My cat eats without chewing: causes and what to do

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 18 February 2021
Update Date: 18 May 2024
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Cat Not Eating? A Vet Gives 10 Reasons Why
Video: Cat Not Eating? A Vet Gives 10 Reasons Why

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Cats in the wild feed on small prey such as rodents, birds or even geckos. As they are small animals, they must hunt and eat several times throughout the day.At home, although we can also offer food rationed in small portions, it is very common that we feed them with free ration, that is, leaving them with free access 24 hours a day. Even so, it is not strange to find felines that eat without chewing, with eagerness and, as a result, the cat ends up vomiting.

That's why in this PeritoAnimal article, we explain why does your cat eat without chewing and how you can feed it to avoid overeating.


Why does my cat swallow without chewing?

As already mentioned, in many homes, cats always have feed in their feeder. In others, however, the food is divided into several portions. In both cases, we can find cats who crave food and swallow it without chewing. This habit can be influenced by some factors, such as presence of other cats in the house or a stress state, however, there are different causes:

1. Changes in your routine

It should always be kept in mind that cats are animals of habits, very sensitive to any changes in their routine. This includes important changes, such as a move or the arrival of a new member in the home. All this produces stress, anxiety and nervousness in the animal.

They may also be stressed by small changes, such as moving their feeder from place or even by events that are completely imperceptible for us, for example, the smell of a new flavoring.


2. Spaces without separation

The cats need to keep some spaces delimited. Thus, they require a space to rest, another to play, a third to eat and at least another for the sandbox. These different areas must be well separated. Food can't be near the toilet tray, of course, but many cats don't like it too close to the water cooler.

Therefore, although there are factors that can influence the way a cat eats that are difficult to control, such as stress, taking care of the home layout and routines they are points on which we can act.

3. Stress

When a cat eats greedily and very quickly, even if it hasn't happened, or at least we don't notice, any change in the home, we should investigate further. You may be subject to a stressful situation that makes you eat without chewing to do this as quickly as possible.


If we don't look closely, we may not even notice it's swallowing quickly, but we certainly detect a detail, which is when we have a cat vomiting the feed without being chewed right after filling the plate. That is, you will vomit the food as you ingested it a few minutes after you have swallowed it.

Apparently he will not show any other signs of illness. This way of eating is more common in cats under stress, although some in this situation reject the food directly. These cats, in addition to not chewing, may spend most of the day hidden, interact little with us and the environment, react aggressively, mark the territory with urine, not play, not clean themselves or do less, etc.

4. Coexistence between cats

It is also relatively common to detect this rushed feeding in homes where several cats live. It may go unnoticed, but it is possible that one of them is preventing the others from having free access to food. This makes the affected cat have to take advantage of specific times to eat. That's why he is obliged to do it as quickly as possible, swallowing without chewing to finish first. And, of course, because of that we may again find our cat vomiting feed.

How to teach a cat to chew?

To encourage our cat to chew, the first thing is to know what it is that is motivating its behavior towards food. It's likely that our first idea is to offer a smaller amount of feed spread several times a day, but not always the best option.

For example, in the case of problems between multiple cats, rationing can be a stressor in itself. Therefore, the recommendation is to always make the food accessible, but with measures to avoid excesses. For example, using an oversized food to make it difficult for the cat to swallow it all without chewing. We can also use interactive feeders, especially useful in these cases.

Automatic or anti-voracity feeder for cats

The so-called automatic or anti-voracity feeders are those designed to make it difficult for the cat to access food. This way, not only can they not swallow their ration at once, but they must also take the time to get their food. Therefore, they can also be considered as excellent elements of environmental enrichment. They are intended to provide stimulation and entertainment for cats to avoid problems that cause frustration and stress.

There are several models of these feeders. The simplest ones consist of a platform with a lid silicone with multiple holes. The dry food is introduced through them and the cat must access it by putting its paws to go removing the balls practically one by one. This way, it is impossible to swallow the food.

Other models are more sophisticated and are arranged vertically, with several ramps where the cat must lower the food to consume it in a bottom tray. There are also pans of this type that have a tray on which you can place wet food.

It is worth remembering that it is recommended to offer the cat at least a mixed diet, that is, including dry and wet food, to ensure correct hydration. In this regard, there are also anti-feeding pans for cats designed to be used with dry and wet food at the same time.

For example, there is the option of a feeder with smaller holes to distribute dry food and larger ones for wet food. Likewise, it is possible to find a feeder with a hole in the center to introduce the dry food and have the cat remove it with its paw and an outer circle to place the wet food. Anyway, as felines don't like change very much, always we will put the new feeder together with the old one while he is getting used to the novelty little by little. We must never force it, as this would be a stressor and therefore counterproductive.

On the other hand, this type of feeders are usually used at various levels of difficulty to adapt them to the needs of each cat. Are a good alternative to get a slow feed while the cat has fun. They also prevent us from having to give the balls ourselves one by one, and thus we will avoid having a cat vomiting.

Finally, keep in mind that if your cat swallows without chewing due to stress, other factors in her routine must also be modified. A veterinarian specializing in feline behavior or ethologist can give us the necessary guidance according to our case.

When to go to the vet if my cat doesn't chew the kibble?

Sometimes, a cat eating voraciously can be related to some illnesses. Likewise, if we have a cat often vomiting food such as white foam or any other substance, is overweight, weight loss, diarrhea or any other symptom or we notice they are swallowing, but actually because our cat has difficulty chewing , we must go to the vet. Mouth problems, digestive disorders or endocrine diseases may be behind the action of eating without chewing and vomiting. Professional diagnosis and treatment are essential.

Now that you know that it is possible to prevent a cat from vomiting feed if he is eating without chewing, below you can check out a video with a common curiosity in many tutors: why does my cat drink water with his paw?

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