Why Your Cat Wont Eat
Illness. Loss of appetite is one of the key indicators that something is wrong. So be sure to pay attention if your cat suddenly stops eating. A number of different conditions may be responsible, including infections, kidney failure, pancreatitis, intestinal problems, and cancer. But it isnât always serious — something as simple as a toothache can make your cat stop eating.
Recent vaccination. Did you notice your catâs loss of appetite shortly after you took it to the vet for routine vaccinations? If so, the reason your cat wonât eat may be an adverse reaction to the shots. Although vaccines have been lifesavers for millions of animals, they do cause side effects in some. Loss of appetite is among the more common of these side effects, which are usually temporary and mild.
Travel and unfamiliar surroundings. Like many people, many cats are creatures of habit. So a change in routine can result in a loss of appetite. Additionally, some animals experience motion sickness when traveling by car or plane, which can lead to nausea and a refusal to eat.
Is Your Cat Breathing Faster Than Usual Have You Seen Them Panting
Cats with problems further down the respiratory tract, with their lungs or heart, are generally too busy concentrating on breathing to want to eat. These cats may pant or sit with their neck extended and elbows out, making as much room as possible for their lungs to expand. You may also have noticed that your cat is less keen to exercise or stops part way through play to rest. Breathing problems like these in cats are serious, and you should contact your vet without delay.
Kitty Not Eating Here’s When You Should Be Concerned
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Everyones appetite can fluctuate from time to time. You might be starving by dinnertime one day and only feel like having a light meal the next. However, when we give our pets food each day, we usually expect them to eat it right away.
Cats can actually go through similar appetite fluctuations as humans at times, but its harder for us to understand because our cats cant simply say theyre not hungry, theyre feeling sick or something else. For this reason, its important to pay close attention to when our cats eat and how much they eat to ensure they are staying healthy.
If you notice your cat poking around its bowl but not eating a ton, heres what you should know.
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Tips To Get A Cat To Eat
There are a number of things you can do to try to tempt your cat to eat again, such as:
- feed them directly
- try a different flavor or brand of cat food
- give them treats
- make sure the cat food has not passed its expiration date
- mix in other tasty treats, such as canned tuna water or low-sodium chicken broth
- spread meals out over several hours
- play with them and give them affection
- switch back to the feeding bowl, or food, they were used to one before a change
Also, you may choose to provide your cat with easily digestible, lukewarm food such as boiled chicken or a mixture of lean poultry and rice in small portions. When served warm, food smells and tastes better for cats and is easier on the stomach than cold dishes. Do not feed your cat human food, or anything with onions, chives, or garlic.
If you cannot get your cat to eat using these tips, or if your cat skips more than two meals, it is time to seek veterinary support.
Theyre Not Used To The Food
You can feed your kitten either dried food, canned food or a combination. However as weve mentioned, feeding your kitten the same food that they are already used to will help to limit their stress as they adjust to life with you.
If you do want to change their food, make sure any adjustments are gradual – slowly mix the new food with the old and transition over a few days so that your pet doesnt have a sudden change, feel stressed, or go off eating altogether. Making occasional changes to your pets diet, up to 4 times a year, can also add some variety, help you discover their favourites and prevent any dietary issues or allergies.
If your kitty still seems reluctant, try warming their food for a few seconds in the microwave – heat will release the scent of the food and entice your kitty to eat up! Always make sure that the food isnt too hot before serving it to your kitty – dont make the food piping hot, just warm!
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When To Seek Veterinary Help
While most of our home remedies and techniques will be quite helpful in relieving your cats constipation, you should know when your cat requires serious medical attention from a vet.
Ideally, you should wait no longer than 72 hours since your cat has had a bowel movement. The correct time to implement home remedies is 24 hours after your cat has stopped pooping, and if they show no improvement in a day or two, its best to let your vet handle the case.
Moreover, if you suspect that the cause behind your cats constipation is emergency level, its best to take your cat directly to your vet instead of using your own techniques. A vet will conduct a full body assessment and figure out the reason behind your cats constipation and treat it accordingly.
If theres an obstruction caused by a foreign object, your vet might even have to remove the object surgically. However, this is a rare occurrence, and in most cases, its hardened stools that are constipating your cat.
Location Environment And Bowl Type
Preventive Vet staff review from Chris: There was a period in which Rajah and his sister Zsa Zsa weren’t getting along. What we found was that they had very few mentally stimulating activities, which led to boredom and aggression towards each other. My first purchase was the Trixie Mad Scientist Activity for its simplicity. It has become a favorite of Rajah’s . He’s constantly found pawing away at the activity several times a day, hoping to find some kibble. And although Zsa Zsa isn’t as food motivated, she enjoys watching her brother figure out how to get the treats!
