My new cat is stressed and won't eat, drink, or use the litter. What to do?

I think he is likely stressed and unsure of his new surroundings. I suggest you get a Feliway diffuser to put in the room with him. It is a wall plug-in that emits pheromones to relieve stress in cats and calm them. It really works wonders in the majority of cats. You can buy these online or at any large pet store like Petco. Be sure that room he is in is very calm and quiet. ( https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) Also, you may need to try a different food or a different form of food. I suggest putting out multiple options for him like 2 different varieties of dry food and 2 different types of wet food (one pate type and one chunky) to which he prefers and go from there. You can always call the shelter and ask what they were feeding him although they may not know. I suggest trying a "light" or reduced calorie food as at 14 pounds he is a bit overweight. We like to keep cats at 12 pounds or less to prevent diseases like diabetes, orthopedic issues and heart disease. If he does start eating in the next 24 hours then I suggest you get him to a vet for an exam. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for trying to help this lady out. Anytime a cat is not eating or drinking this is reason for concern and an immediate visit to the vet is warranted. I recommend using Feliway pheromone spray (you can pick this up at PetCo) and spraying it on a towel that you place in the carrier. Hopefully this will entice the cat into the carrier. Good luck!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You may consider placing him in a separate area from the other cats for a few days with his regular food and water. Try the calming collar and the Feliway Spray (or the room plug ins work well too). You can also softened the food (or try a can of wet food) and heat it up a bit to bring out the flavor to entice him to eat a bit. If he still doesn't eat, there may be a medical reason why he is not eating and it may be a good idea for Oakley to see his veterinarian for an evaluation soon. I hope this helps a bit and thanks again for posting!

Ozzie's whole world has just been turned upside down by coming into a new home with new people, so he is likely quite stressed at the moment. Some cats refuse to eat or drink normally during times of stress, so there are a few things that you can try to help Ozzie along. First of all, try to leave him alone as much as possible so that he can acclimate to his new environment. Also assure that his food and water are in slightly quieter and more secluded areas of your house so that he has some privacy while eating or drinking. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers, such as Feliway. He may be tempted to eat with canned cat food, small portions of tuna, or meat-based baby foods. Warming up these foods slightly will make their odor stronger, which is often enticing to cats. However, if Ozzie still won't eat or drink by tomorrow, it may be worth a trip to the vet to assure that there aren't any other medical conditions at play. I hope this helps and that Ozzie warms up to his new home quickly!

Just let her relax and don't bother her too much. If she still doesn't seem well tomorrow you should get her to a vet for an exam. If she stresses out easily you may want to consider using some Feliway diffusers in your house at all times. https://www.feliway.com/us/Why-Use-Feliway/Cats-not-eating-5-things-to-do

He is probably just really stressed. It is best if you leave him alone, don't force him to interact or you may traumatize him more. Be sure he has access to food, water and litter box that is close to him. Be sure the house is as quiet as possible. Get him some Feliway diffusers for the new house and a calming supplement called Zylkene. Both of those things should de-stress him. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=117324 https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=115875

I hate to hear that Figgy is so stressed out. I'm not sure what set up you have but for now, all of Figgy's things (food, water, litter box) should all be easily accessible to him. Even put the food and water where ever he is (ie under the bed). You might also try putting him in the litter box. For now, keep the door shut where he is hiding and set up. Do this until Figgy is comfortable about coming out. Keep the environment quiet. Keep the dog away from Figgy's area. Once he is comfortable, you can begin to leave the door open though I would keep a baby gate up and continue to keep the dog out until Figgy becomes comfortable. You can also try using an uncovered litter box (Figgy might be afraid he could be trapped in the box). There are also a few other things that might help. Try enriching the environment. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for play time and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. Provide a stand or resting place by a window so he can look outside. You may also try clicker training him for positive behavior. Here is a link about training cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-i-train-my-cat/ Most cats response best to combination therapy. If he has not eaten, drank or used the bathroom by tomorrow, he needs to go to the veterinarian. For the stress/anxiety, the veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.