Switching to a new food
When changing your diet, patience will be required; the transition should be gradual over 2 weeks. During this period, there is no need to scold the animal for poor appetite or indulge it. When switching from natural food to industrial feed, animals often have stool problems; over time, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract will be restored. In the first 5 days, the granules can be soaked in water so that the unknown consistency does not frighten the pet.
If your cat refuses dry food, you need to figure out the reason. This mainly happens due to errors made in maintenance and care. Any of them can be eliminated.
What should you absolutely not give to your cat?
Some foods are absolutely contraindicated for cats. And there are good reasons for this. Feeding such food is fraught with serious consequences, including death. The fact is that such nutrition kills the body and contributes to the emergence of many diseases.
- milk – no matter how strange it may sound, milk should not be given to cats. This is because only kittens under three months old are fed with milk. Milk contains lactose, which adult cats cannot digest, resulting in digestive problems. Sour cream is also prohibited. This is too fatty a product;
- fish - frequent eating of fish can result in a cat becoming deficient in vitamin B1; the enzymes contained in fish destroy it. Mood swings and loss of appetite are possible. Also, fish causes problems with the kidneys, liver and urolithiasis;
- potatoes and white cabbage – potatoes contain starch, in large quantities it is harmful to the cat’s body. And cabbage causes bloating;
- raw meat - like all raw meats, has many parasites, including worms. Sometimes a cat won't eat raw beef, probably because it knows it's harmful.
- bones (chicken, fish, meat) – bones can get stuck in the throat, damaging it and other organs.
- mahar - causes diabetes, dental problems and excess weight. What is important is that it weakens the immune system;
- garlic and onion - both products contain disulfide, which destroys red blood cells, causing blood diseases.
We have figured out what absolutely cannot be given to cats, because such food brings a lot of troubles and problems. But why doesn’t the cat eat meat, but only food? After all, meat is much tastier than dry food and healthier.
Watch a video about foods you should not feed cats.
First aid for a cat if it stops eating
If there is nothing unusual in the cat’s behavior, the owner should not take emergency measures. Most likely, the cat decided to relieve the gastrointestinal tract, obeying natural instincts. It is necessary to provide him with access to a sufficient amount of clean drinking water and periodically offer him food. He will decide for himself when it is time to return to his usual diet.
Be sure to read:
The cat does not drink water: reasons, daily norm, what to do, is it dangerous, how to force the animal to drink
If the cat looks depressed, his whole appearance indicates malaise, there is vomiting, diarrhea, the temperature has risen above normal, or a hunger strike lasts from 3 days and more, it is necessary to pay a visit to the clinic to eliminate the possibility of a serious illness or to begin treatment as early as possible.
The cat refuses food, drinks only water: should we sound the alarm?
In 90% of cases, a sick animal loses its appetite, and other symptoms are added: high fever, frequent loose stools mixed with blood, mucus, an unpleasant putrid odor, vomiting, runny nose, frequent shallow breathing.
Be sure to read:
A kitten's eyes are watery: what to do, reasons, norm and pathology, characteristics of different breeds
The coat quickly loses its attractive appearance, becomes dull, patchy, the eyes can sour and become cloudy. Any of these manifestations accompanied by refusal to eat is a reason to immediately contact a veterinary hospital.
For small kittens, even daily fasting is not the norm. A growing body needs nutrition, so babies almost never have fasting days.
If the pet looks healthy, is playful, feels and behaves normally, there is no need to worry, the time will come when he will begin to eat in his usual way. It is necessary to provide him with a sufficient amount of clean drinking water, you can give him an activated carbon tablet, it will not make him worse, he absorbs toxins well.
How to keep meat safe
To prevent your cat from becoming infected with worms by eating meat, the product must be well prepared beforehand. The owner won’t have to do anything complicated. In order to destroy parasite eggs, their larvae and even adults, it is enough to freeze the meat for 50 hours. No matter how resilient worms are, they cannot withstand prolonged exposure to sub-zero temperatures. After cooling, the meat becomes completely safe and can be given to your cat without worrying about its health.
