Why Your Cat Only Licks the Gravy and Leaves the Food

Story time!

A few years ago, I was trying out a bunch of different cat foods, going through the rotation of flavors for wet foods to see which ones my fur babies preferred and which ones they ignored. The results were pretty fun to see, and I learned a lot about my cats' preferences along the way.

But near the end of the trial, I noticed that one of my kitties was leaving a lot of food behind. Worried that she was sick, I started to pay more attention when she ate and watched her at it.

What I found was odd. She was definitely hungry, came for the food right away, and seemed to go to town. But what she was actually doing was licking up all of the gravy-like liquid in the wet food. She would even "eat" little bits of the meat, basically just sucking the gravy off before spitting it back out. The end was what looked like a half-eaten bowl, but was really just a bowl with the gravy all slurped away.

What was happening? Well, I talked to my vet about it, and we got to the bottom of it. Fortunately, she wasn't in pain or sick, but since that's one possibility, I figured I would write a whole guide about this in case one of your cats starts doing the same thing.

Why is Your Cat Licking Gravy and Ignoring Food?

To get right to it, let's talk about all of the possible reasons why your cat might be licking up all of the gravy from their food, but ignoring the actual substance beneath. There are a handful of possibilities, so I'll start with the potentially hazardous ones first.

Your cat has dental problems.

While this isn't the most common possibility, it's the most risky to ignore, so I'm putting it right at the top.

Basically, this behavior could be because your cat is finding it painful to eat. They're hungry, they think the food smells and tastes delicious, but chewing through a kibble (even saturated with a gravy) or a meat chunk is painful to them. They could have a dental disease, a tooth abscess, a broken tooth, a cavity, or another dental problem.

Dental problems are common and can seem to come out of nowhere if you aren't acutely aware of the signs. Things like increasingly bad breath, changes in eating behavior, drooling, pawing at the face, bleeding gums, and other symptoms can be subtle initially. This is why regular vet check-ups are important, and why you want to keep an eye on your feline friend's behaviors around mealtimes.

Your cat has another medical issue.

While dental issues are the most likely medical explanation for this behavior, some others can crop up as well.

Things like:

• Gastrointestinal illness

• Feline IBS

• Pancreatitis

• Bowel Obstructions

• Kidney failure

• Upper respiratory infections

• Urinary tract disease

Can all be potential explanations. When your cat is feeling under the weather, they won't have as much appetite, so they'll be pickier about what they do eat. Things like a bland and unattractive meat covered in delicious gravy make it a no-brainer what they'd go for.

It's also possible that your cat is trying to pass a hairball. Hairballs form in the digestive system and come up in a fairly distressing way, and while they're pending, your cat might not have the stomach for solid food. Frankly, hairballs might be worth a whole article on their own; let me know if you want one.

Your cat has whisker fatigue.

Whisker fatigue is an odd one, and not one that most people think about.

Cats use their whiskers for a lot. Those stiff little hairs give a ton of feedback directly to their brains. Think about how you feel when a hair on your head or arm is tweaked by something like a bug; it's an instant reaction, right?

A lot of cat food bowls are relatively small and deep, forcing the cat in question to push their face down into it to get at their food (or water). In fact, part of the reason so many cats prefer water fountains is that they don't tweak the whiskers when they drink.

When their whiskers are continually triggered, it ends up being very stressful for them. Imagine if every time you tried to eat anything, someone started tugging at hairs on your head. Horrible, right? But that's what it's like for cats.

Some aren't really bothered by this, but others are more sensitive. A cat somewhere in the middle might be willing to brave the sensation to eat something really tasty, like gravy, but won't go back for something that isn't, like the food left behind after they eat all the gravy.

Your cat is a fussy eater.

Is your cat a diva?

I get customer stories all the time about cats that are very picky with their food. In fact, it's part of why I did my food experiment in the first place! Knowing your cat's preferences, their limits, and what you can get them to eat in a pinch is all important for keeping them healthy.

Some cats are just going to be picky or stuck with their preferences. Some can be pulled out of it over time. A lot of it comes down to how much they were exposed to different foods as a kitten.

Ironically, it can also be the opposite. If you give your cat a wide array of different foods, they can develop preferences and start to demand those preferences over other foods they like less. All good things in moderation!

Your cat dislikes the texture of the underlying food.

Just like cats can have flavor preferences, they can also have texture preferences. It's possible that whatever food the gravy is on just isn't very appetizing to them. And honestly, seeing some of those foods without gravy? I don't blame them!

Next time it happens, take a look at what they leave behind. Is it tough, rubbery, and bland? It's no wonder they aren't interested.

Your cat prefers the flavor of the gravy.

