There are few things more heartbreaking than a sick kitten who doesn't eat. If your cat is not feeding, it is probably sick or depressed. If you see him refusing to eat for more than a day, you need to take him to the vet. In the meantime, you can make some attempts at home to be able to feed it.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Feeding the Sick Kitten
Step 1. Give him small amounts of food at frequent intervals
When your cat is sick, the best thing to do is to offer them smaller portions, but more often. The ideal is to feed him a bite every one or two hours, as long as you don't have to wake him up to feed him.
Keep in mind, however, that if he is really very small he should be woken up for frequent feedings
Step 2. Change the brand of the product you use to feed it
Sometimes sick kittens don't feel like eating the usual, normal treats, so you can try giving them something different, just to get them to eat more. Sometimes by changing the brand or flavor, the cat is more inclined to taste the food. When he's sick, just being able to eat something can make a difference. Here are some foods that are usually most appreciated by these felines:
- Wet cat food in gravy;
- Baby chicken baby food;
- Boiled chicken;
- Unseasoned cooked rice.
Step 3. Ask your vet to suggest a recovery diet
These are diets specifically designed to meet the needs of a sick animal that is not eating well. They are very nutritious, so a kitten weighing around 1 kg could get their daily caloric needs with just under a third of a pack. The most popular food programs are based on Hill's a / d brand products (suitable for dogs and cats) and on those specific for convalescence from Royal Canin. These highly tasty foods include:
- Proteins that help repair body tissues and strengthen the immune system;
- Fats and carbohydrates that provide the essential metabolic energy for the cat to activate its organs and fight infections;
- Zinc and potassium which help heal wounds;
- Vitamins E and C, as well as taurine, which have antioxidant properties and help the body detoxify, as well as strengthen the immune system.
Step 4. Try reheating his food
If your cat has nasal congestion, she probably stops eating for two reasons: she cannot smell the food and at the same time has difficulty eating due to a stuffy nose. Try heating the food a little (no more than 30 seconds in the microwave) and give it to him. When the food is hot, the aroma is stronger and most likely the puppy is more stimulated to eat some. Plus, the flavor is better too.
You can also wipe his stuffy nose with nasal drops to encourage him to eat
Step 5. Do not hide the medicine from him in food
A sick kitten needs medications, but hiding them in food is a big mistake. The kitty is able to detect medicine, both by taste and smell and will refuse to eat it. The only thing you will get by hiding the drug in the food will be that the cat will no longer get close to the food later on.
Give him drug therapy without food and force the cat to take it at regular intervals. It will be an unpleasant chore and the kitten will definitely not like it, but this is what you need to do
Step 6. Make sure he stays well hydrated
It is very important to make sure that he always has enough water and that he is hydrated. Dehydration in puppies can be a very serious problem and when they are sick it becomes even more serious. If your cat refuses to drink water, try adding some to her food. This not only makes the food tastier, but at the same time helps the animal to hydrate itself.
The first thing to check when your kitten refuses to drink water is whether the bowl is clean or not. Cats don't like to drink from a dirty surface
Step 7. Try feeding it with your finger
Put a small amount of food on the finger and bring it to the kitten's mouth. But be careful not to force your finger into your mouth or you can irritate it. Let him lick the food at his own pace and be patient.
Step 8. Try feeding it with a syringe
If the finger technique doesn't work, try feeding him food with a syringe. Take a clean syringe and remove the needle, then fill it with liquid food. Gently grab the cat and insert the syringe into the corner of the cat's mouth. Do not put it directly in the mouth, as doing so would immediately flow down the back of the throat, potentially causing the cat to choke. Direct the syringe to the right or left and squeeze a small amount of food onto the back of the tongue. The kitten ingests the food found in this area. Repeat this several times until it seems to you that he has eaten enough, changing the position of the syringe from time to time to avoid rubbing his mouth too much in one place.
- Try using a powdered milk substitute specifically for cats if you don't have a vet-prescribed liquid food. Don't give him cow's milk.
- Make sure it is at room temperature or, better yet, slightly warm, but not hot.
Method 2 of 4: Treating the Sick Kitten
Step 1. Give him meloxicam
This drug (also known as Metacam) belongs to the family of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Meloxicam works by inhibiting an enzyme, COX-2, which triggers the release of prostaglandins, which in turn limit the inflammation that causes fever. This is a safe and useful drug for reducing fever.
- The recommended maintenance dose is 0.05 mg / kg per day. Therefore, a cat weighing 1 kg needs 0.1 mg / ml of Metacam for cats. Keep in mind that the drug is available in two distinct strengths: for dogs (1.5 mg / ml) and for cats (0.5 mg / ml). Metacam for dogs is three times more concentrated and you need to be extremely cautious about giving the drug to the cat, as an accidental overdose can easily occur.
- The drug should only be administered if the animal is well hydrated. Otherwise it could alter kidney function; additional blood supply to the kidneys can cause kidney failure in the cat.
- Meloxicam should be given with or after meals. If the cat is not eating, be sure to protect the gastric walls by giving him a small amount of food with the syringe. Do not give him the drug on a completely empty stomach. You may exacerbate the inhibitory effect due to the increased blood supply to the stomach, which can lead to severe stomach ulcers.
- Do not give him meloxicam with or after other NSAIDs or steroids. You could cause stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding, which can lead to fatal blood loss.
Step 2. Keep the cat warm
If he suffers from the cold he tends to be lazy and heal more slowly, making it more difficult to get him to eat.
