Cat won't eat alone

I've had cats that had to be persuaded to eat - they sort of looked at the dish as if it wasn't for them, rather than turning their noses up at the food. So they had to be made a fuss of before they'd eat.

Currently we have two cats, neither started off as ours and one simply moved in. She often prefers not to eat alongside the other one. He tends to move across and pinch what's in her dish, even when it's the same!

Cats do seem to have some strange eating preferences.

My DGcat only eats the wet food pouches on her own. She will eat dry biscuits but only when she’s really hungry. They’re just there to pick at. Her snacks. If she has company and attention she will eat them then. I get the feeling she’s doing it out of politeness just to please! A similar thing?

If I'm in the kitchen Baz comes to accompany me and it's as if that, sort of, reminds him to eat. He never nags for food. He has Royal Canin Maine Coon food which seems to keep him well and his weight is just right. The vet is very complimentary about it.

I think cats are very good at training their owners into doing strange things, although a friend had a cat who developed dementia and started behaving strangely.

Pudding123, have you had her teeth checked? Perhaps it's painful for her. Maybe you could pre-soak her dry food?

Having said that, my 11 year old cat will happily eat dry food but will only consider wet food if I put a little water in the bowl. I have no idea why!

My cats will only eat their wet food at night, so I have to put it down just before I go to bed. They'll eat biscuits any time.

My cat will only eat his wet food with treats on (dreamies) He has 4 or 5 sachets a day also has a dish of dry food down all the time.

He’s jet black not an ounce of fat on him, the vet says he’s never seen a cat as big as him.

My female cat is a hog. She was as skinny as a rake until she was fixed and then, boom! Fat girl.

My boy cat is picky. He prefers Whiskers but will go off it if it's all he gets. He really likes to be stroked and talked to soothingly while he eats, but I haven't got the time or energy for that since GS came along!

Blimey Lady Gracie! That's a lot of food. Mine get a maximum of 3 pouches a day. Sometimes less.

My Bugsie is the opposite. He has wet food in the morning, but won't eat until I leave the room. In the evening he has dry metabolic weight loss food but will only eat it if he hears me top up the bowl. What remains when I go to bed is still there when I get up.
My other cat, Saffron, eats at the other side of the kitchen to Bugsie and doesn't care whether I am there or not. However she likes an audience when using her litter tray, usually as I am emptying it of clumps! Bugsie will only 'go' outside.
As others have said, cats do train us to suit their wants.

I've always had cats (for 39 years). I've never heard of a cat doing what you describe, Pudding123 but we had a cat who developed dementia, and she behaved strangely in other ways.

My Mr Cooper has Purina dry food available, day and night. He loves it. He also has 4 meals a day, either Felix pouches, cooked chicken thighs, or tinned fish in oil. He's about 15 and weighs 12lb.

That's a lot of wet food LadyGracie expensive cat.
Our dogs love cat food and will always try to steal it. We have to shut the kitchen door to give the cat some peace to eat. He does slap the dogs faces if they push their luck. Mainly dry food used several times a day with no more than one daily sachet of wet food.

We spend more money on cat food than on people food, especially as one of them has digestive problems.

If we're in the kitchen, they expect to be fed. They don't always get their way!

If they go out and come back, in must be dinner time, even if they had dinner just before they went out.

Black cat came to us with bad teeth, bad digestion and weighed 3.5 kilos. The vet was a bit concerned as he's a big cat. Teeth dealt with, change of diet and at the next vet visit he weighed 5kg!

Whoops!

IT must be dinner time.

Hetty58,Yes her teeth seem fine,this strange behaviour has gone on since we got her but when I have been away and my daughter has called round to feed her and not had time to stroke and speak soothingly to her as GagaJo mentions she has eaten it by the next day.Thank you for all your replies,I think that cats just know how to train their owners!

My cat will complain and refuse to eat his dried food if it has been too long in the bowl.

The remedy is to empty the dish back into the container of dried food, shake it well then re-dish the food into his bowl. He will then happily eat it.

I think the explanation is that dried food when it stands in an uncovered dish looses its aroma. Mixed up in the closed container again, it smells more strongly when served up again.

A totally unrelated cat of my sister's did exactly the same.

Part of this may be attention seeking, as my cat started this caper after his brother died.

You own a cat for 9 years. This is a long period. She got used to you. To your touch. For her, it is a signal of acceptance, trust and love. + Age. You have a very good cat and you are great!

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You need to worm your cat every month.

You're right! Thanks you. But I thought it was bad for the cat to take medicine so often.