Why does my cat want hand feeding his dry food?

by Marina Day
(Dartmouth UK)

My Maine Coon kitten is 5 months old and has only been with me for 3 days. I was very worried on the first day as he ate next to nothing. Then on the second day I watched him approach his food dish and saw that he had trouble picking the dry food up and so gave up.


So I started putting the small crunchy dry food biscuits into his mouth and within seconds he was purring away, frantically tapping my hand for more and was ravenously hungry.

If one falls on the floor he will attempt to pick it up but can't always manage it. As I have wooden floors I thought it was too slippery for him and put his bowl on a special non-slip tray and he did find that much easier, but he still doesn't do very well eating out of the special whisker friendly dish.

He's a beautiful, gentle neutered male and I will do anything to make him happy but was just wondering if I am making a rod for my own back and if he will grow out of wanting to be fed this way or simply find it easier with his eating as he gets older?

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starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks for reply
by: Anonymous

Thanks Randy that is so interesting and I had no idea. I will definitely try this👍🏻
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starstarstarstarstar 		Raise his dish
by: Randy

Try raising his food dish a few inches off the floor. Some cats eat/swallow better when their head is level with their dish since their esophagus is horizontal.

Also, I would get him checked for megaesophagus. It's hard for a kitty to swallow if they have it. Raising their food bowl above their head at a slant might make it possible for him to eat normally, with proper treatment from the vat of course.

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