Kittens refuse to eat... Help!

[catmint]

My cat gave birth to three beautiful kittens in mid-October. One of them is eating kitten food with a healthy appetite (like mum). However, the other two, Deeley and Dwain, refuse to eat any kind of kitten food. Twice a day I clean and change their food bowls with dry and wet food. I follow the vet's advice to mix their dry food with some water. Still they refuse to eat. Their mummy still feeds them after so long. But the times she calls to feed them has decreased dramatically and it's obvious that the kittens are hungrier as they chase her more often. They've even changed their behaviour. They sleep more and don't play as much. I'm really worried because I can't think of anything else and I don't want to see their development and future lives affected by this issue.

Both seem to be fairly interested in the food I cook. I admit I have given in on two occasions and I know that they do really like pasta and potatoes. I have refused to give them any more of my food because, not being a nutritionist, I can't really tell if I'd be providing them with a balanced diet. They are growing and quality kitten food is a much better option.

It is now obvious the weight difference among the three kittens - as much a nearly 300 grs. The vet said that they'll be forced to eat once their mummy stops feeding them. I've had kittens in the past and I know that it's supposed to be a progressive change. All of them seem to be healthy by now but without proper nutrition it won't last.

Please, help!

Catmint

 

[dragonlady]

Try adding tuna juice from the can to their dry food instead of water. I would also dip my finger into the food and place some on their nose. I've had kittens that still nursed until they were 12 weeks old. Some are faster learners than others.

 

[catmint]

DragonLady,

Thank you very much for the advice. I will definitely try adding some tuna juice from today.

 

[ktlynn]

Do they seem more inclined to eat canned food? Try switching brands, look for another high-quality food (no by-products, nothing artificial) and try it even if it's an "adult" variety. At this point, you just want to get them eating again, so don't worry about the food not being specifically for kittens.

IMO dry food is best only as a treat, not a meal, so I wouldn't keep trying to encourage them to eat that. Add a little of what you're cooking, like plain pasta or potato, to the canned food since they're showing interest in those things. A little bit won't hurt them, as long as there are no spices (especially NO onion) in it. They may like veggies too, (some cats love them), so a few safe ones to add are carrots, zucchini, green peas, butternut or acorn squash. Also try some baby food mixed into the canned food - usually plain chicken or turkey works well.