Why won't my cat chew her food?

Question

My cat Cheeto who will be 3 in June won't chew dry food. She throws up at least twice a week, sometimes she will go longer without throwing up. I have her on prescription diet food but Science Diet recently changed the shape and size of their food. Seems like that made her problem worse. She doesn't chew even if I hand feed her. How do I get her to chew or teach her how to chew?

Alright, I guess I should clarify a few things. I take my cat to the vet regularly and she's had check ups. The only thing the vet told me is to put food on a plate so she'll eat slower and therefore, learn to chew. Also, I do feed her wet food. However, she always throws that up. Without fail, she throws it up. I haven't changed her food since November when I started her on Science Diet prescription food and I changed it slowly. I have hand fed her too, piece by piece and she still swallows all of the food whole. I am wondering if maybe she just eats too fast? Or could it be that she just has a sensitive stomach?

Answer 1

What Phoebe said.

I also recommend switching to canned food. Not just because your cat is vomiting but because it's better all around.

If you look at the first link below, I believe it discusses the chewing/not chewing issue.

Answer 2

For one: It isn't natural for cats to chew, they are origanaly designed to rip and eat raw meat. But I found a way that helps a little, if you don't mind being a little-bitty-bit meen. I used this method for my cat, and found it on my own.

If you have the time, and don't mind hand feeding the cat. Feed kitty one piece at a time and scold her a little when she don't chew. It might take a while, but my cat used to do the same thing. Also How many times a day do you feed kitty? If you feed her once a day then you might want to think of feeding her more than that, in smaller proportions. If you just leave her food down all day, you might want to think about changing that, I feed my cats twice a day, morning and evening, three times would be even better if it doesn't improve. Also if you monotor the food and research how much she should be eating, expensive brands can acctually do differant things than the cheeper brands, sometimes the cheeper brands are better, check the lables.
Anyway, this method worked for my cat, but not all cats are the same, you might have to try something else. Good luck, if worse come to worse, ask a Vet.

Answer 3

I would suggest that you take the cat into your vet and have her checked for dental problems. However, before you go into the vet, sit down and start researching cat food brands of cat food, and see which ones sound the best to you. Look for high protein foods that don't have word 'meat meal' or 'by-product' in them. Make sure her food does not have corn or wheat in any of the first three ingredients, as she may be having an allergic reaction to the food. Talk to your vet about possible food allergies. Also, check her stool to make sure there is no blood in it...there could be a more serious underlying cause to the problem.

Cats are one of the few animals that will actually choose to starve to death instead of eating the food put in front of them if they don't like it. So if you decide to change her food, make sure you mix it with her old food, and only gradually introduce her to the new food.

Good luck!!

Answer 4

If your cat won't chew, she won't chew. There is no way I have heard of to train a cat to chew what the cat does not want to chew. Cats do not "chew" as we do. Their teeth are designed to tear up, break and chomp down on their food. If your vet insists that she be on a special diet which consists of dry cat food, then I suggest that you moisten the dry kibble with water and see if your cat can hold her food down like that better. If she still chucks it up, then perhaps that particular brand does not agree with her. There are several brands of both wet and dry cat food formulated for sensitive tummies. But with this present recall, you'll have to research carefully.

Answer 5

It sounds to me like something may be wrong with your cat in the area of either teeth or jaw issues. Also the fact that she is throwing up is concerning. Do you think maybe she just doesnt want to eat period because she is sick? take her to the vet. also one of the above answers was to try to teach her to chew by handfeeding and scolding if the cat doesnt chew..that is rediculous. Something seems to be WRONG with the cat and scolding a cat in the process of trying to get her to eat is just going to make the situation worst. how would you feel if someone scolded you everytime you didnt chew right..it would seriously make me not want to eat in front of that person or at all!

Answer 6

I had this same problem with my dog. Try giving her wet, canned food for a few weeks. Then, replace 1/4 of the wet food with regular food and mix well. If she throws up, do all wet food again. every week, replace 1/4 of the food with dry food until she is eating all dry food again. Good Luck!

Answer 7

try wet food. Its softer and not as hard to chew. gradually add pieces of hard food until she can eat :D hoped i helped Good luck!

Answer 8

have her teeth checked if she has something wrong it might be painful for her to chew,I bet she is throwing up non digested food chunks.

Answer 9

maybe she has dental problems, or some other problem with her mouth or jaws. if you can, take her to a vet. you could also give her wet food or the softer dry kind.

Answer 10

i think you should take her to your vet to make sure she is ok..