[Cilantro]

I just picked up a beautiful gray short-haired cat from the Humane League six days ago. I bring her home. She appears healthy but really doesn't eat much at all. I've tried dry food and moist food but she eats for about 10 seconds and walks away. I know nothing about her prior eating habits since she was a stray. I feel so helpless as a pet owner. It's making me sad! Normally pets really tear into their food. What the heck was she fed before, caviar, shrimp, and catnip? What's a pet owner to do? I already had her to the vet. I asked them. They didn't give me any suggestions. They said she's healthy. Can any other cat owners out there help me? Should I just put the same brand of dry food in her bowl as my other cat and have the attitude that sooner or later she'll eat? It seems cruel but I don't know what else to do. I'm worried. She's thin enough already!! I'm throwing a lot of food away and it's getting expensive!

[Lea]

my cat eats the same way. give a little bit of dry and a little bit of wet food in another dish. my cat will not take water from a bowl she likes the bath tub faucet running.

[drummerfreak200500]

Have you taken her to a vet or a really good doctor of some sort lately? You should find out what she has recently been eating or you might have to put her down.

[twinsma]

cats are very sensitive to their environements and they need time to deal with changes. when a cat is under stress of some kind, it is natural for them to not eat for awhile. We just moved recently and our cats took a couple of days to get back to their eating habits. the best way to get your cat to eat is to give it a calm environement and a calm vibe from you. keep the other cat in a seperate area so they both have time away from eachother. speek soothingly to the cat and pet it if it will allow you to. be calm when you are around it. when it has time to adjust, it will come around and don't worry, it will be hungry!

[T.T.]

Is she used to her surroundings and you and your pets. I ask this because my aunt got a calico cat a while back and she stayed under her bed for about a week without eating, she didn't move while the family was around she only snuck out to eat when she was alone it took about a week like i said but then she got used to the other cats and her son and started behaving normal. Just give the cat some time and she should come around put her food out and just walk away if the vet said she is healthy than she should eat sooner or later you just have to be patient but if she doesn't eat for more than a week you may want to try another vet for a second opinion but fir now i would just wait.

[kathleengwen]

Give her time to adjust to her new environment. I agree with another writer that weaning her off her shelter food is another good idea. Cats are sensitive creatures....keep an eye on her and give her some time.

[Katie85]

I have 2 shelter cat (and have had 4 in total).

Tilly was a kitten and was the first cat I got, she came in and used her itter tray, had a sniff about, drank some water and had something to eat. I have never had a problem with her food wise or health wise.

When Missy was brought home she was very finiky and had very odd behaviour, she hid under the bed but she licked carrier bags and refused to eat from her bowl. At my first meal time she tried to eat from my plate! She refused to eat from her bowl but was drinking water and cat milk. I then started feeding her a slice of cooked meat it ripped up pieces over the food bowl and eventually put the cooked meat strip in the bowl and over a few days she began to eat from the bowl. My problem was that she was fed incorrectly by her previous owners (I think this is why she licked the plastic bas as well - something to do with thinking she ate like a human and food was brought home in the plastic bags).

I wouldn't be worried if the vets have said she is healthy - they would not let her get ill, as long as she is drinking water, she will be ok. Feed her whatever food you think she will eat for now (even if that is what the shelter was feeding her), you can always mix the food you want her to eat after you are happy with the amount she is eating.

Have you tried any "treats" in the mean time? Such as cat milk, tuna or other tinned fish? What about prawns - I have nver known a cat to turn down prawns and 1 of mine was annorexic and had liver problems.

Keep us posted.