1.5 Years Old Cat Refuses To Eat After 3 Nights With New Kitten.

[Raymondwaskita]

I have a 1.5 years old Maine Coon Shadow. He's been with me since he was 4 MO. I decided to get another female kitten to accompany him when I am not around, and I picked her up from the cattery 3 days ago. Okay, so it's my bad to not doing good enough research about how to introduce old cat and new cat. So I just casually put them in the same room (with her inside the cage at night and outside during the day). The first night they were together ,shadow was trying to play with her (while she's seem responsive at one moment and defensive at other times). The second night the situation turned around. The little kitten seems warming up to him and try to play with him ,but he's just seems annoyed (but they were eating together yesterday). And today the 3rd day, he just refused to eat and just trying to hide in the corners of the room. Also this evening ,I tried to give a "just me and you just like the old days."-time with him but he was just annoyed and leave me to hide somewhere. I just worried he will refuse to eat for too long and it will damage his body. I already put the new kitten in a new room.completely separated from shadow in different level of the room. Any suggestions to get him to at least eat? Should I be alarmed? or this is something expected from our strange and magnificent fur friends. Thanks before!

 

[ArtNJ]

One day is nothing. Shadow needs time to get used to the kitten. A little alone time with you might help, but mostly he needs time with the kitten. Its ok if he tries to avoid the kitten. As far as eating, I expect he'll eat if you give him a chunk of alone time with food. If not eating drags out, that is a problem, but its not likely.

It is a bit unusual for Shadow to be nervous around the kitten, in that cats under 2 don't usually have this problem. It is, however, quite common when older cats are introduced to a kitten. It improves with time, although not necessarily all the way to friendship.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

You may have to reintroduce them, actually. It's certainly worth a try.

How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction
Do Cats Get Jealous? (and What To Do About It When They Do)

 

[rubysmama]

How are things today? Have you been able to entice Shadow to eat?

 

[orange&white]

I hope Shadow is eating again today.

Years ago I had a young cat go into hepatic lipidosis, so I'm now overly-cautious, but I don't allow my cats to not eat after skipping meals for a full day plus one meal on the second day. I lay out a "smorgasbord" with multiple varieties of food, and if the cat refuses everything, then I try putting dabs of canned food in their mouth off my finger. As a last resort, I syringe some pureed and strained canned food or egg yolks, at least 200 calories per day.

Last year, I TNR'd then ended up socializing and keeping two feral cats (a few months apart). My senior cat was fine for a few days with each newcomer, then decided not to eat. I ended up feeding him for 2-3 days by syringe. He snapped out of it both times and went back to his full appetite.

Shadow is young, so I hope he'll adjust quickly and get his appetite back today if he hasn't already. I wouldn't let him go more than into day 3 not eating. At that point, you'll need to get some food into him or call the vet and ask about bringing him in for an appetite stimulant (and fluids, if he also isn't drinking any water).

 

[Mamanyt1953]

If you need instructions on syringe feeding, JUST YELL!

 

[talkingpeanut]

Are your cats spayed and neutered? I would make sure that's settled first before attempting any introduction.