I have a two year old cat, Magnus. I've had him since he was 5 months old, when I adopted him from a TNR group (he used to be feral with his mom and brother, but would eat food left out by someone, so he was partially socialized in that way). Anyway, when I adopted him and up until a few weeks ago, he would eat ANYTHING I gave him. He'd eat it immediately, and would lick the plate clean. We used to call him the Hoover because he just sucked the food right up off the plate, then come begging for more.
Now it's possible his appetite has finally calmed down somewhat since he's been wtih us for a year and a half and has probably stopped growing at this point since he's no longer a kitten. However, lately he's become a picky eater, turning his nose up at things and eating less. He comes and whines for food but when I put it out for him he just sniffs it or takes a few bites and then leaves it. Sometimes, he'll come back later and eat it if I leave it out. (I don't leave it out very long though because it's wet food and it's very hot here and I don't want to leave it out too long or it'll spoil).
The frustrating thing is he'll eat certain things but I can't seem to pinpoint what those things are as he seems to switch up every week. I have been feeding him a rotation of mostly grain-free canned foods, and some raw as well as some treats here and there.
he still eats the treats even when he is beng picky, or boneless chicken breast, but he stopped eating any meat iwth bone in it, as well as many of the canned brands he used to like. I am wasting a lot of food and it's frustrating. However, I wonder if there is something wrong with him or is he just being picky. The ONLY thing that it seems like he'll always eat is this one brand of wet food - it's the Trader Jo's brand of cat food with chicken and rice or turkey and rice. (of course it's the one brand with grain in it that I rotate in with the grain-free foods in order to even out the costs as the grain-free stuff is more expensive). I've been trying to put out smaller portions of the other food, and if he goes hungry then hopefully he'll eat his food at the next meal. Sometimes this works. Sometimes it' doesn't.
He's as frisky and playful as ever, he loves to run around and has his nightly 'crazies', and his bathroom habits are the same. He does not look underfed. I've been feeling his sides to see if he feel like he's losing weight but I haven't noticed anything. he is a big cat though (long and tall, though, not fat at all. He's has a trim shape but I think he should stil be eating one 5.5 oz can of food per day and sometimes he is not.) Last time I had him at the vets (several months ago he weighed just shy of 13 lbs. and they said his weight was perfect.
I was thinking of calling the vets just to get their opinion but I was wondering if somebody here had advice for dealing with a finicky eater and when to know if it's a health problem or if they are just being finicky... And if he IS being finicky, how to curb that. I am wondering if I should cut out giving him his little daily treats because maybe they have spoiled him for the healthier food? Also the past couple of weeks we have had some bugs (crickets and such) get in the apartment and he loves chasing them down and eating them. he does this at night when we're asleep and we find the evidence in the morning (Ieftover legs or something. yuck!). Maybe this is spoiling his appetite? or else the act of 'hunting' is more exciting then just getting food on a plate? Wth his treats I like to toss them down the hall and let him chase after them and 'kill' them. He loves this. Maybe this is spoiling him?
Recent pic
Here he is playing (video from a couple of months ago).
Now it's possible his appetite has finally calmed down somewhat since he's been wtih us for a year and a half and has probably stopped growing at this point since he's no longer a kitten. However, lately he's become a picky eater, turning his nose up at things and eating less. He comes and whines for food but when I put it out for him he just sniffs it or takes a few bites and then leaves it. Sometimes, he'll come back later and eat it if I leave it out. (I don't leave it out very long though because it's wet food and it's very hot here and I don't want to leave it out too long or it'll spoil).
The frustrating thing is he'll eat certain things but I can't seem to pinpoint what those things are as he seems to switch up every week. I have been feeding him a rotation of mostly grain-free canned foods, and some raw as well as some treats here and there.
he still eats the treats even when he is beng picky, or boneless chicken breast, but he stopped eating any meat iwth bone in it, as well as many of the canned brands he used to like. I am wasting a lot of food and it's frustrating. However, I wonder if there is something wrong with him or is he just being picky. The ONLY thing that it seems like he'll always eat is this one brand of wet food - it's the Trader Jo's brand of cat food with chicken and rice or turkey and rice. (of course it's the one brand with grain in it that I rotate in with the grain-free foods in order to even out the costs as the grain-free stuff is more expensive). I've been trying to put out smaller portions of the other food, and if he goes hungry then hopefully he'll eat his food at the next meal. Sometimes this works. Sometimes it' doesn't.
He's as frisky and playful as ever, he loves to run around and has his nightly 'crazies', and his bathroom habits are the same. He does not look underfed. I've been feeling his sides to see if he feel like he's losing weight but I haven't noticed anything. he is a big cat though (long and tall, though, not fat at all. He's has a trim shape but I think he should stil be eating one 5.5 oz can of food per day and sometimes he is not.) Last time I had him at the vets (several months ago he weighed just shy of 13 lbs. and they said his weight was perfect.
I was thinking of calling the vets just to get their opinion but I was wondering if somebody here had advice for dealing with a finicky eater and when to know if it's a health problem or if they are just being finicky... And if he IS being finicky, how to curb that. I am wondering if I should cut out giving him his little daily treats because maybe they have spoiled him for the healthier food? Also the past couple of weeks we have had some bugs (crickets and such) get in the apartment and he loves chasing them down and eating them. he does this at night when we're asleep and we find the evidence in the morning (Ieftover legs or something. yuck!). Maybe this is spoiling his appetite? or else the act of 'hunting' is more exciting then just getting food on a plate? Wth his treats I like to toss them down the hall and let him chase after them and 'kill' them. He loves this. Maybe this is spoiling him?
Recent pic
Here he is playing (video from a couple of months ago).