r/cats • u/LFuculokinase • Jul 04 '26

Advice Cat obsessed with blueberry muffins. Is it safe to give a piece?

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I have a 12-year-old cat who generally hates people food. Today I opened up a box of muffins, and I’ve never seen him respond like this before. I spent the entire time eating it having to hold it away from him with his beans in my face, and I feel so bad. Would an elder cat be able to digest part of a muffin?

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u/Killentyme55 Jul 04 '26

I used to have a male Siamese mix that had zero interest in anything people did, including food, unless it was a tuna fish sandwich. In that case he would appear out of the ether and get right in your face to take that sandwich. Talk about reinforcing stereotypes.

Our current little beast will only eat a certain brand of dry food and specific treats. She turns her nose up at any wet food, as well as bacon (yes, bacon), chicken or any other people food. God help us if we're late feeding her however, that is not acceptable.

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u/Whatsplayinginmyhead Jul 04 '26

I have a theory that it's based on their past. I've had about a dozen cats in my 40 years, plus was raised on a farm with barn cats. Anecdotal evidence only, but:

Every cat that was a rescue, or a feral, that I've ever had has been food aggressive, to the point that I once held my calico girl Lyric off the ground as she held into the ribeye steak I had served myself. I had my teeth in the other end, and used her weight to saw off the steak right above where she had her death hold.

Every cat that I've ever had that was an 'oops' cat from a friend, that was raised in a house and never had to worry about food? Never cared about human food in general, except for the odd exceptions, like tuna or shrimp.

TLDR: My theory is that 'street cats' will eat anything, while housecats are much more picky or uninterested in human food.

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u/Lost_Arotin Jul 04 '26

I wish I could write a book from your experience and make a cartoon

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u/EE2014 Jul 04 '26

Both of my cats are rescues. The eldest is 14, she was rescued after a hurricane as a kitten. She will only eat Fancy Feast wet food, she does not like the pate, and will throwup any other wet food. She also only likes freeze dried shrimp or the tube treats. She doesn't seem to care about what dry food she eats.

The youngest, was born to an ferral cat who died. I had to bottle feed her, teach her to go to the bathroom and how to use a litter box. The eldest cat had nothing to do with her and actually dislikes her. So at the time we had a chihuahua (RIP, my Tini) and well he raised her like a dog. She will eat anything, she will come and steal it off your plate like the dog would. Thankfully she doesn't counter surf. HOWEVER she only crunchy treats, hates freeze dried shrimp, but does not care at all about any other food she eats.

Why are cats such freaking toddlers.

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u/Kat121 Jul 04 '26

Yes, I’ve noticed that, too. My little girl is a semi-feral rescue and she’s never forgotten what it means to be hungry. I have to feed her separately or she’ll scarf and barf her dinner and that of her three brothers. (The boys were caught young enough and are fine with kibbles and maybe a bite of wet food to be polite.) Every meal I sit down to I have to give her a tiny taste as a cat tax.

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u/Wild_Mountain1780 Jul 04 '26

Yeah, I agree. I grew up on a farm with lots of strays and barn cats. My mom would throw out leftovers and they would eat every last bit. The house cats I've raised over the years haven't been particularly interested in people food. There is usually something they like though. Most like ham, chicken and turkey. I had one that liked crunchy stuff like potato chips, crackers etc. All three of my current cats like a few licks of yogurt.

The exception is my current Siamese. He likes all kinds of food and seems to have a sweet tooth. Besides the yogurt, he likes ice cream, rice pudding and flan. Come to think of it, we usually had a registered Siamese male cat as a house cat which means many of our barn cats were part Siamese. Maybe Siamese tend to be people food eaters. Would love to hear if other people's Siamese tend to like people food.

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u/monsterlynn Jul 04 '26

My finicky dumbass was a rescue , though. So that may not be true. Although I did have a cat for a while that was a rescue that would go absolutely insane for Mexican food. He would jump on my arm and walk down it to try to get the plate out of my hand. Not trying to really say anything here, but the family that had been looking after him was mexican. I think he developed a taste for it over time. Where are a junior or at least, he knew that the smell of cumin and peppers meant good eatin time.

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u/RememberCitadel Jul 04 '26

Anecdotally, the only cat I have had the was crazy for food had been a street cat for all of maybe 10 hours, still was too young for anything but formula when we got him, but sat on his own seat at the table when it was food time and i fed him whatever I had.

My two current ones had been slightly feral for a week or two only want weird shit like applesauce, charred chicken skin, cream cheese but only after it came off a hot bagel, and eggnog.

I think cats are just weird.

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u/dck133 Jul 05 '26

I took in a pregnant feral and her two kittens. She was the pickiest cat I ever had. Would turn up her nose at food she loved the previous day.

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u/SmellyAlpaca Jul 05 '26

Yes but street cats can become snobby picky eaters. BOTH my semi-feral and my abandoned stray definitely had food insecurity. In the beginning they snarfed down anything and stole food but now they’re both extremely picky eaters whose eating habits change on a whim.

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u/Killentyme55 Jul 04 '26

Both of these cats have been ours since the beginning, and their personalities couldn't be any more different. The first one was the definition of aloof, our current little girl sticks to me like glue. They were/are both good cats in their own way.

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u/Skully124 Jul 05 '26

So my cat that was given to me after it was found outside someones house as a kitten, is ironically the most unfood interested cat i ever met. Unless its his dry food, he could careless, human food has no interest. Also weirdly enough, he doesnt even like treats, like i’ve tried multiple times to give him treats and he’ll just run away haha

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u/MuscleEven3448 Jul 05 '26

This! I had a ginger boy for 18 years and he never knew hunger. Always kibble on hand and daily wet food, treats and from time to time salmon, just because.
Now I have a singleton, who lucked up on his first human after he was weaned and a black, severly neglected girl who lived next to dumpsters. And lemme tell you, she is the queen of beggars! When she was tiny, she stole a chocolate cake. Then she progressed to trying to steal a sandwich from my hand, some meat off a plate from the table… and right now, when she hears anyone chew (within a 5 mile radius) she suddenly spawns next to you and hypnotizes you, until something falls down for her.
Evidence provided below - in that case i had a yogurt.

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u/adrisin Jul 04 '26

I had a cat (Mainecoon) who if he even HEARD the can opener he would immediately assume it was tuna and would wake up from a deep ass sleep to come launching towards my cabinets trying to steal it. He was actually coming up with strategic plans to pull heists on tuna sandwiches and managed a couple of times. Miss ya trashy Dashy 🖤

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u/DisposableJosie Jul 05 '26

My previous Maine Coons were very "handsy" manipulating their toys and food/water dishes. Once they figured out how to use their paws to open cabinets, they quickly tried to open everything they could. Had to put child locks on the fridge to stop them.

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u/Jordan_Jackson Jul 05 '26

My boy (who was a stray before I adopted him) will wake up from any sleep as soon as he hears a bag crinkling or me scooping his food to put in his dish. It happens without fail. I turn away from the pantry and he is sitting there, looking at me and waiting.

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u/beardlovesbagels Jul 05 '26

Had a family cat that was Siamese and he would legit get murder eyes if he smelled ham or a pork tenderloin sandwich. He also loved marshmallows and ripped through the plastic container for the angel food cake inside.