickity lick, they eat it.

Trial & error. I have spent countless dollars on food that I ended up throwing in the trash. Do you have a dog? When I did she would eat whatever cat food the kitties didn't eat as a special little treat. You seriously have to buy pates, shreds, gravy, no gravy, one of like every different kind & see what she prefers. My cats grew up on Weruva, it's basically a soft shredded chicken soup. Now they want something more dry like Tiki Cat, where they can really chew the chicken. What happens when I put out chicken chunks for them to eat? Only one will eat them.

What I did is I bought diffrent flavors diffrent brands , my cat loves turkey pate chicken, beef , once in a blue moon I give him salmon, any fish flavors they say to stay away from fish flavors because of the Mercury