© shutterstock
If meat is bought at the market from an open counter, where flies that carry many diseases could land on it, it must also be processed before giving it to the cat so as not to bring infectious diseases to the pet with it. To do this, you need to pour boiling water over the product, but do not keep it in it, so that the beneficial substances in the meat are not destroyed.
Having bought meat, even in the most reliable place, it must be frozen before giving it to the cat. Due to the fact that people do not consume raw meat, the product, even if it contains eggs of a number of worms, is considered safe and goes on sale.
Why don't people like cats?
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“So much for you!” - many of our readers will think, barely looking at the title. We campaigned and campaigned, told and told what wonderful animals cats are, how soft, affectionate and pliable they are... But today we decided to go “by contradiction” and directly admit that in addition to cat lovers, there are those in the world who, to put it mildly, do not like mustaches -striped pets. Let's listen to them and study their arguments. And then we’ll discuss it in the comments. What do you think of our idea?
Unpleasant smell. It is enough to enter an entrance hall favored by stray cats, or into the apartment of too ardent fans of these animals. Most likely, out of habit, you will immediately feel, excuse me, a sharp urge to vomit. The smell of cat feces is a nightmare. The animals themselves are quite clean, but the overpowering smell of “cat meat” negates all the advantages of the cute little animals.
Cats are cunning, sneaky and prone to manipulating their owners. Try not to please the cat in some way! If you denied your favorite treat, don’t forget to check your slippers or weekend shoes tomorrow morning. Most likely, a gift will be waiting for you there! One of my friends on a social network complained: the cat doesn’t let me work on the computer - he lays on the keyboard and that’s it. I have tried so many methods! Action gives rise to reaction: now the dirty trickster “marks” the keyboard with urine. So that it is disgraceful! Well, in terms of undisguised flattery, as well as the search for effective methods to achieve what they want, cats generally have no equal in the animal world.
Allergy to cats. Quite recently we devoted a separate article to this issue. But, as they say, it is what it is. Many simply cannot stand being around cats, suffering from allergic reactions.
Cats kill birds. After all, cats are naturally obligate predators. And small birds are their original, well-deserved prey. We understand the residents of country houses who have gone to live closer to nature to enjoy its sounds, the singing of birds... But there is silence all around. All potential "singers" went to pussies for dinner.
Cats scratch and bite often. And anyway, who said that cats must be soft, warm and affectionate creatures? There are also absolutely soulless cats that experience genuine pleasure in biting and scratching their owners for no reason or no reason. Or even rushing at them from some kind of shelter!
Cats are too independent. People are unhappy: they get themselves a pet, just for a moment. To communicate, stroke, caress. But it soon becomes clear that your cat does not consider itself your pet. Quite the contrary. It is out of mercy that she allows you to live in her house. It wasn't you who turned her on - she turned you on! Just don’t forget to fill her bowl to the brim with food in time. It seems that’s it – common interests are running out.
Have you ever heard of ailurophobia? There are a great many phobias in the world. Ailurophobia is the fear of anything related to cats. One sight of tailed creatures makes sensitive people tremble! Even great people were not spared from this terrible phobia. The most famous ailurophobe was the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
Do you find the “counter-arguments” convincing, dear readers? Do you agree with all the arguments presented? Perhaps you want to share something of your own, something painful, as they say, to pour out your soul? We are pleased to invite you to a conversation. Write to us!
One question alone haunts us. Why do people... love cats? There is a proposal to end our article with the world famous quote: “If you have a cat, then you come back not just to a house, but to a home” (Pam Brown). What other arguments do you need, friends?
Photo: pixabay.com
What is the danger of an animal refusing to eat for a long time?
Long-term abstinence from food depletes the body, making it vulnerable to bacteria and viral infections. In pregnant cats, fasting for more than a day compromises fetal development.
