My 8-month-old kitten is healthy but picky and not eating. Normal?

It's possible they could be picky eaters, however a complete checkup with your vet is a good first step to make sure there aren't issues such as GI upset, allergies, parasites, illness, etc that could be causing them to not eat as much. If they check out healthy, removing all extra snacks and treats between meals and only offering their food may encourage them to eat. You can moisten the food or add in a little bland boiled chicken to make it more enticing as needed. Cats also tend to be drawn to things that are smelly, so warming up the food to make it smellier may encourage them to check it out as well.

Monitor Cash very closely for any other signs of illness such as vomiting, loose stool, sleeping more or not playing as much. If you see anything else that looks like an illness, have him examined. If you notice that his appetite is continuing to decline, have him examined as well. Sometimes you can see the appetite have some minor variation. When in doubt, have him examined. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

I wouldn't think that a decrease in appetite and weight loss would result from a diet change. Some cats can be quite picky and will stop eating a food they previously liked or be hesitant to try a new food, but eventually these cats will eat once they get hungry enough and picky eating should not result in significant weight loss. I wouldn't be concerned about changing to an adult food in an 11 month old cat either - Kovu was probably very close to his adult height by that point. I think seeing your veterinarian to have Kovu's weight checked and for a complete physical exam sounds like a great idea, and if they feel he is in good health you can discuss trying to find good quality diet that he seems to like and then monitor his weight closely.

What you are describing does not sound normal. Certainly adult cats will eat a little less than kittens if they are less active, but it sounds like Mischa's appetite has decreased pretty dramatically. You can certainly try changing brands or flavors of food in case there is something she does not like about her food. I also do not recommend mixing the canned and dry food because if they do not eat it all at once, moistening the dry food can cause bacterial growth. So, if you feed both types of food, just put them in seperate bowls. If you try a different food and Mischa still does not eat well, I would recommend having your vet examine her and possibily run some bloodwork to makes sure that everything is normal. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Are you able to fre the same food that Bernard was on before you got him? Some kittens can have food preferences. It might also be the stress of moving to a new home that is causing the decrease in appetite. If he still isn’t eating anything in another day or two or if he seems really lethargic, I would have him examined by the vet.

Thank you for your question! If Roxzy is otherwise doing well – it is good you noticed that his stool is normal, he’s not vomiting and his energy level is good – I am not overly concerned if his appetite is down for a few days. But it if it persists or he seems otherwise unhealthy I would recommend getting him looked at by your vet. Of course it is never wrong to have him examined so if you’d rather be safe I would certainly support you taking him in!