Your cat doesn't want to eat? Doesn't he look like he wants to drink water either? Sometimes it may be normal to observe that our cat has no appetite without this implying any underlying problem, however, in other circumstances it may be an alarm symptom that indicates that something is wrong. The causes that can lead to this change in the behavior of our feline are diverse and we find from very simple reasons to serious complications, which must be treated by a veterinarian.
In this article on our site we explain why your cat doesn't eat and we show the main reasons that can also cause lack of of water intake. Keep reading to find out and visit the specialist with all the information if necessary.
Why doesn't my cat eat dry food?
One of the most common situations when making a change in the feline's diet is observing that it completely rejects the new food. Likewise, it is possible that they suddenly stop eating feed, accepting other foods such as cans of wet food or homemade food. This rejection of feed can be caused by several reasons, among which the following stand out:
- He doesn't like the new food If you have modified your feline's diet and you have observed that your cat does not want to eat the new food, the answer is probably as simple as this, the cat does not like the new food. To check this, try to stimulate him with tasty food, such as a piece of chicken, ham or wet cat food. If he eats without any problem, you will know that the problem lies in this reason.
- The change of food has not been gradual Cats are animals that are very susceptible to change, so the slightest variation in their routine can destabilize them. To prevent this from happening, it is best to introduce the changes gradually and progressively. This also includes changing food, both to avoid stress and to ensure that your digestive system accepts it correctly. In addition to the above, a sudden change of food can cause the cat to vomit or have diarrhea, so it is important to mix the old food with the new one for a few days, gradually removing the old one until leaving only the new one.
- The feed is of low quality When the feed does not cover the nutritional needs of the animal, it is completely normal for it to prefer to reject it and look for another food that fills those gaps. Check the nutritional composition of the feed and check if it is adequate or not.
- The food is too close to the water or the litter box Believe it or not, it is very important to adapt the home so that your cat feel comfortable in it. It is very common for cats to stop eating if the litter box, water, dirt and even a speck of dust are near their food. Some are more delicate than others, but in general, it is a frequent cause of anorexia.
- He suffers from any oral problem If the cat suffers from gingivitis, periodontitis or any other he alth problem related to the oral cavity, it is common for The first symptom that we notice is that the cat does not want to eat dry food. On the other hand, we will see that he accepts wet food or that does not involve chewing.
These are the most common causes that explain why a cat does not eat feed but other foods, we will see below what happens when a cat does not eat anything.
Why isn't my cat eating anything?
Anorexia in cats is one of the first clinical signs of several diseases Therefore, when we notice that a cat is not eating anything we The first thing we should do is visit the vet. To get a better idea of the seriousness of this situation, we show the most common causes that may be behind this lack of appetite in cats:
Hairballs, main cause
Intestinal hairballs, called trichobezoars,are the most common cause of our cats suddenly stopping eating. These balls, whose formation is due to the accidental ingestion of dead hair from its coat when licking to groom itself, can obstruct the animal's intestine if it cannot expel them, reducing its appetite but also producing other symptoms such as apathy, retching or constipation.
To avoid these hairballs there are three very easy solutions. The first is to brush their coat daily, especially during the moulting period. The second solution is to administer m alt for cats to prevent the formation of annoying hairballs in your body. Finally, if we have not brushed the cat properly or given m alt, and the balls are already lodged in its intestine preventing it from evacuating, the solution will be spread with pharmaceutical paraffina paw of our cat. The cat will lick the greasy area to remove the paraffin, ingesting it when performing this act. Paraffin is an artificial fat that neither the stomach nor the intestines of the cat assimilate. Consequently, all the amount that enters, leaves, lubricating and dragging the intestinal trichobezoars out. In the event that this last solution does not work, you must immediately take the cat to the vet to be treated as soon as possible, since the cat's life will be in danger.
Possible poisoning
Sometimes, unintentionally, we offer poor food to our cat or he picks it up from the garbage. It usually happens with containers of fresh feed open for hours and left out of the refrigerator or with leftovers of our food exposed to the summer heat that causes fermentation. All this can damage the digestive system of the animal and cause intense discomfort in it, which will lead it to stop eating completely and show symptoms such as vomiting, apathy and fever. We must also rule out that the feline may have suffered a poisoning, something that frequently occurs in cats that have access to the outside. In this sense, reviewing the symptoms of poisoning in cats is essential. There are also poisonous plants such as oleanders and dieffenbachias. All these cases should be attended by a veterinarian.
The cat is not eating due to stress, depression or anxiety
Many people go through this situation: " My cat doesn't want to eat and is sad". In fact, this is one of the most common concerns of cat keepers. This is a serious situation that must be treated urgently, since a cat that does not eat anything and also stops drinking can die in a short time. This state of mind can occur for various reasons, the most common being a traumatic circumstance. In addition to the lack of appetite, we will observe that he is sad, down or depressed.
On the other hand, if your cat is stressed and not eating it is essential that you try to find the cause that is causing that stress. Anxiety and stress are very common disorders in these animals due to how susceptible they are to changes, as we have already mentioned. Thus, a change of residence, a new member in the family, the birth of a baby or the death of a loved one can be the cause of our sad or jealous cat stopping feeding.
