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10-12 week old kitten eating very little

I took in a rescue kitten a few weeks ago who had been found in a box with his brothers and sisters. He's very sweet and very playful, but extraordinarily picky when it comes to food. The girl who was taking care of him before me fed him strictly Whiskas fish, which he loved. She had tried poultry beforehand and Frankie didn't like it much.

I fed him the same thing for a week or so and then read on my vet's website that fish is not necessarily good for cats and that owners should stay away from it. I switched to Science Diet, which the vet recommended (along with certain Friskies flavors and some less-expensive brands), and Frankie hated it! He would eat it only when he was really, really hungry and knew that nothing else was coming. I always have dry kitten food sitting out for him, and he won't touch it.

I took him to get vaccinated ad was told he was in great health. I can't really afford Science Diet for too long, AND Frankie hates it, so I'm slowly switching to Friskies. I tried a few different flavors and yet he continues to dislike anything I give him. He jumps at human food and cat treats, though. Even when I mix in a few treats with his food, he will only eat so much and then not touch it again.

Am I crazy? Is there something wrong with him? What is there here that I'm not trying? I want nothing more than for him to be happy, healthy, and well-fed!
2 Responses
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234713 tn?1283526659
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
There is nothing wrong with Whiskas fish.  The only problem with fish is the high mercury content in some fish, and you should therefore only feed cold water fish like tuna and swordfish once per week.  Canned food is more important for cats than previously supposed, because domesticated cats originated from the desert and derive most of their water intake from their food.  A litte human food is fine as long as it does not cause vomiting or diarrhea.  Good human food choices are fish, meat, vegetables.  Stay away from grains.  Cats do not require any grains in their diet.
Helpful - 0
97628 tn?1204462033
Perhaps you could micx some of the Friskies he llikes with the kind he doesn't. Start with mostly fish flavor for a week or so and slowly, gradually, add in more of the other flavor and less of the fish and over a period of time have less and less of the fish flavor in there until it's all the other flavor?
Helpful - 0

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