New cat hardly eating and not pooping

Hi all! I'm new here, but hoping to get some advice. My daughter and I just adopted a new cat from the humane society two days ago (the 13th). According to the papers from the humane society, she's had all her shots except rabies, and had a de-worming surgery on September 24. I have an appointment to take her into the vet on Tuesday the 20th (5 days from now) for a checkup and her rabies shot. She's not a kitten, but doesn't appear to be much more than 2 years old. She was picked up at the end of August by the Humane Society as a stray.

So that's her background... anyway, she hasn't pooped since we brought her home. She eats, but not a whole lot. I introduced some canned food this morning, she took a few bites then left it. She drinks from her water dish, but again, not much. She pees in the litter box normally... about 3 to 4 times a day. Also, she's very happy. She plays, runs, jumps, head butts us, loves to be petted, etc. So other than not pooping, and hardly eating, she seems fine. Also, she's a skinny cat, but not sickly skinny if that makes sense.

Should I be worried about her not pooping yet? Should I try to move her vet visit sooner? She doesn't seem to be in any pain or discomfort like if she were blocked up.

Thanks!
::Tommy

HI tommy,

This is pretty normal, but it is still cause for concern. I am currently having the exact same problem with a new, 2 year old cat, who like yours is skinny, but not sickly skinny. The not pooping probably stems from not eating enough, if there was a blockage the cat would be sick.

What I've had to do lately, is take the wet food, warm it up just a bit so it's really smelly, then bring it to the cat and put it right in front of her, she might wander away after a few bites, but I am persistent and bring it to her and then she eats more, I can get her to eat half a can doing that! If I just leave the food out she won't touch it, she went 2 days without eating before I tried this. It's like I have to retrain her to eat!

If you are still having no luck I'm sure the vet can help you with appetite stimulants or anything else. Also 2 days isn't that long for her to get used to new surroundings, so it just might take more time.

Good luck!

Thanks for the quick response Imunsie! It's much appreciated! I'll give her a couple more days to get used to her surroundings before getting too worried then.

Thanks!!

Give her another litter pan to use and be sure that the pans and the food are not close together. It is possible that she is pooping in the house, and you just haven't found it yet. If she has been in the shelter in a cage for sometime (and not in a cageless shelter) she is more than likely in shock at the sudden change and the broadening of her world. Give her some time to adjust and try her on baby food (meat flavored) as a teaser. Another good appetite stimulant is catnip. You can contact a member Pat who owns Plain Brown Tabby, she has wonderful catnip for kittens and order some for your cat from her.

But definitely add another litter pan and just for now use plain clay or plain clumping litter. Nothing scented.

Originally Posted by hissy

Give her another litter pan to use and be sure that the pans and the food are not close together. It is possible that she is pooping in the house, and you just haven't found it yet. If she has been in the shelter in a cage for sometime (and not in a cageless shelter) she is more than likely in shock at the sudden change and the broadening of her world. Give her some time to adjust and try her on baby food (meat flavored) as a teaser. Another good appetite stimulant is catnip. You can contact a member Pat who owns Plain Brown Tabby, she has wonderful catnip for kittens and order some for your cat from her.

But definitely add another litter pan and just for now use plain clay or plain clumping litter. Nothing scented.

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I'll have to pick up another pan then. My house is rather small, and right now, I'm not letting her upstairs or in the basement. Her food and water dishes are in the kitchen, her litter box is in the bathroom. I've been checking the house constantly to see if she was pooping somewhere else, and haven't found anything (again, it's a small house so there's not a lot of places to check, lol). As far as catnip goes, we have some, and introduced it to her in one of those toys that you stuff with catnip. She doesn't respond to it at all... lol. When I had cats before, they would go completely nuts over the catnip. Doing a search though, this is normal behavior for some cats. And yes, she was in a cage at the shelter. If she was in shock, would she still be playful like she is??

Thanks for the help!!

Oh... forgot to add... I'm using Arm & Hammer Super Scoop litter. It's unscented.

I'd say, if she hasn't pooped at all by tonight, and if her appetite still seems off, to call the vet and ask them if she should be brought in tomorrow morning.

But my little girl didn't poop for two days when I first got her - and then on day 3 she got all normal.

What food did she have at the shelter? I'd get some of that, whatever it is, and offer it (unless of course she starts eating up a storm by time you see this). Or, a lot of cats like chicken baby food - make sure it doesn't have onions or garlic in it. The idea is just to kick start her appetite. You said she wasn't into the wet food - is she eating dry? Are you leaving dry out for her to nibble on as she'd prefer - I know lots of people don't care for dry food, but.....

She may just not react to catnip - about 30% don't.

Originally Posted by darlili

I'd say, if she hasn't pooped at all by tonight, and if her appetite still seems off, to call the vet and ask them if she should be brought in tomorrow morning.

But my little girl didn't poop for two days when I first got her - and then on day 3 she got all normal.

What food did she have at the shelter? I'd get some of that, whatever it is, and offer it (unless of course she starts eating up a storm by time you see this). Or, a lot of cats like chicken baby food - make sure it doesn't have onions or garlic in it. The idea is just to kick start her appetite. You said she wasn't into the wet food - is she eating dry? Are you leaving dry out for her to nibble on as she'd prefer - I know lots of people don't care for dry food, but.....

She may just not react to catnip - about 30% don't.

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Hi Darlili! Thanks for your reply!

Let's hope that on day 3, she's normal!

They gave her dry food at the shelter. I asked what brand and the lady simply replied "whatever we have on hand". The rely on donations so the brand of food they have changes constantly. I'll try the chicken baby food if she's still not eating a lot when I get home from work tonight. She is nibbling on the dry food (Purina One). I leave it out for her all the time right now. I also left the plate of wet food this morning to see if she would eat it all up by the time I got home from work.

Thanks!
::Tommy

Ok... quick update!

I came home, and the canned food was still there... untouched, and no poop in the litter box.

So... I tried a different flavor of canned food. I warmed it in the microwave for just a little bit (about 15 seconds) and set it on the floor. Serena sniffed it, then went straight for her kibble. So I took the kibble away. She wouldn't touch the canned food. So I mixed a little of her kibble in and she started picking at the kibble. I guess then she realized that the wet food tasted kinda good and she started going to town! She still didn't eat a whole lot, but she ate enough to make me happy... then as a bonus, when she was done, she ran straight to the litter box and had a bm!

Originally Posted by TommyLee

Ok... quick update!

I came home, and the canned food was still there... untouched, and no poop in the litter box.

So... I tried a different flavor of canned food. I warmed it in the microwave for just a little bit (about 15 seconds) and set it on the floor. Serena sniffed it, then went straight for her kibble. So I took the kibble away. She wouldn't touch the canned food. So I mixed a little of her kibble in and she started picking at the kibble. I guess then she realized that the wet food tasted kinda good and she started going to town! She still didn't eat a whole lot, but she ate enough to make me happy... then as a bonus, when she was done, she ran straight to the litter box and had a bm!

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excellent!!! like I told you, just takes a little persuasion..,...