A “spoiled” cat and his picky eating habits have gone viral on TikTok after receiving 394,000 views.
In the video, Fritz the ginger cat can be seen sitting next to his plate of food, looking expectantly at his owner. The caption then reads: “He’s waiting for me to make a pile with the spoon so that he can eat it better.”
After the food is flattened, Fritz immediately starts eating. One TikToker commented: “Cats are just little furry dictators.”
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Cats are known to be fickle, changeable and aloof, especially when it comes to food. Research published by PLOS Genetics journal suggests that one cause of picky eating in cats could be that they are genetically different to most mammals in lacking the genes necessary for tasting sweet substances.
The study explains that this may be why cats in the wild eat few carbohydrates and choose protein instead, similar to pets.
The authors feel that this genetic difference may explain why cats in the wild eat few carbohydrates, instead preferring to dine on protein. Our domesticated felines are strict carnivores as well, and fare better on high-protein rather than high-carbohydrate diets.
Cats have a sense of smell 14 times stronger than a human, so smell is a big factor when it comes to cats enjoying their food.
If your cat is particularly fussy, pet-food maker Purina suggests that it could be because “some cats don’t enjoy an audience when they eat, so give your pet some peace and quiet at dinner time. Other cats love company and may only eat when being gently stroked or hand fed.”
Other suggestions include:
- “We wouldn’t serve our dinner on a dirty plate, and some cats won’t eat out of a dirty bowl either. Make sure your cat’s bowl is cleaned after each use to encourage them to eat, and prevent growth of bacteria on the dish.
- “If your cat normally enjoys dry food but has suddenly become a fussy eater, you may need to replace your supply. As dry food absorbs moisture (especially in warm weather), your stocks may have turned stale.
- “If your cat has started to turn their nose up at their usual wet food, it could be because it’s too cold. Wet food can lose its tasty aroma when kept in the fridge, and your cat won’t eat what they can’t smell. Try warming chilled wet food in the microwave for a few seconds so that it reaches room temperature, and it should hopefully tempt your cat to tuck in.”
Some TikTokers suggested that it was “whiskers fatigue,” with one poster writing, “get a different bowl, it might be hurting it’s wiskers.” The original poster @furryfritz replied: “Thanks for your concerns. It’s more like he flattens the tuna with his tongue and then he can’t bite it properly. It’s just a tuna thing.”
TikToker Kate Ashley commented: “I literally just pointed to this and told my cat ‘that’s you.'”
User CassandraAnng wrote: “I call that zhuzhing the food, I would usually heat it up in the microwave,” while Navigate with Jen on TikTok wrote: “My cat expects treats then acts like Gordon Ramsay when there is none”.
Newsweek has reached out for comment to the original poster.
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