Cat Won't Eat After Move

[ramscici]

Hi everyone,

Been a while since I posted here, but I feel like this is definitely appropriate.

I have two cats, one female, one male, both 2 years old, both spayed/neutered. They are friendly but not littermates.

We moved apartments yesterday. It's the first time I've moved our kitties. Ramses, the male, did a great job -- he was very scared at first, and was meowing loudly, but adapted quickly and started exploring. He's been snoozing on one of the old chairs we brought with us today and has been eating well.

Celeste, the female, however, is a different story.

Since I brought her to the new place she's been hiding under the bed, the dresser, the couch, etc. I brought her litter box, her old scratching post, a couple of her toys, her water bowl, and tried to give her some food twice (dry and wet, she mostly eats wet at scheduled times) in the room, but she wouldn't touch it. I ended up having to put it away because Ramses was eating it for her. I tried giving her treats, little freeze dried salmon bits -- anything -- and she won't touch them. Furthermore, she's hissing at Ramses and doesn't want him near her. I'm sure this is just re-directed aggression, and thankfully he is very gentle and not fighting with her.

I've taken her out a few times and let her be in the room with me in quiet, but she just slinks along the floor. It's strange though because while she is very obviously anxious about the new environment, she also seems curious and does come out every so often to sniff around and creep. She just runs quickly back under whatever she can at the slightest noise.

I'm very anxious about her not eating. As of posting this, it's been since yesterday afternoon that I've seen her have any food. She has full access to a water bowl and litter box. She's used the box once during the night but I haven't seen her eat or drink. I know cats can quickly develop hepatic lipidosis from not eating. What should I do? Should I try to force feed her with a syringe if she continues to not eat by tonight? When should I call a vet?

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[bella.cat]

Hi.

I've never experienced this but I'll try to help.
Is your cat experiencing any other signs of unwellness/illness apart from not eating?
I would try to keep her in one room for now (maybe you are already doing this) and put some dry food overnight. I would say her fully getting used to the new environment would take some time but I'm worried about her not eating......and its been a very long time.

I would say give her one last chance to try et some food, if she doesn't, its time to syringe feed her...I think some cat soup/kitten sauce food will do.

I'll link something below that can help, I hope this helps and your cat will eat.
Cat not eating after move

 

[ramscici]

Hi bella.cat , thank you for your response.

She's been staying in our bedroom, which I've situated her litter box in, a water bowl, her old scratching post, and tried giving her wet food twice, as well as dry overnight. The only issue is that I can't shut the door because the air conditioner is situated in the living room, and it would get too hot in there. She seems to feel safe under the sheets of our bed and has been there now. She won't touch her food, won't touch any treats, hasn't drank any water, etc. but she did use the box once last night.

She isn't showing any other signs of sickness other than extreme anxiety at the new environment, jumpy at every sound, hard breathing/panting. Her eyes look a little wet too. She just in general looks super stressed out.

I feel terrible but I don't know what else I can do for her. My other cat is adjusting great and he's already roaming the whole place. We put together a cat tree in the living room and he's been climbing it and hanging out. He's also eating a bit, not as much as before but he does have a small appetite, so I'm not worried about him.

I guess I'll have to mix her wet food (it's chicken) with some water and just give it to her in a syringe. I was hoping not to have to do that because I fear it would stress her out more, but I don't want her to go into shock.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I wouldn't force feed her just yet. There are a host of things you can try first, just to get her eating again. And, if Ramses eats some of it for now, so be it. You could also try to distract him when you first put some of these foods out for her. There is a more recent 'trick' TCS members have used and that is Kentucky Fried Chicken - or a similar type if you don't have KFC nearby. See TCS article link below for the other food tips. Place the food as close as possible to her safe location so that she doesn't have to travel far to get to it.

You might also try playing some soothing music to help drown out other noises that are bothering her. And, if there is a way to partially block the door (think baby gate or something like that) so that Ramses can't easily get in to her room right now, that might help too.

How To Get Your Cat To Start Eating Again

 

[bella.cat]

Hi bella.cat , thank you for your response.

She's been staying in our bedroom, which I've situated her litter box in, a water bowl, her old scratching post, and tried giving her wet food twice, as well as dry overnight. The only issue is that I can't shut the door because the air conditioner is situated in the living room, and it would get too hot in there. She seems to feel safe under the sheets of our bed and has been there now. She won't touch her food, won't touch any treats, hasn't drank any water, etc. but she did use the box once last night.

She isn't showing any other signs of sickness other than extreme anxiety at the new environment, jumpy at every sound, hard breathing/panting. Her eyes look a little wet too. She just in general looks super stressed out.

