Ways to get a picky cat to eat

I am so stressed about Kiwi. He is my 1 year old Bengal and he used to love his wet food, but suddenly he just looks at the bowl, sniffs it, and walks away. Mimi, my 1 year old Ragdoll, is eating fine, which makes me feel like I am doing something wrong. Is it the temperature? I tried warming it up in the microwave for ten seconds, but he still refused it. I feel like I am losing my mind trying to figure out if this is just a phase or if something is wrong. I read that thread about warm food and I am not sure if I am heating it enough or if I should just leave it room temperature. Does anyone have any behavioral tricks besides just changing the temperature?

Hi Anna, I totally get the anxiety. My 5 year old Siamese, Kiki, is super anxious and she had a similar issue when we moved. I found that the shape of the bowl mattered a lot for her. I switched from a deep ceramic bowl to a flat saucer and she started eating again. You might want to look at this discussion on whisker fatigue to see if that applies to Kiwi. Sometimes it is just about the tactile feel of the food against their whiskers.

I am a nurse so I worry about the medical side, but I agree with the behavioral approach first. My 1 year old Bengal, Loki, is very energetic but he is also a bit of a drama queen. I tried adding some low-sodium chicken broth to his food and it made the smell much stronger. It worked for him. You can check out this thread about using broth for specific types that are safe. It is a cheap way to test if it is a smell issue versus a taste issue.

One thing to keep in mind is that Bengals are known for being selective. My 5 year old DSH, Bean, is shy and I have learned that routine is everything. If you change the time of day or the location of the bowl, he might reject it. Also, if he has gone more than 24 hours without eating, you really should check this guide on when to worry. It is hard to tell the difference between a picky phase and a health issue without a vet check, but the behavioral tweaks might buy you some time.

Thank you all. I will try the flat plate and the broth tonight. I feel like I am overthinking it, but since Mimi is eating fine, I just keep looking for the specific reason Kiwi is different. I will let you know if the broth helps with the smell. I really hope it is just a phase and not something serious, because the thought of him being sick makes me want to cry.