My kitten won't eat after travel & hides. Should I force feed?

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There can be many causes for decreased appetite. If you just got her on Friday, it may be the move has stressed her out a bit and she needs a few days to adjust. However, there can be other causes such as viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections that may cause decreased appetite potentially. It is good to hear she is having normal bowel movements and is urinating, however. You can try heating up her food a bit to bring out the flavor and try feeding small amounts frequently. If a couple more days go by and she still has not eaten, I would recommend she see her veterinarian just to make sure there is nothing more serious going on. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Mr. Fluffy! I am curious on how old Mr. Fluffy is. If he hasn't eaten well while you were gone either because he was scared or because he is suffering from a medical condition he needs to see a Vet. Cats can not go longer than 3-5 days with out eating before getting even sicker from fatty liver disease. I would take Mr. Fluffy to the emergency room today or as soon as your Vet opens Monday to have an exam and blood work ran. Check the whites of his eyes and if the whites look yellow he should go to the emergency room today. I hope this helps and I wish Mr. Fluffy a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hello. I do not think you have too much to worry about just yet. There is always an adjustment period when a young pet comes into a new home, especially if the kitten was just taken from its mother & siblings. Give Milo a few days to adjust by allowing him to explore & become comfortable. Have him examined as soon as possible by your veterinarian to make sure he is healthy, has no intestinal parasites or external parasites like fleas or ear mites. He is old enough to start his kitten vaccinations, but I do recommend having him check for the feline leukemia/feline immunodeficiency virus at his first visit, too. Hopefully, Milo will do just fine & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Congrats on your new baby! Sometimes when animals come to a new house they are scared and need time to adjust. For a kitten, I recommend placing them in one room with the litter box, food and water. When they get used to that room then open the door and let them explore, but leave everything in that room. Then as they get used to their new house get the food, water and litter box where you want it. At 8 weeks old Ash should be eating kitten food. Try dry and canned and see if he has a preference. Sit with him and encourage him to eat. Place him in the litter box a few times. If he still isn't eating or using the box by 48 hours then I would recommend you have him evaluated. Hopefully he just needs a bit more time! Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Just like you pointed out, it is possible that this is all related to the trip. I would recommend to just continue with the current plan for now. If it is just related to the trip, she should start feeling better soon. If her appetite has not improved by tomorrow, let your veterinarian know as the other possibility would be that the antibiotics are causing her to lose her appetite which is a common side effect seen with some antibiotics. Good luck! I hope this is just transient and she goes back to normal.

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Sheeba has been unwell since arriving home. It is possible her behaviour is related to stress and anxiety. However, it could also be related to a medical problem. Whatever the cause, when a cat does not eat or drink for several days, this can lead to dehydration, weakness, and secondary liver problems, especially for a kitten. Because of this, I would recommend taking Sheeba to the vet within the next 24 hours. They can perform a full physical exam and run some tests to rule out a medical issue. They can also provide supportive medications to improve her hydration, appetite, and comfort. If the vet confirms she is in good physical health, you can try using Feliway, a feline pheromone spray designed to reduce stress in cats. Also ensure she has easy access to food and water in the place where she is hiding. You can gradually try interacting with her more and more, through offering treats, and speaking to her softly and gently. With time, she should start to open up and learn to trust you and be comfortable in her environment. I hope this helps, and that Sheeba feels better soon!