I feel terrible but I don't know what else I can do for her. My other cat is adjusting great and he's already roaming the whole place. We put together a cat tree in the living room and he's been climbing it and hanging out. He's also eating a bit, not as much as before but he does have a small appetite, so I'm not worried about him.

I guess I'll have to mix her wet food (it's chicken) with some water and just give it to her in a syringe. I was hoping not to have to do that because I fear it would stress her out more, but I don't want her to go into shock.

Hi.
If a cat doesn't start eating in around 24-72 hours, its time to start force feeding. How many hours has in been?
In the room she is now, does she have like a "cosy" place? For example a bed or a box with a top/ceiling on it? For example like a sideways put box, so she can go in and feel safe, maybe she'll stop hiding as much.

 

[ramscici]

Thank you to both of you.

FeebysOwner , I played some soothing music last night for her and it lulled her to sleep, so that was a great suggestion.

bella.cat It's been almost two days since she's eaten normally at this point. However...

Good news is that last night I sat with her for a while, let her be under our sheets, etc. and she eventually started purring and showing her belly to me. I felt good about her anxiety level, so I tried to give her a couple of salmon freeze dried treats. She ate them! Which was great. She also ate a couple of bites of dry food in her bowl that I carried over to her and sat with her to coax her.

She also came out of the room finally and started sniffing around, climbing on everything, etc.

I left the food out overnight, and some was gone in the morning, though I'm not sure if she finished it or if Ramses did.

Either way, I'm happy she got something in her stomach and that she's calming down.

This morning I went into the kitchen to try to feed them both their regular wet food breakfast. She came into the kitchen, albeit cautiously, and rubbed on me as usual while I was getting cans open. She didn't eat, however, when I set it down. I tried sitting with her and coaxing her, I put some salmon in the food, etc. but nope, too distracted. I tried bringing it into the bedroom, her safe haven, again, and shut the door, but still no.

I put the food in the fridge and will try again with a couple of treats in about an hour, then try feeding at the next regular meal time.

I'm praying she eats, but at the very least steps are being made.

 

[bella.cat]

Thank you to both of you.

FeebysOwner , I played some soothing music last night for her and it lulled her to sleep, so that was a great suggestion.

bella.cat It's been almost two days since she's eaten normally at this point. However...

Good news is that last night I sat with her for a while, let her be under our sheets, etc. and she eventually started purring and showing her belly to me. I felt good about her anxiety level, so I tried to give her a couple of salmon freeze dried treats. She ate them! Which was great. She also ate a couple of bites of dry food in her bowl that I carried over to her and sat with her to coax her.

She also came out of the room finally and started sniffing around, climbing on everything, etc.

I left the food out overnight, and some was gone in the morning, though I'm not sure if she finished it or if Ramses did.

Either way, I'm happy she got something in her stomach and that she's calming down.

This morning I went into the kitchen to try to feed them both their regular wet food breakfast. She came into the kitchen, albeit cautiously, and rubbed on me as usual while I was getting cans open. She didn't eat, however, when I set it down. I tried sitting with her and coaxing her, I put some salmon in the food, etc. but nope, too distracted. I tried bringing it into the bedroom, her safe haven, again, and shut the door, but still no.

I put the food in the fridge and will try again with a couple of treats in about an hour, then try feeding at the next regular meal time.

I'm praying she eats, but at the very least steps are being made.

Hi.
Well I'm glad she had gotten at least something in her stomach.
I would say after 2 days its time to start to force feed but she ate a little bit so I think she should be fine.
As she gets used to the environment she might begin to eat a little more.
Hopefully she will soon eat, keep us updated!

 

[ramscici]

Great news!

Celeste has since come around a lot. She and her brother are still not eating the amount they ate before, and sometimes they only nibble when they're coaxed, but they're eating!

I think they're still super curious about everything because they are distracted easily and still jumpy at sounds, but Celeste is climbing her new cat tree, exploring other rooms, laying out in the middle of the living room, etc. just doing all of the things that cats who feel safe do.

I think they're both still kind of confused about the new food bowl placement? Which is why they're not eating normally. Like I said, they are eating, but it's more like picking at the food and then grazing if I leave dry food out. Strangely Celeste still rubs on me and asks for the food when I am getting it, but then won't eat it until I coax her with treats.

I hope this newfound pickiness doesn't last, but in any case I'm glad they're coming around.

Has anyone had experience with cats being picky / distracted after they've moved, and if so, does it go away eventually once the cats settle in completely?