How to accustom a cat to eat I think?

A good quality feed, without grains, is a very good diet for the cat. By having meat as the only source of protein, the risk of allergy is very low, practically non-existent. In addition, it is very comfortable for us, since we only have to open and serve. But, How to get him to eat it?

Sometimes changing the type of diet is not easy at all. To make it a little, I'm going to tell you how to accustom a cat to eat I think.

Kittens less than two months old

If we have a kitten that is less than two months old It is very important that we give you I think húfearas their teeth are not yet developed enough to be able to chew the kibbles. But of course, if you are very used to milk, it can take you a little to get used to solid food, even if you have to do it urgently if you want to continue growing. 

How to help you?

Ideally, your mother would also eat wet kitten food for a season. These animals learn by imitation, and what better than a mother to teach him. But if the kitten is an orphan, there will be no choice but to teach him. To do this, what we must do is take a little bit of food (less than what would fit on our fingertips), open its mouth and put the food inside. Being so small there is no risk of suffocation, and in fact, by instinct it is normal for you to swallow it without problem.

But ... (there is always a but), sometimes it is necessary to repeat this a lot until the animal eats. Although in a matter of a few days it will be he himself who will go to his feeder to eat his well-chopped wet food.

Kittens over two months and adults

If the kitten is more than two months old, or if we have an adult cat that does not eat dry food, we can help you by mixing the food with wet feed or with homemade chicken broth (boneless). If it does not work, we will try to add a little salmon oil that we will find in animal products stores so that it has a different flavor.

Anyway, It is important to bear in mind that, like humans, not all cats like the same type of food or brands of feed. Others like to change, and there are others who only eat the feed that they have been eating forever. Although it may not seem like the most appropriate to us, it is better not to make them change their minds because they could stop eating and to solve this ... you have to be very patient.

Tricks to stimulate your appetite

While there are many potential reasons for a cat to refuse food, here are some simple tricks you can try to tempt its appetite:

• Give him some canned / wet food (the stinkier the better, try varieties of shellfish)
• Give him some meat or baby food
• Add a little water from a can of tuna or anchovies to your food
• Add some warm chicken broth and low in sodium to their food, either kibble or canned (avoid broths that contain onion, onion powder, chives or garlic, as they can be toxic to cats).
• Gently heat food in the microwave or with lukewarm water (don't overheat it!)
• Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese grated over your food.
• Sprinkle some nutritional yeast powder on your food.

If these tricks fail, or if your cat refuses more than two meals, it's time to go to the vet for a medical evaluation.

How to help you if you have more than one cat at home to eat their feed

When you have several at home, you need to make sure that they are all eating well. If your cats have spent a lot of time eating together and ate whenever they wanted, they may not want to eat otherwise. But what happens if you have to give a special diet to one of your cats? How can you feed him separately from the rest?

Feeding the cats separately to eat their feed

These are some of the situations where you may need to make sure your cats are fed separately, so they only get their own food:

• One or more of your cats have a medical condition requiring a special diet and no other food.
• One or more of your cats are overweight and they need a special diet and / or only a specific amount of food.
• Your cats fight over food or one of them is kept away from the food bowl by another. This is known as resource protection, and it is quite common in groups of cats.
• One or more of your cats take medication mixed with their food.
• Your cats are of different ages and need different foods in their life. For example, a kitten needs special food to grow and should not eat a diet for adult cats.

Before starting a special diet for any of your cats, it is necessary that you speak with the veterinarian and make sure that you are giving him the appropriate amount of food.

How to go from free feeding to a regulated feeding with feed

The first thing you should do to feed your cats separately is to put the food in a place where food can always be available, even if the food bowls are not always full. You can set times for your cat to get used to feeding.

If your cats are used to eating freely, always having food at their disposal, it may take a while for them to get used to this new way of feeding. It may take a week or so to adjust to the change.

You should think about the meal time that best suits you and that your cat does not go hungry. Determine the hours for your cats to follow the routine and that they are always the same hours. You can have two or three meals a day, depending on your schedule. You will also have to choose an area to put the food before starting and invite your cats to eat, so they know that this will be their new feeding place. You can use cat treats if they can take them, positive words and caresses so that he realizes that that bowl is his and that you can supervise him while he eats.

Remember not to make sudden changes in your cats diet. If a new diet is necessary, you will have to make a gradual change to prevent your cats from having digestive problems. If you have questions of any kind you will have to speak with your vet before making any changes.

When you have to put food aside, your cats may not understand why you are doing it. In this transition time you may have to feed them a little more often so they don't get too hungry while they learn the new routine.

How to feed cats separately

Next we are going to give you some tips so you know how feed your cats separately in the best possible way. You can choose a cat or several, depending on the needs you have in your home. The tips you can follow are the following:

• Feed your cats in separate rooms. Teach each cat to eat in different rooms of the house and close the doors so that they can feed peacefully.
• Feed your cats in the same room but at different times. You will have to separate the other cats out of the room when it is the turn of another of your felines.
• Feed your cats in the same room but separate it with baby gates. If your cats are not very agile, you can separate them with baby gates in the same room, so they cannot jump over the fence and can eat peacefully.
• Feed your cats at different levels. Sometimes, if the cat needs to eat a special diet because it is older or other circumstances but cannot jump, you can put the food on different levels, such as a shelf or a stable table. This only works if it is acceptable and if you have more agile cats than others.

You have to be patient

It is important that you be patient with your cats and that you understand that they must adapt to the new situation to feed. Do not give up if the first days do not seem to adapt, because they will be able to adapt little by little and in the end, everyone will be able to eat correctly thanks to your instructions and the transition that you have chosen as the best for each specific case. Soon they will accept their new routine and everything will be fine again!

So that way, cats can eat their feed without having to make a mistake eating the feed of other of your cats. They will be able to eat their feed without the feed of other of your cats interfering with their diet. Follow these tips for both your smallest kittens and your adult or elderly cats. A) Yes, they will be able to eat their own feed.

I hope these tips are useful to you. ?