Cat Chat Feline Forum

This morning I put my cats down some food but they hardly touched it. They were last fed 12 hours ago so they ought to be hungry, so I can only presume they don't like the brand or flavour I have given them.
It prompts the question, If you were really hungry would you eat something you didn't like ?

I personally don't think I would, as I have a peculiar appetite that packs up on itself for nothing. But I've heard of people and cats with normal un-faddy digestions eating anything - grass, vegetable peelings, anything, heaven help them.

However, our spoilt cats, with homes and devoted owners who worry when little Tiddles doesn't clean his plate ... laughing, aren't they? The little gits damn well KNOW that we'll offer them something more interesting next time! I might starve myself on occasion but I have a horror of anything in my care going hungry.

I once knew a cat rescue worker who wouldn't stand for this kind of nonsense and would say - 'hunger is a very sweet sauce'. While feeding the cats lavishly I might add.

The only other explanation for a refused meal is the 'Six Dinner Sid' (great children's book) syndrome: Are they playing away and cadging off neighbours?

Cats are up to every trick! But I wouldn't sacrifice your last tin of salmon - they'll probably chow down on their next meal of ordinary grub.

I know there are some things i couldn't eat no matter how hungry i was, any type of minced meat gives me the gag reflex, something to do with its texture, curries, I can't get past the smell, I can only just manage to be in the same room as someone eating one (not a good problem to have living in the West Midlands). However I have never been that hungry so who knows what I would do if i was.

Cats will occasionally go off things, mine for some reason have been turning their noses up at Felix AGAIL, normally their mainstay, so it's Gourmet Gold Double Delicacies and Gourmet Pearl at the moment, I'll try them on Felix again in a week or two's time. I don't worry too much about them going hungry, i just object to throwing pouches worth of food away each meal time.

I'm fairly certain the girls both only eat at home, but Saturn is a different matter, I wouldn't be surprised to find out he has several people wrapped around his dew claw giving him various bits of meat and treats when he turns up and looks pathetic at them. He is also quite happy to help himself given half a chance, and if he thinks there is something better available, the other day I had buttered a couple of slices of bread and cut them in half ready to do an open sandwich. I turned to wash my hands (my sink is at 90 degrees to the side), turned back to find him on the side and half a slice of bread dragged off the plate. I hadn't even realised he was in the kitchen and certainly hadn't heard him jump on the side. Needless to say I only had one and a half slices of bread for lunch and just kept hoping he hadn't had a lick at each one. The worst thing is he never even looks guilty when caught.

6 hours later...Half of it is gone ! Not sure which cat (of 2) has eaten it, but they will have to wait until 8pm for any more.
On a personal note I can't bear anything in my mouth that has gelatine on it or is extremely slimy. Jellied eels make me puke, I loathe bananas because they go mushy in the mouth or anything with a lot of soft fat on.
In short, I'd rather go hungry than eat things I hate

Ha. Typical. My two pull this trick on me sometimes - and then scoff exactly the same stuff later on.

Urrgggh yes, anything slimy and jellyish (and I hate the way the eels are killed, or rather left to suffocate ) I hate anything milky or baby-food-ish (although, Ruth, curry is the one thing that galvanises my appetite; I live in the land of curry here and on a fine day to go into my backyard and smell the curry from neighbours' houses ... oooo, paradise!) My appetite once packed up for a month and I ended up in hospital with other complications ... and they tried to make me eat cereal and milk, rice pudding, babyfood glop ... oh barf luckily curry was also on offer and I survived

Right at the moment, where Molly and Mouse are concerned, the usual Felix Agail is out, and Sheba select slices are flavour of the week ... but expect that to change the minute I stock up ...