New kitty will not eat. Normal?

[Paper Roses]

Yesterday I picked her up at the shelter. She is lovable and spent all last evening on my lap. Uses litter box and seems very much at home.

She ate yesterday AM before I picked her up. I bought dry food and canned. She seems not to be interested in either one.
I even opened a can of people tuna this am, thinking I'd mix a little bit in with the canned food. Still nothing.

Today I will try and reach one of the shelter volunteers to see if I can find out what they were feeding her.
She is small and needs to eat. This upsets me. She has had a few sips of water. Other than than, I don't see that the food was touched.
Any experience with this?

She is otherwise healthy and happy.

[david13]

1. I don't know if it's normal but sometimes happens. Kitty may be

a little confused about being there and all. And too excited to be much hungry. So it may take time.
Time to adjust. But usually when they get hungry they eat.
In the wild, they may go as much as two weeks between meals, so one day is not much.
I had a tiny stray (homeless) wander into my office last July. And now she is huge.
But she did start eating immediately. In fact, the first thing she found was the food bowl, ate a bit, then, realizing the food was there and available, continued on around to explore everything else.
But it may take a little time for the cat to realize he is hungry.
dc

[Lisa0825]

2. Actually not eating for a couple days should not be taken lightly. Kittens can't afford to

lose much weight. And even for adult cats, if they start losing weight too quickly by suddenly stopping eating, it can cause serious problems. It is important to keep a close eye on cats if they seem to have stopped eating.

Also, force-feeding is not as bad as it sounds. Mixing up some canned food with water to get it thin enough to pass through a ssyringe (WITH NO NEEDLE) or dropper, and then squirting it in their mouths while being scruffed can get much needed calories in, and often that will stimulate the natural appetite, so they will begin eating voluntarily.

[Lisa0825]

3. Did you try the same food she was eating at the shelter?

If not, try that. Sometimes they are fussy that way. Hopefully it is just nerves and she'll get over it soon, but it's a good idea ot call the shelter.

[Sanity Claws]

4. I adopted a kitten that hardly ate for a couple of days

I got worried, just as you are worrying now. In hindsight, it was just the excitement of being in a new place. He started eating regularly about three days into his new home.

I like the ideas voiced in this thread; try to feed the kitten the same food it had at the shelter. It's hard enough getting used to a new home and new people, without also trying to adjust to new food.

Remember to post a picture of your new baby.

[Paper Roses]

5. I called the shelter this am and they told me they feed the kitties

Pro-Plan so I hoofed it over to PetCo and bought an assortment of the canned and dry. She still seems to be disinterested. I am letting her nap now and tonight will try and get her to take a tiny mouthful to entice her. She is so thin now, I feel very concerned. Although she is very lovable, sleeps on my lap, the food problem has me worried. Will keep you all posted.

[Sanity Claws]

6. Did she pee and poop?

If something is coming out, then something must have gone in.

Maybe you underestimated how much she has had. A tiny kitten does not eat that much.

[Paper Roses]

7. She has used the litter box to piddle. Nothing else yet.

Tonight I will try and spoon feed her just a tiny bit. Maybe she needs a little encouragement.

[Curmudgeoness]

8. I have used a product called NutriCal from a pet store

to jump start the cat's appetite. It is also high calorie. If that fails, take the cat to the vet. Make sure it isn't anything physical, and they have a medicine that is an appetite stimulant. I have also used a syringe with watered down canned food to force feed just to start the appetite up again.

[Lisa0825]

9. How is she doing? nt

[CC]

10. Warm her food up.

Since you got some canned food use the smelliest, stinkiest one and warm it up. Test before feeding then leave her in a small room (bathroom) alone with the warm, stinky food. You might only want to use a couple teaspoons so you can tell if she ate. The smell might entice her while being in a small enclosed quiet area will keep the distractions down. Good luck. Oh and I will second the nutri-cal.

[Granny M]

11. Any news?

Hope she has started to eat now.