Lack of appetite in cats due to illness
If you are thinking "my cat is not eating and vomits", " my cat is not eating and is very thin" or "my cat does not eat and sleeps a lot", it may be time to consider seeing a specialist. A sudden stop in the intake of food by our cat can be a symptom that it suffers from some disease. For this reason, if after one or two days the animal does not improve, a visit to the veterinarian is mandatory, as they may be the aforementioned trichobezoars or more severe problems in the digestive system that may require surgery.
Why doesn't my cat want to eat or drink water?
Does your cat not eat or drink? Heat is one of the main reasons that leads a cat to stop eating and to drink. During the summer, cats tend to reduce their food and water intake because the heat and the fact that they sleep more in the cool areas they discover decrease their appetite. This reaction is accentuated if we are not careful that our cat has enough water in his drinker to completely quench his thirst.
On the other hand, the reasons mentioned in the previous section can also cause a cat to not want to eat or drink. Among all of them, the most frequent ones tend to be depression, viral diseases such as feline panleukopenia, feline leukemia or feline immunodeficiency virus (feline AIDS).
Both dehydration and lack of food cause a very serious state of he alth in the animal, so it is essential to go to the vet to find the cause of these symptoms and combat it.
My kitty doesn't want to eat, what's wrong?
Baby cats or puppies need special attention, as their immune system is much weaker and they tend to become dehydrated more easily if they stop drinking fluids. In addition, they are also usually more sensitive to changes in diet, so it is important to supervise what they eat whenever we modify their diet. In this way, if your one-month-old kitten does not want to eat and you have just adopted him, it is most likely due to both the sudden change of food and the change of home and family nucleus Keep in mind that this is a very new situation for him and he needs to adapt. Respect his time and facilitate this adaptation as much as possible by using synthetic pheromones, setting up a space just for him, offering him affection but without overwhelming him, etc. For more details, don't miss this article: "How to prepare for a cat's arrival at home?"
In these cases, it is always recommended to stimulate the kitten with wet food, even mixing it with warm water to offer it an extra boost of hydration. This type of food is much more palatable and has a better acceptance than dry feed.
Now, if your kitten has suddenly stopped eating or you have noticed that your kitten is not eating and is sleeping a lot or vomiting, there is a possibility that it is a he alth problem. Feline Rhinotracheitis is a viral disease that tends to develop in baby cats more than in adults. This condition causes difficulties in eating food, so among its symptoms is stopping eating. The kitten should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
If a puppy has eaten absolutely nothing in 24 hours it is cause for concern and requires an urgent veterinary visit In addition, remember that baby cats need to feed between 4 and 8 times a day, so if a newborn cat has not received food in 12 hours, you should also go to the vet.
Discover on our site more about feeding newborn cats, the stimulation they need to urinate and defecate or the environment in which they should stay.
Symptoms of illness in cats
In this situation, it will also be essential to assess the cat's vital signs and symptoms of illness, by means of a general physical examination. Here's how to do it:
- Check your cat's mucous membranes (gums, eyes, sex and anus) and if they are any color other than pink pale begins to worry you. White, blue, yellow or intense red tones are symptoms of disease.
- Get a digital thermometer to take your cat's temperature, which is done in the same way as a dog. It should be between 38ºC and 39ºC.
- Take your cat's pulse with your index and middle fingers, although it should be noted that this can be a bit tricky. Heart rate should be between 140 and 200 beats per minute (BPM).
- Check his breathing rate Placing your hand on his belly. It is normal for cats to breathe between 20 and 42 times per minute (RPM).
Cats do not usually show signs of illness as obvious as other animals, so here are some common symptoms of illness:
- Secretions in the eyes
- Runny nose
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Bloody urine
- Bloody stools
- Inability to urinate
- Recurring nausea
- Insistent Meows
- Wounds and skin problems
- Presence of parasites
- Foul breath
- Fruity Breath
If any of the cat's vital signs are altered and you also observe symptoms of illness, don't think about it and go to the emergency vet as soon as possible, calling them in advance to ensure that they can assist you and receive instructions if necessary.
After carrying out these tips, you may notice that your ability to examine your feline is greater than you expected and, therefore, consider dedicating yourself to it professionally. Well, to learn how to check the vital signs of a cat and get to train as a veterinary technical assistant, turning your passion into your profession, you can take the VETFORMACIÓN Veterinary Technical Assistant Course, one of the most complete and recognized due to the quality of its syllabus, taught by veterinarians specialized in training and carrying out internships in one of the 700 collaborating clinics or hospitals.
How to make my cat eat?
The first thing to do if a cat does not want to eat or drink after many hours is to try to stimulate it with very tasty food, such as canned food or homemade food You will probably know some food that your cat can not resist, try offering it and see if it eats or not.
Some extra tricks can be heating the food or substituting the water for chicken or fish broth (without s alt or onion), to nourish it while you hydrate it. If your cat seems to be eating his favorite food and accepting water, you may be dealing with a depressed or overheated cat. In this sense, knowing the cause that is causing anorexia is essential. If your cat has stopped eating due to a change in feed, you should consider changing his food again, but if on the contrary it is depression, you should act by improving his well-being and offering him environmental enrichment.
In any case, if you have not been able to identify the reason that causes your cat not to eat, call your veterinarian to explain the situation, he will tell you how to proceed and, according to his assessment, what to do about.
Emergency Hydration
If you suspect that your cat is dehydrated it may be necessary to use a syringe (without a needle) and try to offer some water directly to the mouth. You can also consider the option of making whey at home. If after an attempt to hydrate your cat vomits or spits up the water, you should worry and go to the emergency vet
