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I have a 1-something mom and her 7 mos old kitten (I got the mom as a stray a week before she gave birth, and the rest of the kittens were placed in homes).
When Mom first came here, she ate both wet and dry food. Interestingly, the kittens were weaned very late, in fact, I sort of had to push it a bit though I had been leaving out food when they hit about 4 weeks. When they were nearing 6, I started to push it a bit. They really weren't weaned until they were almost 8 weeks old, and even after they were gone the one remaining still nursed until almost 4 months. In all the time I had them together, and even afterwards, I never, ever saw her push away any kitten or refuse to nurse it. She would have been happy nursing them forever. Rocky is going almost on 8 mos old and she still treats him like her baby (although thank goodness he's not nursing anymore). Yet in all other areas, litter, play, everything else, they were either average or early.
When I was weaning them, I always put down 2 bowls. One with wet food, one with dry kitten food mixed with warm water (which the mom seemed to enjoy the most). Although they would go back and forth, depending on their mood they really weren't into it. They liked Mom. Most of the time they'd sniff the food and walk away. As they hit 8 weeks, I began to add some plain dry kitten food to the buffet, with the same reaction.
What I ended up having to do to get them to eat was to take them, one at a time, and put a little of the wet food in their mouths. You could see them sort of figure it out and realize it wasn't all that bad after all, and they'd eat.
Rocky, the one who stayed, was the worse when it came to that. Putting some in his mouth, and then feeding him some on my fingers until he was interested enough to eat from the bowl lasted a few more weeks.
During this time Mom was eating less and less wet, and would only want the dry to the piont she would starve. Rocky followed suit, and even the very few things they really did like and would eat (like just one or two flavors of fancy feast) they won't touch at all.
I have tried every suggestion I have read about. Warming it. Adding warm water. Adding just a little wet to the dry to build it up (won't touch it). Putting the food in places they seemed to prefer eating. Now I have to feed them in the living room instead of the kitchen. For some reason they refuse to eat in the kitchen. Sigh.
And I don't have the guts to let them starve more than one meal.
But I am not happy with them just eating dry, I don't think it's the best thing for them, especially since Rocky is male.
Interestingly, they don't seem to be interested in food much at all. Don't even care if I feed them or not. I have to make a big deal to let them know it's dinner time or they couldn't care less, and I don't think I'm overfeeding them.
I've had quite a few cats in my time and I've been fostering. I have NEVER had a problem with finicky eaters until now, and these aren't the 1st kittens I've raised.
I'm used to cats liking to eat, following me to get fed, standing up and getting excited. Hell, I wish I was like them, I could lose a few pounds. lol
Any suggestions?
PS; When I do put down wet food, they try to "cover" it. And yes, i've tried different flavors, brands, textures.
When Mom first came here, she ate both wet and dry food. Interestingly, the kittens were weaned very late, in fact, I sort of had to push it a bit though I had been leaving out food when they hit about 4 weeks. When they were nearing 6, I started to push it a bit. They really weren't weaned until they were almost 8 weeks old, and even after they were gone the one remaining still nursed until almost 4 months. In all the time I had them together, and even afterwards, I never, ever saw her push away any kitten or refuse to nurse it. She would have been happy nursing them forever. Rocky is going almost on 8 mos old and she still treats him like her baby (although thank goodness he's not nursing anymore). Yet in all other areas, litter, play, everything else, they were either average or early.
When I was weaning them, I always put down 2 bowls. One with wet food, one with dry kitten food mixed with warm water (which the mom seemed to enjoy the most). Although they would go back and forth, depending on their mood they really weren't into it. They liked Mom. Most of the time they'd sniff the food and walk away. As they hit 8 weeks, I began to add some plain dry kitten food to the buffet, with the same reaction.
What I ended up having to do to get them to eat was to take them, one at a time, and put a little of the wet food in their mouths. You could see them sort of figure it out and realize it wasn't all that bad after all, and they'd eat.
Rocky, the one who stayed, was the worse when it came to that. Putting some in his mouth, and then feeding him some on my fingers until he was interested enough to eat from the bowl lasted a few more weeks.
During this time Mom was eating less and less wet, and would only want the dry to the piont she would starve. Rocky followed suit, and even the very few things they really did like and would eat (like just one or two flavors of fancy feast) they won't touch at all.
I have tried every suggestion I have read about. Warming it. Adding warm water. Adding just a little wet to the dry to build it up (won't touch it). Putting the food in places they seemed to prefer eating. Now I have to feed them in the living room instead of the kitchen. For some reason they refuse to eat in the kitchen. Sigh.
And I don't have the guts to let them starve more than one meal.
But I am not happy with them just eating dry, I don't think it's the best thing for them, especially since Rocky is male.
Interestingly, they don't seem to be interested in food much at all. Don't even care if I feed them or not. I have to make a big deal to let them know it's dinner time or they couldn't care less, and I don't think I'm overfeeding them.
I've had quite a few cats in my time and I've been fostering. I have NEVER had a problem with finicky eaters until now, and these aren't the 1st kittens I've raised.
I'm used to cats liking to eat, following me to get fed, standing up and getting excited. Hell, I wish I was like them, I could lose a few pounds. lol
Any suggestions?
PS; When I do put down wet food, they try to "cover" it. And yes, i've tried different flavors, brands, textures.
