Cat Not Eating? A Vet Gives 10 Reasons Why

Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM, CVJ explains the top 10 reasons why cats may stop eating. Remember that not eating can be a sign of serious health problems, and not eating for more than 24-36 hours is a sign that your cat needs to go to a vet.

[liss]

1. Kidney disease
2. Gastrointestinal problems
3. Vaccination or medicine
4. Stress anxiety depression
5. Changing food
6. Metabolism has slowed down
7. Pancreatitis
8. Dental disease
9. If cat is full

[सौरभजोशी-ढफ]

Ask a veterinarian before its too late . I lost my 1.5 months old kitten today . She'was totally fine, but last two days idk what did she eat makes her ill, she refused her daily intake, food, whiskas supp, etc and water too . And my greatest mistake was I didn't get her to a doctor 😭. Please take care of your friend viz PETS, keep an eye on their daily habits, what they are eating etc.🙏 Always got goosebumps thinking of the time I had spent with her, she sat in my lap whenever I study, her used to cuddle when I touch her stomach and neck, Love u my cat, May god have seperate heaven place for u .. Love u love u

[ronwagoner]

My young kitten I had just adopted wouldn't eat. At first I thought it was because of anxiety, but after a week or two, I called the vet. They had no idea and couldn't do anything but keep her for a week giving her fluids. I took her back and we went to see another vet who also didn't know. I decided they were useless for cats and starring force feeding her with a syringe three times a day, and also giving her water. Then one day she almost jumped up from laying beside me and stole a piece of my frozen pizza! The next night, she saw a cockroach on the floor, chased it and ate it. I started giving her regular cat food after that and she just started eating on her own thereafter. We haven't looked back since. She never misses a meal to this day!

[julilla]

Please take a cat not eating very seriously. We just lost one of our kitties to hepatic lipidosis in July. He was still eating a little bit and drinking water so I thought he was ok, until it was far too late. He started losing his balance and becoming lethargic. We rushed him in to the emergency vet, but he was so sick by that time, we had to let him go. As cats do, he pretended he was ok until the very end. Until then he had been alert and playing and getting his cuddles. It's very important to keep an eye on their eating.

[pixiee]

My cat goes through phases every few weeks where she starts refusing to her her usual food. I noticed that this would happen every time she threw up a hairball after grooming herself after her meals, or threw up after eating too fast. I think that vomiting in general just made her nauseous and she didn't have an appetite for her usual food after tasting it coming back up her throat. The solution is to just give her an entirely new flavor for a few weeks and she's back to normal... until a hairball causes her to throw up again 🤦🏻‍♀️

[craftyfox]

Kidney disease sucks we lost one of our cats to it a few months ago. When he stopped eating I had to use a medication that you put on his ear. He started eating but he was to bad off. The lump on his kidney and he went blind indicated cancer. Miss him so much.

[markharrisllb]

With Tiggs it wasn’t so much the cancer in his lower bowel that stopped him eating but the constipation it caused. Over the 14 months we had him post diagnosis we gave him softer and softer food. There were days when he wanted to eat but couldn’t.

[Bankai]

My cat, skinny eats very frequently. Are soft and hard food prescribed by vet with some occasional liquor me treats that he loved. Suddenly he had a reaction to maybe a treat and crapped on the floor. Next day he’s not eating his hard food and just a little bit of his soft one. Third day another doodoo in front of the litter. He slept all day on my dads bed. He tried to eat his hard food but then turns away. He’s 13 and a half. Has seasonal depression normally but this time is different. A bit old but he had always been energetic and running around. Thus change literally happened overnight. It was not gradual. I’m gonna take him to the vet today. Wish me luck. He saved me from the worst suicidal ideation. He was once lost for 9 days but came back miraculously. He’s extremely smart and alert. He’s my everything. I’m not ready to have him leave.

[luisaviscarra]

My cat started leaving food, but I think it’s because my uncle’s visiting. I bought so cat pheromones, they seemed to work, he even stay with my uncle in the morning. I try to feed him the rest as treats. Other than that he’s super healthy and acts as usual.

[karla]

Thank you for this excellent video! So informative yet precise! Loved it! You're a lovely vet!

[michaelgoins]

I give my cat French Maritime Bark powder off of Amazon, about 5mg per day mixed on with wet food, 3 times a week. Has reduced inflammation in his gums so he can eat again. Good for blood and many other things. I take 500mg myself three times a week . Really inexpensive and will keep your cat out of the Vets office.

[alicekelly]

This was good info to know. I would love to see a video on why cats barf and when to be concerned.

[ralphdsouza]

You are a saviour doc, our cat jwala hasn't been eating for the past 5 days and this video is super helpful. Lot's of love from India

[naturallycats]

Thank you for sharing this video. There are other reasons too - energetic and emotional that can hinder a cat from eating. These are a great example of physical reasons. At times the energetics and emotional causes can THEN lead to physical issues.

