Cat Licks Food But Doesn’t Eat! What Problems Can Arise?

Your cat is licking food because she won’t eat any dried food and seems to be losing weight, so I’m concerned that she won’t eat enough wet food.

Part of the issue seems to be that she quickly becomes bored of whatever she is fed and refuses to eat it; however, this has changed with fresh wet food, where she is only licking it dry and leaving the remainder (even though they are soft, moist pieces or clumps).

She used to go nuts for the Temptations, for example, but now she just ignores them. She even became obsessed with Dental Treats, which she now refuses to eat.

She’ll eat Party Mix (which is a treat that isn’t good for her) and AIMS hairball cookies, but I’m sure she’ll get tired of them too.

Why My Cat Only Licks Wet Food?

Cats only lick wet food because they have a high hunger threshold, but dry food isn’t right for them and they don’t drink enough to make up for it.

Furthermore, also high-quality dry food contains starch, which cats find difficult to eat.

First and foremost, congratulations on attempting to add wet food to your pet. I stopped feeding dry food to my cats earlier this year.

I started with tinned food because it was something they used to get as a treat and they liked it. Still, because I was determined to place them on a raw meat, bone, and organ diet, I began to add fresh meat to them.

They were not pleased with it and refused to eat it. They seemed a little worried about the entire thing, I thought.

My cats tend to thrive on routine, and this was out of the ordinary and thus frightening. As a result, I attempted to comfort them.

During mealtimes, I petted them more, and if they didn’t eat it, I talked quietly, took it out, and later gave them a dry chicken treat.

Doesn’t that seem counterintuitive?

But here’s the thing: they seemed to unwind, and after a while, they began to eat the raw mixture.

They now enjoy it and eat it at night along with some high-quality tinned food that is grain-free, vegetable-free, and fruit-free in the morning.

It would be impossible to get the cats to consume wet food if it is not high-protein food made from actual meat.

Try a different snack, either a different protein or a different brand. Check the packaging to make sure the food is made out of meat and tissues, not just plant protein or any other imitation meat.

Cats are creatures of habit, so they can eat whatever they are used to. It’s almost always a challenge to introduce something new.

It demonstrates one method for encouraging the cats to eat their wet food. It must, though, be a true meat-based meal that they enjoy eating.

Your cats will finally consume the “food” part of their meal if you gradually introduce fresh, cheaper, and healthier food.

While I think it’s great that they’re licking the juices, I fully understand and agree with your need for them to consume the “food” portion of the bowl.

Also, know the possible reasons behind cat asking for food but not eating

There are a few tricks you can try:

Use a shallow dish because most cats don’t want their whiskers hitting the bowl’s rim, but each cat has a different threshold for this.

Use pate-style foods instead of diced and chunked – split the pate into bite-sized chunks rather than bashing their face into it.

Warm the food long enough to release the aromas.

Purchase a simple rotisserie chicken from the store and incorporate the juices into the meat.

Food that has been pouched, diced, or chunked should be avoided. Manufacturers also use less protein and more carrageenan-rich gravy, which has been attributed to cancer.

If your cat just eats the gravy from their wet food, I strongly advise you to purchase Soulistic brand cat food. There’s nothing a cat won’t suck up because it’s pure gravy.

My cat refuses to consume any wet food that he can’t lick up, so I buy the large cans of Canidae cat food and throw it with a can of Soulistic to make the whole can liquid. I’m certain you will incorporate Soulistic into every pate dish.

Since it is said that you don’t want to do any further refining, I can assure you that Soulistic is just good as stand-alone cat food. Mixing the gravy in is a nice idea if you want to use up the containers you already have.

You might also like to know reason behind cat not eating food but eats treats

Why Does My Cat Only Eating Gravy From Wet Food?

Cats, too, lick the juice or gravy because they enjoy pate-style cuisine.

Have you had a close look at the gravy’s ‘meat’ pieces? They’re rubbery and don’t resemble meat at all. It’s no surprise that cats dislike it. All of the flavors must be in the gravy.

The gravy, in my opinion, is a filler that is not ideal for cats. I typically purchase cat food with a pate texture.

If I do happen to pick up a can that seems to be only some meat bits drowning in gravy, I pour it into a sieve and run cold water through it before the gravy is washed out, leaving just the cat food.

