When we move from one place to another for our own convenience, you sometimes forget about our pets. Later on, we can figure out how the moving caused our pets.
An indoor cat can barely know the atmosphere of the outside world. So whenever they have been put in a new environment, they react physiologically. Suppose you are sleeping on your bed, and after waking up, you find yourself on mars. How would you feel? How would you react to that very moment? I think I can guess the reaction. And the same happens when the cat moves to your new apartment—no wonder this drastic change will lessen his appetite.
So whenever you move to a new place, the first thing you will notice in your pet as an impact is your cat not eating after move as before. And that’s a big concern for the cat lover.
Here in this article, we will try to demonstrate every fact and reason related to your cat’s appetite loss and answer the most common question: How do I get my cat to eat after moving?
Let’s jump in!
Make your cat eat after you move.
When your cat moves to a new destination, he will take time to adapt to the new environment. And by this time, he may behave differently. But that’s not something you need to be worried about. This happens with most of the cats. But if he doesn’t eat or drink, you must take some steps. And in that case, the first thing you need to do to get him eating is to make him comfortable with the new environment. To do so-
- We have heard this from many cat owners that their cat is hiding after move. Don’t allow your cat to be hidden. After they move to a new place, most cats tend to hide away out of fear. And if you allow them to do so, they will not even come out craving for their favorite food. Always hiding somewhere in the house will also not help the cat to know the surroundings better. So it’s better for you if you block every place where your cat may hide. It will make the cat stay around you. And this can help the cat to understand and adopt the new environment. When he adopts the new environment, feeding him will not be a hard thing to do.
- Try to understand if your cat is suffering from anxiety because it is a common change in every cat’s behavior when they move to a new destination. And most cats lose appetite during the time of stress and anxiety. In that case, you can use a calming cat diffuser that deals with any behavioral issues in your cat caused by stress and anxiety.
- Play with your cat. Get intimate. When your cat is totally in a new environment, a bit of companionship will calm him down. Also, that will help him to take every change positively. And when you hang out with your cat and give him time, this will stimulate his appetite and make him eat even after moving to a new home.
After doing all these, if your cat doesn’t eat, you must take some other measures such as:
- You can give him food of different flavor or texture. Maybe your cat won’t be able to ignore the new taste.
- Do not give him food that just came out from the fridge. Better if you can heat the food in the oven to make it more alluring to the cat.
- Make sure the bowl is clean and wide enough for the comfort of eating.
- Don’t give anything to eat that has onion in it.
After moving, these are the things you can do to get your cat eating. But this may take time for them to settle. And Until they don’t get settled, it may become tougher to make them eat. Sometimes a new companion, such as a new cat, can make the process of settling down more easy for both the new and old cat.
What to Feed a Cat That Won’t Eat?
Before selecting the menu for your cat, you must know the reason for not eating anything. Whenever you know that it gets easier for you to give something on a plate that will entice your cat to eat. But there are some foods that you can give your cat when the cat refuses to eat.
You can also read this article: Can Cats Eat Hot Dogs?
- Giving your cat some canned/wet food from seafood varieties can be very alluring to your cat’s taste bud. It’s better if the food stinks. Give him some canned liver or tuna in a small portion.
- Sometimes cats don’t eat if they can not smell anything because of a congested nasal passage. In that case, taking your cat to a stemmed bathroom or putting saline drops in the nostril can be an excellent help to clear the nasal passage and smell properly.
- Don’t always stick to people’s food. Sometimes we give our cat the leftover food of ours. That’s what you shouldn’t do while your cat isn’t eating. By the time your cat isn’t eating at all, provide some commercial cat food. And sometimes try to give the food after heating up.
- Mixing food with fish oil and cooked eggs can entice the stomach of your cat.
- Do not solely depend on a vegan diet. You must give some meat in your cat’s bowl to entice the appetite that has been absent for so long. Feed your cat with raw or cooked meat, such as boiled chicken, for ultimate nutrition.
How to Get a New Cat to Eat?
Bringing a new cat to your home may be very exciting to you. But it’s very traumatizing for the cat you brought in. The new environment and people can make the cat uncomfortable. Sometimes changing the house and moving to a new apartment or building can make the cat feel the same way, a newcomer cat feet at your home.
When you bring a new cat, the new surrounding can cause stress and anxiety. And this stress can lessen the appetite of the new cat. So, in that case, it’s your responsibility to make the cat familiar with your house and the people the cat will be living with. After that, the cat will get normal with food. If you can, try to feed the cat on your own.
Don’t give your cat a fixed diet after it gets into your house. Try different sets of diets and let him decide which one he loves. Sometimes different textures and tastes are all that you need to make your new cat eat.
Always keep a bowl of dry cat food beside your cat’s living area. It’s possible that your new cat won’t eat because of feeling shy among the new people in your family. So giving him space is necessary. And by keeping dry food beside his living area will make him eat when anyone isn’t around.
Don’t forget to check the health condition of your new cat. There are many times when a cat doesn’t eat due to health issues. If you find anything serious, call a veterinarian immediately.
What Happens if a Cat Doesn’t Eat?
Whenever our cat refuses to eat, we start worrying about them. And that’s very normal for a cat lover. But ignoring that food refusing behavior of your cat can put him at severe health risk. Because that’s when your cat’s body will metabolize the fat stored in the body as a resource of energy. And that can cause a severe fatty liver disease named Hepatic Lipidosis.
The liver plays an important role in providing energy to your cat’s body from fat. But by congesting the liver to function can lead to severe liver disease. And that happens when your cat won’t eat. Therefore to minimize the risk of developing Hepatic Lipidosis, you must provide some nutrition to your cat’s body at any cost. If needed, feed your cat with a spoon or using a syringe. But make sure you are ensuring the proper nutrition the cat needs to stay active and lively.
My kitten won’t eat and is very sleepy. What’s the reason?
I have heard this issue so many times from cat owners. And it’s a symptom of lethargy. When your cat sleeps most of the day, loses its appetite, does not respond to surroundings, and also feels low energetic-that is what we call lethargy in cats. There are many reasons this can happen to your kitty. But calling a veterinarian immediately is what we suggest.
Summary:
When you move to a new place with your cat, the cat will react differently, and that will be visible. And in most cases, the reaction becomes losing the appetite. And it is more of a mental issue than a physical. In most cases, what we have seen is that if you can somehow make your cat familiar and comfortable with the new place, it will start eating as before. Sometimes you may change or keep the previous diet. But that completely depends on the cat’s behavior. But we will suggest you try both.
I hope after reading this article thoroughly, you will not have to ask anyone- How do I get my cat to eat after moving?