author Sara Thornton DVM iCandy RagaMuffins
Why are cats so picky? Well, one reason is that cats develop taste preferences very early in life. If a kitten is not exposed to beef, for example, prior to five or six months of age it doesn’t really recognize beef as a food item later.
It is not just food flavors or ingredients that matter. It is texture and shape as well. If it was only fed round dry pellets as a kitten, it would be unlikely that it would accept flat shaped kibble later. If it only has canned slices in gravy, a switch to pate as an adult would not be welcome.
This is important to note as a RagaMuffin breeder or a pet owner. There may come a day that a cat needs to eat a specific food, whether prescription or not, for health reasons. In addition, a food may become unavailable and an adult may need to have a diet change.
At iCandy RagaMuffins, kittens are fed two premium kitten kibbles, so they get used to the different shapes. They are also fed various flavors and textures of canned food. As I serve multiple cats, I never know who likes what best; I am sure they have preferences. But, I do know the kittens are well prepared to go to their new homes with a base of exposure to foods that a pet owner may prefer to feed.