New Savannah Feeding Advice

[Bennie]

Hi, I'm back again after some time!

As some of you might know, Bennie passed away in October and our breeder has just sent us a new kitten. He's an eight month old 12 lb F5 male named Harrison and he's a real cuddle machine even when he first came home.

However, the only thing I'm worried about is his diet. Bennie refused to eat for a couple of days but he took to a homemade diet after some time.

Harri hasn't shown much interest in food outside of a few bites here and now after arriving on Feb. 22. He was on a diet of Iams Kitten, Friskies, and the occasional chicken thigh with Platinum Performance Supplements and he hasn't shown much interest in those foods. However, he has eaten some of the Hills Science Diet A/D and boiled chicken as recommended to me by my breeder, though not so much. He looks a bit skinnier than when he first came and I'm a bit worried about his weight loss though he acts normal outside of his eating habits. I feel like I may be doing something wrong with trying to feed him.

If anyone can provide some advice, much thanks!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Has he been drinking well and using the litterbox during these four days?

I wouldn't be too too concerned about not being very hungry for a few days when changing homes if he's drinking and peeing and pooping without issue. Have you taken him to the vet for the initial checkup (usually within 72 hours is standard)?

Try offering spoonfuls of chicken baby food (make sure it only has chicken and water as ingredients, and no onions or garlic)... warm it a little first and offer on a spoon. It seems to work pretty well for me...and once they eat that you can put a spoon on top of the regular food and see if he will go for that...

 

[WitchyWoman]

Why did the breeder recommend Science Diet A/D which is supposedly formulated for animals recovering from serious illness/accident? As a precaution, I'd take him to the vet for a general physical and blood work. Then, I'd get him on one food rather than offering him various options. At least until he's regained his weight and is eating regularly.

If possible, discontinue the kibble and try to find a wet diet (canned or homemade) that he'll eat using Brigitte's suggested baby food to tempt him to try the food.

 

[Bennie]

Yes, he's been drinking much of the soup from the boiled chicken along with the other liquids in the food. He also has been drinking some of the water I've left out for him. His litterbox habits looks good and the vet didn't see much wrong with him.

I'll try the babyfood option and bring him to the vet again just to make sure. I'm not too sure why A/D was recommended but he's been responding to that the most probably due to the tasty smell. When I put that over the regular food, he licks it off and doesn't eat any of the wet! I think he might be another picky eater.

Thanks.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

You can try mixing a tiny bit of his regular food in the A/D also...and then wean him off the A/D. My cats will never eat A/D even though others say their cats go crazy for it!

Try having a vigorous play session before offering his meal, work him up an appetite. And then also try warming up the food a tiny bit...it makes it smell more and that makes it tastier to them...

 

[Patti]

It's not uncommon for a cat to go off food when going through change or other stressful events. I agree that the (human) baby food such as Beechnut's chicken is often irresistible to cats. Many cats also love raw when they turn up their noses to everything else.

 

[Bennie]

He's beginning to eat today! We tried some boiled chicken and he's eating all of that stuff though he turns his nose up at the canned food we tried to give him. I'm going to work to get him back on the diet of wet food since he can't keep on eating boiled chicken forever.

 

[Becki]

If you are staying with canned, try Weruva paw lickin chicken or tiki cat puka puka luau, they both look like shredded chicken. Mine get that along with their raw. They don't like raw poultry, so they get primal beef and salmon, venison or rabbit. Now they are on a beef kick.

 

[Patti]

That's great to hear! Hopefully today he is eating even more. I think he will be just fine

 

[Bennie]

Yes--he's been eating a lot recently. I think he got over the shock of the move now.

I'll take your consideration into mind as to the wet food. Harri's picky about not eating the wet.