Advice please: my kitten won't eat wet food

his_missus

Hi all,

I have a 13 week old kitten that I've had for 6 weeks now. My dad found him abandoned in a pet bed with a toy and some biscuits by the canal and, softie that I am, I took him in to add to my feline family.

I'm concerned that he won't eat any wet food. When I feed meat to the other cats, he has a nosey, scratches at the floor then tootles off to eat his biscuits. I've tried giving him cooked chicken and tuna but he just does the same.

He's currently eating Go Cat Senior biscuits (it's what I feed my 3 oldies) and refuses to eat various brands of kitten biscuits (the oldies like them fortunately).
I know of lot of you don't rate the cheaper brands like Go Cat but my other cats love it and none of them have ever had any digestive or health problems.

I've given him his own space to eat and I put a bowl of biscuits down for him when I feed the others cat meat. I also give him kitten milk but his appetite for this seems to be waning now.

There's always plenty of water down and he seems to drink regularly.

The vet said that as long as he's eating not to worry.

I really don't want to spend a fortune buying lots of different foods for him to turn his nose up but I've never had a cat refuse meat/fish before or live solely off a diet of biscuits. I've always thought a diet of both wet and dry food is preferable.

Should I just continue feeding him like this as the vet says it's ok? Is there a tried and tested way to introduce wet food? Will he just grow into eating wet food as he gets older?

Any ideas, advice or tips greatly received xx

donnac2558

Go with the advice from the vet.

A friend has five cats all but one will eat a mix of wet and dry food. Alfie is 5 years old and will not eat wet, he would starve if only wet food was put out.

Just make sure plenty of water left out.

Faerie

My cat will only eat dry biscuits too. He won't touch meat, turns his nose up at chicken and will occasionally eat tuna or sardines. I wouldn't worry, follow the vets advice, they know best.

hp3

Just go with what your cat likes, if he has been abandoned chances are he's never had fish or chicken let alone wet food. Lots of people I know only give there cats complete dry food and they are fine. He might decide to give it a try one day

his_missus

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I think I was just getting myself into a tizzy because it seems out of character for a cat. He doesn't seem to be growing much at the moment though the vet said his weight is fine, maybe he just looks so small next to my grown up ones.

RazWaz

It might be the type, I've got a 15 week old who has been happily eating Whiskers Wet Kitten food for 6 weeks, she tried one packet of ASDA's Tiger Kitten wet food, and turns her nose up at everything else now apart from her dried food (they are on a mix).

I now have one skinny cat, one fat cat (eating the others share) and a frustrated mother running off to ASDA in her lunch break.

Your kitten probably tried something else before she arrived and is holding out for that one again.

RazWaz

his_missus wrote: »

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I think I was just getting myself into a tizzy because it seems out of character for a cat. He doesn't seem to be growing much at the moment though the vet said his weight is fine, maybe he just looks so small next to my grown up ones.

Are you sure of his age? I *thought* I had an 8 week kitten, who wasn't growing at all, took him to the vet and got told he was only 5-6 weeks when he arrived, and to put him back on cat milk until he weens himself.

Maybe buy a bottle and see if it helps? Mine went from gaining 1 ounce in a week, to gaining a whole pound in a weekend.

Carcluster

Yep - go with the vet. dry food will last a little longer in the bowl and he can go an finish in his own time - just make sure there's plenty of water to go with the dry food. Ours have dry but each afternoon share one sachet of wet, which they like but are still happy with the dry. different types are liked to greater or lesser degree - Applaws and Purina Gourmet are their favourites as they are more realistic chunks than the shapeless blocks in jelly. Maye try a different brand?

LutonGirl

Firstly, thanks to your lovely Dad for rescuing this little chap. What a sad start in life he's had, but at least he was in a bed with a toy and some biscuits beside the canal and not in it. And now he has you, and you sound like a brilliant cat Mum!!

My oldest cat only ate dry food for years. I got her when she was 3 years old and she would only eat dry until she became diabetic 3 years ago and went off her food. I gave her wet food in an attempt to get her to eat something. She did eat it and now won't touch the dry! I'd love for her to go back on it. Her diabetes is in check, we manage very well together, but she won't eat the ruddy biscuits!!

As long as he eats plenty and grows, that's the main thing. Is that him in your profile pic? What a sweetheart.

Thanks again to your Dad. Good job he found him.

Dimey

Maybe you could still put some wet food down for her a couple of times a day, as well as the dry food. She may come to lick the gravy. I give my cat the wet food in pouches. He licks all the gravy and leaves the little lumps!

There's a school of thought that says dry kibble is too low in moisture content, high in carbohydrates and often has only plant protein instead of animal protein.

This means you need to supplement moisture and its difficult to watch to see if she's drinking enough water.

I read somewhere that cats naturally don't drink much water. They mostly get their moisture from fresh meat. A mouse is 65% water. There's an interesting book by Michelle Bernard called "Raising Cats Naturally" if you feel like exploring this further. There are some sample chapters on this website: -
www.raisingcatsnaturally.com

inkie

Take the advice of the vet. Cats can be perfectly fine on a sole dried diet. Our cat has dried food due to dental problems, to reduce tartar build up. Keep trying him/her with bits of other food periodically, you never know....

And good on you for taking this kitten on