8 week old kitten refusing to eat

[contrary13]

My daughter brought her two new kittens (domestic moggies, but the woman who sold her to my daughter apparently claimed they "might" be halfRagdoll/Maine Coon/Persian... looking at them, I'm 99% certain they've got Persian in them) home yesterday.

One of them - the boy - is a greedy little thing and has eaten like he's half-starved. The other - a girl (and yes; both will be neutered/spayed as soon as we can convince the vet they don't need to be 6 months old!) - hasn't eaten anything since being home. The boy is lively, whereas his sister... isn't. It might just be her personality, but combined with the lack of eating, it also might not be.

My daughter didn't ask the woman how often they need to be fed, had they been seen by a vet, all the questions which I said to her answers were needed to. Now, I think, she's regretting that because I've pointed out that we don't know the last time the girl kitten actually ate, and whether the boy and girl were pushed to the back of the food queue by their siblings.

How can we convince the girl kitten to eat. Tried feeding her separately; she just ignores it. We're feeding them the exact food that the woman said they were on whilst in her care... but nada. I've had cats for 20 years plus now, and I'm stumped with this one (possible all our tom-cats were just greedy fuckers, though...), and actually, a little concerned.

I should probably add that I've mooted the fact that a vet's visit is in order to my daughter... who is reluctant. They need their health-check anyway, so I've said mention it in that (and get it done ASAP), but... no. She's just shouting about what Dr Google says...!

Vet, kittens become hypoglycaemic very quickly.
Are you offering different types of kitten food?
Try smearing some wet food on her gums/in her mouth
Have they been dewormed?

They need to be vet checked, dewormed and vaccinated

@Veterinari - thank you. Girl kitten is now eating - adult cat food (we have an older cat) which I grabbed from the identical boxes and put it in the bowl without realising. But she's eating.

Daughter has just made a vet's appointment for their health-check - next monday.

Of you get a bit stuck, try mashing some dry kitten food with some water (boiled and cooled preferably) into a thick paste and smear it on the kittens front paws, instinct will get her to clean it off by licking and so injesting the food. Small amounts are all helpful. It may be a bit messy but it gets it in.

Are you confident about their purported age?

They shouldn't really be away from their mother at 8 weeks......most reputable breeders and rescue homes won't rehome until 12 weeks

My little boy didnt eat till the morning after he arrived, though he settled in to everything else ok

Thank you all. Girl kitten has eaten 3 bowls of wet food and nibbled at some dry biscuits - but is now far more lively than she was this time yesterday! In fact... she may well be giving her brother some competition in who can scale their pen's "walls" highest/quickest!

@Ellmau - my daughter and I saw them (and their 2 siblings) at a week old. I wasn't 100% convinced, but it was my 24 year old daughter's decision to buy (well, reserve) them there/then. I've also reared a 3 week old kitten to adulthood, and they were virtually his size, at a week old, so if anything... maybe they're older than claimed. Certainly not younger, though.

@ivfbeenbusy - legally, they can be sold from 8 weeks, though. I totally agree it's not an ideal age, but as we've had puppies at 7 weeks and a kitten from 3 weeks... and they've not only survived, they've thrived (22 years for the kitten and 14 for the 7 week old pup), I'm not really sure what to say. All of our animals, until these 2 were rescue/foster-turned-adoption, though.

@Oldraver - that's exactly what Girl Kitten seems to have done. She'll only eat adult cat food, though, which is bewildering as I know she ought to be on the kitten stuff (added vitamins/minerals, etc., which will help her to grow) which her litter-mate is chowing down on. I've even tried mixing it this afternoon to no avail. But she's far livelier than she was yesterday which is a good sign, and using their litter tray for both without prompting from anyone but the dog.