In some cases, prolonged refusal to eat provokes:
- convulsions,
- glycemic coma
- loss of body weight to a dystrophic state,
- exacerbation of chronic diseases,
- disorders of the kidneys and liver.
You should not use fasting in order to force your pet to eat food that is unpleasant to him. You can often hear similar recommendations when transferring an animal from natural food to “drying” or vice versa: “He will fast for two or three days and start eating.”
The method really works with some animals, while others would prefer to die rather than submit. There is no need to forcefully “unload” your pet; his body knows when to take a break.
If you want to “lose weight,” your cat should reduce the amount of food he eats, add physical activity, but do not starve him, this will disrupt metabolic processes and cause hormonal imbalances. If your pet goes on strike, what do you do in this case?
Is it possible to train cats to eat chicken?
Any changes in an animal's diet must be carried out step by step. To begin with, you should mix a small amount of shredded chicken into the food that your cat is willing to eat. You can completely replace the portion no earlier than after a week. In addition, the meat should be prepared: remove bones, remove skin and fat deposits, and chop.
Sometimes, the chicken should be boiled first - many animals prefer meat only in this form, especially if they are accustomed to ready-made food. Some cats like more liquid food, and then the shredded chicken can be lightly flavored with broth without salt and spices. If you serve raw chicken, pay special attention to the freshness of the meat. Cats' sense of smell is very sensitive, and most often they will refuse a product with a "smell" because their body, an obligate predator, has very limited capabilities to protect against putrefactive bacteria.
The most important thing is to try to immediately teach your cat to eat different parts of chicken, because one breast, for example, is too low in calories, a thigh contains a lot of fat, etc. It is better to mix the meat of different parts of the chicken and do not forget about the entrails - the main storehouse of vitamins and microelements, but you need to add them little by little, and give the liver no more than once or twice a week. We wrote in more detail about whether cats can have chicken and in what form in this article.
Physiological reasons
Outdoor pets may eat elsewhere. When returning, they will not experience hunger, having snacked on hunted game (mouse, bird), donations from compassionate passers-by, or trophies from a trash can. Uncontrolled eating causes poisoning and infection with dangerous diseases. You can minimize the risk by feeding your cat before going outside.
New food, when switched to another type of food (to natural food from industrial lunches), often becomes the cause of starvation. The cat boycotts the proposed menu, trying to force the owner to play by the old rules. You need to be patient and not give in to provocation.
Cats do not like dirty bowls, the smell of spoiled food, or insects crawling nearby the plates. Neglect of sanitation rules causes poisoning.
Worms and fleas kill your appetite. Reproducing exponentially, they feed on blood, dumping waste products into it, which become the cause of intoxication. It is necessary to regularly carry out preventive measures to destroy parasites.
Another reason is a stomach full of wool. If the owner does not comb the pet, it will do the grooming on its own. The cat will be bothered by stool problems and vomiting. You can fight it with veterinary drugs that help remove the hair from the outside.
In extreme heat, animals refrain from eating, preferring only to drink water. Kittens lose interest in feeding during hormonal changes in the body to adult mode, as do pregnant and estrus cats. Cats actively searching for a partner also eat less, less often than usual. Sometimes purrs go hungry for days after eating a large, heavy meal the day before.
Be sure to read:
Discharge from the eyes in cats: normal or pathological, causes, what to do, treatment and prevention
What meat is healthier to give to a cat?
Raw meat is good for your cat's health. It contains all the amino acids and proteins necessary for the animal and ensures the proper functioning of internal organs and systems. Also, in its raw form, the product is much easier to digest by the pet’s stomach, and therefore the cat does not risk getting diseases of the digestive system.
It is strictly forbidden to give your cat fried and smoked meat. Such products will only harm the health of the animal . There is nothing useful in them for the cat, but they cause irritation of the stomach and liver. Also, if the pancreas is weak, it may also suffer.
