Cat can't seem to eat

[wildmustng87]

Hi everyone,

I used to raise monarchs when I was young with my mom, and this year I decided to start again.

This particular cat can't seem to eat. He's the only one I have at the moment, about an inch and 1/4 long, and three days ago I noticed he hadn't eaten anything off the clippings I offered him. That day he was also moving around the tank quite a bit, so didn't worry about it much and I cut a bit off another milkweed and replaced what was in there. The next day he was on the plant, but hadn't eaten any of it. I replaced it again from yet another plant since the one he had was wilted, carefully moved him to it, and he started chewing the leaves like he was starving. He chews and chews at the leaves but it seems like he can't actually bite into them and eat any of it. He looks rather thin to me now, I have tried giving him leaves at different stage, new sprout, mature leaves, and he just can't eat.

Does anyone know why this might be happening, or what I can give him so he doesn't starve? He seems healthy otherwise..

Thanks

[tartandtiny]

How big is the cat? Perhaps it needs to molt or is ready to pupate. Not sure why a cat wouldnt eat, sorry I cannot be of more help.

[wildmustng87]

Well I have read about "4th or 5th instars" etc in other posts but I am not really sure on the definitions really.. he's about 1 1/4 or 1/2 inches long. I thought maybe he might be ready to pupate the day he was climbing all over the tank, but then yesterday he just seemed like he was really hungry but couldn't bite into the leaves.. And he looks skinny to me. I just hope he doesn't die, I keep checking on him but nothing has been eaten.

Any help would really be appreciated! Maybe an alternative I could feed him?

[Mona Miller]

Which milkweed did you get the caterpillar off of? Sometimes they refuse to eat other species.

And, are you sure you have milkweed and not dogbane. Your description sounds like maybe you don't have milkweed and that is why he is bulking:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1765&p=8183&hilit=dogbane#p8183
This has some pictures.

If it is only 1/4 inch long then give it tender leaves. It doesn't sound like it is ready for mature leaves. Mature caterpillars are 2 inches or longer.

I know that they will remain still for up to a day or more when shedding their skin. When they do this, do not move them.

http://www.mymonarchguide.com/2007/05/r ... llars.html
This website has some helpful information.

Lastly, you could have gotten a caterpillar that has disease or a parasite. This is part of the bad side of nature. If your caterpillar doesn't come around soon, you may have to freeze it.

[wildmustng87]

The plant is Butterfly weed, or I believe it is also called Tropical milkweed, and I have been giving him stems from the cluster of plants I found him on.

He is actually a little less than 1 AND 1/4 inches long, it was hard to read in my first post lol, I apologize. When I brought him in he was about half an inch, and he ate really well at first.

I've been checking him often, I just came back from doing so actually, and a couple leaves look like he managed to eat a bit, though he still isn't looking well. His color is good, he just still looks a bit thin.

I'll keep researching, any more input would be great.. And just to bring up my question in the previous post, is there anything else I could offer him that he might be able to eat?

[texas butterfly]

Thought that I read somewhere too that sometimes cats can get their mouths all gummed up and that prevents them from eating.

Seems they eat plant in a certain way to prevent this from happening.

Hopefully it is just a change in the type of milkweed and is it really milkweed.

What about also, if the milkweed is contaminated and needs to be rinsed real good?

[wildmustng87]

When I replace his stem tomorrow morning I will be sure to rinse it good, but I don't believe it to be contaminated. My yard doesn't get treated for bugs or weeds or anything, and the plant isn't near neighbors where it could've been contaminated from them.

But like I said, it does look like he has managed to eat a little bit, I'm hoping for the best, we'll see.

[Mona Miller]

Read the website that I posted. She has loads of great information on raising monarchs.

[mich]

This is the thread I've been searching for!

I have a caterpillar that's about 1-1/4" that has stayed EXACTLY THE SAME SIZE for over a week. I watched him eating this morning and he does seem to have a difficult time of it. The leaf he was on last night is about half gone and he was starting in on a new one today. So he is eating something. He's in a cage with another cat I found last weekend - a 2nd instar at the time; that guy is getting huge. The little one is real skinny and extremely active. At the rate he's going, I may have to feed him forever.

I raided a friend's garden a week ago and brought home beautiful Ice Ballet stalks (looks like mine did in June) and thought he'd be in pig heaven. I guess maybe I'll try giving him the swamp milkweed he was on before.

[Mona Miller]

Immediately separate the healthy one from the one that appears to have a problem. Caterpillars can transfer some diseases. A 24 hour period of not eating is normal for molting. But, a week is way too long.

[Wyvern]

When I replace his stem tomorrow morning I will be sure to rinse it good, but I don't believe it to be contaminated. My yard doesn't get treated for bugs or weeds or anything, and the plant isn't near neighbors where it could've been contaminated from them..

Your plant doesn't have to be any where near your neighbors to be contaminated by something they spray in their yard.... it's carried on the wind and travels pretty far even on a very light wind.

[mich]

My little fellow is still active; his cage buddy pupated on Thursday. I've got two different kinds of milkweed in his cage and I see him chewing away but he doesn't seem to do much damage to the plants. He doesn't seem to be sick; he's really rather cute. But I do believe he's starving - he's very skinny. I have leaves in the refrigerator, but I don't think I can keep him supplied with milkweek over the winter if he chooses to go on that long. He's approaching his 1 month birthday. I don't want him to suffer, but I'll feel real bad about freezing him.

[Mona Miller]

Keep feeding it. What type of milkweed are you using?

[mich]

I have named him Pan. He has his choice of common and swamp milkweed and seems to prefer the stems although he seems to be just gumming them. This will most likely sound really foolish, but do cats have teeth? Or toothlike parts? And just how long CAN a cat live?

[Mona Miller]

If we are talking about Monarchs, they are supposed to go through their cycle in the summer in 10-14 days, but that cycle is temperature dependent. If it is cold, then it will take longer. If it is hot, then it will be a shorter time.

Hopefully, Pan is not ill and just is refusing to turn into a butterfly. Make sure the leaves that you feed it are fresh. Keep its container clean of frass. Good luck, Pan & Mich.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjec ... llar.shtml
Here's some info on the caterpillar mouth parts.

They chew plants, don't worry about getting your finger bitten.

[chrestien]

Hey Mich,

How is Pan? I'm going through a similar dilemma