Picky Cat? Try Some Variety
Updated: Feb 15
PREFACE: I am working through a Coursera program covering Editing and Revision. Below you'll see my original and revised work.
ORIGINAL (October 2024):
Variety is the spice of life. As much as this rings true for people, this can be equally important for friends of the feline persuasion. Sure, some cats are purr-fectly content eating the same kibble or playing with the same toy every day (and there's nothing wrong with that!), but others can be a little more hard to please.
When it comes to food, a careful approach is needed as disrupting a cat's diet in a short amount of time can lead to digestive issues, but an easy solution to picky eaters is looking into brands that offer not only a wider selection of flavors but textures as well. I mean, I'm not much of a fan of whipped cream cheese so maybe Miss Princess just prefers tender cuts over pate.
Then there's the magic of play time, or as I like to call it, barely controlled chaos. There are a million toys to choose from out there, but there are factors that can be easy to overlook when it comes to encouraging play. When I moved from living in a home with hard floors to living in an apartment with carpet, I realized my cat's urge to bat a ball was affected by the change in surface textures. Cloth on carpet was a lot less stimulating than crinkled plastic. So yes, while Butterball might be a little lazy, some of that might just be a matter of switching the feel, sound or interactive nature of the toys he has to choose from.
Finally there's furniture. While adding different shapes, sizes and styles is sure to pique your kitty's interest, there's more to consider. One of the biggest complaints I see in this category from pet parents is lamenting their cat's choice to seemingly ignore the existence of their (often pricey) condos or trees. My biggest piece of advice comes down to a very simple concept -- placement! Cats love to climb, scratch and interact with pieces where they can prominently mark their territory. While it might mess with your ideal room layout, altering the placement of your cat's furniture can help encourage exploration.
When it comes to pleasing our feline overlords (and overladies), it might feel like we're just throwing money at the wall like cooked spaghetti and hoping something sticks, but sometimes the key to variety is as simple as a new texture or a different condo location. Keep an open mind to even the simplest of solutions, because those are the ones that are easiest to overlook.
NEWLY REVISED (February 2026):
Variety is the spice of life. As much as that phrase rings true for people, it can be equally important for friends of the feline persuasion. Sure, some cats are purr-fectly content eating the same kibble or playing with the same toy every day (and there's nothing wrong with that!), but other cats are a little more hard to please.
When it comes to food, a careful approach is needed, as disrupting a cat's diet in a short amount of time can lead to digestive issues. An easy solution to picky eaters is looking into brands that offer not only a wider selection of flavors but textures as well. I mean, I'm not much of a fan of whipped cream cheese so maybe Miss Princess just prefers tender cuts over pate.
Then there's the magic of play time, or as I like to call it, barely controlled chaos. With a million toys to choose from, it can be easy to overlook a great pick when it comes to encouraging play. When I moved from living in a home with hard floors to living in an apartment with carpet, I realized my cat's urge to bat a ball was affected by the change in surface textures. Cloth on carpet is a lot less stimulating than crinkled plastic. So yes, while Butterball might be a little lazy, some of that might just be a matter of switching the feel, sound, or interactive nature of the toys he has to choose from.
Finally, furniture. While adding different shapes, sizes, and styles is sure to pique your kitty's interest, there's more to consider. One of the biggest complaints I see in this category from pet parents is lamentation over their cat's choice to seemingly ignore the existence of their (often pricey) condos or trees. My biggest piece of advice comes down to a very simple concept -- placement! Cats love to climb, scratch, and interact with pieces where they can effectively mark their territory. While moving things around might mess with your ideal room layout, altering the placement of your cat's furniture can help encourage exploration.
When it comes to pleasing our feline overlords (and overladies), you might feel as though you're just throwing money at the wall like cooked spaghetti, hoping something sticks. Sometimes all it takes is a new texture or different condo location. Keep an open mind to even the simplest of solutions, because they're commonly the easiest to overlook.
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