Don’t Starve a Picky Cat for Days — It Can Cause Fatty Liver

1 Overview

Faced with a ‘picky’ cat, should you really starve it for a few days? Beware of triggering fatty liver disease.

If a cat goes three days without eating, beware of fatty liver disease.

When protein intake is insufficient, the liver cannot transport fat out due to a lack of certain amino acids, causing fat to accumulate in the liver and leading to nutritional (starvation-induced) fatty liver.

Fatty liver is more common in pets that are picky or anorexic! Animals like dogs and cats — especially cats, which are obligate carnivores — need animal protein for energy. If they fail to take in enough protein for three days or more, fatty liver can develop, and without timely treatment it can be life-threatening!

Why change a cat’s food?

Different brands of cat food use different ingredients and formulas, each with its own pros and cons — for example, certain nutrients may be too high or too low. Changing a cat’s food at the right time can effectively prevent such nutritional imbalance and keep the cat interested in its meals.

However, a cat’s digestive system is delicate, and changing food easily causes discomfort, leading to vomiting and diarrhea. So when switching foods, a scientific method is required.

How to switch a cat’s food scientifically?

Choose the right new food

Protein and fat are the two most important nutrients in cat food. If the new and old foods differ too much in nutrient content, the cat’s stomach will struggle to adapt. So choose a new food with a similar nutritional profile to the old one.

Pay attention to flavor too. For example, if a cat has always eaten chicken-formula food, choose a new food that is mainly chicken-based, with fish or duck as secondary ingredients, rather than switching to a completely different flavor.

The 8-day food transition method

Day 1: feed 70% old food mixed with 30% new food;

Day 2: feed 60% old food mixed with 40% new food;

Day 3: feed 50% old food mixed with 50% new food;

Day 4: feed 40% old food mixed with 60% new food;

Day 5: feed 30% old food mixed with 70% new food;

Day 6: feed 20% old food mixed with 80% new food;

Day 7: feed 10% old food mixed with 90% new food;

Day 8: switch entirely to the new food.

It may look troublesome, but a gradual transition really works!

Pair with probiotics

During the transition you can add probiotics to help digestion and avoid discomfort.

Try to enhance the aroma of the food

Cats eat by smell. If the food isn’t aromatic, the cat won’t be keen to eat. The owner can warm the food slightly so its scent is released and tempts the cat to eat.

Choose a mildly scented cat food

It’s best to choose a mild, hypoallergenic natural cat food that is gentler on the stomach. Some strongly scented foods may come from low-quality workshops and are unfriendly to the gut, so cats won’t like them.

Note for owners:

Even with a scientific method, frequent food changes are not recommended, as they easily burden the cat’s stomach and can cause diarrhea if you’re not careful.

Also, during vaccination or deworming the cat’s immunity is lower, and switching food can cause adverse reactions, so avoid changing food during these special periods.