Pro Tip: Make sure you choose the appropriate dispensing top that will either allow larger kibble or treats to fall out without too much effort or to keep smaller kibble from pouring out too quickly.
Questions? To chat with a veterinarian about stimulating your cat’s appetite,
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Has Anything Changed In The House Recently Building Work Guests
Cats are very sensitive, and changes to their environment or routine can cause them to become stressed. This could be something obvious such as building work, visitors, a new baby, or a new pet. Other times we might struggle to pinpoint exactly what has caused the anxiety. If your cat is stressed and on high alert to potential threats, they may go off their food.
If you can’t avoid changing your cat’s routine, you can take steps to help them cope better with the stress. Make them their own safe space and provide them with everything they need as far away from any sources of stress as possible. You might want to use pheromone diffusers, like a Feliway diffuser, in this area to increase the sense of calm and help them relax.
You should consider seeking veterinary advice to rule out a health problem, especially if you can’t identify an apparent reason for your cat to be stressed. A qualified pet behaviourist may be needed in some cases.
- Anxiety in cats: Causes and how to help a stressed feline
- How to help a kitten with diarrhea: Your first steps
Introduce The New Food Slowly
The food you feed your kitten may not be the same as they are used to having. Always ask the breeder/shelter what food the kitten is having currently. If you wish to change this food, it should be done slowly and gradually over a period of about 7-10 days. Initially place a small amount of the new food into a bowl next to a bowl of the original food. Gradually increase the amount of the new food & decrease the amount of the original food so that your kitten transitions to the new food gradually.
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What Can You Actually Do If Cat Hasnt Peed Or Pooped In 2 Days
1. Clean or change its litter box
This is the first thing you can do because it is the easiest for you as well. Wouldnt it be great to fix the problem with a simple litter change instead of going to the vet and then undergoing treatment and whatnot?
And its not uncommon for this problem to get fixed when you do this simple thing. Cats have a strong natural instinct to find the perfect place where to relieve themselves, so they will be pretty picky with the litter you put in front of them.
This means that if you dont clean after them and leave the area smelling funny, most of the time the cat will avoid pooping or peeing there. And if it isnt used to doing this anywhere else, it will simply stop from doing it altogether.
If cleaning or changing the litter box doesnt fix the problem immediately, you can also try relocating it to see if that fixes your cats issues.
This is because it has happened for a cat to have the litter box very far away from where it spends most of the day, causing it to refuse to use it. This simple change might be all it takes for your cat to get past this issue.
2. Check the diet of your catThe food that your cat eats will have a strong influence on how and when it will poop and pee. So if the cat hasnt pooped or peed for two days, then you should really think about everything the pet has eaten and what food might have caused this issue.
How Do I Know If My Cat Needs The Vet
Cats are independent creatures, often leading their own lives without seeming to need much intervention from us, their loving owners. However, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on them: their appetite, their drinking and their toileting habits. Cats who have been ill, or had surgery, may need extra TLC and attention to make sure they eat. Diet changes should always be made gradually and with care it is usually best to discuss any change to your cats food with a veterinary professional.
A day of eating slightly less than usual may not necessitate a rush to the vets, but any period of not eating at all should be a big warning sign for a cat that is unwell, and veterinary advice should be sought quickly. Vomiting, weakness, lethargy, or a cat who is hiding away from owners should also be a cause for concern. Bringing your cat into the surgery for a check-up can be stressful for them, but vets will always try and minimise any fear, and catching illnesses early is often essential for a good outcome.
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What Happens If A Cat Stops Eating
If your cat hasnt eaten in 24 hours, theyre likely not feeling like themselves. Dr. Sara Ochoa, DVM, veterinary consultant at Dog Lab says 24 hours without food wont cause permanent harm to a healthy adult cat, but look out for any usual behaviors that might indicate an underlying health condition. If your cat hasnt eaten for more than 24 hours, its time to consult the vet.
The nutritional needs of a cat vary greatly depending on life stage, activity level, reproductive status, and any underlying medical conditions, with small kittens being most vulnerable to severe reactions to changes in eating habits. If you notice any changes in your cats eating habits, its always best to consult with your vet sooner rather than later.
iStock/Yamac Beyter
If your cat does not eat for three days, their body will use the excessive fat and break it down into energy for their body to use, Dr. Ochoa explains. This can cause a build-up of fat in your cats liver.
