Kitten won't eat, won't drink and cries a lot?

Hi there!

I'm in need of some help. I recently purchased a kitten from a man who I know treats his animals with not-so-great care. I wanted to give this little girl a chance to live in a nice new home.

But recently, I've been hitting some trouble with her. She won't eat, nor will she drink. She can eat solid food, as we fed her a scrap of chicken and she loved it. We tried giving her milk and some wet cat food, but she's only sniffed it and that's it. She can use the litter box without any troubles. She also has a bloated tummy and a friend of mine said it could possibly be worms, but the vet's office is closed temporarily, as he's on vacation, so I can't be really sure. She also cries a lot, but sometimes she's very quiet.

Is there anything I could do to try and get her to eat and drink and possibly to stop crying?

Awww bless her little kitty heart. First is she old enough to be away from her mom? My two were very tiny when I rescued them and I had to be mom to them.  I made them a little pocket/pouch and I kept them with me for a few days to a week. At night I put them in a small kitty carrier and under the blanket I put a warm water bottle and gave her a small stuffed animal to snuggle with. and a ticking clock near by the carrier. With Sparta I spoon fed her for a little while and she did very well. You can also use your finger to let her lick off soft food from your finger for a few days until she gets the hang of eating it from a bowl/plate. Your kitty probably has worms and the vet can help with that don't give her any over the counter worm med's they don't work. If she continues to not eat or drink it's so important that you find a vet to take her too. 

The difficulty to answer your post, is to know, is she in emergency to a vet, or is she perhaps not weaned properly.  Or just picky...

So the hurry and emergency is of different types.  If she is medically OK but not eating and not drinking, you are anyway in a hurry, as she will soon lose forces and get weaker and weaker.

So here follow the post as I wrote it, asking for extra info:

Does she eats and drinks anything at all now, or it has ceased completely?

If it has ceased completely, this sounds like an emergency, vet asap. 

I was going to say, try with forcefeeding, but if she is in need of vet emergency care so she is.  Dont lose time on futile tries.

Or do you really mean: she is picky?

Her poo and pee is working without problems?  It comes out as it shall?

How old is she, about??

If she is very young, and in so far she got mommas milk, she is perhaps not weaned yet entirely??

Which will also mean, she is not properly learned to eat  other food, nor drink....

CAN the problems be, because she is new at your home, and she is still a little scared and nervous?

New be´s  often dont want to eat nor drink.

How is she behaving?  You tell she meows.  Meows like in pains,

meows like in missing somebody?

Meows like in hungry, but doesnt get her favorite food?

If you mean, she is picky, it is "just" to try with more.  something smelly which cats usually love, so she gets into the habit of eating.

If you live in USA, they have there baby food  Gerber number one, the turkey and chicken variations, are supposed to be irrestesible for kittens...

The cat food Fancy Feast they say kittens like.

Cats usually dont need milk, especielly not cow milk, water is enough.

If you want to give milk anyway, so kitten replacement milk, kmr, or goat milk. Goat milk is OK and better than cow milk.   If you have just cow milk, so low lactose milk, full fat, or youghurt, plain unsweetened youghurt, full fat.

Bloated belly may be several causes, one of them is worms - which she probably has, if her earlier owner wasnt good.  The problem is, if she has say a stop in intestines, she will also have a bloated belly.  Not eating, not drinking and bloated, may be a stop = emergency care NOW.

Meowing: had she mom, bros and sisters there?  She is missing them.

The only is if you try and be mommy to her.

If you try to forcefeed water or food; perhaps from a bottle:  Let her be on her tummy, head up. Seems awkward, but it is how they do it with mom.

Dont give too big portions. Better small but often.

Please, continue with reports and your questions!

Good luck!

 Welcome to our Forums!

ps.  LittleJaye gave you excellent advices, very useful if she is very little, or not so very little but not properly weaned.

Well I can't really tell what age she is, though the man has told me that she's old enough to be away from mom. I kept her near me, as you have, but lately she's been hopping out of my arms and playing around the house! Last night, she even stopped crying and resorted to playing instead. 
 

I suppose she's not properly weaned. I gave her food from my finger and she ate only a few of it, and instead ate from the plate I had it on. 

I'll still post updates on here about Cecil (that's her name ) and I'll get her to a vet as soon as possible.

Splendid! OK, I suppose she is young, perhaps around 6 weeks, at most 8.  She IS little, compared to adult cats, right?  You offering yourself, and Cecil accepting you as Mommy is good. As she has began to eat, from your finger (good trick, well done!)  AND is playing, I suppose the worst worries and  anxiousness is over.   

It was NOT obstuction in the intestines.

So our main theory for now, she is "just" little, not properly weaned, shy in her new home, and missing her siblings and her biological mom.   Fairly common.   Just be mommy with her.

She will overcome.

Good you are going to the vet anyway. A quick check up is always in order, you and Cecil establishing yourself also as hers/his paying patient.  IF you at any time run into medical difficulties, it will feel easier to phone and ask questions per telephone - you ARE after all a paying patient, and he is supposed to answer.

The vet will also advice you which dewormers are good to use.  There are prescriptions free who are OK, but others are directly dangerous.  So one must know which ones to buy, and which ones to avoid like fire.   And which ones are OK, but you dont need them as yet...

(Cecil shall prob have deworming for round worms, if she isnt heavy flea infested you prob dont need deworming from tape worms).

Good luck!

Oh that's wonderful.. It's so awesome to watch them every day do something different and learn something different. [color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]Cecil is going to be a wonderful little friend for you. I am happy for you both because you have each other now.[/color]