Hi there. My pets always have the 'starving' status. I put them on or near the food bowls and they don't eat. They do something else instead. They are not without food to justify the starving status.
They only have the "feeling hungry" action once - soon after getting them. I praise them when they are eating, (Not that you can tell praising does anything with them.), hoping that will encourage that behavior, but it doesn't work.
I've also checked the data screen to see if they really are in need of nourishment, and they are. They still don't eat. Food disappears from the food bowl, although I never see them eat it, and they remain starving. I've stopped purchasing pets because I get tired of having pets that appear to be starving to death all the time. It's discomforting.
This is obviously a glitch of some kind as others have written about it on this and other venues. Please fix it.
Also, please amend it to where the pets can actually PLAY with their toys. They don't recognize or interact with them and so it's just a waste of money to buy them. Poor pets have little to do in the house. Thanks.