New Kitten Problems ...Help!

Hi,
I just got my second kitten two days ago. She's very shy and likes to hide alot but is very affectionate when she's near me. I'm not sure if the shyness is just because she is adjusting to her surroundings of because of the way she was treated in her other home for her first 8 weeks. I never really had any kind of issue with my other cat when she was a kitten so I'm not really sure what to do. However, shyness isn't really the major issue. She refuses to eat her dry food or to drink water. I feed her water through an eyedropper but she absolutely hates it. And I tried holding a piece of dry food in front of her mouth, but she just kinda licked at it and then that was it. Eating only wet food is giving the kitten diarrhea and so I'm going to stop feeding her wet food to see if she will eat the dry food. I'm going to take her to the vet on Tuesday to get her shots and just get checked out for the first time...but do you think there is something I can do to make feel better in the meantime?

 

Are you sure about her age? How was she treated at the other home?
What Ive done with the dry food is add some warm water to it, itll make it softer for her and it should bring out the smell a bit more, its easy for kittens to become dehydrated if they are not eating or drinking well which can lead to serious problems, I would take her to the vet tomorrow rather than wait until Teusday.
Someone gave my daughter a kitten last year when I was on vacation, they told her the kitten was 8 weeks old and gave her some dry kitten food that they said she had already been eating, I got back 2 days later to find my daughter crying because the kitten wasnt doing well, it was extremely dehydrated. It turned out that the kitten probably wasnt more than 4-5 weeks old, she couldnt actually bite down on the dry food. She turned around quick once I added the warm water and didnt need to go to the vet but another day like that I doubt she would have lived.

 

Thank You So Much

Ok I'll try that

 

Didn't see the first two questions

WHen I went to pick her up, the cat owner said that she was born Feb 1st...so I'm assuming that she is the age that they claim she is unless they were lying. When i went to pick her up, the owner led me to the garage where he kept his cat and the kittens. He said that he lived by himself, so I'm assuming that the kitten didnt' really get too much attention...I have no proof though. Just a feeling.

 

You might also want to confine her to a quiet room for the next few days. Put something in there for her to hide in such as a box or a carrier with a blanket. This will help her feel safe and more secure while she is adjusting to her new surroundings. Chances of her eating on her own are greater the less stessed she is. I agree with DeLAUKs recommendation on moistening the food...she will get some moisture this way if she is refusing to drink on her own. Canned food should work as well. The smellier the better to entice her to eat.

 

Friskies canned kitten food is usually popular w/kittens. Try canned if she won't eat dry. My Zeus wouldn't touch dry when he was a kitten...just flat out refused it

 

yeah i did some research on feral cats when i got her, cuz she was always hiding and she fits the pattern. So I'm assuming that she is partially feral...so I put her in the bathroom with her litterbox and her foood dishes and lots of blankets and pillows. In the beginning she would just hide under the cupboard or behind the toilet, but now when i go in the see her she will be sleeping on the blankets and pillows...which is cool. She has no trouble eating wet food...but she just doesn't do it unless i feed it to her myself...i can't put it in her dish. But because that's all she eats it's giving her diarrhea...I tried dampening the dry food...and she is able to eat it...but she won't eat it unless i put it up to her mouth and keep it there for a while. I don't know...I guess I'll just have to see what the vet says.

 

it's probably that particular food that's giving her "dire-rear"....I had to try many varieties when I got Zeus cause most of them came out quicker (and stinkier) than they went in. Friskies canned kitten was the only kind he didn't have problems with - I went through a lot of different foods before I found the one he could tolerate.
Kitten foods tend to have more fat content in them and it's the fat content that causes stinkier wet issues w/kittens.
Try some chicken baby food (be sure to get one w/out onions) to get him to eat.
I fostered a litter of partially feral siamese kittens last summer...you may always have a standoffish cat.
I stay in touch w/an adopter of one of these kittens and after 10 months she can now approach him....he does sit on her lap but on his terms, he isn't willing to accept her terms LOL
Please let us know what the vet says....also be sure to get thorough bloodwork done on him

 

Maybe the kitten won't eat because the food is too close to the litterbox?? I've heard they don't like that. A bigger room might be better.

My Sabrina started out "wild" but she tamed herself--basically. She still doesn't like to be picked up and will only occassionally get in my lap. But she will come up and head-but me and rub on me when I sit on the floor. Good Luck!

 

I had a thought (hurts like hell too) have you tried giving her KMR?

 

what is that?

 

Sorry Mary, not trying to jump on your conversation but I dont see you logged on.

KMR is a kitten milk replacer, you should be able to get it at a pet store and get the weaning formula not the newborn formula, just mix it up as directed, I usually then mix it in with the dry food.

 

She actually just recently started eating the hard food, I went to check up on her in the morning and the hard food in her dish was gone. I don't know if she knows how to eat it the right way though. When i dampened the hard food she just licked it until it somewhat dissolved and ate it that way....so i don't know if she just swallowed the non dampened hard food whole. I guess I'll find out later tonight. I think I will just wait to see what the vet says though before I try anything else. Thanks everyone for your help

 

kitten eating issues dry/wet

Unfortunately many people try to pass off kittens far too early claiming they are older than they really are not realizing that just becuase they see them eat kitten food does not mean that they are weaned.
I have adopted out kitten's that came from feral's on our farm and they are normal with regards to regular kittens as well as nervous and skiddish. My Manx's from same litter's offer the same attitude. One is calm and total lover the other is extremely shy and hides alot. Sounds like you got a kitten that was too young and luckily it is coming around. Good luck.

 

Sorry for not updating sooner. I took Ms. Kitty to the vet and the vet said that I was right in thinking that she was partially feral and to just keep doing what i was doing, and she gave me some advice for her. Other than that, she has started eating her hardfood and drinking water by herself. Thanx everyone for your help

 

Thanks for the update. I'm glad to hear that she is eating and drinking on her own now.

 

im glad everything is ok keep up the good work! mayb sum pics? we luv pics here so any u got it would be great to see

 

i tried it but one of those boxes with an "x" showed up. but heres my really old site that i post pix up on...i don't really have any of Ms. Kitty but there are pictures of my other kitten Purrogie...and all of the pictures of me just horrible, and the cat clearly doesn't want to be held for all of them.

http://groups.msn.com/SuesAngelandBuffySite/picsofperogie.msnw?Page=1

 

aaaaaaaaaawwwwwww how cute!!very sweet kitty u have

 

shes adorable. she looks eight weeks to me. :wink: