Is your favourite four-legged friend not too keen when it comes to food? Do you regularly try something that is not to their liking? Or do you see your dog's or cat's appetite gradually diminishing? It's time to intervene!
FIRST CHECK: NO ILLNESS OR ALLERGY/INTOLERANCE?
Before we look at how to get dogs and cats enthusiastic about their food, it is best to check whether there are any symptoms of illness. Ailments are particularly common in dogs: vomiting, diarrhoea, underweight, etc. They may possibly be linked to nutrients they cannot tolerate. You can read more about this in our blog post on allergies and intolerances in dogs. If you can rule out any ailments, it is time for the next step: improving your pet's appetite!
GETTING YOUR CAT TO EAT
You may have already read in our blog post 'How to set up the ideal feeding schedule for your dog or cat' that cats eat completely differently from dogs. You set up a bowl and then they eat it drop by drop throughout the day. Did you know that felines in the wild eat around 10 to 20 small meals? They will do the same in your home. Unlike dogs, for whom food can't come fast enough!
Follow these tips if you want to improve those little eating moments for your cat:
Cats do not like cold food. Make sure the food is at room temperature. Add a little warm water if necessary!
Wet food is more popular than dry with fussy cats.
Make sure your cat has nowhere else to eat, and don't give it any leftovers from the table either.
Want to try a different food? Switch gradually and mix new food with old food; or place two bowls (old and new) and let your cat make the switch at its own pace
Cats are nibblers: they take their time! It is not because your cat does not eat all of its food that it does not like it. Be patient!
“Cats like their food at room temperature. Add a little warm water if necessary!”
MAKE YOUR DOG'S MEAL EXTRA TASTY
As with cats, you can also make your dog's meals more attractive in various ways.
Wet food is always preferred. A little water with your dry food can awaken the appetite
Dogs like routine! Feed at fixed times. Your dog will adapt to this and look forward to each successive meal.
Play with your dog, or go for a long walk. As with humans, physical activity can trigger a feeling of hunger.
If you change your dog's eating routine, do it the same way as you do with cats: gradually. Introduce it by mixing it with old food, and increase the percentage of new food each time for a week. Every 2 to 3 days you add 25% of the new food.
Do not give your dog food from the table: this will satisfy his hunger and make him prefer to eat with his master rather than from his own bowl.
The sense of smell in dogs is more highly developed than the sense of taste. Take advantage of this by choosing food with a strong smell or pimping your meal with Celtic Connection Flavour Sprinkles.
“Dogs like routine! Feed at fixed times."