# my kitten has stopped eating



## racheyram (Nov 2, 2012)

Help! I'm a new pet owner, my kitten is 14 weeks old, he had a healthy appetite when we got him at 10 weeks. He has settled in well and was always hungry. I have recently added some dried food to his diet, he was ok with it to start with but now seems to be off all of his food. Any ideas what the problem could be pls?


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## Treaclesmum (Sep 26, 2011)

No idea, but he needs to see the vet.


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## Ang2 (Jun 15, 2012)

Go back to what you were feeding before he went off his food. If that doesnt work, take him to the vet. He could be starting with a serious illness and any delay in treatment could affect his chances of recovery.

Please keep us posted.


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## racheyram (Nov 2, 2012)

I've swapped back but he doesn't seem interested, a lady I've spoken to said it could be worms, but he's meant to have been treated. I best find a vets :-( its weird as he's just being his usual crazy self


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

It could be the dry food has made him badly constipated. It is not good for kittens to eat dry food because they don't have the capacity in their tummies to drink enough water to keep themselves hydrated. The dry food can't be digested properly without enough water.

Cats are designed to get most of the fluids from their food, and they do not have a natural thirst drive like some animals do. This is why it is so much better for their health to have a wet food diet. 

As others have said you need to take the kitten to the vets. The vet can examine him and tell you if he is constipated or not, or whether it might be something else wrong. Kitty could also be dehydrated if he is not eating or drinking so please do not delay in getting him to a vet. It is dangerous for a kitten to get dehydrated.


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

> I've swapped back but he doesn't seem interested, a lady I've spoken to said it could be worms, but he's meant to have been treated


If you got him at 10 weeks and he's now 14 weeks old he needs routine worming again anyway. I'd have expected the vet to sell you worming products when you took the kitten for vaccination.


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## jo-pop (May 27, 2011)

I agree, get him to the vet ASAP. They are so small they can go downhill very fast!
Please keep us posted.


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## racheyram (Nov 2, 2012)

Thank you for all the advice. 
I only added the dried food as it was recommended on a website, one I won't be using again now I've joined here. Been in touch with a vets, going in today. Will ask about everything he needs now, worming etc.


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## Lotzy (Jun 12, 2010)

Change back to the wet food you originally gave him. If ever swapping over foods, it's always a good idea to do it gradually, ie a mix of both for a week or so. It's a good idea to give plenty of wet anyway, so they can get lots of moisture in their diet (even cats who drink well on a dry diet, don't take in nearly so much liquid as one on a wet diet).

If he looks in anyway ill or less active, then I'd get him checked out by the vet ASAP. Someone mentioned he may be constipated, so if he hasn't been recently, get him checked out today. Otherwise, swap back the original food and keep a close eye on him over the next day or so. Did you keep him on the same food he was on before he came to you? Might be he prefers that.


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## Melo (Jul 13, 2012)

I'd get him straight to the vets. Only this week my little kitten Henry went off his food and had a case of the runs. I'd given him some new treats and the vet thinks that he had an allergic reaction to something in the treats I'd given him that had caused intestinal inflammation, so it could be that your little kitten is allergic to the dry food and this has upset his stomach.

EDIT: meant to say, Henry was still running around like normal even though he wasn't eating and had the runs, so this doesn't necessarily mean that he's ok!

Hope he's ok, keep us posted with how he's getting on.


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## racheyram (Nov 2, 2012)

Thanks everyone, took Romeo to vets today. They think he had worms and that the lady I got him from told me a few lies. So starting his vaccinations and everything again just to be sure. Vet also said id done the right thing in introducing a bit of dried food and that it wouldn't cause constipation as he still has plenty of wet food too. So much happier now to know he is getting what he needs


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Pleased to hear Romeo has been seen by the vet and is OK

Incidentally vets often recommend dry food because it is in their interests to do so Veterinary colleges receive grants and sponsorship from pet food manufacturers, and visiting pet food reps hand out lots of free samples of dry food to vets. My own vet has commented about how narrow-minded most vets are these days about cat diets, and are preoccupied with dry food!! 

So I would take what your vet said about dry food with a healthy dose of scepticism if I were you.


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