11 month old Kitty won't eat

Question

I know y'all probably get this alot. I'm a new cat owner. Ive had him for about 13 hours now. He's so good and loving already. He's definitely not used to the environment he's in. He's got his tail through his legs when he walks about. When I or my spouse come in though, he's very loving and sweet. He literally won't leave us alone. I've tried feeding him by hand. I've tried treats. The person we adopted from says his stomach is sensitive and he only eats food with chicken flavor. We have like 9 different wet foods, two dry, and some chicken flavored dental treats. He sniffs at it, looks like he's about to bite, then he turns around and flops over for belly rubs (sometimes) or just lays down as close as he can to my side. Is this normal? Like do I just wait a few hours? I don't want lil Shiloh to go without food for a day..

Answer 1

According to Blog.Feliway.com,

1. They don’t have a routine Kittens need to eat regularly to support their growth and energy needs! And while some owners may want to leave food out for their cats all the time, having food to graze on won’t help your pet develop a clear routine - or could cause your kitten to under or over eat. To ensure your kitty is only hungry at the right times, create a feeding schedule and keep to this routine. Kittens of around 8 weeks old should be fed three to four times a day, reducing this at 12 weeks to three times a day - in the morning, middle of the day, and again at night just before bed time. Keep in mind that kittens will often want to use the litter tray straight after eating so this is a great time to reinforce some litter tray training!

2. They’re not used to the food You can feed your kitten either dried food, canned food or a combination. However as we’ve mentioned, feeding your kitten the same food that they are already used to will help to limit their stress as they adjust to life with you. If you do want to change their food, make sure any adjustments are gradual - slowly mix the new food with the old and transition over a few days so that your pet doesn’t have a sudden change, feel stressed, or go off eating altogether. Making occasional changes to your pet’s diet, up to 4 times a year, can also add some variety, help you discover their favourites and prevent any dietary issues or allergies. If your kitty still seems reluctant, try warming their food for a few seconds in the microwave - heat will release the scent of the food and entice your kitty to eat up! Always make sure that the food isn’t too hot before serving it to your kitty - don’t make the food piping hot, just warm!

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