If your cat doesn’t chew his food, you must know why! We all adore our cats and would go to tremendous lengths to protect them. These munchkins, on the other hand, will occasionally act oddly or do things that you would not expect.
Are you wondering why the cat doesn’t chew his food? Well, the taste is a concept that cats struggle to grasp on a regular basis. They consume everything without even tasting it.
So, understanding why your cat isn’t chewing is crucial. Allow this page to clarify any misunderstandings. Well, it can be due to gum diseases, stress, fear, or a change in his everyday routine.
Wish to know more? Scroll down now!
Do Cats Chew Their Food?
The short answer is no cats can’t chew their food this is absolutely normal because they have fewer molars and more canines. However, they can churn their food into big pieces. In fact, their teeth are specialized to puncture prey and meat which they don’t use to chew instead they simply just swallow.
Kitties are obligated carnivores animals that mean they solely depend on a meat diet for their source of protein. And, they simply swallow the meat.
And, when they consume veggies it needs to churn down. Which is quite tough for them. As a result, it is always advisable to give your cats more meat than veggies.
Why My Cat Doesn’t Chew His Food?
Lack of molars, placement of food tray, or if the kitty is affected by trauma can be the leading reason for your cat not chewing his food. And, it is not just limited to this there are various other reasons also. You can learn them down.
They Have Canines for Puncturing Flesh
The foremost reason why your cat doesn’t chew his food is because of the alignment of the teeth they have. Cats have canines because they are carnivores animal, and they use their fangs and canines to kill the prey. Basically, it is used for shearing and tearing.
And they have only 4 molars which are designed for chewing but in the case of cats molars don’t function like us in humans. It is not specialized for chewing they are sharp and not flat. Therefore, they fail to chew the food into bit size.
Your cat might be suffering from whisker fatigue, want to know more Check out the best cat food bowls for whisker fatigue.
Litter Tray Is Near His Food Bowl
The proximity of the litter tray can also affect their eating and chewing habits.
Cats are clean animals they want their surroundings to be clean all the time. They can’t consume their food if the food is nearby the litter tray.
It is because they can smell even the slightest smell very strongly. Their sense of smell is critical to their existence; they utilize it to locate prey and detect threats. And, litter box odor can overpower it therefore, it can discourage the cat from chewing and consuming his food.
Change in Environment
Change in the surrounding of your cat can also affect their eating habits. This is because cats don’t appreciate change they are very loyal to their routine habit.
When a cat is not chewing food make sure to find that is there any change in his or your routine pattern. Yes, it is not just limited to his routine but when your routine can disturb him.
If you have recently shifted to a new house, or have adopted a new pet it can affect him and give him stress. Because they will get jealous and their time and love will be shared with others.
It will lead to stress, and thus he won’t chew his food.
If you cannot follow the feeding schedule then you can try the best automated cat feeder, it will automatically feed your furball in a specific quantity.
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Varies on the Types of Food
If you give your cat wet food he will be able to consume it because it doesn’t require chewing whereas dry food needs efforts to chew the food into small pieces. And, while ingesting kibble they will fail to churn the food, and it may suffocate them and may become a fatal situation.
Also, when they don’t chew dry food it can cause dental problems. And, dental problems are another reason why cats won’t chew their food. As it will cause pain while using their teeth.
Therefore, if you are giving him dry cat food he won’t appreciate it and hence won’t chew the food. Whereas high-quality wet food is easy for him as he can easily lick it.
In which food bowl do you provide the food also matters, maybe your cat does not like the food bowl. Here I have made it easy for you to check out the top cat food bowls & pick from the best food bowls in the market.
Rivalry With New Cat
If you have multiple cats in your home then this can be another reason for cats not churning their food.
Wondering why?
Well, that’s because cats don’t really like the presence of other cats or pets. It can cause stress and fear in them. For instance, if you see your cat eating his food very fast this could be because he is tensed that other cats will eat his food.
This can also be because another cat may harm him. So, due to this, he will swallow food fast without chewing it. This is also possible if you have guests who have got their pets with them.
However, not necessarily all cats will behave in the same manner it completely depends on each individual.
If you are worried that the new kitten is tensed & swallowing the food, then you should check out How Train a Kittens to Use a Food Bowl to know more.
Can Cat Not Chewing Food Cause a Problem?
Yes, if the cat doesn’t chew its food he can face unhealthy problems.
It can potentially cause various problems like gastric issues, vomiting problems, heavyweight, and dental problems.
Basically, when a cat eats his food at high speed he will swallow a large amount of air while eating which can cause farting, and he will also have gastric issues therefore you need to be very careful.
Feline not chewing food can lead to vomit problems because lack of churning food may make her choked, and thus he will throw up his food.
Consuming food at a fast speed lacks chewing which can lead to problems like overweight issues in the cat. And, overweight can face arthritis too. Therefore, it is essential that he chew his food. If the situation is severe make sure to meet your vet.
You can try feeding in the ceramic cat food plate, it will encourage your cat to eat & chew the food want to know more.
Well, That’s a Wrap!
The reason why a cat doesn’t chew his food is that he is affected by trauma, or could be because of a tumor in his mouth.
Well, he can also stop chewing his food if there is another pet in the house, or because of the type of food you are feeding to him.
But, the foremost reason is the alignment of the tooth inside his mouth. They have canines to kill the prey and eat food which even if they don’t chew it will be fine for them.
So, you want to know more? Then go read above now.
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References
- How to encourage your cat to eat – International Cat Care
- Wet Cat Food vs. Dry Cat Food: Which Is Better? – PetMD
- Cat Not Eating? 10 Probable Reasons Why – Veterinarians Org