🐱 New Food Fussiness? It’s Not Picky Eating — It’s Survival Instinct

If you’ve ever tried introducing your cat to a new food and been met with a dramatic side-eye and a walk-off worthy of a soap opera… don’t worry — it’s not that they’re fussy. And it’s definitely not because the food is “bad.”

The truth? Cats are instinctual — not picky.

Are they as fussy as we think?

🧠 Let’s Talk Wild Cat Logic

In the wild, cats survive by being cautious. When faced with a new food source, they don’t just dive in. They observe. They wait. They wonder:

• "Was this freshly hunted… or already dead?"

• "Could it have been ill or poisoned?"

• "Who else has eaten it — and survived?"

Even though your cat lives in a cosy home with central heating and a snack drawer, their instincts haven’t changed. New food = potential danger, and their first reaction is often suspicion — not dislike.

🐾 How to Outsmart Instinct: Try the Pickles Pet Pantry 9-Day Method

We’ve got a fun, natural approach to help your cat feel confident with a new food — by playing into their own survival logic.

👇 Here’s how it works:

🥣 Step 1: Get Two Bowls

• One for their current food

• One for the new food you’re introducing (like our high-meat CATTAC® recipes!)

🐈 Step 2: Serve Both at Mealtimes

• Put both bowls down at feeding time.

• Your cat will almost certainly eat the familiar food and ignore the new one — that’s okay!

⏰ Step 3: Pick Up Both Bowls After Mealtime

• Even if they didn’t touch the new food, take both bowls away.

• This subtly sends a message: “Hmm… the humans are eating that new stuff too… and they seem fine!”

🔁 Step 4: Repeat Daily

• Always refill the familiar food, but keep putting the new bowl down alongside it.

• Over time, their confidence grows. You're modelling that the new food is "safe."

🐾 Step 5: By Day 9 — Ta-Da!

Most cats will start tasting or fully switching to the new food by Day 9 — all because their instinctual concerns have been resolved.

Full tummies mean happy cats!

🎉 Why This Works

Cats often wait to see if others eat first and survive before they try something new. By consistently presenting both options and taking away both bowls (as if you might be eating from them too), you're helping them feel that the new food is safe, trusted, and part of the routine.

🥩 Bonus Tip: Choose a Food Worth Trying

Make sure the new food smells and tastes worthy of their curiosity! Our CATTAC® range is a great place to start:

• Over 60% meat content

• Natural, digestible ingredients

• Unique proteins like duck, white fish, salmon & even caviar

• Gently cooked, irresistibly aromatic — even for cautious cats

🛍️ Ready to Try?

Pop into Pickles Pet Pantry, message us online, or explore our range via our new app. We’ll help you choose the right recipe and support you through the switch — one sniff at a time.

Because your cat isn’t being difficult…They’re just being a cat.