Advertising likes to show us humans the image of a gourmet on four paws. The menu is artfully garnished with parsley - no kitty can resist! But do cats need that touch of luxury to become enthusiastic about their food?
The eye does not eat with you
Our velvet paws are not eye animals when eating. Three factors are important when choosing feed: taste, smell and feed structure or consistency.
Due to their limited color vision, the appearance of dry and wet food is unimportant for cats and is more intended to influence our human eyes (and thus our willingness to buy). So highly specialized carnivores, cats have a high need for proteins and special amino acids. Their around 400 taste buds are designed to taste sour and bitter food components. This enables them to specifically identify feed with a high amino acid content and to avoid bitter, potentially toxic components. But be careful: the latter does not stop them from nibbling on poisonous houseplants. Curiosity is usually stronger than the sense of taste!
Taste tests have shown that cats clearly prefer food based on meat or fish. Supposedly "healthy" garnishes in the form of parsley, basil or chives are therefore purely a marketing strategy and, on top of that, not suitable for cats.
Avoid toxic trimmings
Parsley contains the substance oxalate , which in higher quantities can lead to symptoms of poisoning in cats, as can the sulfur compounds contained in chives.
In the course of evolution, cats have also lost their sense of sweets: Researchers suspect that pure carnivores like cats do not need to taste sweets and that the corresponding taste sensors have therefore degenerated.
The smell decides
The sense of smell plays an important role in the choice of food in cats. It is assumed that it supports the sense of taste and indicates whether the food is still edible. The cat's nose reacts sensitively to putrid or irritating smells: wet food that has been in the bowl for a while is just as dreadful to them as the citrus scent of the washing-up liquid that is still clinging to the porcelain. For this reason, bowls should only be rinsed with hot water and leftover food should always be disposed of promptly.
If the sense of smell is impaired, for example due to an infection in the respiratory tract, the appetite often decreases as well. The same is true for senior cats, as the sense of smell diminishes with age. In this case, the feed can be slightly warmed to intensify the smell. Don't overdo it: Food that is too hot should be avoided just as much as it is too cold. Research has shown that cats accept food best that is closest to their own body temperature.
It crunches so wonderfully
Shape and texture play a greater role in the choice of food for cats than for dogs, for example. If the dry pieces are too big or the wet food too sticky, some kitties will back off. It's also worth experimenting with sauce or jelly.
Many mini tigers also seem to attach great importance to crispiness: Perhaps the crunching of pieces of dry food reminds them of the cracking of mouse bones? Other cats, on the other hand, just gobble their food without chewing it much. It makes sense to experiment with different food consistencies to find what the cat accepts best.
Conclusion: Our cats don't give a damn whether what ends up in the food bowl is strongly colored or not. When it comes to eating, they prioritize other senses than we do. It is important that the food is optimally tailored to your needs and that it is tasty so that the cat likes to eat it.
Simply spice up the feed
With these tricks you get fussy cats happy to the food bowl
- Dip Gravy - Many ready-to-eat foods contain jelly or a tasty gravy. These are usually licked up first. If your cat is also a sauce lover, you can add tuna juice, for example, to any food.
- Warm food - Warm the food in the microwave for about ten seconds. The warmth makes the food smell more intense and lures the cat to the feeding place. Food that is too cold should never be eaten, as it is not good for the cat's stomach.
- Toppings - You can also add toppings to your cat's meal. Beef fat powder has proven very effective here. Most cats totally go for it. Pastes and lean pieces of meat sprinkled over the food also attract cats.
- Increase number - Cats love and prefer snacks. Ideally, a cat gets several small portions a day. A cat never eats its fill on the first portion.
- Stress-free meals - The feeding station should always be in a quiet place. The cat must be able to concentrate on its food in peace. No through traffic, no loud television or other sources of noise may disturb the cat. If the place seems too strenuous to her, she will avoid it and therefore not eat any food.
- Hand feeding - For fussy cats, try hand feeding. If the bond with the owner is good, the cat will be happy to take it. Gradually reduce hand feeding.
- Acupressure - In the middle of the tip of the nose, where the hairless nose meets the hairy surface of the nose, there is an acupressure point that is supposed to stimulate appetite by gently pressing. Please never force the touch on your cat!
