Help Nicola, anyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well it's an uphill struggle but Mel will not eat, I've syringe fed her kitten milk from the vet, and she lapped up some Whiskas kitten milk then she threw up, so the whiskas stuff is out, probably too strong. But at least I know she can lap food up. But as for porper food it's a no-no. How can I get her to feed? Could she be too young? I know most cats are eating by now, but maybe not all. I've mashed up the food and I've added some milk to make a porrage type stuff but she isn't interested. I was wondering if I could try her with ordinary chicken that I could liquidise along with her milk, or some fish. Help.

When I was teaching a friends kittens to eat, I just used kitten food, mixed with water... mushing it around until it was a delicious porridge like stuff, and just added tiny little dollops of it on my finger, for then to stick it in their mouths... cat-food-porridge all over the place, all over me, all over the kittens... but they soon got the hang of it being "yummy", and would start to eat it off my fingers... for then to go onto plates with the stuff on (which was even messier, as the kittens then like to walk in it)...

I'll give it a search later on. I know I've seen some fab websites for it... not anytime now, we're heading out for the day, as partner's got a day off (*dances*).

I've read about puting food on her nose, so tried that and she did lick it then shook herself. LOl But tiny,tiny breakthrough, I've mashed up the kitten food and mixed it with warm water and put it on a teaspoon and she took some of that, yay. But not nearly enough to sustain her. I am now covered in smelly cat food. Mmmmmmm lovely.

Only help I can offer are words of encouragement....

You know that you will get the hang of it, I'm sure there's enough nutients in cat milk so that she won't starve overnight and she will start feeding soon. Alongside your hard work, if she sees Kim eat, that'll help her pick it up. I'm not saying anything you don't already know, I know, and also you'll know much more about this than I. Can you put the kitten milk from the vets in a bowl for her to lap up? Maybe lapping the milk from a bowl will lead onto, lapping then eating mushy kitten food?

Good luck Kath, you will get her there, and you'll be such a proud mummy when she takes her first 'bite'! x

Well, we've done it, she has had her first solids and she couldn't get enough. I cooked some chicken for her,added some of the cat milk and made a puree and she tucked in with gusto. So we have a fussy eater at 8 weeks old. Just phoned the vet to see how much she should be getting as I don't want to overload her system. So am one chuffed foster mum tonight. Thanks for your words of encouragment Helen, really appreciate it. x

lol! Oh bless! A fussy eater at that cannot possibly bide good for the future new forever home... lol! They'll have to bring the little madam steak and pate on a silver plate... lol!

Well done for getting there - fabulous news!!!! *dances*

So chuffed for you Kath! What an achievement you've had in such a short space of time!
Hmmmm, brings memories back to me of when I got my old cat Pebbles - who her elderly owners nicknamed The Princess when she was born, as they were typical old country folk, who had meat and two veg meals, and because Pebbles aka Princess, unlike her brother, didnt take to solids straight away, they enticed her with teeeeasty liquidised meats etc - hence one fussy bugg*er when she came to live with me!
Soon got that sorted, as there was no way I could have afforded to keep her in the luxury she had become accustomedto/weaned on!

LOL, oh aren't they priceless, am not too fussed about what she'll eat at the moment just that she's eating. LOL Am not keeping her so maybe I should feed her meat and two veg and then let her new owners suffer. Oh evil woman. LOL

LOL! A get her hooked on freshly caught fish of the day and that Japanese beef that gets fed on beer! LOL (hhmmmm, actually, although, they end up getting slaughtered... I'm a little envious of their lifestyle! LOL)

maddymoo wrote:LOL! . I'm a little envious of their lifestyle! LOL)

ROFL!

Sorry kath not been on her much so did not see this, so happy you have got her to eat now, well done all your hard work is paying off.

