We all worry about our pets, that’s just part of being a loving pet owner. But it can be difficult to know when intervention is needed. A poor appetite, or lack of eating entirely, can be quite common in unwell felines, and can be tricky to deal with. Trips to the vet can be stressful for cats. So many owners would prefer to be able to manage minor issues at home if possible. But when is the point at which ‘they’re off their food a bit’ becomes a problem?
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Are cats just fussy eaters?
Just as in people, some cats are more food orientated than others. There are cats who are very fussy eaters, and it is not abnormal for them to turn their noses up at food or to miss a meal. For others, the rustle of the food packaging brings them running (if they’re not twining round your legs impatiently already!) and the bowl is licked clean in minutes. You know your own cat best, and can therefore judge if a poor appetite is a concern. However, not eating at all is of course always a concern!
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 cat’s 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.
Will it harm them not to eat for a few days?
One problem with not eating well is that it can be a vicious circle: lack of food makes the cat feel weaker and more unwell, and therefore they continue not to eat. Food provides nutrients and energy, and is vital for recovery. If no food is eaten, the body starts to break down its own tissues to provide energy, the immune system is affected, and healing is slowed. Even your pet’s response to medication may be affected.
Cats are particularly problematic if they don’t eat. Inappetence for just a couple of days can result in a condition called ‘hepatic lipidosis’, or ‘fatty liver’. This is when a lack of food leads to the cat’s body breaking down fat stores rapidly. This then overwhelms the ability of the liver to cope, leading to fat invading the liver. The fat cells invade the healthy liver tissue, and can eventually result in liver failure and serious illness.
Can fatty liver be treated?
Fatty liver is treatable if caught early. Your cat will not be eating, may seem weak, they are often sick and can even collapse. Some affected cats hang their heads very low due to weakness in the neck. Your vet will likely diagnose your cat based on examination, blood results and possibly an ultrasound scan and liver biopsy.
Treatment can be quite intensive (and expensive!), with your pet will likely need to be hospitalised on a drip and with various medications and supplements to support liver function. Many cats also need a feeding tube to get nutrition into them before they will eat on their own again. Many cats can recover in time, however, it is of course preferable to solve your cat’s lack of appetite before they get to this stage!
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 cat’s 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.
Discussion
You never mention in any posts about a common cause of cats who stop eating, are lethargic and/or also vomiting even just once and/or diarrhea is due to the serious and very deadly virus Panleukopenia aka feline parvo aka feline distemper. My cats are strictly indoors and new rescues that come in are in quarantine for two weeks to be sure they aren’t coming down with a contagious virus. Then they are tested for FeLV FIV and are vaccinated unless they are sick when brought in. Yet in 2022, Panleukopenia killed 9 babies and one of my mommas. I did everything to kill and get rid of it. I did not rescue again until this Spring. I found a sick momma cat with her very sick baby who was also blind and has vestibular disease. Of course they could not be vaccinated yet. My next and most recent rescue was a big healthy Maine Coone Mix. He was quarantined for 3 weeks and tested negative for FeLV/FIV. He had been here six weeks. Last month he refused dinner. He ate breakfast the next day but vomited a bit later. For the next 9 days he ate without issue until he stopped eating again. I gave him Cerenia and Mirataz. He still wouldn’t eat so I syringe fed him chicken baby food with some caro syrup in it. He threw up bile on night two. The next morning I rushed him to the emergency vet. They said he was in critical condition but refused to even give him subq fluids without a $700 deposit. I told them I would take him to another vet hospital but they said he was so dehydrated he might not make it. I said I would pay for the Subq fluids to hopefully help. Nope. $700. or nothing. They said they called the other Vet hospital to tell them we were on our way so they would be ready for him. They didn’t. My only choice was to euthanize him or let him suffer until he passed. They said he tested positive for panleukopenia. AGAIN!? HOW? I thought it was rare. I’ve had cats for 50 years and never had experienced it or even heard that name and I knew no one whoever experienced it either. He did not have the same symptoms as the other kitties and it was the last thing that crossed my mind that is what he got. I was so scared of the kitten and Mom getting it. The kitten and Mom were better but still had cold symptoms and had not been vaccinated yet. Why would she not come down with it first? I quarantined her but did not have the means to kill the virus in the carpet and he had been in there two days prior to his death. Everyday was extremely stressful because I knew any day she would start showing signs. Two weeks after his death, still no signs and I vaccinated her. It’s been a month now since his passing and her and her Mom are still fine. I just don’t to eat it. I joined a Panleukopenia Support group on Facebook. I had to stop logging in. Post after post was coming in about people’s cats getting it and dying from it. These cats had at least one vaccine some had three and the newest post, her cat was 6 years old and was vaccinated and had boosters every year and STILL got Panleuk and died. SCARY!
It’s rare for panleukopenia to develop so slowly, but of course it can happen. It’s more common in a cat with other underlying health issues or malnutrition, and pretty rare in cats who have been vaccinated after the MDA waning period – the vaccine is really good, and gives over 98% protection, but in the face of overwhelming viral challenge, that immunity is insufficient in a small percentage of cats. There are also some cats who are genetic non-responders and are incapable of mounting an effective immune response, vaccinated or not, but we have no idea how many of that <2% are due to this phenomenon.