# New kitten won't eat!!!



## KittyKat1

Hi all!
I need bit of advice! 
I got a new 6 week old lovely cat. He's friendly, playful and so far has settled in nicely - especially to his comfy bed! 
The only thing is he has an insatiable appetite for his kitty litter.... I'm using Tesco value litter, because it doesn't clump and that's what we used with our cats back home, but he also doesn't seem to like the food I give him.
The shelter I rescued him from said they used Whiska's kitten food, kitten milk and solid food, so I followed suit. It is in an area he always has access to but doesn't seem interested in putting anything into his mouth apart from water and the kitty litter!
What should I do!? This never happened with the kittens I had growing up and when I told my mother of my new kittens habits, she thinks he just has a quirky personality. I heard baby food might be a start? Is this true?

Any advice is so greatly appreciated!
Alan


----------



## Taylorbaby

Never heard baby food!

But new ktitens sometimes dont eat fo a few days, very scared and un-sure of a new home, Plus he is Very young, a rescue let you have him at 6 weeks??? 

Maybe mash up the whsikers and put it on his mouth & paw so he has to lick it, keep kitten milk & water down at all times. 

My kittens kept going for the litter to! There just exploring, being little sods!

mayne try him on some raw to or alplaws? Good luck!


----------



## Saikou

Eating clay based cat litters is a 'thing' for kittens, no idea why. Try a wood based one, Oko Plus is very good - [email protected] do it. Little pieces like the clay litter, but babies don't eat it. If he is filling his tum with litter and water, he won't feel hungry. Until you can get some different litter, I would remove it and just put torn up kitchen paper or something in there, but leave one of his "presents" behind so he still recognises it as a tray.

You need to make sure he eats, at 6 weeks he won't have much spare. The smell of food is important. Try him on a little boiled chicken breast, or white fish - my kittens love plaice mixed with a bit of butter, its really soft. Both easy on his tum, but may tempt him to eat. Warming his whiskas a little may help tempt him too. Its kind of a catch 22 because you need to try him on different things to tempt him to eat, but you don't want to upset his digestive system and give him the runs.

I would be careful with baby food as alot of them contain onion powder or onions for flavour which are not good for cats.


----------



## gemma1983

can't believe that a rescue centre let you take home a kitten of only 6weeks that is way too young should only be rehomed at 8weeks at least 10 is better. Try sardines in tomato sauce, and you should take a very tiny piece and open the kittens mouth to feed i know i know this sounds horrid but once they have the tatse theres no stopping them lol their mums usually help with this and as yours doesn't have mum it's down to you. But basically really smelly foods are best plus try changing your cat litter to pellets


----------



## louise_r15

i have a 8week old. & am having a similar problem...
she wont eat or drink.
i have had her 4 2 days now

she doesnt seem ill and is still very playfull


----------



## bluechip

all cats are different.

mix good smell food with cat meat, fish, tuna anything that is gonna get there attention.

i have six week old kittens right now and they all eat different, some of them eat loads while a couple will pick and go away, but they are all putting weight on and are healthy.


----------



## Elmstar

We've switched to World's Best cat litter for exactly that reason, if they eat that it's only corn based so shouldn't cause any problems.

As for feeding try Applaws chicken or tuna, even I'd eat that 

Good luck.


----------



## Guest

I wouldnt panic yet...

As others have suggested try some different "smelly foods"...

tuna, pilchards, fresh raw mince, fresh boiled chicken or white fish (coley or cod), some smelly cat biscuits or some smelly tinned food like whiskers.

The smellier food usually makes it more appealing to cats to get them eating.

If everything else fails, pick some of the jelly out of the food and rub it into his gums and onto his paws to help him get the taste. Keep plenty of kitten milk and water available and i bet within a short while he'll be eating you out of house and home!


----------



## Paddy_the_great

I had the exact same issue and I basically mixed some tuna fish into his food and enticed him with the smell! He's still a bit shakey eating but at least theres something going in. 

I'm having the same problem with litter though...  Have tried 2 different brands and he's still muching away on it. I'll try just newspapers later and see how that goes. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## KittyKat1

Thanks for all the replies!

We used shredded newpaper in his kitty litter box and tried tuna - it worked a treat! 

He still isn't eating a lot though, but I'm happy he's picking away! Hopefuly his appetite will grow, as he does! He's drinking lots of kitty milk and water and loves playing!:blush:


----------

