Kitten who won't eat cat food?

Question

I had this kitten, not too young, going on 3 or so months, who would NOT under any circumstances, eat cat food. We tried ground food(different flavors), sliced, hard, and more! But he would only eat human food(i.e.-chicken, ham, fries, ice-cream, juice, ceral...). Although he did drink CAT milk...but wouldn't eat cat food. Any reasons why?

Perhaps he has gotten hooked on my food, and that's why he won't eat HIS food. Thanks for the advice, ALL of you.(no dog food, sorry). I'll try the slow weaning him to his own food, and off mine...Thanks again!!

Answer 1

your kitten got use to eating table food, it sounds like, you are going to have a big problem getting him to eat cat food at all now.
he needs kitten food to grow properly and get all his nutrition, i would slowly wean him from all table food grandually.
start mixing dry with canned and see if this works.
good luck

Answer 2

Try using a cat food specifically nutritionally balanced for kittens of young ages. And DON'T feed him milk once he’s weaned from mother’s milk! As cats get older, milk will give them diarrhea. Only let him drink fresh water, and also try looking for foods nutritionally balanced depending on whether he's an indoor cat or an outdoor cat (it can make a big difference in the kind of nutrition a cat needs).

STOP feeding him human food. While meats can be a tasty OCCAISONAL treat, cats have particular nutritional needs, and need cat food. Never EVER feed him junk (french fries, ice cream, etc.) - that stuff is even worse for animals than it is for us. Not only that, but if your kitten comes to expect that if he doesn't eat his own food that he can have your food, he will NEVER eat his own food to make sure you keep giving him YOUR food. If he doesn't eat for a day, don't worry; it won't kill him. Your kitten will eat if he is hungry enough.

Answer 3

Would YOU eat cat food if you could have chicken, ham, fries, ice-cream, juice, cereal. I think unfortunately he has found that if he doesn't eat his "cat" food eventually you feed him the much more tastier stuff. You'll have to try really hard to stop feeding him people food. Try by mixing acceptable people food into his crunchies. for example broiled chicken chopped up, canned salmon or tuna, bits of lean meat. Then slowly cut back the people food and increase his crunchies. Some people food is OK for animals as long as its not to high in fat and definitely not fried or processed, and salt isn't good either. Good luck I hope this helps, if not maybe train him to set the table... :))

Answer 4

Do NOT GIVE him DOG FOOD!

There is a difference between cat and dog food for a reason.

Feed your kitten "kitten chow" until he's one, then switch to an adult food.

If the kitten (or cat) does not receive the Taurine that he needs from his diet, he will become blind and not be able to process proteins.

Your kitten WILL eat when he is hungry. If he doesn't, there is a medical problem, please see a vet.

Answer 5

Because it isn`t dumb. It knows what tastes good.

BUT, it is not healthy for cats.. You need to start a schedule of sorts. Give it the kitten food. Make it a good brand, If it doesn`t eat it in five minutes. pick it up. Offer it again later, wait five minutes, pick it up. It will get hungry and eat what is good for it.. It needs the vitamins and nutrients in kitten food.. {:-)

Answer 6

Most likely they got used to it at some point or another... best bet is to starve them until they have nothing else to eat other then cat food. I know it sounds cruel and i would only do it under the most serious of circumstances.

Answer 7

Basically, the really healthy food for a cat and what's really called cat food is fish bone. I read it in health books, and so it says that all the cat needs, and what its body wants is fish bones. Probably, your cat doesn't treat those human ready made so-called cat food as food...

(Just a theory made out of facts...)

Answer 8

my mom always soaked kitten chow in bitches milk till it was soggy. then if the kittens still would not eat she would add just a little honey. she added a little less milk each time. If she feed them nothing else they would get use to eat. but if she would"spoil them a little" it wouldn't and table food is very unhealthy for cats.

Answer 9

Try Iams kitten food. I've always used it with mine and they LOVE it, plus it's super good for them. I don't think you're kitty is going to get all the nutrition it needs eating table foods.

Answer 10

I had a cat like that,she would literaly starve before she would eat cat food,had to feed her people food.
She passed away last year at the age of 11,,,,,she had a fat happy life..lol