Milo is being difficult today

Milo is being a pain today. He's not eating his wet food, just sniffing it and walking away. I've tried different brands but he's picky. He's on meds for his thyroid so I'm worried. What works for you when your cat refuses the bowl?

Check if he's sick first. If he's been off food for more than 24 hours, call the vet. The 24-hour rule for food refusal explains why this is critical. Otherwise, try warming the food up. Whiskers loves it when I microwave it for 10 seconds. The warm water trick that actually works has more details on temperature.

I agree with warming it, but I also use toppers. Simba is 18 and has dental issues, so he needs soft food. I mix in a little bit of tuna juice or a specific commercial gravy. Using gravy and broth as a bridge lists the brands I've tested over the years. It makes the texture more appealing without changing the nutrition profile too much.

@stever66 I did warm it up but he still turned his nose up. @kims73 I don't have any gravy on hand. Is there something else? I remember reading that meds can affect appetite. Medication timing and appetite loss was my own thread but I'm wondering if I should shift his dose time.

Have you tried playing with him first? My Simba (the 6-year-old black one, not Kim's) is a hunter. If I don't make him chase a feather wand for 10 minutes, he's not interested in the bowl. It mimics the hunt-eat-rest cycle. Play first, eat second has some videos I made of this working.

I'm in the middle of transitioning Koda, so I'm watching this closely. I use a slow mix method where I add a tiny bit of the new food to the old. Slow transition for Koda is my log of the process. Maybe Milo is just sensitive to the change in texture if you switched brands recently?

I let Maple graze all day, so I don't have this problem, but I've seen this with indoor cats. Why I let Maple graze talks about how free feeding can sometimes mask health issues because they eat small amounts constantly. If Milo is used to scheduled meals, maybe he's just bored of the routine? Try hiding the food in a puzzle feeder?