Then I bring the food back into the cat food can and appeal to the maker if it only fills about two-thirds of the way.

You may make a slurry/stew texture by adding tap water to the wet food. My male cat has urinary issues, and my doctor advised me to dilute his food (feed Friskies) to prevent crystals from forming and blocking his urinary tract.

You might also like to know about can i add water to dry cat food

I have three other cats that would gladly lick up some scraps from his dish. I’ll even put a little water in theirs now and then!

Get with the program; you don’t let a cat do it. My cat licks the juice from the canned food, much like the other cats I’ve had over the years, and only enjoys his dry food and the toys I place on top of the dish twice during the day!

I have no concerns about him and his eating habits because he is engaged, caring, and safe!

My cat likes to lick the juices too, so I put a little more water with his wet food and when he’s through with that, I add a little more water to mix some of the dry food in with the canned food, and he loves it that way, so try adding a little bit of his dry food to the wet food and he’ll be forced to chew it rather than just licking it.

Cats, like humans, have dietary habits. Some people prefer canned pate but not shreds, and others prefer only dry pate.

If your cats are unhappy with the cubes of canned food, consider making cat food stew: our cats consume dry food much of the time, but once a week or so, I treat them to a special dinner of canned food cat stew.

That’s pate-style canned food mixed with warm water, finely diced, and stirred into a deep broth with food chunks. They adore it!

I started making the stew for my older cats, which had to get some teeth extracted, but the younger cats have shown an interest in it as well.

Why Is My Cat Asking For Food But Not Eating?

Begging for food but refusing to eat may be a sign of something more serious because it’s possible that it’s not of the quality of food she needs. Cats have unique nutritional needs and find it difficult to consume less or in a different way than they are used to.

Take her to the veterinarian as soon as possible. My pet has been vomiting almost every day since February, and I’m having trouble with her. He craves just watery liquid, never the whole food.

His bloodwork and x-rays are all common. I’ve tried a variety of foods, medications, vitamins, and probiotics, but none of them have lasted long.

He is now adamantly opposed to all dried foods.

If I give him canned or homemade food, he will nibble at it for a few seconds before leaving the rest or refusing to eat it at all.

I’m concerned for him because he’s lost a lot of weight. It is NOT TRUE because if food is available, a cat would not starve to death.

She, I believe, is afraid to eat food because he fears he’ll vomit. He may be nauseous from the scent of food, so he is unable to eat despite his desire. It’s possible that your cat is going through something similar.

Maybe she’s hungry, but she doesn’t like what you’re serving her. Or she might be sick. She may be suffering from digestive issues such as constipation, fur balls, or simply an irritated stomach.

If you’ve ruled out the idea that she’s sick, consider adjusting her diet. Its excellent advice would contribute immeasurably to the happiness of your life with your pet, as it is hosted by a veterinarian and is non-profit.

They aren’t like us in that they don’t have a choice; a horse, like chickens, is genetically engineered to eat food. The brain and body of each species were hardwired to feed for its own needs.

We, humans, have lost the capacity to respond to our bodies’ healthy desires, as well as those of our hearts and brains, in certain ways, making them the dumbest and least intelligent of all animals.

This is why what we’ve come to recognize as natural causes so much suffering for humanity as a whole.

Why Is My Cat Not Eating Much But Acting Normal?

The simple explanation your cat isn’t feeding but behaving normally is that it’s eating the wrong kind of food!

As cats get older, their senses get duller, and they can lose interest in their regular food. And if your pet has always eaten their food, this will happen.

Cats can also really no longer want to consume the food for no apparent reason; after all, that’s what cats do!

Another possibility is that you’ve changed the food your cat is used to. Perhaps you needed to get a less expensive, better, or even a different diet-friendly food for your chunky cat.

In any case, cats are finicky animals, and if they don’t like a move, they’ll just stop eating and wait for you to offer them their regular meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Words

If you’ve double-checked that your pet is safe and behaving naturally, and the only thing that’s changing their behavior is that they’re not feeding, our best response is tension!

Remember that your cat can sense your feelings because if you’re nervous, your kitty is likely to be as well.

This discomfort may not only cause them to lose interest in their diet, but it may also cause them to engage in other nervous behaviors.

Feel free to drop your questions in the comments section below!