The gravy that comes mixed in or on top of cat foods is, no doubt, delicious if you're a cat. I mean, the gravy you get for your holiday dinners is delicious too; that's why we make it. For your cat, it's a super tasty treat.

Unfortunately, it can be so much better that your cat will start ignoring other foods, including the food the gravy is covering. This is part of why I'm not too fond of some meal toppers. It's one thing if it's a sometimes treat, but if it's a routine part of meal time, it can inspire bad habits and bad diets.

What to Do if Your Cat is Just Licking the Gravy

So, if your cat is being fussy and licking up all the gravy from their food, what can you do to solve the problem?

I can tell you what I did with my one cat that was having this issue: I changed the food. Fortunately, mine didn't have a medical issue and hadn't developed picky eating habits outside of the few gravy-soaked foods I was giving her. When I rotated back out of that line of foods and into more typical wet foods, she went right back to cleaning her bowl.

So, there's option number one: just change the food. If your cat isn't demanding gravy with every meal, they'll be fine eating something without it.

Another option is to mash and mix up the food before serving. Your cat might not like the chunks of nondescript meat or rehydrated kibble hiding in the gravy, but if you mash and mix it all together, they won't have the option of only eating the gravy anymore. If a fork doesn't do the job, you can get a blender to dedicate to the cause.

You can also mix in some kibble. Kibble can absorb the flavors of the gravy, and they'll be more likely to eat it than a bland meat product that didn't take on the flavors. It's not a sure-fire solution, but it can help for some cats.

One trick I've had a little success with is to heat the food up. Warmer food gives off more aroma, so your cat will find it more attractive, and they might be more inclined to eat the bits. Just make sure not to over-heat it; you don't want them to burn themselves!

I also tend to not recommend this because, let's face it, a lot of cat food doesn't smell very good to we humans. Making that smell stronger (and putting it in your microwave) just kind of makes mealtimes unpleasant.

Really though, most of the time your best option is to just switch the food.

How to Tell if Your Cat is Sick

Since a couple of the possible causes for this behavior are illnesses, it's worth making sure your fur baby isn't sick. Fortunately, most of the time, that won't be the case. But you still want to rule it out!

As always, if you're concerned, it's fine to give your vet a call. They can ask specific questions about other related behaviors, and can determine whether or not you should bring your fur baby in for a check-up.

Signs you should look for include:

• It's a sudden change. If your cat used to eat the bits along with the gravy, and has started to leave it behind, it's a possible symptom.

• They're losing weight. A cat that isn't eating properly will lose weight, and that indicates an underlying problem.

• They're slow to react and tired. Lethargy is also a symptom of a lot of feline illnesses.

• They're vomiting, retching, or otherwise making horrible sounds. This could be the hairball thing, or vomiting, or a related digestive illness.

• They have diarrhea or constipation, or aren't going at all. Urinary and bowel issues can both cause appetite problems, so check litter behavior too.

• They have very bad breath. Bad breath and breath that gets worse are signs of a dental problem.

• They're drooling a lot. This also indicates a dental problem.

If you see one or two symptoms, call your vet; if you see more than a couple, consider bringing them to an emergency vet. A lot of cat illnesses seem to go from nothing to severe very quickly because cats are good at hiding their distress, so if you're seeing it, it's past time to get it checked out.

More Questions About Cat Gravy Obsession

What else is there worth mentioning? Here are a couple of questions I've gotten on this subject recently.

"My cat is obsessed with gravy and jelly toppings, but hates solid food. What can I do?"

Nine times out of ten, your best option is to mix things together in a way that your cat can't separate them.

I know a lot of these gravy and jelly-infused products are all about presentation, but I promise your cat doesn't care how it looks. Mix and mash and blend it all up. Alternatively, switch to a pate-style food instead.

"Is it a problem if my cat is only eating the gravy?"

It can be! Gravy is basically a meal topper built into the food, which means it's not going to be nutritionally complete. Food is balanced for the health of a cat assuming the cat is eating all of it. It's like the child that eats their meat but leaves their veggies behind, you know?

This is doubly true if your cat has specific issues and needs a specific diet, such as a kidney diet. They can't afford to leave off some of the food they need to be eating.

"My cat is picky and won't eat things without gravy, what can I do?"

Once again, this is probably a matter of buying a blender. They like the flavor of the gravy, or they dislike the texture of the food, so you need to change it up somehow. I still think it's easier to find a different food they'll eat, but if you need to stick with that one for some reason, changing the texture or adding little bits of something attractive to it is the way to go.

Do you have any other questions? Have you ever had a cat that only ate the gravy and left everything else behind? Let me know in the comments! I love talking with my followers, so tell me your story or ask anything you want to know.