Kitten Hunger Strike

[kestria]

My kitten was prescribed clavamox for a mouth injury but has since gone off food completely. I’ve stopped giving the clavamox after he stopped eating. The wound has healed great but he is still not eating. It’s been 3 days since he’s had a proper meal but I have been giving him rebound recuperation formula and high calorie nutritional gel. He ate a little bit of plain cooked chicken breast but doesn’t want any more of that either. I’ve tried many different types of canned, raw and dry food but no interest. I’ve tried topping with purée, treats, tuna, chicken, parmesan but still no luck. The vet suggested I syringe feed him some royal canin babycat watered down but it seemed to give him a stomach ache and he threw it up about 10 minutes after.

He doesn’t seem to be lethargic but he’s definitely less active. I’m really worried. I don’t know what to do.

 

[Neo_23]

I wouldn’t have stopped giving the antibiotics early. Bacteria can grow resistance and start to resurface again. Even if the wound looks healed the infection could still be in her body. It sounds like she is still sick. I would call your vet again, explain what’s going on, and ask for advice.

 

[kestria]

I wouldn’t have stopped giving the antibiotics early. Bacteria can grow resistance and start to resurface again. Even if the wound looks healed the infection could still be in her body. It sounds like she is still sick. I would call your vet again, explain what’s going on, and ask for advice.

My vet said the wound was completely healed and to stop the antibiotics. He doesn’t have any other advice besides wait it out.

 

[Neo_23]

My vet said the wound was completely healed and to stop the antibiotics. He doesn’t have any other advice besides wait it out.

Ah okay I didn’t realize your vet told you to stop it.

Have you tried sprinkling some fortiflora on his food to entice him?

 

[kestria]

So he’s eating now but only dry food. He absolutely refuses any sort of wet food. I think it’s because that’s what he was eating while he was on his meds and not feeling well so now he has a negative association with it.

He also does not want to eat from his old bowls so I’ve put dry food in a plate for him.

 

[Furballsmom]

Try kitten food, the liquid from a tuna can along with a little tuna, unseasoned boiled cut up chicken, sauce products in pouches, other brands of wet food...good luck!
You could also try elevating the plates, and put the food in a different room...

 

[duckpond]

My little white cat was in the hospital 3 times for surgery, once had to stay for 2 weeks. She was all about the wet food, i took her favorites to her the whole time. When she came home she would not touch it. had to start feeding her dry out of desperation. now two years later she will occasionally eat a bit of wet, i offer it to her twice a day just like the others who enjoy the wet. She may eat an ounce a day of wet. I think it is because she associates it with her hospital stay. I keep offering the wet, in hopes that someday she will eat it better, but for now she mainly eats dry.

 

[1 bruce 1]

So he’s eating now but only dry food. He absolutely refuses any sort of wet food. I think it’s because that’s what he was eating while he was on his meds and not feeling well so now he has a negative association with it.

He also does not want to eat from his old bowls so I’ve put dry food in a plate for him.

Give it time.
We had some cats go off food due to a mass URI. It was difficult and frustrating to treat, but it was treated!
If he wants dry food now, I'd say consider it a blessing and let him have what smells good to him and wait out the wet food. When our cats (raw fed, one canned fed) went off food it scared the crap out of me but dry food was accepted first, followed by canned, and (for the raw fed beasts) raw last.
So long as you're on an open communication with your vet, I wouldn't worry so long as your kitty is eating something! =)
If he's averse to wet food, maybe consider offering it (on a different plate/bowl, good idea btw!) a teaspoon or so at a time. More than likely he'll latch back onto it and decide both things are OK again and that negative association will be a thing of the past.
My cats (for awhile) wanted only a certain brand of dry food (Natural Balance) and ignored wet food, raw food, cooked chicken, you name it...but eventually they became food beasties again. (They now slap wet OR raw food out of my hand as I'm preparing it. And I have a stubborn girl that thinks climbing onto the counter and doing the "I'm-so-sweet" sashay-butt thing will somehow win her a reward.)

 

[1 bruce 1]

My little white cat was in the hospital 3 times for surgery, once had to stay for 2 weeks. She was all about the wet food, i took her favorites to her the whole time. When she came home she would not touch it. had to start feeding her dry out of desperation. now two years later she will occasionally eat a bit of wet, i offer it to her twice a day just like the others who enjoy the wet. She may eat an ounce a day of wet. I think it is because she associates it with her hospital stay. I keep offering the wet, in hopes that someday she will eat it better, but for now she mainly eats dry.

Even as a raw feeder....if they eat, they eat, and let them eat something, and let them eat something they'll eat willingly and enjoy!!!!
I'm all about tough-loving it out of a young, healthy dog (within reason of course!), but I won't tough love a cat, ever. If she accepts wet food some day, celebrate, if not, it's better than a cat NOT eating at all IMO. =)

 

[Furballsmom]

(They now slap wet OR raw food out of my hand as I'm preparing it. And I have a stubborn girl that thinks climbing onto the counter and doing the "I'm-so-sweet" sashay-butt thing will somehow win her a reward.)