Cat Eating Disorders: Thin Finicky Cats

In the previous article on obesity in cats, I mentioned that overweight cats can suffer numerous health problems, including a serious liver disease that is often fatal. On the other end of cat obesity, cats that are not eating enough is just as dangerous.

Reasons For Cat Eating Disorders

Finicky Eaters: It’s very rare to see a cat would pass up food for no apparent reason. However, there are a few finicky cats out there who are so choosy about what they eat that they end up being malnourished and underweight. These cats can become this way for a variety of reasons, but is typically the fault of the owner.

Cat owners get lazy and they buy the same old cat foods—canned after canned or pack after pack—until one day they realize that their cat isn’t eating the food anymore. The cats simply got sick of the same old food day after day. One way to counteract this problem is to cycle different flavors of cat food during the week, as well as try out different brands of cat food periodically.

Medical Issue: If your cat still refuses to eat despite all the various methods and is looking very thin, chances might be a medical problem which may be unknown to you and you may have to seek veterinarian help. But before you head to the veterinary clinic, check if your cat’s ribs if they are clearly visible. If they are, you would want to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Trash Eating: If your cat isn’t eating the food you bought but still remain her usual weight, then most likely she is eating trash bin food. The problem is easily solved if you cover your indoor trash bin with lid on and secure it if necessary.

What if your trash bin is outdoor and is securely covered? Yours maybe, but what about others? Cats, by natural, are explorers who practically live outside the home if they figure a way to get out when you aren’t around at home. The solution to this is to make sure that your cat has totally no excess to outside the home without your supervision. So check for any possible areas (e.g. ventilation windows) that your cat could easily squeeze through to the outside world.

Although eating trash food may not seem like a major problem, but there is a good likelihood that your cat may eat something that is bad or toxic food or pick up fatal diseases while scavenging. So don’t wait until your cat got sick to do something about it.