Step 3. Prepare a warm, comfortable area for him to take refuge
Sick kittens feel vulnerable and heal better and sooner if they have a place to hide. A lined cardboard box with blankets is also fine.
Step 4. Contact your vet if necessary
If your cat looks very sick or if symptoms persist for more than a day or so, you should see a doctor.
Method 3 of 4: Helping a Depressed Kitten
Step 1. Check your cat for symptoms of depression
In addition to not eating, it can show many other signs of the disease. These include a lack of energy and the desire to sleep more than usual, loss of interest in the activities that he normally carries out, becoming lonely or exhibiting aggressive behavior.
Step 2. Spend more time with your kitten
Most of the time cats are depressed because they don't get enough attention. To fight your cat's depression and get him to eat again, you need to play with him and show him your love as much as possible. Keep him on your lap while you work or watch a movie, play with him in the morning and afternoon, and praise him with treats and love.
Step 3. Find objects that can entertain him
You can't always be at home playing with him. Get some toys that your cat will intrigue and play with while you are away. Artificial trees that he can climb on, various toys, scratching posts and strategy games, also called puzzle feeders, are all great ways to entertain your kitty when you are out and about.
Consider getting your kitten a friend. If you can afford to do this, it's a good idea to bring another puppy indoors so they both have company and can play together. However, it is important to remember that the insertion of a new kitten can also be a complex process, if the original kitten has grown up
Step 4. Consider the possibility that the animal is depressed because it is sick
If even paying him a lot of attention and showing him all your affection, the cat is still depressed, surely the cause is not to be attributed to your lack of interest in him. In this case, he is most likely depressed because he is suffering in some way, either because he is sick or because he is injured. If you can't figure out what problem he may be having, take him to the vet.
Method 4 of 4: Give him veterinarian Prescribed Appetite Stimulants
Step 1. Use appetite stimulants only as a last resort
There are some medications that induce hunger. These are typically only given as a last resort for several reasons. First, many of these medications are for human use, so it can be very difficult to break the tablets to get a low dose for your cat. Second, the smaller cats have not fully developed liver and kidney function and these organs have not yet reached their maximum ability to metabolize the drug in the body, so the animal is potentially more vulnerable and at greater risk of poisoning than to an adult cat. Finally, they are drugs that cause unpleasant side effects, even when taken in small doses.
Step 2. Contact your vet for advice
A trained professional should be able to point you to which medication is best suited for your kitten. The most common solutions are mentioned below, so you can ask your vet for more information regarding each of these drugs, as well as general function and the right dosage.
Step 3. Evaluate Mirtazapine
This is a human drug from the tricyclic antidepressant family. The reason is not yet clear, but it has been found to have a stimulating effect on the appetite of cats. The smallest tablet on the market is 15 mg and the dose for cats is 3.5 mg, equivalent to 1/4 tablet. If the cat is small and weighs less than 1 kg, it is extremely difficult to calculate the proper dose and the best thing at this point is to give him only a small crumb of a tablet. This dose can be repeated once every 3 days.
Step 4. Learn about cyproheptadine
This drug is also for human use. It is an antihistamine and a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Even for this drug the mechanism is not clear, but it seems to be able to stimulate the appetite in cats. The dose is 0.1-0.5 mg / kg to be administered orally two or three times a day. The smallest tablet on the market is 4 mg, so (as with mirtazapine) it becomes extremely difficult to be able to carefully cut it into small pieces suitable for the animal. Taking the example of a 1 kg cat, one eighth of a 4 mg pill is needed; keep in mind, however, that many puppies do not reach this weight until they are 3 months old.
Step 5. Find out if you can give him intravenous diazepam
Some cats have such an idiosyncratic reaction that an occasional injection of diazepam makes them very hungry. This drug is only effective when injected and in very small cats it can be difficult to find a vein large enough to insert a needle into it. The dose is 0.5-1.0 mg / kg to be administered once, intravenously. So a cat weighing 1 kg requires 0.2 ml of a 5 mg / ml vial of diazepam injectable emulsion.
Step 6. Consider giving him vitamin B injections
Vitamin B plays an important role in maintaining appetite. If its level, especially cobalamin, is reduced too much in the intestinal wall or in the blood, the cat's appetite may be reduced. This can be easily remedied with a weekly subcutaneous injection of a multivitamin supplement for one month. The typical dose is 0.25 mL, administered by subcutaneous injection once every four weeks.
Step 7. Use one-time steroid injections with great caution
One of their side effects is the stimulation of appetite. In most cases of sick puppies, this option is not recommended because steroids suppress the immune system, which could weaken the kitten's ability to fight infections. However, if your cat is protected with antibiotics and your vet finds that steroids are unlikely to worsen the existing infection, it may be appropriate to give him an occasional dose to reactivate his appetite. The dosage can vary and ranges from 0.01 to 4 mg / kg of dexamethasone, although it is recommended to give him a low dose when the only purpose is to stimulate his appetite. Therefore, a cat weighing 1 kg requires 0.5 mg of dexamethasone which, in a formulation containing 2 mg / ml, equates to 0.25 ml via intramuscular injection.
Advice
Play different types of relaxing music. If you notice that your cat responds positively to a certain type of music, leave it in the background when you need to leave the house. This will calm him down and keep him from feeling depressed
Warnings
- If your cat still doesn't eat even after trying all of these methods, take him to the vet. There is probably some other underlying problem.
- Take him to the vet if he doesn't eat for more than a day.
- If you want your cat to go back to eating again, allow some time to pass after a full meal before feeding it again. If you give him too much food at one time, he may throw up and feel worse than before.
