My kitten will only eat meat. He won't touch his cat/kitten food. Should I starve him until he gives in?

Question

He is about 2 months old I think. I don't know for sure because he was a stray and I adopted him. Right when I got him I tried to feed him cat food but he wouldn't eat it. So then I tried some chicken and beef and he gobbled it right up. I know it's good to give cats meat, but maybe only on occasion. I'd rather him eat his cat food primarily. What do I do? I have been told to just wait it out -- that he'll eat the cat food when he's hungry enough. But it's been a day and he hasn't eaten it! How long do I wait?

Answer 1

like the pro say
let him eat meat
if u think that is to expensive buy him canned tuna turky and ham in water
dont get flavored or gravy stuff
also get him some oysters in ther own oil to keep his fur healthy and shiny
wether u like it or not it is the best thing for him
and dont b afrade to give him milk not much but a fue ounces a day is good for him
it will give him the calcium a growing cat neads

Answer 2

Change his food.
Look into Innova EVO (the best in my opinion), Artemis, Wellness, California Natural and Felidae.
Read "Foods Pets Die For" by Ann N. Martin for more information.
Also, if the cat can't smell the food, they won't eat it. Try drizzling chicken broth or the tuna water over the kibble. Mix the chicken in with the kibble, that usually works.
It won't starve, just give the poor baby some time to get used to the idea of kibble. Say, a week, then cut off the good stuff.
Get canned cat food.

Answer 3

when i want my cat to eat something new (like when i am switching him to a different brand of cat food or diet), I do this:
1) I clean out his bowl real well
2) I put a couple of spoonfuls of the NEW cat food in the bowl
3) I top that with his OLD cat food (in your case, some bits of meat ot chicken)
4) I serve it to the cat when I know he is hungry

This way, the cat smells the familiar food first, begins to eat it and as his appetite takes a grip, he eats the rest of whats in the bowl - acquiring the taste of the NEW food. A few meals served this way and I'm sure your cat will transition to his new cat food.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Actually, you can get him wet food. Its got a really high fat content, but it is meat, and its also relatively inexpencive.

I think I pay maybe 33 cents a can at Walmart every time I buy it, but if you have just one cat, then you could probably get by each week with just two or three large cans and feeding him morning and tablespoon or two morning and night.

But don't under any circumstances starve him until he eats the dry food. If your cat perfers wet food, then thats what he perfers, and no amount of starving or cohersing is going to change that.

Answer 5

You need to give him enough of what he's willing to eat to keep him from starving, but not enough to keep him from being hungry. Then make canned cat food available, and hope for the best. The dry kind of cat food may never turn him on; many cats turn up their noses at that, and I can't blame them. Their nature makes them want meat, and only our superior scientific knowledge tells us that the scientifically balance meal in the cat food can is really better for him. He just knows what he likes.

Please, don't talk about starving cats or any other pets. We take responsibility for them when we bring them into our homes, and starving is not keeping that bargain.

Answer 6

what worked for me was trying to sneak it in little by little. Start out with 3/4 meat and a 1/4 of the cat food and from there gradually add more of the cat food and less of the other. I had to do the same with mine....a very picky eater....but once he noticed that life was changing he started to eat what he was given. Best way to sub for the chicken and stuff is to buy the tender bits by whiskas...or a brand close to the real thing......dry food is easy to add as long as you smash it up into tinier pieces......hope this helps a little.

Answer 7

You have to get the cat or kitten used to cat food otherwise it won't eat cat food at all. Just wait it out trust me it will not starve, it'll come around and decide" I guess I just have to deal with cat food". Cats are very finnicky and try some canned cat food and see if it likes any of those. Good Luck!!

Answer 8

Do not feed him meat, just stick with the cat food and leave it there till the cat finishes it. As it is a stray cat and has been eating meat for a long time, you need to know how to discipline him.The guy/woman who told you to just wait it out is correct. Sooner or later he will eat the cat food and get used to it.

Answer 9

DO NOT STARVE YOUR KITTY! Have you tried wet kitty food? If not, try that. If you have, try mixing meat in with cat food. The kitty may pick through the food, but it's a start. The main thing to remember is that you have a responsibility to keep you cat healthy, and that includes nourishment!

Answer 10

mix abit of cat food with the meat but at first make sure there is more meat than cat food and then gradually build up the cat food and less meat but this will take time also cats love cat biscuits mix some in with it's dinner, cause if you don't feed it , it will simply move on to someone else.

Answer 11

Try mixing some canned food with the dry food. Use more of the canned food at first and mix it real well, then slowly decrease the amount. I've never seen a cat turn down can food. If he does, try canned tuna fish and do the same.