Adopted a new feral cat that will not eat

[peadalo]

Originally Posted by white cat lover

Let us know if you can get him to eat, or what the vet says! Poor thing. If only they could understand that they are safe.

I know... I guess he is too scared. I will post as soon as something happens. Thanks for your support.

 

[keith p]

Did you try putting the food near his hiding place so its closer for him and he doesnt have to walk far? I understand mabye you dont want the food in a certain area or room where your afraid of a mess, but moving it closer to where he hides may help to get food in him for now, and if he starts eating, slowly move the food a little further (closer to the bathroom) mabye every 2 days.

Sounds like he is very scared right now, new place, new world, new sights and sounds and needs to adjust living in a house.

Once he does adjust and starts eating he should get a little better each day.

 

[hissy]

peadalo check your private message box

 

[peadalo]

He finally ate!

That is the punchline anyway. The gory details follow below if you feel like reading them.

We took him to the vet and they checked him out. There were no obvious physical problems that would cause appetite loss. They said that he was probably just really stressed in the new environment and all.

The vet had two suggestions that would help. Oliver could take a Valium, but the vet said that he hates to put cats through that whole experience. Then he suggested giving Oliver an appetite stimulant, although stress can still overcome even the biggest appetite.

So they gave him one of the appetite pills right in front of me---it seemed pretty traumatic for poor kitty. They wrapped him up in a towel with his head poking out one end, the nurse held his body while the vet dropped a pill in his mouth, held his mouth shut, and rubbed his throat until he swallowed it. Oliver shrieked and squirmed as they were waiting for him to swallow the pill. They gave me small bottle of them to take home and told me that I should give him one a day if needed. I was hoping that I'd never have to.

I took him home in his kennel (with a towel draped over it to make it dark so he would feel safe) and placed it in the corner of the room. I put his litterbox nearby, placed a bowl of dry food and a bowl of water outside the kennel. Then I prepared some wet cat food in a bowl. I pulled the towel up over the kennel door, opened it, and slowly placed the wet food bowl inside the kennel.

Then I left the room and closed the door behind me. I left him in there for about 6 hours. I came back to find him hiding under my desk with the wet food gone, and most of the dry food eaten too (it was a big bowl of dry food).

He was watching me and I wanted him to explore the room some more, so I left the room again. I am just so relieved that he has finally eaten. I hope this will happen tomorrow without another appetite pill. The next step is socializing him, unfortunately the whole vet experience probably set him back some.

Thanks for your support if you have read this far. I will post if there are anymore issues.

 

[sammymykitten]

Try wet food.
Sammy refuses to eat dry food, but Karina does.
Soke cats are just different. I reccomend the Priority Cat Food brand.