I have a cat not eating and I'm really starting to get worried.

I just moved in with my boyfriend and between the two of us, we have four wonderful cats. We did the two week introduction period, but the only thing we had a problem with is the only room big enough to put the two new cats in was upstairs and away from the only place the two resident cats would eat. So they never ate while smelling each other. Now all four have full range of the house with no major issues. The male hisses when the two new females get a little too close, but it's only a warning hiss and it seems to have died down somewhat. I get the feeling that as he gets used to having them around, it'll stop. We scoop the litterboxes every day, but nobody is having a problem with new smells, so that isn't an issue. They all still cuddle with us, eat treats and play like they used to, including the one I'm having issues with.

However, when I make breakfast and dinner, I put four bowls in opposite corners of our very large kitchen. They hear the cans open and they all come running, but only three of them start eating. The one that doesn't is a sweet, tiny, timid little thing that is actually getting along with the two new females. She still plays, cuddles with us and her brother, and eats treats, but she will sniff her food and retreat to a hiding place. I have tried everything I can think of. I've dipped her favorite treats and her paws in the food (this is weird, but it worked for my big fluff ball when switching her to a new food she was apprehensive about), brought the food to her hiding place, put her in a room by herself and the food, tried her old food, their new food, a different food, and I don't know what else to do. At the moment, I've been force-feeding her the kitty calorie supplement for finicky cats, but that's only a band-aid, not a real solution. I'm nervous about sitting here and waiting for her to get comfortable enough to eat on her own, so any suggestions would be very welcome.

How long has it been since she has not been eating normally? The first concern with an anorexic cat is always fatty liver disease, which can be fatal if left untreated. It sounds like you are aware of this if you are force feeding (syringe feeding?) her. Have you tried crushing her treats on top of her wet food? What about adding tuna water? Meat only baby foods are usually very tempting to cats. Fancy feast wet food is also known as "kitty crack".

We started feeding them together this week, so it's been a few days. I know how bad a cat not eating can be, which is why she's getting the supplement. I just put an inch of it on my finger and put it on her tongue when I see that she is not eating with the other three. I tried tuna water and putting the treats in the food, but it doesn't seem to have anything to do with taste. It's like she's too intimidated to eat. I may try to get some baby food or fancy feast tomorrow. Maybe she won't be able to resist that. It just breaks my heart, because she's the sweet little baby of the family. She's my mom's favorite too, and Mom isn't a cat person.

I too have a small female who I feed separately from my two males. We introduced the newest male about a year and a half ago, and he is quite outgoing. My little female has always been skittish and will leave her dish if she feels there is too much going on around her. With this new young male the need to feed her separately is even more important.

I would strongly suggest that you start feeding her separately and keep on her to ensure that she eats her meal. What are you feeding her for canned wet food? Depending on what this is, she may prefer a chunky style food to a pate. My female does not like pates and will often not eat this when served. She seems to prefer the shredded, chunky diets. This may sound crazy, but sometimes its as simple as giving the food a stir and building it up in the plate into a mound so that it easier to eat, especially if it is a pate style food. This also helps to release the aroma which can get some cats to eat.

If you are in the states, try and get the Fancy Feast CLASSIC which will be grain-free and wheat gluten free. If in Canada, the pate varieties are grain-free and wheat gluten free.

Hope this helps. Please keep us posted on how things go.

We tried this new food with her before the two cats were living with her, and she liked it. I’ve also tried feeding her the old dry food that I know she loves, and she won’t touch that either. When we separated her, she cried if she was alone and if I sat in the room with her, she just sat with me. I feed all of them a pate that I’ve stirred with a spoon into chunks that they can bite. They all seem to like it like that, including her when she was eating. We give them the Petsmart brand healthy stuff; I think it’s called Authority. It’s their favorite out of the brands I feel comfortable giving them, and the only one that doesn’t take a big chunk out of my wallet. I’m going to get her some baby food and Fancy Feast tonight to try. She’s little, so I don’t need her to eat much.
She seemed perfectly fine when she slept on my stomach last night, which makes me wonder if she’s sneaking bites from the leftover food when no one’s looking. I leave the food they don’t eat out for about an hour after dinner for her and for one of the other females that likes to eat slowly. And of course, breakfast is before I dash off to work so it stays on the floor until I get home on days that my boyfriend is at work too.

Nymarie said:

We tried this new food with her before the two cats were living with her, and she liked it. I’ve also tried feeding her the old dry food that I know she loves, and she won’t touch that either. When we separated her, she cried if she was alone and if I sat in the room with her, she just sat with me. I feed all of them a pate that I’ve stirred with a spoon into chunks that they can bite. They all seem to like it like that, including her when she was eating. We give them the Petsmart brand healthy stuff; I think it’s called Authority. It’s their favorite out of the brands I feel comfortable giving them, and the only one that doesn’t take a big chunk out of my wallet. I’m going to get her some baby food and Fancy Feast tonight to try. She’s little, so I don’t need her to eat much.
She seemed perfectly fine when she slept on my stomach last night, which makes me wonder if she’s sneaking bites from the leftover food when no one’s looking. I leave the food they don’t eat out for about an hour after dinner for her and for one of the other females that likes to eat slowly. And of course, breakfast is before I dash off to work so it stays on the floor until I get home on days that my boyfriend is at work too.

Click to expand...

Well, your instincts may be right and she is getting enough. Its important as you know, to be sure. One other thing you can try which might make a difference is warm the canned food in the microwave for 10 seconds, which may make it more appetizing to her.

You may also want to check to see if she is hydrated by doing the scruff test. At the back of her neck below the head and before the shoulders, just pull back on the skin and let it fall back. If it falls back readily then she is probably sufficiently hydrated. If it is slow to fall back then she may be de-hydrated and will need to drink more fluids. If she is not a big water drinker, then she is likely been getting her moisture from wet food. But if she is not eating much wet food, then her reserves of water will be reduced which can result in becoming too dehydrated which is serious. It might be an idea to check in with your vet and report all that you have mentioned here. He/She might have some other input for you.

One time I babysat a 4 year old cat, and he would only eat warm food OR he would have liked his food to be served late at night around 10am to 12am, which wasn't a problem for me since I usually stay up till 12am anyways. There were times that I did have to put in a piece or two of the cat's favorite dry cat treats and for a reason that I dont know, he ate most of the canned food in the bowl! He always had to be fed seperately from my own young cats...And I've heard warming up the canned food can help because it brings out the smells of the canned wet food, which can make a big difference, since SMELL is a bigger part of TASTE. 

Hope all is well , the cat will get better I'm sure of it 

Okay, so she didn't want anything to do with the baby food and fancy feast. Warming up the food didn't convince her either. I did the scruff test and she's not dehydrated. She seems to be gaining confidence again. She was actually on the cat tower this morning, and claimed my lap and held her ground when one of the other females walked by. I'm pretty convinced now that's she is eating and I'm just not seeing it.

Nymarie said:

Okay, so she didn't want anything to do with the baby food and fancy feast. Warming up the food didn't convince her either. I did the scruff test and she's not dehydrated. She seems to be gaining confidence again. She was actually on the cat tower this morning, and claimed my lap and held her ground when one of the other females walked by. I'm pretty convinced now that's she is eating and I'm just not seeing it.

Click to expand...

This is good to hear NvMarie .. Sounds like she is definitely feeling more confident with the new situation. If only cats could talk, we might know more about how and why some changes effect them. Sometimes a little more time is all it takes.  

And she is eating! Problem solved. Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions.

Oh, good! Thanks for letting us know.