Is your cat turning her nose up to her food? Have you tried switching it out and feeding her new recipes and formulas, to no avail? If so, the food may not be the problem; her avoidance may actually be the placement of her food. Felines are very particular creatures and they like things that appeal to their desires; including the placement of their food.
When it comes to food placement, top on the list of pet-peeves is proximity to the litter box; specifically, close proximity. If food is too close to the litter box, it’s very likely that your feline friend is going to avoid eating. Why? Because a cat’s sense of small is quite strong; it has to be, as in nature, their sense of smell plays a big part in survival; they use it to locate their prey and identify dangers, for example. If a cat’s food is too close to a litter box, the smell of excrement may overpower the scent of her food, which could deter her from eating all together. It may disrupt her appetite, for example; or, it may prevent her ability to smell the food.
Think about it: if you were eating near a smelly toilet, you probably won’t be able to smell the tasty meal right in front of you; and even if you could, you probably wouldn’t want to because the smell of the toilet would more than likely turn your stomach. The same can be said for your kitty!
So, how far away should your cat’s food dish be from the litter box? The answer: far enough away so that the scent doesn’t interfere with her food. As a rule of thumb, if at all possible, don’t place her litter box and food dish in the same room. If you’re short on space and have to place them in the same vicinity, place the litter box in one corner of the room and set the food dish in the corner that’s farthest away from the litter box.
Use your own nose when determining where to place the food dish and litter box. If you can smell any hint of kitty litter (or the excrement that it contains) near the food, you’re going to want to make some adjustments. Remember, a cat’s sense of smell is much more powerful than yours is, so even if you are only getting the faintest whiff of litter box odor, the scent is going to be much more noticeable – and frustrating – to your feline friend.
You can also avoid problems with the effects a cat litter box has on eating by making sure that you clean out the litter on a regular basis. Not only will doing so help to cut down on the odor that could impede her desire to eat or her ability to smell her food, but it will also prevent a host of other problems, such as litter box avoidance and even potential bacterial infections.
Want to learn more about your cat’s wellness or cat products? Check out some more Pure Bred Cats articles!