Often, cat lovers are faced with problems associated with the nutrition of their pet. If you are concerned that your kitten is not eating dry food, then, first of all, you need to understand the reasons why the animal refuses the proposed food. And only after that take measures to rectify the situation.
Reasons why the kitten does not eat dry food:
- I do not like food
Most often, the kitten does not want to eat dry food, simply because he does not like it. Perhaps you should try changing the manufacturer of the product or, for starters, at least offer your pet a different taste of the same food. Keep in mind that often pets as well as people have their own taste preferences.
- The pet is too small to eat solid food
Also a common reason for refusing dry food is the age of the kitten. If you are just starting to accustom your baby to solid food after a period of breastfeeding with her mother’s milk, then it may take some time. As a rule, kittens switch to such a diet at least 4 weeks old. The kitten’s body should gradually get used to new products, so sometimes you should just wait. Now specialized stores offer a wide selection of food for cats of different ages, so you can give preference to dry food for the smallest.
- Adaptation
If you took a kitten and brought it to a new house, then at first it can refuse not only dry food, but also any other food. Such behavior may indicate that the baby has not yet had time to adapt to the new environment and living conditions. He needs time to get used to everything new. Also, the adaptation may relate specifically to food, since where you got the kitten from, it could have a completely different diet from what you proposed.
- Dirty dishes
Sometimes the owners are not too responsible for the process of feeding their pets and neglect the basic rules of hygiene. So, the bowls from which the kitten eats can simply be dirty and exude unpleasant odors that repel the animal. Pour the food only into clean dishes and do not forget to wash it after the kitten has finished eating so that the particles of food left in the bowl do not deteriorate.
- Spoiled product
Some pet lovers prefer to buy dry food in large volumes for future use. For this reason, the product may lose its taste or even deteriorate due to long-term storage. To avoid this, try to buy food in small quantities and be sure to observe the storage conditions indicated on the package.
- overfeeding
If the kitten eats other foods with pleasure and in large quantities, and ignores dry food, it is likely that you overfed it. Perhaps he prefers wet food or other food products and if, after refusing to dry food, you immediately offer your pet his favorite treat, then he may not perceive dry food as food.
Possible health problems leading to the kitten not eating dry food
In addition to the listed reasons for refusing to dry food, the most dangerous may be the reasons associated with the poor health of the kitten. In such cases, the pet's appetite may completely disappear. Other symptoms of the disease may also be expressed. Most likely, without a special education, it will be difficult for you to put the correct diagnosis to your pet. Therefore, you should contact your veterinarian. Here are the most common health problems that make a kitten not eat dry food:
- teeth problems
- dehydration
- Helminthiasis
- Viral or bacterial infection
- Diseases of the internal organs
Options for solving the problem
- Go to the vet
If you are not sure about the reasons for your pet refusing to dry food and suspect that this may be due to health problems, then consult a specialist immediately. After examining the animal, he will give you further recommendations, according to the diagnostic results. Your pet may need treatment. If no health problems are identified, then the choice of further actions is yours.
- Meet the preferences of a kitten
If you are convinced that your kitten is just acting up and prefers other types of food to dry food, then the pet’s whim will be the easiest option. Make his diet only from his favorite food and do not force the use of dry food.
- Train your kitten to dry food
Many owners prefer this option, since dry food is a product designed for a balanced diet of cats. According to experts, such food is much more beneficial for the animal’s body than homemade food.
How to train a kitten to eat dry food
If the reasons why your kitten does not eat dry food are not related to health, then this problem can be solved independently. The main thing in this matter is patience, since the process can be quite lengthy. It is important that the training is carried out step by step:
1. First of all, start gradually adding dry food to your kitten’s usual foods. If the baby passes on solid food after mother’s milk, soak the feed in water or milk. If your pet has already grown up and just prefers food of a softer consistency, then soak the food before adding.
2. Observing the reaction of the kitten to a gradually changing diet, try to gradually increase the proportion of dry food soaked in food.
3. After about a week of mixed nutrition with soaked feed, try starting to add the feed in a dry state.
4. If the kitten eats the proposed food, then every other day you can pour exclusively dry food into the bowl. If the pet refuses the usual food with the addition of dry food, then continue to feed him soaked for some time, and then again go to the next steps.
One way or another, the process of accustoming a kitten to dry food is very individual and depends on both the pet and the owners. Therefore, the easiest way is for those who approach this issue patiently and unobtrusively and are based on the reaction of their favorite.
