new cat or kitten advice (merged)

mancbird

Hi everyone,
I wonder if you can please give me some advice?
I got two adorable kittens on Saturday (Missy and Mollie) and they seem to be settling in well to their new home They are incredibly lively and as I type this are chasing each other in circles around the living room and trying to catch my fingers as I type!
However, they don't seem to be eating very much. I have been trying a few different things (whiskas pouches, two different types of dry food) but they don't seem to be eating any solid foods. They love kitten milk though and are guzzling that. I have also tried mashing the dry kitten food up with milk but they don't seem to like that either. They go over to it and sniff it before going and drinking some kitten milk instead!
Also, they are really good at using their litter tray but don't seem to have done any number 2s since they arrived here? My oh says that this is because they aren't really eating any food and it's ok because they're getting what they need from the milk.
Am I right to be worried or am I just being a bit paranoid? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

foreign_correspondent

have you tried mashed up sardines or pilchards - few cats can resist!

what were they fed on before they came to you?

how old are they?

munchki

mancbird wrote: »

Hi everyone,
I wonder if you can please give me some advice?
I got two adorable kittens on Saturday (Missy and Mollie) and they seem to be settling in well to their new home They are incredibly lively and as I type this are chasing each other in circles around the living room and trying to catch my fingers as I type!
However, they don't seem to be eating very much. I have been trying a few different things (whiskas pouches, two different types of dry food) but they don't seem to be eating any solid foods. They love kitten milk though and are guzzling that. I have also tried mashing the dry kitten food up with milk but they don't seem to like that either. They go over to it and sniff it before going and drinking some kitten milk instead!
Also, they are really good at using their litter tray but don't seem to have done any number 2s since they arrived here? My oh says that this is because they aren't really eating any food and it's ok because they're getting what they need from the milk.
Am I right to be worried or am I just being a bit paranoid? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

When I got my sweet little kitten "lil miss" she was only about 5-7 weeks old. she was tiny but so full of energy but she did not hardly eat or drink the first week, after the first few days she started to nibble and has been fine ever since. Vet told me to not worry as long as she would drink a little and was active. She is now several times her original size and is the most loving and amazing little "baby". BTW the only thing she will eat is wiskas pouches about 2 a day now

Hope that helps a little bit xx

mancbird

They are drinking loads of kitten milk, just not eating any solids I don't know what they were eating before they came to us as my oh's mam rescued them from a couple who said the bloke was going to drown them if no-one took them!! I'd report him to the RSPCA but we don't know where he lives There was 4 but the other 2 have gone to a friend of my oh's mam so at least they're all ok!

LilDevil

My cats won't eat Whiskas, they will only eat felix. How much food are you putting out for them?? Kittens generally eat little but often, if their bowls are too full, it may put them off.

I wouldn't be too concerned just yet as they are lively - if they were curled up under the bed looking miserable, then I would say take them for a check-up.

Having said that, my two were very very frightened as kittens and hid from everyone for months, but they did at least come out for food and we slowly won them round by stroking them whilst they ate!

Sagz_2

As they came from a home where drowning was an option ( :eek: ) it could maybe be assumed that the owners have not botherd to worm or wean the kittens.

I think a trip to the Vets is in order so that they can have a check-up and start on a course of worming. They will also advise on the best way of getting them to eat solid foods.

Good Luck! Hopefully your two will soon be eating you out of house and home like my new kitts are :rotfl:

chillin_nutta

try little chunks of chicken? or maybe some tuna? my wee man wouldn't eat anything when he came either and he hates the cat milk, so all he had was water really - we were really worried, but after a couple of days he nibbled some chicken and tuna, now he's a healthy wee thing!

xx

~Chameleon~

It sounds very much like they haven't been weaned properly, if at all. Well done to you and your mum for rescuing them :T

They will only eat very tiny amounts to start with, a teaspoonful every 2-3 hrs. Try putting some on your fingertip and encourage them to lick it off to start with. Once they get the taste and are accepting it then you can move onto a spoonful in a bowl, mashing it down so they can almost lap it up.

Let us know how you get on and keep asking all the questions you need to :A

missstropy

Mash the kitten food up with kitten milk a little bit at a time. My boris was exactly the same 3 weeks ago and now hes scoffing everything.

Good idea to get them checked out and wormed though. Mine went to the vets the day after I got them as they wouldnt eat, They suggested to mash up what you want them to eat with kitten milk..

Swan_2

I agree with Chameleon, it sounds like they haven't been weaned

& I agree with the others who suggest mixing a little food with kitty milk & presenting it in a tiny bowl, they'll have a taste eventually
I raised 3 abandoned feral kittens who were so young I had to bottle feed them at first & that's how I weaned them, they're now great big strapping things, so it definitely works

if they're very, very young, they might not be very good at pooing by themselves, you may have to stroke their tummies with a damp cotton wool ball to simulate the mother cat licking them after feeding

they certainly sound lively & happy, so I'm sure they'll be fine given time
a visit to the vet's a good idea though to set your mind at ease