# 8 Weeks old kitten won't eat



## Alextb1983 (Mar 5, 2017)

Hi, I adopted yesterday a cute 8 weeks old cat. but I haven't managed to make her eat anything since
I tried dry food , canned food even milk , I tried to soak the biscuits into the milk and try with that , but she doesn't seem interested. Any advices? I'm starting to get worried, it's been almost 24h.
She slept the 80% of the team and she seems fine, grooming and purring a lot.
Thanks very much


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## QOTN (Jan 3, 2014)

Is it possible your kitten is younger than 8 weeks? What colour are her eyes? If they are still blue, she is probably younger than 8 weeks, in which case she may not be fully weaned. Try mashing the wet food to a paste and add some warm water so she can lap it. You could also try some kitten formula in it but not cows' milk.


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## Alextb1983 (Mar 5, 2017)

I see, her eyes are still blue indeed. I will try that trick with the wet food, I've got some cat milk. but apparently it's for adults I didn't realise it, 
Fingers crossed. thanks for your advice


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## Alextb1983 (Mar 5, 2017)

I tried the trick and it didn't work so well. the cat tried to eat a few wet biscuits twice [lunch and dinner] and after a hard time she threw it up. she drank a bit of cat milk but that's it.
She doesn't go for water or food by herself at all. as you said. probably she is younger than they said. I'm getting more and more worry and fustrated, if she doesn't eat in the morning I will take her to the vet. here there is a pic of her. if you have any advice or I'm missing something. please let me know


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## LostSoul (Sep 29, 2012)

I hope things are better today. She definitely looks younger than 8 weeks, i would get her to the vet especially as shes been sick, she might not be weaned at all and if shes getting no nutrition she can go downhill very quickly, kittens get dehydrated fast, i hope she's ok x
There are some tips on how to age a kitten here

http://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/how-to-tell-how-old-a-kitten-is.442758/#post-1064791510


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## Alextb1983 (Mar 5, 2017)

She is doing a bit better, She was looking for her mother's nipples [there is probably a specific term for that] but I put some warm can food in my hand and finally she ate it.,and she even tried to it a bit of dry food all by herself just a bit but she is getting there,I will take her to the vet today then, thanks very much for your help


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## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

Oh bless her, I think she looks about 5-6 weeks old 
I definitely think a vet visit today is a good idea, please let us know how you get on x


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

She looks a lot younger than 8 weeks.  Personally I would try bottle-feeding her with a complete cat milk substitute - Cimicat for example - and keep offering tiny quantities of warm soft food. You can use the milk to soften it down, and mousse-texture foods are probably best. I would avoid offering dry for now.

I would also start weighing her every couple of days, in grams. Losing weight isn't necessarily easy to spot until all of a sudden she seems very skinny. Once she picks up she will gain probably at quite a rate.

She will get dehydrated very quickly - indeed she probably already is - and my personal experience of dehydration is it makes me feel rotten.

I would certainly take her to the vets, she will need worming, have you checked for fleas?


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## Alextb1983 (Mar 5, 2017)

I did check for fleas, I think she is alright in that regard, I'm also worry she is not drinking much, just a bit of milk. I will take her to the vets and let's see what they recommend , thanks all!


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## Babyshoes (Jul 1, 2016)

I agree she looks very young, definitely worth a vet visit! Hope you find something she wants to eat soon...


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## QOTN (Jan 3, 2014)

I never had to wean a kitten who was not still drinking mother's milk. She still needs plenty of cimicat or similar until she is fully weaned and some kittens do not wean until they are a couple of months old. I used to sit the kitten on my lap when first introducing food and raise the saucer up to their face. If they did not respond I would put a tiny bit of sloppy food on my finger and put it in their mouth. Often they need to be convinced that meat is good stuff because it is very different from milk. Then when the kitten was happy to lick from my finger I would gradually move my finger further away from its mouth and closer to the saucer until the kitten's face was in the food and usually that does the trick. Don't forget they also have to learn to feed from a flat surface. That is not like a teat.

Once the vet has sorted out your little girl's hydration and you give her plenty of milk, she should pick up but weaning is a gradual process.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Alextb1983 said:


> I did check for fleas, I think she is alright in that regard, I'm also worry she is not drinking much, just a bit of milk. I will take her to the vets and let's see what they recommend , thanks all!


Have you combed her with a flea comb over white paper? It's not always easy to spot flea dirt on a black cat or kitten, if you comb any black specks out moisten them, if they produce a pink tinge that's flea dirt. Good that you are taking her to the vets.


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## Alextb1983 (Mar 5, 2017)

Well, good news, my 5 WEEKS old cat is very healthy. they gave me some syringe and good milk, she ate it so quickly now !. She will be fine. she is now purring after meals and sleeping. thanks everyone! you really helped me a lot with your tips


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Ah that's good news! Poor little poppet being taken from her mum and litter mates so young!  

I expect the vet showed you how to feed kitty with her lying on her tummy (same position as she would be when feeding from her mum). Put the syringe in the side of her mouth not the front, and go slowly so she has plenty of time to swallow between mouthfuls. 

Good luck


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Great news!
is she toiletting ok on her own or did vet show you how to gently stimulate her to pass urine and faeces?


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## LostSoul (Sep 29, 2012)

I'm so glad the vet could help, poor little mite must have been so confused looking for her food and not knowing how to eat it, now that shes on the kitten milk she'll be running around and getting up to mischief in no time, 
please keep us updated.


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## Alextb1983 (Mar 5, 2017)

Yes, they taught me a few tricks, the syringe position, stimulate her to pass urine and faeces etc. very helpful. she is now drinking a lot of kitten milk, and some wet food. she is doing great, the small syringe made the trick, I look forward to see her running around and be playful she is the cutest.
I will keep you guys posted of course


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## TallulahCat (Dec 31, 2015)

She's a lucky kitten to end up with you to look after her so well. I hope she will bounce back now she is getting all the milk she needs.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Alextb1983 said:


> Well, good news, my 5 WEEKS old cat is very healthy. they gave me some syringe and good milk, she ate it so quickly now !. She will be fine. she is now purring after meals and sleeping. thanks everyone! you really helped me a lot with your tips


If you use a syringe she should be able to suck it for herself which avoids the worry about syringing it in too fast. Depending on the milk the syringe may well stiffen up over a few days, then you need to start with a new one. Feed her as much as she wants, give her 6 or more feeds a day. Weighing her will be reassuring as she will be starting to put weight on. Kitchen scales that weigh in grams are great though you might find you need to put her in something so she can't walk off as soon as you put her down!


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## Alextb1983 (Mar 5, 2017)

Very good advice, I didn't think about the kitchen scale, I will track her weight , she was 370g yesterday. and I'm feeding her with milk as much as she wants [8 ml per feed], and she likes warmed can food with a bit of either milk or water. she is not yet a fan of dry food which is normal I think. She seems way more active and with more appetite  . thanks Tallulah cat for your touching words. I'm also lucky to have her.


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## Alextb1983 (Mar 5, 2017)

Hi all, Yuki is getting better and better, she is eating properly and she is starting to eat from the cat bowl by herself. she loves chicken patè, it doesn't matter if it's Hi life or wainwrights. she is also putting some weight and pooping well, no diarrhoea or anything like that which is good.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

That's very good news.  She looks such a tiny vulnerable little baby bless her, and her eyes are still blue (in the photo) so she is not even 6 weeks old yet. Do you know her history and what happened to her mother?


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