[Seven.And.The.RaggedTiger]

I've been sitting here crying because I found a wonderful little kitty(11 months/1yr old) that changed my life in the beginning of February, I adopted another cat from a rescue(he's vaccinated, neutered) and so I took her to get her vaccines as well a week ago, I've recently noticed she's not been eating, sleeping less energetic, hiding/sleeping in my wardrobe cabinet and just not been Delilah.. I've been worried sick all day and night to where I can't sleep, praying to God to help her thinking somethings seriously wrong with her, not realizing the vaccines may be making her feel bad for a little bit.. its been a week exactly today, she's was fine after but not eating as much.. but today she was hiding and sleeping alot more than usual and that's panicking me.. I love ❤️ her with my life, this cat changed my life, for the first time in 2yrs ive been happy, healing from depression from a divorce from a 28yr marriage.. ive got a gazillion pictures of Lala cause she's so amazingly beautiful to me, she's such positive energy and healing that I'd be devastated.. I hope that's all this is.. what you described is what she's doing

[kathylim]

Thank-you Dr Sarah Wootten for your informations. Would appreciate if you could give a guide on how often to feed the cat when it is not eating well.

[Error-trke]

Always love these content, the cat behaviorist as well 🐱❤️

[nealnc]

My cat has gone through a change in personality in the last month. He was usually far more engaging, but then he had an incident that happened to him. He was on my porch and a breeze blew over a tree and scared the crap out of him. Ever since that day, he has been far timider. SO much that he will pretty much stay in one place the whole day. He was not eating much but he is eating. And he does not vomit. He eats his wet food and his dry food. He is just not voracious about it. He does not drink a lot either but that might be normal since he gets wet food too. He doesn't use the litter box much either. He can go two days without making a poo. He may not be pooing much since he is not eating much. Lately, i have set up two litter boxes for him, so that might have something to do with it. I made appt with the vet this past week and the vet did not feel any lumps or anything keeping him from pooing. Of course, the only way to tell if something was wrong was to take an expensive blood test, luckily there was nothing in the blood that indicated something was wrong with him. The vet suggested getting some pheromones that plug into the wall to see if that relaxes him. I kind of miss the craziness of my cat before, so maybe this is just some emotional PTSD from when the tree dropped outside and scared him. But watching this video made me think of my other cats that have since passed. My last cat was 15 when i had to put her down. She likely had kidney issues. She threw up every time i fed and she also lost her sight. She was also wasting away. The vets that i took her to did not ever mention kidney disease though, sometimes i think vets are kind of useless. They are happy to charge you hundreds of dollars, but don't ever give you the answer and your pet suffers. My first cat was also 15 and he suffered for a very long time, likely with cancer. When i finally noticed how really bad off he was, it was too late. Btw, they also charge way too much to euthanize your pet. You are already heartbroken, and they will charge you 500 bucks for the funeral. Thats the worst part of being a cat owner. All of the things this Dr talks about could or could not pertain to your cat, but you don't know. Being a cat owner is like trying to solve a mystery that never has a answer. It could be this or that or nothing. I will never forgive myself for not seeing the signs of illness in my other cats. But cats don't make it easy for us one single bit.

[thedevilsplayground]

My cats labs came back normal and her xray looked clear, but I have to wait for the radiologist even though it looks clear, My cat is only eating when I feed her by hand I won't feel better until she starts eating, but I am relieved her kidneys are are normal.

[shanasmith]

My cat recently died due to aloe vera poisoning. Now, the kitten who is 6 weeks old is showing similar symptoms to its mother; Feeling weak, discomfort, vomiting, and no appetite. The difference is, the mother cat vomit's color is yellow green. There are foams too. While the kitten vomits color is white with foam. But I think it's because I overfed it. I made it drink kitten milk replacer and warm water with dextrose. Total of 5mL. Visiting in veterinary clinic is expensive and I don't have the capability to afford the expenses. I'm anxious right now. But I don't want to do it again that may bring harm to my kitten. Right now, the kitten is sleeping. I put warm water (no dextrose powder yet) near him. I don't want to force him again to drink.

Yesterday, he was able to eat the chicken I boiled for him. I didn't force him. He ate as much as it can and drink some warm kitten milk replacer. It sleep well besides me and it woke up around 7am. Then this morning, it poop. It solid brown and a little green. The poop is soft. Then, it's weakness is really noticeable and how skinny it is. It doesn't drink the KMR that I prepared and warm water with dextrose. That's why I force him to drink using the 1mL syringe. I made it drink atleast 2mL KMR and 3mL warm water with dextrose.

This action of mine may not be the right approach or method. I am not knowledgeable in medicine and being a cat parent. That's why I need help from the expert/professional or someone who have the same experience of mine.

Cause, until now, I am feeling guilty and regret for my cat who died recently and now, its kitten is sick.