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I have 2 kittens about 3 mos. The one kitten will not eat any hard food. He will eat it only if I mix it with soft food. He always gobbles the food when he gets it. I have tried different kinds of hard food. He refuses to eat it. I tried adding water and milk but nothing. I don't want him to be hungry during the day when I am at work. Please help.
Lynette,
How old were these kittens when you adopted them? If they were younger than 10-12 weeks they may not have been completely weaned and taught to eat crunchy food by their mother. Obviously if this is the case it will take some time, patience and persistence to get these babies onto hard food, but you can do so by gradually decreasing the amount of soft food that you add to the kibble until you no longer add any. If you have been feeding foods sold commonly at grocery and discount stores it may be a matter of the food not being palatable enough - I've had good success with Spot's Stew by Halo, it's a holistic food made from human grade ingredients and the kibbles are smaller than average. It's roughly 25$ for a 6 lb bag which lasts my three adult resident cats for about a month so it's well worth spending the higher initial cost to feed this food.
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Answers by Expert:
Ali
Expertise
I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.
Experience
I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.
Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.
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