Changed eating habits

[Ash]

I don't think this is a problem (which is why I put it in this forum) just wondering ...

Tommy's eating habits and preferences seemed to have slowly changed since we moved into this appartment 9 months ago. For one, he used to be totally crazy for raw meat. Whenever we used to prepare meat he would scream his head off until he got a piece which he gobbled down. Same with fish.

But since we came here this has changed. He still asks for it but not as frantically, and when we give him a piece, he doesn't eat it. Same with fish. We stopped buying fish for them.

(Since we don't think anymore that he has diabetes he's back on the regular cat food plus the odd treats.)

Same with milk (and yogurt and cheese). He used to love milk and always had a little at night after food. Now he won't touch it.

Also, he used to be such a nuisance in the mornings, would never let us sleep, and sometimes wake us as early as 5am. Now it's 6, sometimes even 7am. And then too, he's not as loud as he used to be.

Then he will also now leave some of his food to come back after an hour or so and finish it. He never did that before. He used to be very greedy and stuff in whatever he could.

How did he become so laid back about food? After all these years? (He just turned 8.)

Has anyone here experienced their cat changing gradually like this?

I know, Traci, you will say that these things are not good or necessary for them anyway, but I'm just wondering why he changed so much.

[E's]

I know it's hard to always be advised to see the vet - especially when - like me - one has more than one pet. But I tend to be concerned about significant diet changes, especially if these seem to have happened recently and/or all at once... It could very well be that maturity and an improved lifestyle are the cause, and that's good, so if the kitty has had a check-up fairly recently, I wouldn't worry.

[Ash]

Yes, he has had bloodwork done two months ago.

But the vets here are so un-knowledgable about cats and diet anyway that I don't even bother to ask her. I'm sure she won't have a clue.

Well, his changes came gradually, not sudden, not all at once, so I'm not really concerned about them. Just wondering what might have caused them.

[Traci]

Since you are feeding him a (fairly) quality dry food, it is sufficient in nutrients and vitamins/minerals, which raw food and the human treats you mentioned can't do. Therefore, he is satiated with the "normal" food, and no longer has the desire (or the need) for the raw food, etc.

[Ash]

That might very well be the reason. Before we moved here, they were outdoor cats and used to get a lot of scraps from neighbours. We fed them much less dry food then. Now they get that as their main food, so yes, maybe it satisfies him.