I have a 6 week old kitten and she turns her nose up to any kind of food but moms milk. She sniffs it and trys to bury it like it's cat litter. I had a litter before her and both kittens did the same..They were 7 to 8 weeks old before they would touch solid food and I had to mix solid with can (cat food) gravy. I have a home for this lil girl and the new owners are ready for her but I dont want to send her to her new home with her not eating dry food. What can I do?
2007-02-26 23:48:42 · 7 answers · asked by pukerinpeach 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
Just give her time - there's no point in rushing her. 6 weeks is too young to be taken form her mother anyway - 8 weeks is the absolute minimum, but 10-12 weeks is better, since by that age, the mother cat teaches the kittens many important parts of "kitty manners", such as bite inhibition.
http://cats.about.com/od/kittencare/f/timemomcat.htm
You could try mixing some kitten milk replacer (pet store) with the food to make a kind of gruel - that might ease the transition.
Also, canned food is much better for cats than dry food - talk to the her new owners and maybe show them this article:
http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/canned_food.htm
But mainly, just give her time. She's still a baby, and her behavior is perfectly normal.
Good luck to you and the little one! :)
2007-02-27 00:01:52 · answer #1 · answered by Ms. S 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First try putting just a little warm water on the food. If she is still turning her nose up to the food get turkey baby food. I have never seen any kitten turn down turkey baby food. Just mix a teaspoon up with the dry food and leave it sitting close to where mom normally feeds them. She will eventually start eating, besides it is best not to seperate from mom until about 8 weeks, so if you can wait 2 more weeks, she will be eating the dry food and be more socially acceptant of a new family.
2007-02-27 08:26:26 · answer #2 · answered by catmomiam 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't wurry your kitten will eat,all kitten at 6 to 8 weeks old are just starting to ween off mom soon mom will give them the paw but not to wurry they will eat cat and dry they are so use to moms milk right now and don't give kitten or cats Cow milk this will give them bowel movement problem if you have to give out milk give goats milk with reg milk you better have paper towelsto clean up the water poop.and On a second note tell them that the kitten will be scared and hide but not to wurry in 2 weeks time they will come out and play
2007-02-27 08:10:51 · answer #3 · answered by MrMike 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a little kitten chow, mix it with a bit of warm water so it becomes mush, add just a TINY bit of canned cat food to give it odor. Keep offering it. Put it down fresh twice a day and leave it. They all play with it at first, but they will start eating a little bit, then a little more. As they get used to it, gradually decrease the amount of water and canned food until it's kibble.
2007-02-27 08:00:22 · answer #4 · answered by Scoots 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try friskies canned food that how i got my cat CAT-BAG to eat solid food . she didn't have a choice her mom wasn't around it was just her sister and her the had to eat so when it eating time so have solid food on hand don't add she start as she ready and when she's in her new home they brighter than some people the know the won't get any thing else now CAT- BAG is happy three year old loves cheese and grapes to just for fun she bat them then eat them.she very healthy she fixed and has a healthy craving for food.
2007-02-27 08:18:18 · answer #5 · answered by clear morning 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well id ont recomend giving the kitten away yet, it sounds like she is not even weaned! dont woryy it is perfectly normal for the kittne to not want solid food, its to hard for their teeth and its like teaching them a forign language! in fact i would reccomend that when you give her away tell the people to give her can fodd with a little bit of dry init and gradually put a little more dry food in each time until the dish is filled with completly dry and the kitten is eating it. and it wouldnt hurt to give the kitten some wet now and then!
2007-02-27 08:02:43 · answer #6 · answered by wildanimallover200 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You might just have to tell them that she's not ready yet or tell them that they have to wait a few more weeks. But if they really want the kitten now then you'll have to tell them what to buy and about how much longer she'll be doing this. That's all I think you could do.
2007-02-27 08:19:57 · answer #7 · answered by Carrie N 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