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Cats are wonderful pets, but their selective eating habits can be frustrating for pet owners. It's common for cats to skip meals from time to time. However, if your cat refuses to eat for a few days, don't automatically assume it's just stubbornness; there could be an underlying medical issue.
While cats may skip a meal for one to two days, after three to four days, serious health conditions can start to arise. Consistent refusal to eat is a clear sign that something might be wrong.
This reluctance could be due to factors like stress, anxiety, or simply not liking a particular brand of food. However, in more severe cases such as dental problems, digestive issues, infections, or underlying diseases, it's important to seek immediate veterinary care.
Let's break down the ten possible reasons that may explain why your cat isn’t eating, and what to do in such situations.
1. Diet
Cat food aversion is one reason that may explain your cat's loss of appetite. If your cat prefers a particular food, it can take a while for it to adapt to another type or brand. Keep this in mind as you introduce new foods to your pet.
If you are trying to introduce new foods to your pet, the key is to make it look or feel like the old one. This should help your cat adapt more easily, as cats usually develop a preference for the appearance or texture of foods.
Related reading: 5 Cat Food Ingredients to Look For & Ones to Avoid
2. Environmental Changes
Changing your cat's routine or environment and introducing new pets can cause stress, anxiety, and anorexia. So if your pet suddenly stops eating, consider any recent potentially distressing events.
If you are introducing a new pet to the household, give your existing cat a safe area that the new pets can't access so that it has time to adapt properly to their presence. Additionally, you’ll need to move their own essentials like food, water, and bedding to this area.
3. Vaccination and Medications
Your pet may also stop eating due to the side effects of medications or recent vaccinations. Appetite changes following vaccinations are usually temporary and mild. Since cats need adequate nutrition to stay healthy, you must consult your veterinarian if your cat stops eating after taking certain medicines.
4. Dental Disease
Dental problems like a broken tooth or inflamed gums can lead to a cat refusing food. This is not age-dependent and may occur in cats as young as one year. The most common dental diseases in cats are periodontitis, tooth resorption, and gingivitis. Visit a veterinarian if your cat shows pain while eating or suddenly prefers wet food to dry foods.
Additionally, treatment of dental problems depends on the underlying cause and severity. It may involve simply cleaning your cat's teeth at home, scaling of inflammation-causing plaque from the teeth, or use of antibiotics.
5. Gastrointestinal Problems
Gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, and pancreatitis may also explain your cat's loss of appetite. Additionally, hairballs and swallowing foreign bodies can sometimes block a cat's gastrointestinal tract, causing pain and appetite loss.
Treatment of gastrointestinal diseases in cats depends on the underlying cause. For example, the veterinarian may induce vomiting if your cat has swallowed a foreign body that is stuck in the stomach, or administer laxatives or enemas in case of constipation
Inflammatory bowel disease can be treated with hypoallergenic diets, immunosuppressive drugs, and sometimes antibiotics..
6. Respiratory Infections
Respiratory infections like herpesvirus may also stop cats from eating. This happens because their noses get blocked, making them unable to smell their food. Symptoms of respiratory infections include ocular and/or nasal discharge, fatigue, and sneezing. Heating up your cat’s food should help make the food smell nicer and encourage your feline to eat.
7. Heart Disease
Another possible reason for anorexia in cats is heart disease. Research has shown that various forms of feline cardiomyopathy are the most common heart disease in cats.
Heart diseases have been found to be common in middle-aged and elderly cats due to the deterioration of the heart tissue. This disease may also occur as a result of infections or injury. It can result in heart failure and sudden death if left unmanaged.
Symptoms of heart disease include lethargy, abnormal heart sounds, changes in breathing patterns, abdominal distention, and cool extremities. Once your veterinarian diagnoses your cat with heart disease, treatment may include oxygen therapy, abdominocentesis, and medications like anticoagulants, beta-blockers, and diuretics.
8. Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease is a condition that frequently affects older cats. Although age and genetics can play a big part, it can also occur due to the long-term effects of infections, immune system malfunction, toxins, or even cancers.
The kidneys cannot repair themselves, so their gradual deterioration eventually leads to kidney failure. So, if you have a senior cat, this may explain why it has stopped eating.
Treatment of kidney problems ranges from putting your cat on a special kidney-friendly diet to medications and subcutaneous fluid therapy.
