# Kitten won't eat catfood - HELP!



## MumofBeau (Aug 21, 2014)

Hi folks just joined forum,

My kitten is about 14 wks old, all he eats is bought cooked chicken , or cooked ham, or cooked fish. I have tried most cat food brands both wet and dry food;but he briefly sniffs it and walks away. Clearly I am concerned re the salt content of these foods and that he is maybe not getting the necessary nutrients contained in diet of cat food.
Has anyone else had this problem? Any solutions? I have tried adding chicken or ham to the food but this did not work. 
Clearly really want to do the best for him so I would really appreciate any suggestions. 

Many thanks

mum of Beau


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## Britt (May 18, 2014)

I have exactly the same issue with my three years old cat Pooh. I bought different brands but all he wants is boiled chicken and pieces of turkey breast or some ham (like you I know that he shouldn't eat ham but right now my goal is to make him eat). I'm at my wits ends and don't know what to do anymore. I also tried not-so-healthy brands like Sheba or Whiskas but he wouldn't touch that food either.

I'm gonna let the others answer your question. They have more experience than I do with that kinda problem.


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## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

Where did you get him from? How long have you had him? What was he on before he came to you? 

I had the same with a kitten i hand reared from birth. He would not wean from the bottle despite all my efforts and tips from the vets. I had other cats so food was always available but he would just try and cover it up, never even attempted a taste. When he was 15 weeks old i looked after another kitten for someone going on holiday and she (kitten) came with a supply of James Wellbeloved kitten kibble...suddenly he started eating it. I hadnt actually tried dry food, just hadnt occurred to me or the vet. I really don't like feeding dry food but its better than a milk only diet. 

He still won't eat wet food, won't touch meat either and is fussy on his dried food but i do still keep trying and I think thats all you can do although i think you will need a supplement pretty soon so hes getting taurine etc. Someone here will be able to recommend one.


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

I'll post the same response as I did on the other thread you started, just in case you take some notice this time.....

"If he is really only eating cooked ham and chicken and no cat food you must change his diet urgently. That diet is dangerous and he will become sick on it.

You should stop feeding the ham and major on the chicken. Then, immediately, try him on something like Thrive complete chicken or thrive Complete kitten. They are both complete foods but made from cooked shredded chicken. You also need to order a tub of felini complete from zooplus. Using that you can easily turn his cooked chicken diet into a complete and balanced meal.

Neither of these options is ideal but they get you into a safe zone from which to progress. You need to act fast.

Eta: Have you tried him on raw meat or raw cat food?"


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## claire8234 (Mar 8, 2013)

Satori is right. Your kittens current diet is dangerous, you will need to change it as soon as possible to stop him becoming ill. 

When you say he doesn't eat cat food what do you mean? Does he turn his nose up and walk away or only eat a little? 

Are you offering set meal times or just trying to feed him when he rubs round you or pesters you enough? If he has food down all the time or access to biscuits 24/7 then he wont be hungry enough to eat. 

Stop feeding him the cooked chicken and ham and offer a complete food, you can find lots that are mainly chicken. If you keep giving in and giving that to him that is all he will want. If he doesn't eat what you offer, take it away after half an hour and offer it again later. 

You can buy single pouches and tins of lots of foods such as almo, natures menu, thrive etc before comitting to buying a multi pack


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## Ang2 (Jun 15, 2012)

Have you tried Hi Life, which you can get in most supermarkets? They do chicken and fish in a terrine with real chunks of chicken and fish.


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## claire8234 (Mar 8, 2013)

Ang2 said:


> Have you tried Hi Life, which you can get in most supermarkets? They do chicken and fish in a terrine with real chunks of chicken and fish.


My cat is really fussy and likes high life. He also likes sainsburys delicious range which is chopped chicken in jelly


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## KittyBimble (Jun 11, 2014)

I went through a similar stress when I adopted Sookie - she was a James Wellbeloved dry food addict and although she was offered Whiskas also at the shelter she would only lick it tentatively a few times before giving up. 

It took me 6 weeks total to slowly transition from the dry food to just the Whiskas and then from Whiskas to the food I wanted her to eat ultimately - it takes longer then most people realise to transition a fussy kitten. 

I hope you find something that works - maybe putting a tiny tiny amount with the meat so he barely notices it then upping the amount day to day to kinda 'trick' him? That's what I had to do with Sookie with the initial dry food she was on - felt like it took forever.


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## MumofBeau (Aug 21, 2014)

Hi there did what you suggested and mixed in some catfood slowly and Beau has started eating it- I had tried that before but I guess cats do things in their own sweet amazing time Don't you just love them


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