Common reasons for food refusal in kittens

I am struggling with my new 6-week-old kitten. She is a bottle baby and while she is very hungry, she refuses any solid food. I have tried mashing wet food with water, but she just licks it and turns away. She will only drink from the bottle.

I already wrote up the details of the vet visit and the history of what we have tried in my previous thread about the bottle issue. I am wondering if there are common reasons for this refusal that I might be missing, or if it is just a matter of time?

Hi SparrowHollow. It is very common for bottle babies to prefer the milk texture. At 6 weeks, they should be weaning, but some need a slower transition.

Check out this thread on food textures. It suggests using a very thin gruel rather than a mash. Also, make sure the food is warm. Kittens often refuse cold food. You might also want to look at this weaning guide for step-by-step instructions on mixing the milk formula into the food.

I have a similar issue with my cat Milo when he was a kitten. He was very picky. I found that smearing a tiny bit of food on my finger and letting him lick it from me helped. It bypasses the bowl which can be stressful.

Also, have you checked for dental issues? Even at 6 weeks, they can have problems. This thread on dental pain lists signs like drooling or pawing at the mouth. If he is in pain, he will refuse food.

Oh my, that sounds stressful. I am just trying to keep my bees calm with the heat, but I remember when Orchid was a kitten. She was a total terror.

Sometimes it is just stress. This thread about stress and appetite has some good tips on creating a quiet feeding area. My kitten Copper (who is diabetic now, so I watch his food closely) used to refuse food if there were too many people around. Maybe try feeding her in a separate, quiet room away from Willow?

is it possible she is just being stubborn? my ginger is 3 and still jumps on counters and won't listen to me!!

i would try warming the food up more. cats like it warm. also, maybe mix in some of the bottle formula? i think that is in this thread about picky kittens. good luck with the little one!