My new kitten won't eat. Is tuna or cheese safe? Should I see a vet?

Question

We got a new kitten (3-4 months old) few days ago, he got vaccinated and we were given the recommended food. The problem is he doesn't like his food and keeps on searching for food but we're still not sure what kind of food is suitable for him. We tried tuna and cheese,is this safe? Do we need to take him to a vet? Thank you. Pet's info: Cat | Turkish Angora | Male | 2 months and 8 days old

Dr. Strydom, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello there. Good question! Kittens and cats need to eat food made for them. The reason for this is that the food is fortified with the amino acid taurine. Taurine is critical for normal vision, normal digestion, normal heart muscle function, to maintain normal pregnancy and fetal development, and to maintain a healthy immune system. Taurine is an essential amino acid in the cat. If taurine levels are deficient, the retinal cells of the eyes will eventually degenerate, impairing the vision. This condition is referred to as feline central retinal degeneration (CRD). Deficiency of taurine will also lead to a weakening of the muscle cells in the heart, causing a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy. Taurine is a component of bile salts, and its deficiency may cause digestive disturbances. During pregnancy, a mother cat must have adequate levels of taurine to maintain her health and to ensure proper growth and structural development of her kittens. Low taurine levels result in small litter sizes, low birth weights or fetal abnormalities. In growing kittens, taurine deficiency can result in delayed growth and development, central retinal degeneration and dilated cardiomyopathy. So, long story short, tuna and cheese is not a good diet. You must find a kitten food that he likes. You may have to buy a few brands/types until you find one he likes. I am not familiar with the diets you have available in the UAE so you may have to ask your vet for more recommendations. He should stay on a kitten diet until he is about 8 months of age and then he can go to an adult cat diet. I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Akmi! Dr. Amber

My new kitten won't eat. Is tuna or cheese safe? Should I see a vet?

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