kitten won't eat

I have 8 kittens from a feral mother.  They are showing sings of ringworm, 4 of the 8.  The runt of the litter won't eat cat food.  She tries kibble but we've tried every brand of wet cat food we could find & she won't even try it.  She sniffs, paws the floor & walks away.  She will be 8 weeks old on Saturday & mother is going to be removed from the house. She is very active & plays well with her litter mates.  I have been giving her salmon, grd beef & chicken which she will eat but seems to have a problem with it.  I have been shredding it into small pieces & today it occurred to me I should put it through the food processor.  That made a world of difference.  I have been boiling chicken thighs then pulling the meat off the bones.  Am I boiling away nutrients?  Should I cook them in the oven instead?  I know it isn't a balanced diet, she's going to need vitamins too but I thought this would be a start & hopefully she will eat canned food soon.  The other cats are pretty fussy about food.  There is a lot they won't eat.  Any suggestions.  I know nutrition & stress are big factors with ringworm.

Have you tried some KMR? Maybe she isn't ready to be weaned yet.

You said processing the food helped. The wet cat food, has it been pate style?

Boiling in general does take away more nutrients than other cooking methods. If you must feed her meat, try baking.

I have tried the KMR & she isn't interested.  She hasn't been nursing with mother the last few days but I'm not sure if it's her idea or mothers.  I've tried pate & chunky.  I've tried adding a little water to both.  Nothing. 

She likes tuna but I'm concerned about the salt content.  The same with sardines. 

Also, I refrigerate what I don't use.  Should I be heating it before I give it to the other kittens?  I usually let it sit for a little while before I give it to them. 

Is she not interested in the KMR, or does she not understand food is in the bottle? I had some kittens born of a feral and it took a little coaxing before they understood how to use the bottle. I would squeeze a few drops out and let some of the drops hang on the bottle until they licked it. After that they fought over who got the bottle first.

Since she's eaten a little dry, you could try crushing some kibble over wet or sprinkling Fortiflora on it. Fortiflora has animal digest in it, which is what they spray on the dry food to make it appetizing. Some vet offices carry Fortiflora, and it can be ordered online:


It does help to warm food, as the scent carries more and stimulates appetite.

If there is excess stress, you can try a Feliway diffuser. These are commonly available at Petco/Petsmart.


Make sure she eats at least half her daily calories. Cats can get fatty liver disease if they don't eat at least every 48 hours.

If she's eating the cooked table scraps, go to the raw and homecooked forum for advice on how to balance the meal. You need organ meats and supplements.