Cat not eating.

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question. I always get concerned when a cat doesn't want to eat. It almost always means that there is a medical issue.

Does Simon go outside at all? If so, it's possible that he has received a wound (i.e. a bite/scratch) from another cat. This can cause a fever which can cause a lack of appetite. While most cats with this are lethargic, it can often be hard to tell until they get really sick.

There are a number of other conditions. At his age he is middle aged to senior. We worry about problems with the liver, kidneys or pancreas. Pancreatitis can cause cats to not want to eat well. Again, we usually see some lethargy, but not always, especially early in the disease.

It's also possible that he has a dental infection or some other kind of dental problem.

You mentioned you haven't changed his food lately. Is it possible he is near the bottom of a large bag of food? Sometimes food can go bad after a while.

My general rule of thumb is that if a cat has gone more than 48 hours without eating then they should see a vet. The vet will do a thorough exam and take his temperature. (If the temperature is high then this would go along with some type of wound or infection.)

If Simon seems well on the physical exam the vet may do something as simple as prescribe an appetite stimulant. However, most likely they will want to do some blood tests to determine if there is a more serious problem.

Because he is bright and happy today you likely don't have to rush in to the vet's today. It may not be a bad idea to try him with a really tasty food such as a can of fancy feast and see if he will eat that. But, if he is not eating by tomorrow morning then I would have him seen.

I hope he is ok!

Dr. Marie.


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