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Why won't my kitten eat canned food after taking antibiotics?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 5 months and 4 days old | 6.6 lbs

I made mistake adding 5 month old kitten’s antibiotic to his canned food. Wouldn’t eat. Ended up wrapping in towel using syringe for antibiotics, that woeked well enough but now he won’t touch his canned food. Tried tuna oil, baby food, different brands,textures everything under the sun. He associates foods now w meds and won’t eat.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Lotus Altholtz

Veterinarian, Board-Certified Lab Animal Medicine Specialist

Published on January 9th, 2019

I recommend finishing out his liquid antibiotic via oral syringe if you haven’t already. If he is still eating his dry food, then I wouldn’t worry too much about him avoiding canned food for now. You can try putting a very small amount of canned food in his mouth every few days after to show him that the food no longer has a medicinal taste. With patience and time he may start eating canned food on his own again. If he is not eating at all ( including dry food), then I recommend bringing him in to see your veterinarian as complete inappetance for more than 2 days in cats can lead to a very serious condition called hepatic lipidosis. If he is not eating at all, your vet may do additional diagnostics and/or recommend anti-nausea medications and/or appetite stimulants. Good luck!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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