(I bet you can relate to that.) If their sense of smell is altered, during illnesses or as part of the normal aging process, they might show less interest in their food. Heating their food also enhances a meal’s smell and pets enjoy food more when it smells good. When I offer refrigerated food, I pour a bit of hot water on it to heat it. Some pets don’t like eating cold food that has been in the refrigerator, and some pets refuse to eat food that has been heated in a microwave. If it does, try placing the dish on some grippy padded shelf liner. Another dish detail is whether the dish moves around as they try to eat. Also, some pets prefer glass or ceramic dishes to plastic dishes. Use dishes that are shallow enough for pets to reach their food without straining their neck too much or having their whiskers touch the sides of the dishes. Keep food dishes clean and provide fresh dishes for food and water at least every day. If your pets are enthusiastic about food when you open a bag but less enthusiastic as you get to the bottom of the bag, the food might be losing its flavor and smell before you offer it to them. Another way to keep it fresher is to buy smaller bags. In contrast, simply topping-off the food in the dish can leave food at the bottom sitting out for days. If your pets free-feed on kibble throughout the day, it’s best to provide small amounts so the dishes that are empty at the end of the day. Make sure the food in their dish is fresh. Dry kibble also comes in a lot of shapes that can feel very different in their mouths. Try feeding your dogs and cats wet foods that contain chunks in gravy, as well as those that are more like pate. Cats are notoriously particular about the texture of their food. It’s also good to offer wet foods from cans or pouches, and raw food that is either dehydrated or frozen. Many people like dry kibble because it’s convenient. Here at Addiction, our pet foods have high quality proteins that provide pets with lots of proteins that have very different flavors like venison, duck, rabbit, buffalo, brushtail, and unagi (eel). You can help them by providing variety in: Scientists aren’t sure exactly why this is the case, but they suspect it’s either because they don’t recognize certain foods as being foods, or that they become habituated (addicted) to that one food. Most pets who are fed only one food during their youth are less likely to accept other diets. The number one thing you can do to avoid raising picky pets is to offer them a variety of food from the moment they join your family.īy the time they’re 6 months old, dogs and cats dietary habits are already established. Variety in food is normal for dogs and cats, so most veterinarians encourage us to provide our pets with variety in their diets: foods with different protein sources, offering wet and dry kibble, and trying different textures of wet foods. Our pets live longer now than ever, and many of them need to be on special diets in their senior years. ![]() But if they have to change diets at some point in their lives – either for health reasons or because their favorite food is no longer available – the transition to a new food will be easier for pets who accept a variety of foods. ![]() You’ll have a better chance at raising dogs and cats who welcome variety in their diet if you understand what usually causes pets to be finicky.įinicky dogs and cats, in themselves, are not a problem. Often this situation is due to how and what they were fed early in their lives. It’s pretty common for them to turn up their nose at some – or many – of the foods that we offer them. I bet you know at least one dog or cat who’s picky about their food.
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