Post
by willowdragon » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:21 pm
Hi there, and congrats on the new fur baby! Once you go cat, you never go back!
Yes, moodiness is normal. Every cat has a different personality, just like humans, so how long and what form the moods take depends on the cat. I have two bengals, and my adult Scarlett throws a huff when she gets her monthly dose of flea prevention. My kitten, Wessex, takes it whilst being snuggled so he yowls but let's it pass cos he knows he gets extra scritches and a treat, but Scarlett has to get hers by surprise when eating, so she throws a huff and stomps off, refuses any sort of treat, play or affection for at least a day.i generally find like a moody child if I leave her alone, in fact if I stay pretty far away from her, for about a day eventually she seeks me out and gives Me extra affection when she's stopped huffing. Wessex throws a paddy when he doesn't get fish for supper (I feed them a raw diet) - which means I get a paddy from him most nights since he only gets fish once a week. He started flipping his food bowl when he turned his nose up, but those paddys soon stopped when he realised I just stopped putting food out until he was willing to eat it sensibly.
Scarlett also goes through daily phases of wanting loads of affection, then not wanting any at all. She'll slink away when we stroke her, then the minute we stop trying she pads back and yowls at us.
They're fussy creatures by nature, I think they're quite manipulative and controlling personally. In time you'll learn your cats tells, wants and needs, it's like learning a new body language.
As for the food, I found advice from online, over owners, and even vets to be very contradictory. In the end, the best advice I can give is that imagine your cat is literally your baby: someone might tell you MacDonalds as a weekly treat is fine, someone else will tell you it's so bad for them don't even touch it. At the end of the day, it's your baby, do what you feel is best, because as long as your trying your best, that's all anyone can ask. I personally turned to science when it came to food, and I plan my cats meals like a plan my own: well balanced. If they're not getting enough water, I sneak a tablespoon of water into their meals. They might turn their noses up for an hour or so, but eventually they'll eat when they realise they get what they're given. I don't preach about raw food, it's a lifestyle choice at the end of the day, but my personally bugbear when I first adopted my girl was that cats are carnivores, and their digestive systems haven't adapted to accommodate grain and vegetables like dogs have. I researched every possible food on the market, and found the standard shop food - dry or wet - was at most 14% meat. Brands like Natures menu are much better for meat content, but there's still supplements and veggies, plus it's very pricey for what you get. Of course the alternative - making your own from raw - takes time and effort, and not everyone likes their kitchen to smell like a butchers shop after a session of batch making!
Good luck!