Animal Welfare Professionals

I have 3 month old kitten who is very picky eater, not sure what to do? He will only eat soft food if I pour some tuna juice?

What kind of food are you feeding him? Sometimes they like one food over another. Babycat is usually a winner, and I've had luck with Wellness kitten food. I usually put out wet and dry food, and at first they won't eat the dry, but most of them kind of develop a taste for it. Sometimes they're just picky, so you could try feeding the wet food with tuna juice and then gradually reduce the amount of tuna juice over a few days' worth of feeding. Also, is he sneezing, coughing or does he have runny eyes? Sometimes they eat less if they have an upper respiratory infection, so if you suspect he might have one make sure to get him to the vet.

Hi Rocky!  I have been fostering for several years & we use a combination of foods...

For hard food we mix together Purina One Kitten with IAMS kitten & Science Diet kitten - all poultry flavor and/or liver...  The reason we use chicken based is because some kittens get a little upset tummy with seafood foods.  It also cuts down on smelly poops.  We use a combination so that when they are adopted their new owners have a choice without it upsetting their tummies.

For soft food we use Science Diet Kitten Chicken & Liver.  Our little ones LOVE this & it seems to work with them when we are weaning.  When weaning or when we have a sick baby we mix KMR with soft food - I have found this works well with the little ones.

One note, if your baby is not interested in eating food or seems to be a little lethargic (more than normal) they need to see a vet.  Some bacterial infections can cause pain in their digestive tracts especially when eating.  The one which we see alot around here is Feline Coccidia.  Worms can also cause them distress.  If Kelly's suggestions doesn't work, you may want to consult a vet about the babies possible issues.

Good luck with your little one!!!

I foster.  I've had some litters go to 100% dry fed very quickly with no effort.  Others I need to sprinkle the dry on the wet for a few days before they realize that dry is food and switch over (because it's available all the time).   And then I'll get a litter like I have now who doesn't want to switch over.  I've had some success mixing the dry food into the wet food.  Now they at least snack on dry food between wet food feedings but it's truly snacking.  I'd work harder to get them to 100% dry but I feed my own cats 100% wet so it's not a big deal for me to leave them on this regimen.  

A lot of kittens go through picky eating phases around that age, so you're definitely not alone. Since he's still eating the soft food with tuna juice, that's actually a good sign because it means his appetite is there - he may just be getting attached to the smell and flavor of tuna.

One thing you can try is slowly reducing the amount of tuna juice over several days instead of stopping all at once. Mixing in a tiny bit less each feeding can help him adjust without refusing food completely. Warming the wet food slightly can also make it smell stronger and more appealing.

At 3 months old, it's important he keeps eating regularly since kittens need a lot of calories while growing. If he suddenly stops eating entirely, loses energy, vomits often, or has diarrhea, then it's best to contact a vet.

I also found this helpful guide if anyone interested in starting a Chewy account
https://chewypetpharmacy.blogspot.com/2025/06/why-cats-can-be-great-for-anxiety.html

Hopefully your little guy starts eating better soon 😺

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enzo Dirienzo
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Enzo Dirienzo
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