There are few things sadder than seeing a kitten who is sick and won't eat. If your kitten won't eat, chances are he's sick or depressed. If he refuses to eat for more than a day, take him to the vet. Meanwhile, you can try to persuade him to eat at home.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Feeding a Sick Kitten
Step 1. Offer small amounts of food at frequent intervals
If the kitten is sick, then the best way is to offer food in smaller portions, but more often. Offering a small amount of food every hour or two is ideal, as long as you don't wake the cat to feed it.
Note that very small kittens need to be woken up for more frequent feeding
Step 2. Change the brand of kitten food
Sometimes sick kittens don't like to eat their usual food and have to be given something different to make them more interested in eating. By changing the brand or taste of the food, you may be able to persuade the kitten to be attracted to the taste of the food. If a kitten is sick, then a little food can make a difference. Here are some foods that are easier for kittens to eat:
- Cat food with thick gravy
- Packaged food for babies with chicken flavor
- Boiled chicken
- Rice without seasoning
Step 3. Ask your veterinarian for healing food for kittens
Healing food is specially made to meet the needs of sick animals, who are not eating well. This food is very nutrient dense, so a kitten weighing 1 kg can receive their daily caloric needs from about a third of the contents of a can. The two most widely available types of food are Hills AD (suitable for cats and dogs), and the Royal Canin Feline Convalescent Diet. These highly acceptable foods contain:
- Protein, which is an important element for repairing body tissues and strengthening the immune system
- Fats and carbohydrates, which provide the kitten with metabolic energy to run organs and fight infection
- Zinc and potassium, which aid in wound healing
- Vitamins E and C, as well as taurine which has antioxidant properties to help detoxify the body, and also strengthen the immune system
Step 4. Try reheating the food
If a kitten has a stuffy nose, it will stop eating for two reasons-it can't smell food and has a hard time eating with a stuffy nose. Try heating the food briefly (no more than 30 seconds in the microwave) and then serving. Heating will increase the aroma of the food and will most likely stimulate the kitten's appetite to eat it. Hot food tastes better too.
Clearing your kitten's blocked nose with nasal drops can also help encourage him to eat
Step 5. Don't hide the medicine in the kitten's food
Sick kittens need medicine, but never make the mistake of hiding the medicine in food. Kittens can detect drugs-both through taste and smell-and won't want to eat food with the medication in it. Hiding the medicine will only keep the kitten from going near the food later, whether it contains medicine or not.
Give medication separately and give food at regular intervals. This will be an unpleasant task and the kitten will not like it, but it is something you have to do
Step 6. Make sure the kitten is not dehydrated
It is very important to make sure the kitten is getting enough water and is not dehydrated. Dehydration in kittens can be a very serious problem and when they are sick, it becomes very serious. If your kitten refuses to drink water, try adding water to its food. Not only will it make food easier to accept, water will also keep your cat from becoming dehydrated at the same time.
The first thing to check when a kitten refuses to drink water is whether the drinking bowl is clean or not. Kittens do not like to drink water from unclean places
Step 7. Try finger feeding the kitten
Place a small amount of food on your finger and point it in the cat's mouth. Don't push your finger into the kitten's mouth as this could hurt it. Let him lick the food and be patient.
Step 8. Feed the kitten with a syringe
If finger feeding doesn't work, give food with a syringe. You will need a clean syringe without a needle, which is filled with liquid food. Gently hold the kitten and insert the syringe into its mouth in a turning direction. Do not put it straight into its mouth as this will send the food straight down the throat and may cause the kitten to choke. Position the syringe to the right or left and put a small amount of food on the back of the tongue. Kittens will swallow food that is on the back of the tongue. Repeat this process a few times until you estimate he has had enough to eat, changing the position of the syringe so he doesn't rub his mouth on one side too often.
- Try using a powdered milk substitute for cats if you don't have liquid food your vet has prescribed. Don't use plain milk.
- Food should be at room temperature, or better yet slightly warm but not hot.
Method 2 of 4: Caring for Sick Kittens
Step 1. Give meloxicam to the kitten
Meloxicam (also known as Metacam) is a member of a family of medicines known as NSAIDs (antisteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Meloxicam works by inhibiting the COX-2 enzyme which triggers the release of prostaglandins which otherwise limit the inflammation that causes fever. Meloxicam is a safe and useful drug to relieve fever.
- The recommended treatment dose is 0.05 mg/kg body weight for administration of meloxicam in cats. Thus, a kitten weighing 1 kg requires 0.1 ml of Metacam. Note that meloxicam is formulated in two strengths: for dogs (1.5 mg/ml) and for cats (0.5 mg/ml). Metacam for dogs is three times as dense and extreme care must be exercised when considering its use for cats as overdosage due to inadvertence is easy to occur.
- Meloxicam can only be used in animals that are not dehydrated. Animals that are dehydrated may have weak kidney function; a decrease in the blood supply to the kidneys causes the animal to develop kidney failure.
- Meloxicam should be taken with food or after a meal. If the cat is not eating, be sure to fill its stomach with small feedings with a syringe. Do not give metacam if the stomach is completely empty. The inhibitory effect on the blood supply to the stomach will make things worse, which can lead to serious peptic ulcers.
- Do not give meloxicam with or after administration of NSAIDs or steroids. This can lead to gastric ulcers, gastrointestinal ulcers, and bleeding – with potentially fatal blood loss.
Step 2. Keep the kitten warm
A cold kitten will feel sluggish and slower to recover, so it will be more difficult to persuade him to eat.
