How to get a cat that won’t eat, to eat?

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She’s always been fussy. Won’t eat jelly food, only gravy and won’t eat fish.

She’s always had Whiskas as it was the only brand of food she’d eat (trust me when I tried every single other brand available).

She now won’t eat it. I’ve tried other brands too; Felix, Sheba and Wainwrights, she looked in the bowl and walked away. I've also put cooled cooked roasted chicken in her bowl and she didn't eat that either.

I have left food down for 24 hours without changing it as per recommendation from my vet nurse friend, she hasn’t touched it.

She’s hungry as she’s standing by her full food bowl meowing but won’t eat anything I put down. Dried food makes her sick, so can’t try that.

WTF can I do? She’s about 7, indoor only and neutered so not in season or anything. Litter tray is fine, heating comes on when it drops below 20 degrees in the house and doesn’t seem to bother her.

How are her teeth - has she ever had them checked?

You could try warming the food slightly - this brings out its aroma.

How long since she's eaten?

Could she be in pain? Like maybe a sore tooth or something? Have you tried something liquidised? Or even the chicken flavoured ‘lick-ee-lix’ sachets (yoghurt like texture) by Webbox.
Is she her usual self apart from this?

Sounds like teeth. I don’t think cats do well not eating for lengthy periods. I would get her to vets

Just thought of something else - cats don’t tend to like it if their bowls are too deep. Most prefer a shallow plate so they don’t have to squish their whiskers/face too much in it. Just a thought! Maybe worth a try!

She seems fine in herself except the meowing by her bowl, been a couple of days without her eating.

Dish is a saucer type thing I was given when I got her

Cats can be so determined and stuborn.
My kitten is 9 months old and never beena great eater, although since very recently being speyed this does seem to be improving.
She has always refused kitten food, prefering a normal tin of whiskas.
My other cat is very fussy these days and only enjoys Felix sachets, the kitten has never touched his food. Luckily she seems to enjoy Whiskas dry food these days and it is always on offer for her.

I’d get her teeth checked out, the vet nurse might be able to have a look?

Definitely get her to the vet. My cat did this - was hungry, and seemed t want to eat, but like you, I tried everything and she still walked away - it was an infection in her mouth.

Will speak to the vet tomorrow then thank you

Agree, definitely rule out/confirm any health reasons with the vet.

Might be worth trying some lightly cooked chicken in the meantime. Webbox lick-y-lix and cat milk are easy to lap up if it's a tooth problem so might be worth trying to get liquid down her.

Vet nurse friend couldn't see anything wrong with her teeth or mouth. But she hand fed the cat and she ate it so she's told me to keep an eye on how much she is actually eating as she might be trying it on to get a different food.

Will keep trying different brands and foods, who knows maybe she's decided to be less picky

My neighbours have introduced me to their new kitten so wondering if my lovely girl is a bit put out by them.

She does seem to be eating a bit just not loads.

Have you tried pilchards in tomato sauce ?

Does she go outside - does she eat grass - is she brewing a hairball ?

Have you tried pilchards in tomato sauce ?

She doesn't like any kind of fish, I've tried tinned tuna, fresh tuna, fresh salmon, fresh cod and haddock, she didn't eat it. She doesn't eat fish flavoured cat food either.

Does she go outside - does she eat grass - is she brewing a hairball?

She's indoor only, but I live in a block of flats and she goes into the shared hallway sometimes.

try just the tomato sauce ;-)

if she is indoor only it could be a tummy upset

cheap minced chicken with olive oil and passata over it might help

My old vet once told me that cats get very unsettled by change so the constant changing of food and fussing about it can make it worse. Far better to serve it and leave it and see what happens x

She's started eating again, still not a full meal but it's progress - she usually has 3 pouches of food a day and is eating about 3/4s of one pouch a day atm. Next doors new cat plus fireworks I think have unsettled her. I'm keeping an eye but vet nurse friend has said as long as she's eating something even if it's only a little then not to worry too much.

Royal Canin exigent aroma or savour sensation (depending n whether it is smell or taste that's the issue.) Worked with all the non eating cats I've had.