We just moved to a new house, a few weeks later I found a cat....?

Question

in my laundry room. I brought the cat inside and she won't eat anything but a few sips of milk twice a day! Its been another week now. Any suggestions on what might help her eat? She loves us to pet her but she hides most of the time. Will she get used to the house, and come out more often? And I have tried tuna, she didn't touch it. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Try some boiled chicken. Or some dry food but something that cats really like, like "Exigent" of royal canin. If she is not eating at all she could be sick. It's better to take her to a vet for tests. She could get well, with treatment. Don't forget to leave her some water available.

Answer 2

In your laundry room!? Is there access to the outside from that room that she was able to get into your house? Or possibly, did the previous owners have the cat and leave her when they moved?

If you intend upon keeping the cat and can catch it, I would take her to the vet for a check over and to be spayed. If you don't want to keep her, you can always surrender her to your local humane society. Explain the circumstances, so they know the cat came to you and that you're not just dumping her.

Don't give her milk or tuna. Tuna is not good for cats and most adult cats are lactose intolerant. If you want to keep her, or you're still deciding, get some cat food. I know it's not a good food by any means, but Fancy Feast has been known to get cats to eat when they won't eat anything else. After she starts eating again, try a better quality food mixed in.

Answer 3

Sorry to sound repetitive, but please, NO more milk! It's not clear if this cat has been out of your home since you've had her. She may be a neighbor's cat, try posting some notices around your area. Does she have a litter box available to her? Splurge on a little cat food! I've had some success with hot water on dry kibble to make 'soup' (test to make sure it's not too hot for kitty), - their sense of smell affects their appetite, and the steam increases the aroma- try a can food, or dry food alone first. Take her to the vet regardless, she may be microchipped, they'll check that first, on request. If you're keeping her, she needs her shots updated, and SPAYING, as well as a general check-up. Oh, and do yourself & the cat a favor - ask your neighbors if they can recommend (or warn about) a vet before you go. Unfortuneately, veterinarian medicine has become quite the 'business' and there are many unscrupulous ones (reminiscent of lawyers' reputation) who are very apt at coercing you into more $ than really necessary! Best of luck, take care!

Answer 4

Try petting her while you give her food. Not all cats like typical "cat" food like tuna and milk. Milk isn't good for them anyways. Their lactose intolerant. I've had cats love popcorn, peanut butter, bread, all kinds of weird things. But always when I bring a stray in show them as much love as possible. And of course regardless take them to the vet. If you keep them there is such thing as pet insurance VPI something to look into. good luck

Answer 5

Leave some dry food in the areas that she hangs out the most in, and when she gets hungry enough she'll nibble when no one is around. I'd also recommend getting a hold of her at some time and bringing her to the vet, she might have something wrong with her, but even if she doesn't its a good idea to get her shots updated.

Answer 6

once she gets hungry enough, she'll eat. but, if she's a stray then there is probably something that she's been fed that she is used to eating. we took in a stray and we found he really LOVED tuna..............but, not canned cat food. the vet said that tuna is one of the most easily obtained food in a household that people will try to feed a cat, therefore his taste for 'people' tuna and not canned tuna. once he settled in, he would only eat dry food. which is a good thing for his teeth's sake. something else the vet told us when we brought in our stray...............most cats really don't like milk........and it's really not good for them. he also said not to place the water dish near the food dish, as cats don't like that for some reason. we found that to be absolutely true when i put a pan of water in our bedroom near the heater to try to add some humidity to the air.................the cat LOVED drinking the water there. so, that's where his water stayed believe it or not.

one other thing.............our kitty had lots of worms. yuck. it's really something you want to have checked out with the vet, cuz, that can take her appetite!

poor little kitty.............she'll get used to you and want more contact once you build trust with her.
and god bless you for your compassion towards her!!!

Answer 7

So you wanna keep a stray? Sounds like me! Please take it to the vet if you can catch it and get it there. There are so many things people can catch from cats. If vet is not an option then maybe you should discourage it from coming in and only try to feed it outside. As far as petting it goes wash your hands well, our daughter got very sick from a stray cat, that's where my concern stems from.

Answer 8

cats are lactose intollerant so the milk is probably upsetting her stomach. I would take the cat into the vet and get it checked out and see what's going on with it.

Answer 9

try cat food, or plain cooked chicken.
dairy is not good for cats, it causes digestive upset. and MANY cats are allergic to fish (almost half, surprisingly!)

you should really get her checked out by the vet, too!

Answer 10

if you just newly moved to a house and you found a cat, its not yours. cats wonder when their on their own so its best to find out if any of your neighbors own that cat. and if its not owned, take it to the vet to see if its ok.