Step 3. Provide a comfortable place to lie down
Sick kittens feel weak and they will recover more effectively if they have a place to hide. Provide a place to lie down or a cardboard box covered with a blanket.
Step 4. Seek veterinary care if needed
If the kitten looks very sick, or if the kitten's symptoms persist for more than a day, seek veterinary help.
Method 3 of 4: Helping a Depressed Kitten
Step 1. Look for signs of depression in your kitten
Apart from food, there are several signs that a kitten is depressed. These signs include lack of energy and sleeping more often than usual, loss of interest in usual activities, being alone, or showing signs of aggression.
Step 2. Spend more time with the kitten
The most common reason kittens are depressed is that they are not getting enough attention. To overcome depression in your kitten and persuade her to start eating again, play with her and show her as much affection as possible. Hold him while you're at work or watching a movie, play with him in the morning and evening, and compliment him with food and affection.
Step 3. Look for things to entertain the kitten
You can't always be home playing with a kitten. Have some toys to keep your kitten entertained when you're not home. Climbing trees, toys, scratching posts, and food puzzles (a toy containing food that is hidden so the cat will be interested in finding it) are all great ways to keep your cat entertained when you're not home.
Consider giving a companion for the kitten. If you can afford it, you can bring another kitten into the house so the kitten has another friend to play with. However, it's important to remember that introducing a new kitten can be more difficult as the old kitten gets older
Step 4. Think about whether the kitten is depressed or not because she is sick
If you pay a lot of attention to your kitten and you show constant love for him, he may not be depressed because you don't play with him. On the other hand, he may be depressed because of suffering, it could be because he is sick or because he is sad. If you can't figure out what's bothering your kitten, take her to the vet.
Method 4 of 4: Using a Doctor's Prescription Appetite Stimulant
Step 1. Use an appetite stimulant as a last resort
Some drugs have an appetite-stimulating effect. These medications are usually a last resort for kittens for several reasons. First, many drugs are human drugs, so dividing the tablets into smaller doses is extremely difficult. Second, young kittens do not yet have fully formed liver and kidney functions. These organs are not yet functioning at their maximum capacity to break down drugs, so kittens are more susceptible to overdose poisoning than adult cats. Lastly, these drugs are known to cause bad side effects even at small doses.
Step 2. Seek advice from a veterinarian
A professional and competent veterinary care professional should make a decision about what medication to prescribe for the kitten, if any. The most common options are those described below so you can ask your veterinarian about these medications and understand their general function and dosage.
Step 3. Consider mirtazapine administration
It is a human drug from the group of tricyclic antidepressants. No further information is available, but this drug is listed as having an appetite-stimulating effect in cats. The smallest available tablet size is 15 mg and the dose per cat is 3.5 mg, equal to a quarter of a tablet. For smaller cats weighing less than 1 kg, it is very difficult to determine the right dose and you can give crushed tablets. This dose can be repeated every 3 days.
Step 4. Investigate the drug cyproheptadine
This is another medicine for humans. This drug is an antihistamine and a serotonin re-use inhibitor. Again, the mechanism is not understood, but this drug stimulates appetite in cats. The dose is 0.1-05 mg per kilogram of cat's body weight given a little, two or three times a day. The smallest tablet size is 4 mg (as for mirtazapine), and it is very difficult to cut the tablet precisely into small sizes. For example, a 1 kg kitten needs one-eighth of a 4 mg pill and keep in mind that many kittens don't reach 1 kg until 3 months old.
Step 5. Ask for diazepam
Some cats have idiosyncratic reactions such as a single dose of intravenous diazepam making them very hungry. This is only done successfully by injection into a vein, and in small kittens it is very difficult to find a vessel large enough for catheterization. The dose is 0.5-1.0 mg/kg kitten body weight given only once in a vein. So a kitten weighing 1 kg requires 0.2 ml of injectable diazepam emulsion from a small 5 mg/ml vial.
Step 6. Take vitamin B injections
B vitamins play an important role in maintaining appetite. If levels of B vitamins, particularly cobalamin, are too low in the intestinal wall or in the bloodstream, the kitten's appetite may decrease. B vitamins are easily administered by injection of B vitamins under the skin four times a week. The dosage is 0.25 ml given by injection under the skin once every four weeks.
Step 7. Use one-time steroid injections with caution
The side effect of steroids is an appetite stimulant. In most cases of sick kittens, this option will not be used because steroids also suppress the immune system, which can weaken the kitten's ability to fight infection. If the kitten is protected with antibiotics, and the vet thinks steroids are aggravating the existing infection, then a one-time dose of steroids to start stimulating appetite can be used. The dosage range is wide, ranging from 0.01-4 mg/kg dexamethasone, but low doses are carefully advised for appetite-stimulating purposes. Thus a kitten weighing 1 kg requires 0.5 mg of dexamethasone in a formulation containing 2 mg/ml equals 0.25 ml by intramuscular injection.
Tips
Play various types of soothing music. If you notice your kitten responds to a certain type of music, then leave it when you need to get out of the house. This music will calm him down and keep him from depression
Warning
- If your kitten won't eat after you've tried all of these methods, take him to the vet. There may be something wrong with the cat.
- Take your kitten to the vet if he won't eat for more than a day.
- If you persuade the kitten to eat again, wait a moment when he has eaten his fill before feeding again. If you feed too much, the kitten may vomit and feel more sick than before.
