Cat not eating

[CJ1980]

My cat is 8 months old and has refused to eat his wet food (fancy feast) for the last 2 days. I usually feed him a 3oz can in the morning and one at night. I also leave dry food (Wellness) out all day. He’s been turning his nose up when I put his wet food out and has eaten very little dry.
He is acting normal- playing, lots of energy, bathroom habits are fine. My last cat starting not eating and I just thought she was fussy so I kept changing the brand. Turns out she had a tumor in her intestine and passed away very quickly. When should I consider this situation serious?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Is he eating the dry food? Or is he not eating at all? If he hasn't eaten anything for two days, I would consider it serious NOW. Cat's can quickly develop other issues from not eating, so I would be calling the Vet first thing when they open. BUT, if it's just the wet food he's rejecting, then I would try a different wet food. Some cats get tired of the same food day in and day out and want a change. One of mine is that way. He's just weird because he likes the same thing for a long time, then suddenly won't eat it anymore. But while he likes it, he won't eat anything else. My other cat has to have something different at every meal, so I'm constantly rotating what he eats. Never the same think more than once a day, sometimes not even more than once every TWO days.

Also, if your little guy IS still eating the kibble, you can try crushing some of it and sprinkling it on top of the wet food. That might work, or might not. Or crush some of his favorite treats and sprinkle on top.

If he's not eating anything at all, you might take some of the wet food and put it in his mouth to get some food in him. You can take a small amount and rub it on the roof of his mouth by scraping it off your finger using his top front teeth as a scraper. Does that make sense. Sometimes once they get a taste, then they'll eat. Of maybe he'll just eat some off your finger. He definitely needs to get some food in him though. Anyway you can get it in him. Try plain baby food perhaps. No onions, etc, I think it's stage 2 Gerber. Chicken, ham, turkey or beef. Ham seems to be a favorite.

 

[maggie101]

My cat is 8 months old and has refused to eat his wet food (fancy feast) for the last 2 days. I usually feed him a 3oz can in the morning and one at night. I also leave dry food (Wellness) out all day. He’s been turning his nose up when I put his wet food out and has eaten very little dry.
He is acting normal- playing, lots of energy, bathroom habits are fine. My last cat starting not eating and I just thought she was fussy so I kept changing the brand. Turns out she had a tumor in her intestine and passed away very quickly. When should I consider this situation serious?

Is he hiding? Morning is when my cats have trouble with eating. My cat Peaches is sometimes nauseous from not eating 9 hrs so I use a food timer for wet 5 am. If he's not eating he needs a vet visit.

 

[CJ1980]

Thanks! He’s eating the kibble. Not gobbling it up, but he is eating some. He also eats treats right away when I give it to him.

I adopted him about 4 months ago. He was eating Wellness wet food in his foster home, so that’s what I had gotten for him.he refused to eat that about a month later. Seems like he may be getting sick of this and want something new. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[CJ1980]

Is he hiding? Morning is when my cats have trouble with eating. My cat Peaches is sometimes nauseous from not eating 9 hrs so I use a food timer for wet 5 am. If he's not eating he needs a vet visit.

He’s not hiding at all. He’s very social and friendly. Wants to play all the time. He’s eating some of the dry so I think I’m going to try a new wet food. If he doesn’t eat that then I’ll bring him right in.

 

[maggie101]

Here's an idea of all the food out there. Pate,pate with pieces of meat,and shredded. One of my cats does not likefish!

Catfooddb.com

 

[Maria Bayote]

Try to feed your cat some other wet food, brand and flavor.

Cats are really known for being picky eaters. I am having the same issues now since it seems I cannot find their favorite brand in all stores for the past weeks and it is so frustrating.

 

[CJ1980]

Update:

I went out yesterday and got all different flavors of wet food. He ended up eating the fancy feast chicken in gravy in 2 seconds. At dinner time I tried another flavor and he wouldn’t touch it. I left it out for a long time and nothing, but ate some dry food. This morning I gave him another flavor of pate which he ate fine. It seems like he will wait until next feeding time to see if it’s to his liking.
If he doesn’t feel like eating or doesn’t like it, I’m throwing it away and wasting all this food. I don’t want to get a case of one thing he’s eating now, because he may not like it tomorrow. Any advice? I just feel bad wasting it.

 

[maggie101]

He needs to eat so any meat with gravey,continue giving him that. Mix in freeze dried treats. Any food that has a strong scent and tasty. It doesn't matter if it's for kittens. So usually fancy feast,sheba,purina, have a strong smell. If she won't eat have the vet give her an appetite stimulant

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

since he likes his treats, have you tried crushing some of them and sprinkling them on some wet food, or mixing them into some wet food?
Is he maintaining his weight with the dry food? If so, then I don't think he needs to see a Vet, I think he's just a picky eater. If he isn't maintaining, then he probably needs to be seen.

When I transitioned my cats from being free fed kibble to scheduled meals of wet food only, it was a matter of finding foods they liked. As you are finding out, some cats like shreds, some like pates, some like chicken, some like beef, etc. And some like it all while others don't seem to like any of it. I quit buying cases of anything for my picky guy for just the reason you stated. Once I do that, he calls it quits on that food. I can't tell you how many partial cans I have put down the garbage disposal. Full cans can be donated at least. But keep trying different foods, textures, proteins. You may find things he likes, at least for awhile. Mine were finally converted to wet food using Soulistic. It's Petco's house brand and they have tons of different varieties.

 

[Lucy&Petra]

I think you need to go to your vet. Sometimes we just need the reassurance from a vet that it isn't medical.

Otherwise, you could try fancy feast hors d'oeuvre - cats go crazy for this, NEVER met a cat that didn't like it.