# Older Cat, New kitten, Older cat not eating



## kaazebrabeads (Nov 13, 2006)

My partner and I got a new kitten just a full day ago (Lio has been with us now for 24 hours) and Nym our 15 year old Thai/Siamese is not eating.

He eats, or has eaten the Hill Science diet light before (Hes usually on either the senior light or the mature it depends as we can't always get either one here in Germany)

He asks for food, sniffs the food and then walks away. Just not eating, even with the mature food (the one he seems to like) still in it.

He is drinking, both from the new water fountain we got (Have had that for a week and he loves it) as well as the sink when we turn on the faucet.

Hes pooping and peeing normally and shares the litter box fine now with Lio and they are sharing the rest of the apartment just fine, no chasing nor stalking behavior...

We will get the mature food if he doesn't eat today. He does NOT try to eat the kittens food.... And we are using his normal bowls and changed the feeding area.

Please suggestions are happily wanted!

Kaazebrabeads

PS: Nym is NOT skinny or unhealthy in the weight department... we are just abit worried about him


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## Cat Daddy (Aug 3, 2005)

Probally best to start with a full check-up and rule out any health problems, 24 hours could be a long time, I think their liver starts to give them problems after a duration without food,, but don't remember the exact details, you could do a Search on the Health and Nutrition section and maybe come up with several post on that.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Typically when bringing a new kitten into a house with another cat you should isolate the kitten in a spare room or bathroom for several days, maybe even a couple weeks to allow a slow introduction and get them used to each other. While Nym is not showing aggression to this kitten, he is showing his displeasure by not eating. 

I have a new kitten and went through a decent, but not perfect introduction process. My other 2 cats haven't stopped eating, but they haven't been eating as much...doing exactly what you described...looking for food then walking away from it. In most cases they come back, nibble a bit, walk away again, come back etc. They cut their food consumption by about half. It's been almost 2 weeks and they're starting to ramp back up to normal. 

At this point I would recommend that you start over, isolating Lio and doing a slower process (if you Google 'cat introduction' you'll find tons of info). If that's not possible, then I would separate them at meal time...putting Lio in a room and leaving Nym to his normal routine. You may need to keep Lio isolated for an hour or two.

With regards to Cat Daddy's post about no eating causing issues...I believe the timeframe is 3-4 days. I think that Nym will eat enough to keep himself going when he gets really hungry, but you really need to make this easier on him given his age. If he hasn't eaten anything at all in the next 24 hours, then you probably need to see a vet. 

Keep us posted....


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## kaazebrabeads (Nov 13, 2006)

*Re: our cats and eating!*

Thanks to both of you! 

We can not isolate Lio, we are in a 3 room apartment on the third floor... and Nym hates closed doors... they upset him more...

We also found out that Nym likes Hills Science kitten food.... We caught him eating it (Along with the wet food the shelter feeds to their kittens {Wiskas in Jelly})

SOOOOO... He was eating because he was not HUNGRY, not because he was sick.....

He is ramping back up to normal... eating more often, he goes and nibbles and goes and nibbles normally... and we provided a second bowl in the kitchen.... And he shifts between the two.... 


They are now cuddling up together, sharing the couch and sleeping under the blankets with us, as well as sharing the waterer and the litter box... NO accidents from either....

No hissing, no striking or severe hunting/chasing....... Although the two 'hunt' each other back and forth and have kitten crazies together......

So I think the crisis is over for now, but we are keeping an eye on both, especially since Nym is a senior cat citizen and Lio is young and was the tiniest of his litter.....

Thank you again for the help....

kaazebrabeads


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