We just adopted a 1 year old American shorthair cat and it has been 24 hours and he isn’t eating or drinking water, any suggestions?
Ozzie's whole world has just been turned upside down by coming into a new home with new people, so he is likely quite stressed at the moment. Some cats refuse to eat or drink normally during times of stress, so there are a few things that you can try to help Ozzie along. First of all, try to leave him alone as much as possible so that he can acclimate to his new environment. Also assure that his food and water are in slightly quieter and more secluded areas of your house so that he has some privacy while eating or drinking. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers, such as Feliway. He may be tempted to eat with canned cat food, small portions of tuna, or meat-based baby foods. Warming up these foods slightly will make their odor stronger, which is often enticing to cats. However, if Ozzie still won't eat or drink by tomorrow, it may be worth a trip to the vet to assure that there aren't any other medical conditions at play. I hope this helps and that Ozzie warms up
Updated on September 24th, 2025