Persian kitten having issues eating and drinking

[SeaBrooke]

recently received a blue point persian kitten as a gift from a friend.

He was the runt and when he was a few weeks old he developed problems nursing and had to be syringe fed.

He has always had issues eating and drinking... I've had to finger feed him his kitten wet food before he figures out where it's coming from then he plows into it... almost planting himself in the plate.

When left to his own devices he circles and circles the plate as if he doesn't know it's there, and it takes a long time to figure out the food is there and he begins pigging out... very messy eater.

He also can't seem to figure out how to get down from places.

Wondered if anyone had any ideas what might be going on with my new baby as I've never had a persian before.

He's around 3 months old
We've played with him with a toy that doesn't make any noise so we do know he can see.

 

[tabbytom]

Wondered if anyone had any ideas what might be going on with my new baby as I've never had a persian before.

We have a member who may be able to shed some light on it for you. on.

posiepurrs , any insight on this?

 

[Meowmee]

He is so adorable , I wish someone would gift me such a baby

I am not sure what is going on with the eating maybe it is partly because he is used to being syringe/ bottle-fed? Have you asked the friend about it?

I am sure he will figure it out eventually though. I know Persian cats with the extreme flattened face can have trouble with eating sometimes because their face is flattened.

My Quinn who is Siamese could not figure out how to get down the stairs for the first couple of months or more. He was very cautious and tiny. Then one day he figured it out by himself and he meowed to let me know, he was so happy he wanted me to come and watch him.

 

[posiepurrs]

It could be because he was the runt he is behind in development - this is just a guess. When I was transitioning kittens to food from nursing, I would mix goats milk with the food to make a slurry. I would also put a small dab of it on their lips so the would lick it off. I put a little on my finger and let them smell it, then slowly lower my finger to the plate of food so they would follow it.. It took some work but I never had to finger feed I would decrease the milk amounts to make it firmer as they started eating. I suppose it is possible since he was syringe fed he doesn't recognize food on the plate as being food.

 

[SeaBrooke]

Thank you! He is a wonderful lil fella! And he has been on canned food for almost a month I think... just has been a really confusing experience. And I've been working with him on cat trees and the stairs we have for our furbabies so they can get into our bed easier... he's ok with the up part.... down not so much

 

[SeaBrooke]

Opps that last one was for Meowmee

 

[jefferd18]

Thank you! He is a wonderful lil fella! And he has been on canned food for almost a month I think... just has been a really confusing experience. And I've been working with him on cat trees and the stairs we have for our furbabies so they can get into our bed easier... he's ok with the up part.... down not so much

The down part is going to take a little bit longer to get use to, he is still such a baby. And what an adorable one he is at that.

 

[SeaBrooke]

Thank you posiepurrs! I am hoping that is the case, him just being behind development wise. Just really is strange watching him hover over the food and acting like he doesn't realize its there.

I have done like you have, finger leading him to the food and mixing in kitten milk replacer to make sure he's getting liquid and that works to a point.

Just wondering if I should be overly concerned about him seemingly not being able to find it when it's right in front of him....

I was concerned it might be a smell problem or even a depth perception issue?

LOL

Just an overly worried mama I suppose!

Hopefully he'll grow out of it! Thanks again for your advice!

 

[maggie101]

It could be because he was the runt he is behind in development - this is just a guess. When I was transitioning kittens to food from nursing, I would mix goats milk with the food to make a slurry. I would also put a small dab of it on their lips so the would lick it off. I put a little on my finger and let them smell it, then slowly lower my finger to the plate of food so they would follow it.. It took some work but I never had to finger feed I would decrease the milk amounts to make it firmer as they started eating. I suppose it is possible since he was syringe fed he doesn't recognize food on the plate as being food.

Runt of the litter is usually hidden in the bushes and still nursed by the mom so if he was separated from her 5 weeks he may need help. Maggie was runt but now you couldn't tell. Peaches was tiny at 5 weeks. She could not jump over my feet. She would wiggle her little booty and jump half a centimeter.

 

[SeaBrooke]

Runt of the litter is usually hidden in the bushes and still nursed by the mom so if he was separated from her 5 weeks he may need help. Maggie was runt but now you couldn't tell. Peaches was tiny at 5 weeks. She could not jump over my feet. She would wiggle her little booty and jump half a centimeter.

He was bred from two persian parents, never separated from his mom until I took him home a week ago. Just developed nursing issues seemingly out of no where because if he had never nursed he would have died. I'm thinking he was 2 or 3 weeks when the issue was discovered.

Like I said... just real weird.

He's small, but aside from the finding the food issue I don't think he has any other issues.

Hopefully like your baby he grows out of it, I'm probably just being overly nervous LOL

 

[Kflowers]

This is going to sound a little strange, but you might take him to the stairs then lie down at the top of the stairs so your eye level is where his is. Look down the stairs. That moment when you sense, not just realize, but sense what he sees, should let him know you understand, or at least that you feel what he feels. Don't try the stairs then, that's for later.

Later sit on the third stair from the top and wait for him to join you. This may require doing it several days in a row, but if you did the first part you'll understand why.

And if the side of your stairs is an open drop to the lower floor you might want to hang a curtain on the opening to keep it from looking scary now, and tempting later.