Why won’t cats eat dry food?
This cat blog will answer the major question, “Why won’t cats eat dry food?” we will also discuss the reasons for your cat not eating dry food, the effects of not eating dry food, and what you can do so that your cat starts eating dry food.
Why won’t cats eat dry food?
Following are the reasons why your cat won’t eat dry food:
- Kidney problems
- Liver problems
- Oral problems
- Stomach problems
- Parasites and worms
- Stress
If you remove these causes your cat will start eating dry food. The effects of not eating dry food are not good so you better hurry and take your cat to the vet.
What are the reasons for your cat not eating dry food?
Following are the reasons for cats not eating dry food:
Kidney problems
The first problem is kidney damage which is painful. The pain will kill the appetite of your cat so you need to make sure the kidneys are working properly. It is very difficult to diagnose kidney problems in the early stage because the signs of kidney damage appear when the kidneys have lost 75% of their function.
If you suspect that your cat is not eating and is feeling difficulty in urination you should quickly take your cat to the vet. Your vet will perform some tests to check the health of the kidneys.
Liver problems
The next problem is liver damage. The liver damage is severe as it is the central metabolic station of the body. The food in the body is metabolized by the liver and the harmful metabolites are released from the body by the kidneys.
Following are the major clinical signs of liver problems in cats:
- Loss of appetite
- Jaundice
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Diarrhea
- Edema of body tissues
Stomach upset
The next problem is stomach upset which is a minor problem for your cat. Stomach upset can be managed and is due to indigestion. Your cat has eaten something that is not digested in the stomach so it will lead to stomach upset in your cat.
Worms
The next problem is the worms. Worms can reside in the intestine, attached to the intestinal wall, and will hinder the absorption of nutrients from the intestine. Following are the major clinical signs of worm infestation in your cat:
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Pica
Oral problems
There are several problems associated with the oral cavity that includes:
- Mouth lacerations
- Mouth wounds
- Broken tooth
All these problems affect the food intake of your cat. It is easy to diagnose oral problems because you can observe them by yourself. You just need to open the mouth of your cat and look for any lesions.
What are the effects of not eating dry cat food?
Following are the effects of not eating dry cat food for your cat:
Weight loss
The first effect is weight loss. It is due to the utilization of the stored fat in the body. When your cat eats some food is digested to give energy while some food is stored in the body in the form of fat for further use.
Weakness
If your cat is not eating well, it will feel weak due to the electrolyte imbalance in the body. It is due to the shortage of nutrients in the body. If your cat is not eating for more than one day you should take your cat to the vet as he is the only one who can tell you what is wrong with your cat.
Reproductive performance
The next thing is the reproductive performance of your cat. If your cat is not eating well, the reproductive performance is compromised because the nutrients in the body are not enough to fulfill the nutritional requirements of the reproductive tract of the body.
What can you do to make your cat eat dry cat food?
Following are the things you can do so that your cat starts eating:
Remove the causative agents
The first thing is to remove the causative agents that are causing problems in your cat such as kidney and liver problems. The next thing is to design a diet plan for your cat.
Enrich the food
If your cat is feeling bored eating the same food you can enrich it with the addition of cat treats in it. This will improve the taste of the cat food and your cat will start eating. You can also warm the dry food.
Conclusion
In this cat blog, we answered the major question, “Why won’t cats eat dry food?” we also covered the reasons for your cat not eating dry food, the effects of not eating dry food, and what you can do so that your cat starts eating dry food.