This build-up of fat in the liver is called hepatic lipidosisAKA a fatty liver. It develops when cats stop eating or when a cat loses too much weight over a short period. Because overweight cats have more fat that can be broken down, theyre more at risk for developing a fatty liver.
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes
When To Be Concerned
If cat doesnt eat one meal and then returns to normal eating habits, this usually isnt a concern.
But if your cat is not eating for days, its important to reach out to a veterinarian.
Dogs can go much longer than cats without eating. When cats stop eating, they start introducing the risk of different diseases.
Soon, you may find yourself needing to address multiple issues, rather than just the original reason your cat wasnt eating!
Not to mention, your cat is likely is not feeling well and may be in some discomfort.
Help your cat feel better
If your cat isnt eating as much as usual and you live near Castle Rock, Colorado, we welcome your call. Reach out to our cat veterinarians at 303-688-3757 or:
Cherished Companions Animal Clinic is a veterinary clinic in Castle Rock, Colorado. Specializing in the care of cats and dogs, our goal is to help you and your pet feel more comfortable, keeping your stress to a minimum.
This article is intended to provide general guidance on why your cat may not be eating as much as usual. If you have specific questions or concerns, please contact your local veterinarian.
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Fatty Liver Disease In Cats: Not Eating Can Quickly Kill
If your cat was just diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis, fear not! While it sounds scary, hepatic lipidosis simply means that there is inappropriate fat infiltration into the liver. Often known by the laymens term fatty liver, this disease occurs when cats especially obese cats go without food for a few days. Untreated, hepatic lipidosis can result in liver failure and death, so it must be aggressively treated by your veterinarian. Thankfully, the prognosis can be excellent with intravenous fluids, proper nutritional supplementation, and supportive care, but keep in mind that it can be extremely costly to treat.
Causes of fatty liver disease in cats
So, why do cats develop hepatic lipidosis? Unfortunately, as an emergency critical care specialist, the main reasons why I see it in the ER include the following:
- Introduction of a new diet without appropriate slow weaning or acclimatization. You should never force your cat to go cold turkey and change your cats diet acutely. As we all know cats dont tolerate sudden change well, and diet changes should always be transitioned slowly over several days to weeks.
- Introduction of a new pet which causes environmental stress and may result in your cats sudden loss of appetite
- Stressful situations
Symptoms of fatty liver disease in cats
Signs of hepatic lipidosis can be really subtle, so its important to watch for clinical signs of the following:
What Can Cause Cats To Stop Eating
Cats can be choosy about their diet, and a sudden change of food can cause a lack of appetite. If you want or need to change your cats food, do it gradually. Starting by just adding a small amount of the new food to their existing diet, and gradually reducing the amount of old food and increasing the new, over a period of a few days. This should help them both to accept the new diet, and to prevent tummy upsets.
Cats who are ill, or who have had surgery, may not feel much like eating. There are many diseases that can cause poor appetite in cats: from just general malaise to the more serious. Gastrointestinal disease, cancers, infections and dental diseases are just a few to mention. This is why it is always important to get a cat with a poor appetite checked over by a veterinary surgeon.
Inappetence can be related to stress and behavioural problems in cats. If no physical problem can be found, a psychological cause can be considered. A veterinary surgeon or veterinary behaviourist may be helpful in these circumstances to help find the source of the stress and advise on how best to proceed.
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How Can I Help My Cat
Compromised nutrition combined with an underlying disease create a complicated situation. Its more difficult to help cats recover from disease when their bodies dont have the fuel needed to properly heal.
Thats why many veterinarians recommend nutritional support for feline patients who have lost weight because they refuse to eat. There are safe and convenient medications available to help.
While getting your cat back at the food bowl is a good first step, the ultimate goal is to get them back to their ideal weight and maintain their ideal weight in the long run.
Call your veterinarian for an appointment or, if you dont already have a veterinarian, learn more about finding a Cat Friendly Practice® and making visits to the veterinarian easier.
What To Do When The New Kitten Is Not Eating
Here are a few things that might help a little kitten with their lack of appetite:
- Try different kitten food flavours and textures.
- Warm the food to body temperature to make it more enticing for the kitten this is especially important if the food has been kept in the fridge.
- Change the food bowl and make sure its wide, shallow, and if possible, ceramic or glass.
- Thoroughly clean the kitten dish with soap and water.
- Change the location of the food bowl to a quiet area.
- Keep children and pets away from the kitten at dinner time.
- Cats tend to graze feed, little and often, so leaving a little dry food down in the day is a good idea, so they can nibble when they feel like it.
- Make sure your kitten is not suffering from an illness. Contact the vet for a check-up and advice on how to get the new kitten eating again.
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