I need help with a feral

Kittycat12345

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Hello! I just trapped a stray 4 month old kitten yesterday after noon, It’s not fully feral just more of a skittish kitten. Well she hasn’t ate anything since I got her😞 I have offered her canned food, dry food, and tuna she doesn’t want it. I have worked with feral cats before but they have always ate with in a few hours after getting them. I don’t know what to do, does anyone have any advice?
 

Mr. Meow

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Give it time. Stress and anxiety can play a huge part of a feral choosing if food or survival comes first.
Where is the kitten currently? The quieter the place, the more likely she'll calm down and finally eat.
 
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Kittycat12345

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Give it time. Stress and anxiety can play a huge part of a feral choosing if food or survival comes first.
Where is the kitten currently? The quieter the place, the more likely she'll calm down and finally eat.
She is in are guest bathroom, it’s a very quiet place
 
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Kittycat12345

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I posted this last night but didn’t get many reply’s. I have a 4 month old kitten I trapped on Saturday, she isn’t really feral just a skittish kitten, well she hasn’t ate anything since I got her, she also hasn’t drank anything. I’m super super worried she is going to die😞 please give some advice on what I can do!
 

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Obviously the vet would be the best option. We can all give you a bunch of encouraging scenarios that the cat is just scared and will come around soon, but if you trapped it to give it a forever home, a trip to the vet is a must regardless! Best of luck 🐱
 
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Kittycat12345

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Obviously the vet would be the best option. We can all give you a bunch of encouraging scenarios that the cat is just scared and will come around soon, but if you trapped it to give it a forever home, a trip to the vet is a must regardless! Best of luck 🐱
I don’t want to take her to the vet because she is already scared enough right now, I will take her once she is more used to us though. Do you think she will starve herself to death because she is so scared?
 

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Well that would be quite the hunger strike if she did! A cat that you've owned for awhile suddenly not eating is always a health issue. But since she's new to your house there are other factors. Do you have other pets in the house? How old is she? Where are you keeping her? As far as the vet goes, 90% of cats are always skiddish at the vet. So it makes no difference how comfortable she is with you first.
 
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Kittycat12345

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Well that would be quite the hunger strike if she did! A cat that you've owned for awhile suddenly not eating is always a health issue. But since she's new to your house there are other factors. Do you have other pets in the house? How old is she? Where are you keeping her? As far as the vet goes, 90% of cats are always skiddish at the vet. So it makes no difference how comfortable she is with you first.
I do have other pets but they are not anywhere around her. She is in my guest bathroom in a super quiet place. She is 4 months old, and she won’t let anyone touch her or go into a carrier or trap ( due to when I trapped her).
 

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Hi. Are you leaving her food and water in the bathroom with her, even when you are not there? Typically, a trapped cat will be more likely to eat when they are by themselves. Does she have a litter box as well? Any signs of use? I would try to give her some of the foods recommended to try to jump start a cat to eat, such as:
  • Chicken or beef flavored baby food – make sure it doesn’t contain any garlic or onions
  • Tuna in water
  • Salmon
  • Sardines (make sure there are no bones)
  • Chicken or turkey
  • Rich kitten food
  • Fish, tuna or BBQ flavored canned wet food
  • Kentucky Fried Chicken or an equivalent
If you can't get her to eat anything relatively quickly here, you will absolutely need to get her to a vet. Trapping her under a blanket, or anything similar that will work and then transferring her to a crate/carrier, is going to be stressful for sure - but, it is better than having her sick from not eating.

Setting up a hiding spot in the bathroom for her is another 'must'. And, another box, or some other type set up, that you can see into, but closed off a bit would be a good place to set her water and food dishes. Bathrooms are typically small, and she is probably on alert all the time afraid someone is going to come through the door while she is eating, exposing her to danger, in her mind.
 

