My 4-month kitten won't finish wet food. Is her stretching after eating normal?

Hello, sorry to hear about Lily. You may try a different brand of wet kitten food. You can also mix it with dry kitten food. Depending on how often you are feeding her she may also not be hungry. Kittens may have a fluctuating appetite that may be associated with growing and how active they are. As long as she is eating some food, and not having any vomiting, diarrhea or lethargy then she should be ok. If you note any of the above then have her evaluated soon.

Hello. That actually does not sound too unusual. You can certainly offer her the canned twice daily ( my house kitty gets a spoonful morning & evening ), & then he is free to pick at the dry all day. MOST cats are good at self regulating & will not eat too much to become obese, but this is something to watch for as Aspen grows older. It is very much an individual thing, but for now Aspen can be free to eat when he wants to. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If your kitten is eating all wet food, he will get most of his water needs from the food. I would hold back on the steamed fish, only offering it as a treat, as more than that may upset the nutritional balance of the kitten food you're feeding. Also, if he is weaned, he does not need milk and may develop diarrhea if he gets too much. Again, a little taste, as long as there are no adverse effects is fine. Always make sure he has clean, fresh water available, but don't worry if you don't see him drink. To make sure he's getting enough water, you can mix some in with his wet food and/or offer him some low sodium chicken broth to drink. As long as he is healthy, happy and active, then you're doing the right thing.

Royal canin and hills both make wet kitten food in foil pouches and I have had good feedback on the palatability of both of these. Cats can be very fussy eaters and it is not always easy to 'insist' they eat what we try to give them and I would be most concerned that she is getting the right balance of nutrients for kittens to grow and develop and sufficient fluid intake

Hello, its difficult to pinpoint that Opal could have something abnormal going on with her. Her appetite is likely normal but she is eating her food at different times depending on her level of activity. Especially if the food is always readily available to her. Opal likely prefers to eat her food when she becomes hungry after playing around and not at all times. As long as she is not having any other signs, then she is likely not sick. If her appetite continues to decrease then you may try to change to see if she prefers a different flavor of food. Hope this helps and best of luck.

She looks like a healthy little kitten, so I think she's probably OK and just being picky. If possible, I would contact the former caregiver and see what they were feeding. Sometimes they reject food that they are not familiar with. If you've done that already, or it is not possible, then try to feed a few different foods. She is old enough that she can eat 100% kitten food, so you can buy a few different cans of food at the pet store. Fancy feast is always a favorite. Don't feed too much at one time though, or she could develop vomiting/diarrhea. They also stop eating sometimes when they are feeling sick. If you notice some eye or nose discharge, or anything else concerning, then you may need to get her to a vet for evaluation. I hope that helps.

He is just hungry and growing, but 8 cans (24 oz of food is way too much. Try to slowly reduce this to a maximum of 6-8 oz/day over 3 feeds. He will pester you for food, but you have to plow through that.