9. Liver Disease
Liver disease can also cause feline appetite loss due to nausea. One cause of liver disease is inflammation, which may occur due to a bacterial infection or immune system malfunction.
Another condition affecting the liver is triaditis. This is unique to cats and involves inflammation of the liver, intestines, and pancreas. It is very painful, but many cats just seem quiet and withdrawn. It can become a vicious cycle, where pain stops your cat from eating, and the lack of food exacerbates the inflammation.
Treatment of liver disease involves addressing the infection or pain with medications so that your cat is able to start eating again, and then putting them on a special diet. When your pet suddenly stops eating, visit your veterinarian to rule out the possibility of liver problems.
10. Feline Cancer
Feline cancer is pretty common in elderly cats and may quickly become fatal if left untreated. The cause of cancer is unknown but has been linked to a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Treatment of cancers in cats includes chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or a combination of these.
Once your senior cat suddenly stops eating and exhibits lethargy, rapid weight loss, and other symptoms, consult your veterinarian to rule out the possibility of a neoplasm.
Should My Pet Be Seen by a Veterinarian?
1. Have you noticed changes in your pet’s appetite?
2. Does your pet have diarrhea or loose stools?
3. Have you noticed changes in your pet’s thirst/water consumption?
4. Is your pet having accidents in the house?
5. Is your pet pacing and unable to settle?
6. Is your pet panting more than usual?
7. Is your pet whining or vocalizing more than usual?
8. Is your pet shaking more than usual?
9. Is your pet hiding or avoiding physical contact more than usual?
10. Is your pet more lethargic and sleeping more than usual?
11. Are you concerned about changes in your pet’s behavior?
12. Is your pet scratching their ears?
13. Is your pet licking their paws more than usual?
14. Does your pet have a rash?
15. Is your pet moving more slowly than usual or having a harder time getting up or down?
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Should My Pet Be Seen by a Veterinarian?
1. Have you noticed changes in your pet’s appetite?
2. Does your pet have diarrhea or loose stools?
3. Have you noticed changes in your pet’s thirst/water consumption?
4. Is your pet having accidents in the house?
5. Is your pet pacing and unable to settle?
6. Is your pet panting more than usual?
7. Is your pet whining or vocalizing more than usual?
8. Is your pet shaking more than usual?
9. Is your pet hiding or avoiding physical contact more than usual?
10. Is your pet more lethargic and sleeping more than usual?
11. Are you concerned about changes in your pet’s behavior?
12. Is your pet scratching their ears?
13. Is your pet licking their paws more than usual?
14. Does your pet have a rash?
15. Is your pet moving more slowly than usual or having a harder time getting up or down?
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When to Seek Veterinary Care
If you're wondering what to do if your cat won't eat, it's essential to know when to seek medical help. While a cat refusing food isn't always a cause for concern, you must visit your veterinarian if this behavior persists for more than 24 hours.
Additionally, you'll need to talk to your veterinarian if your cat shows pain while eating or if other symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy accompany the cat's appetite changes.
Also, be on the lookout for other signs like dehydration, weight loss, and/or excessive thirst and urination.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why a cat may suddenly stop eating. These include a finicky attitude as well as stress, anxiety, and side effects of medications or vaccines. Medical conditions like dental disease, gastrointestinal disease, respiratory infections, as well as heart, liver, and kidney disease, may also explain your cat's sudden appetite loss.
You must become familiar with your pet's eating habits, which will help you to detect abnormalities early. If you have concerns, book a home vet visit now to get professional advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a cat not eat?
A cat not eating for half a day isn't a cause for concern, but if it has gone 24 hours without food, you should see a veterinarian.
How can I encourage my cat to eat?
If you think it might be a case of food aversion, trying another brand of cat food may encourage your pet to eat. If that doesn't work, try warming the food for a few seconds..
Are home remedies safe for a cat not eating?
Yes, it's safe to whip up a home remedy, such as offering warm meals and strong flavors like fish or meat-based baby foods to help boost your pet's appetite. However, careful consideration should be taken when preparing home remedies as certain ingredients like onions or garlic can be toxic to cats.
How can I track my cat's eating habits?
Generally, you can track your cat by observation. Cats are solitary eaters, so keeping an eye on their food dish, using an automatic feeder, and adhering to a consistent feeding schedule is an excellent way to track their eating habits.