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Since you don't want to take her to the vet for vitals, I think you should switch rolls with the animals. Give the cat the rule of the roost and freedom to explore her new environment. 2 days locked in a bathroom is not going to help the situation. She basically went from trapped to trapped. I know your heart is in the right place, but time is of the essences.. especially if shes not even drinking water.
 
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Kittycat12345

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Since you don't want to take her to the vet for vitals, I think you should switch rolls with the animals. Give the cat the rule of the roost and freedom to explore her new environment. 2 days locked in a bathroom is not going to help the situation. She basically went from trapped to trapped. I know your heart is in the right place, but time is of the essences.. especially if shes not even drinking water.
I’m going to schedule a vet appointment for her, the bathroom she is in is quite large (15 feet long, 15 feet wide) but I was just wondering what will the vet do? Do they put something in her to help her eat?
 

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I’m going to schedule a vet appointment for her, the bathroom she is in is quite large (15 feet long, 15 feet wide) but I was just wondering what will the vet do? Do they put something in her to help her eat?
They will likely run blood work and maybe a urinalysis - just to see if any problems show up. They might give her an appetite stimulant, depending on what they think of her overall condition. If she is not trying to eat anything by now while you are absent from the bathroom, it could indicate a problem. It's only been two days, but she really should want to sneak food while she is alone by now, I would think.

I know she is already 4 months old, but have you considered trying some KMR instead of food? Maybe she is not used to eating solid foods, although she really should have been weaned by now, one would think. If not KMR, what about making a slurry of a canned food mixed with KMR or water?
 

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Please take her to the vet. She may need some fluids as well. It's a really good idea to get her looked at by a vet at this age. Scared or not, she will recover from the vet. She may be sick and need support. Please get her there. Small cats should not go that long without food/water.
 
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Kittycat12345

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Any updates on your kitty?
I took her to the vet first thing this morning ( was really hard to get her in the cage😩) , they said she is perfectly healthy and she is just choosing not to eat or drink on her own free will. I’m going to get some KMR and see if she will drink it if I put it on a plate.
 

shadowsrescue

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Thank you for the update. I would be very concerned that she hasn't eaten in so long. You may need to syringe feed her. I am surprised the vet didn't offer fluids or give you ideas to help get her eating.
 
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Kittycat12345

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Thank you for the update. I would be very concerned that she hasn't eaten in so long. You may need to syringe feed her. I am surprised the vet didn't offer fluids or give you ideas to help get her eating.
I’m super concerned, they said she will eat when she is ready. She is a very active little girl. Should I wrap her in a blanket like a burrito then syringe feed her?
 

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Hi, I had a similar situation where my feral cat that I have been living with for 6 months stopped eating after her spay surgery.
If I have learned anything from this situation, it is:

1. Stress may cause a cat to not eat. My cat did not eat for almost 2 days after her surgery, and I really tried to give her every food I had under the sun, including dry food, cooked meat, and wet food. Your cat is likely in a highly stressed situation since she just got to your house, so that might be why it is not eating. As she gains confidence in her new surrounding, she may start eating. Some things you may do to help her, are being calm and gentle around her and just letting her be alone so that she can acclimate to her new territory without the threat of a large human around her.

2. You may try liquid foods, such as baby foods or lickable foods, or cat milk. These seem to be easier to eat, so she might prefer these types of food.

3. It may depend on the cat, but my cat was okay after not eating for 2 days. I do not know if kittens are okay after not eating, however.

4. It might not be what you want, but it might be in her interest for you to let her out. My feral cat only began eating after she escaped from my apartment and got outside. I think getting outside allowed for my cat to get out of a traumatic and stressful situation, and once the stress was gone she was able to come back to my apartment to get a meal.

If you want to bring the cat home, maybe you could start over and take it a bit slower? Such as starting from feeding outside, and bringing the bowl closer to your home, until you feed her at the door, and then feed her inside with the door open, and later feed her inside with the door closed.

Hope she starts eating soon. Good luck.
 
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