LOL aye but the fussy little sod only eats freshly cooked chicken or fish, how the hell did she get so fussy even when she wouldn't try anything and she's only 8 weeks old, although I don't think she's much more than 6 weeks. God I think that is so funny. LOL

Little miss just knows what she wants! LOL! Starting as she means to go on! LOL

Well yesterday I gave her fish and she ate it but not today, oh no, she is just wanting chicken. Now I have another problem, she has diahorrea(sp) and is so much more quiet. I've just given her Stronghold incase she has worms, but if she's no better tomorrow I'll take her to the vet.

Hope the little one is feeling better, and that her little tum has settled!

I phoned the vet this afternoon as I was really worried, so I can stop the cimicat milk and just give her chicken as that is the best thing when they have diahorea, but tomorrow I have to water down a bit of a/d prescription food and syringe feed her that. Then she will be getting nutrients. But, no-one but me seems to be concerned that she isn't eating ANYTHING else. She can't always be syringe fed, 1year down the line and we're wearing battleproof clothing as we syringe feed her. She has perked up so much this evening, (although she still has the scitters) she's play fighting with her sister and Teddy is sitting on top of their cage totally bemused, he is scared of them, if they come too close he takes off. LOL

lol! Bless little Teddy... the giant snowleopard being scared of the little babies... lol!

I do hope she'll start eating other things too... and soon... not only will it be much more healthy for her, but also for whomever will take her on... as you say... syringe feeding her as she grows into a kitty isn't really an option! I'm sure she'll come around... I know kitten food is definately the best for a kitten... but maybe she doesn't like it? Have you tried mushing up some normal (adult) wetfood with some water to see if that tempts her a bit more? Best of luck!

Yes I tried that as well, all she does is sniff anything new and walk away, it would be so comical if it wasn't such a worry. She walks with a *toddle* and her wee bum swings from side to side , really funny, but I am worried about her. She doesn't squeak quite as much now, I reckon she was doing that as she was so hungry, so why didn't she eat what was there???? she was getting thinner by the day, where was her self preservation then?

I wonder if it is behavioural, because of trauma she's been through, if she's just piccy or if there's an underlying undiagnosed problem... She may have not been eating if she was feeling under the weather, hopefully, when you've been feeding her the syringed food and she gets more nutrients in her, she'll perk up more and feel more like eating? Poor lamb. I don't blame you for feeling so worried, you're seeing her everyday and a little kitten like her should be eating alot more. Poor lamb. Good luck Kath, you have alot on your hands there, but you will get her through this. x

She has a massive appetite for .......................................CHICKEN. LOL god knows what I would do if she didn't like that. Going to rty her on the a/d diet today. Maybe I should have tried that this morning when she was so hungry but at 4.30am when they're both screaming, I just gave her what was already there. They are both now falling asleep right beside e and my laptop. LOL

4:30!!!! Ugh! lol! Then again, I would have happily been feeding kittens chicken at that time... as been having another sleepless night. I've just been feeding the babies shrimp... you might not want to try that one... incase she gets addicted to shrimp only!

LOL that would be funny, on the website *one adorable gentle b/w kitten with a preference for shrimp, actually that's all she will eat, *, can't see any takers there. LOL

Hi Kath,

Have you tried mixing chicken with regular kitten food?

I know it's not the same thing, but if I buy food that my lot aren't keen on, I tend to mix that with some I know they'll eat and it seems to work. With a bit of luck you'll be able to wean her off a 'only chicken' diet.

Ian

I tried that on Saturday but I didn't mix it well enough as she and Kim managed to get the chicken out, but am going to try again but mix it really well through. If a cat/kitten only eats fresh (not raw) food. how do they get there nutrients/vitamins, I know so many are against the crappy cat food available but at least it's balanced.

Hi Kath,

Whenever I do it, I make sure it's mixed that well they can't eat one without eating the other. It'll be a bit more difficult with chicken, you'll have to shred/chop it really fine, but it'll be worth the trouble if she eats it, then you can gradually reduce the amount of chicken.

Ian