Summer is approaching and very soon you might find yourself dealing with a problem that is typical at this time of year: your cat is not hungry. If your cat seems a little bit indifferent to his food, it could be caused by various factors. Let’s take a look at these together and see how to stimulate your cat’s appetite!
A cat that isn’t eating: causes
It is possible for a cat to lose his appetite for a few days without necessarily being ill, but it is often the first symptom that something is wrong. Generally speaking, kitty isn’t eating because:
1. He doesn’t like the food. It is important to change the type of dry food from time to time, in order to vary your cat’s diet. Nevertheless, cats do not always appreciate this choice and may categorically refuse to eat. In this case, try to stimulate his appetite by adding some of his favourite food to the dry food and he’ll gradually become accustomed to it. On the contrary, your feline friend will sometimes refuse to eat out of boredom if his meals are always the same.
2. The weather is hot. Cats tend to eat less in the summertime because temperature has a negative effect on their digestive system. In fact, cats feel climate changes too and suffer just like human beings do. In this case, the best thing to do is to have meal times early in the morning or in the evening, when the air is cooler, and try encourage your cat to drink as much as possible.
3. He’s depressed. If your cat isn’t eating and seems sad, he could have some psychological problems. Stressful episodes or traumatic experiences (e.g. moving house, the death of a person or the arrival of a new animal) could cause your cat to lose his appetite.
4. He’s sick. When your cat is not eating and is always lying down, is tired and sleeps all day, this is a clear warning sign. In this case, you should take kitty to the vet and have him checked out completely, as he might have health problems.
A cat that has lost his appetite: what you should do
When lack of appetite is due to boredom or habits, the solution is to change your cat’s diet, stimulate him with tasty food like canned wet food or something made specifically for him at home. That’s not all though. It is also necessary to make changes in the daily routine and it is therefore useful to play with your cat, stimulate his curiosity and tire him out: this way, you can be sure that his appetite will return!
When it’s very hot outside, however, your cat needs more liquids in his diet: giving him some wet food is sufficient, and make sure he always has fresh water in his bowl.