Trying to add supplements to your cat’s food can sometimes feel impossible.
One day they’ll happily eat something, the next they’re turning their nose up at what was previously their favourite food. Cats are naturally cautious when it comes to food, especially if the smell or texture changes, so introducing supplements often takes a little patience.
The good news is that there are a few simple ways to make the process easier, without turning mealtimes into a daily battle.
If you also have dogs at home, you can read our guide on how to add supplements to your dog's food, ideal for fussy or senior dogs who may have lost their appetite.
Why Cats Are So Fussy?
Cats rely heavily on smell when deciding whether food is worth eating. If something smells unfamiliar, they are much more likely to avoid it completely.
They also tend to prefer consistency. Sudden changes, especially in scent and texture, can put them off straight away. Because of this, simply adding a full serving of a new supplement into their food often doesn’t go down well. Keep reading for our top tips to get your fussy cat to accept a new supplement in their diet, from feeding routines to toppers & mixers for cat food.
-
Start Small and Build Up
When introducing a new supplement, start with a very small amount and build up gradually over several days.
Even a light sprinkle can be enough at first. Once your cat is consistently eating it without hesitation, you can slowly increase towards the recommended amount.
This helps your cat adjust to the new smell and taste without overwhelming them.
This approach can also avoid upsetting your cat's stomach, which new supplements can sometimes do when added at their full amount in one go.
- Use a Strong-Smelling Topper
For many cats, smell is the deciding factor.
Using something naturally aromatic alongside supplements can help encourage interest in the food and mask unfamiliar scents at the same time.
Merlin’s 100% Freeze-Dried Salmon Powder works particularly well for this. Made from 100% freeze-dried salmon, it has a rich fish smell that many cats find irresistible.
Used alongside supplements, it can:
- Encourage interest in the food
- Help mask unfamiliar smells
- Make the overall meal more appealing
Not only does this product have a super fishy smell that cats love, it also rich in omega-3 and provides essential B vitamins to support your cat's wellbeing. Simply sprinkle over your cat's food, stir through, or mix with water for the added hydration benefits.
Not a fishy fan? Karnlea Appetite Food Topper for Cats works in a similar way, with a tasty chicken flavour. This topper was designed for extreme palatability to encourage cats who struggle to eat, are fussy, have lost appetite or generally as a nutritious treat to benefit each meal time. Formulated to be extremely palatable, and have an intense tempting aroma, it can also be mixed into food, added as a topper, or mixed with a little liquid to create a gravy.
-
Liquid Toppers
Liquid toppers are one of the easiest ways to mix powders into food more effectively.
Rather than supplements sitting on top of the meal, adding moisture helps distribute them more evenly throughout the food. This can make them much harder for fussy cats to detect and avoid.
The Karnlea Whole Goat Milk Powder is a great option for this. When mixed with water, it creates a creamy liquid that can be poured over meals.
Bone broth can also work really well in the same way, especially for cats that prefer savoury flavours.
Used as part of your cat’s routine, liquid toppers can:
- Help evenly distribute powdered supplements throughout the meal
- Improve palatability by enhancing smell and flavour
- Create a more consistent texture, reducing the chance of cats picking around additions
- Soften kibble and add moisture to dry diets
- Support hydration, particularly for cats that don’t naturally drink much
For wet and raw feeding, they help bind supplements into the food. For kibble, they soften the biscuits and allow powders to coat and absorb more effectively.
It’s also useful for cats that prefer to lick rather than chew, as it changes the consistency of the meal.
What if my cat still won't eat the supplement?
If your cat refuses a meal, it’s usually a sign that the change was too much, too quickly.
Rather than continuing with the same amount, reduce it and reintroduce more gradually. Cats are much more likely to accept something new when it’s introduced subtly over time. If we recieve feedback that there is a particular supplement that cats consistently refuse to eat, we will highlight this on our website — we want to avoid you having to do the trial and error!
