My active cat isn't eating her food like she used to. What's wrong?

Hello, and thank you for your question. Cats are notoriously good at hiding their signs of pain and illness. Often the only indication is a decrease in energy and appetite. Possible causes could include pancreatitis, systemic infection, gut parasites, or dental or abdominal pain. If her symptoms are not improving within the next 24 hours, I would recommend taking her to the vet. They can perform a full physical exam, checking for any areas of pain or discomfort, and check for fever and dehydration. They may recommend bloodwork and viral testing to pinpoint a diagnosis. At minimum, they can help rehydrate her if she is dehydrated, and offer medications to improve her appetite and comfort while searching for a diagnosis. In the meantime, offer her some other wet and dry food options in case she has just become picky with her food, and monitor her for any vomiting or diarrhea. I hope this helps, and that Oreo feels better soon!

It sound like your cat isn't feeling well. Anorexia (not eating) and lethargy are symptoms of many different illnesses, so without more symptoms, I can't pin down what might be causing her to act this way. I can say that any sudden change in behavior from the normal should be investigated your vet because there might be a medical cause behind it. In this case, I think it would be a good idea for your cat to see a vet, and I recommend taking her into your vet's normal business hours for a health check. Your vet would be best to determine if there is a medical illness, and how best to treat it.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is in fact a concerning sign in cats as inappetence can be observed with conditions such as pancreatitis, kidney disease (most likely chronic in nature), dietary indiscretion and diabetes, just to mention a few possibilities. Cats can develop serious illness when they stop eating. This is known as hepatic lipidosis which is directly related to anorexia. I recommend that if Nutmeg is not eating by tomorrow morning, to have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. General labwork and thoracic/abdominal imaging may be recommended for work-up. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hello, sorry to hear about Lir. It sounds like she could be suffering from unregulated hyperthyroidism if her Vidalta is not having a good effect or she could be dealing with underlying kidney disease. If she continues to be inappetent or develops vomiting, diarrhea, and severe lethargy then she may need to be evaluated by her veterinarian again. This to have repeat bloodwork and make sure that her hyperthyroidism is well regulated and that she does not have underlying kidney disease. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Cats will often go off their food and be more lethargic when they are coming down with an illness. This is usually due to an upper respiratory infection (aka cat flu) or an infection of the stomach or intestines. While she may not be having nose/eye discharge, or diarrhea right now, you may see this in a day or two. Their are a couple of other diseases that I worry about with a fighting cat, because they can cause them to feel bad like this and be spread through biting. FIV and FeLV are two viral diseases that can depress the immune system and possibly lead to long-term infections. These can be easily tested for by a vet. If she is eating a little, then make sure there is plenty of water mixed in the food, because I worry most about dehydration. Sometimes warming up the food will entice them to eat it, so try that along with trying different, tasty foods. The best thing to do for Alba is to take her to the vet. She may be running a fever and could already be dehydrated. They also may see something else that indicates what her specific aliment is. It doesn't seem like an emergency right now, but it would be best to get her to the vet within a day or two. I hope that helps and Alba gets better soon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Princess. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Cats typically hide signs of illness well. So when there is a decrease in appetite, this is significant. She will be examined and will likely need laboratory work to help diagnose her problem. Kidney disease, thyroid disorders, pancreatitis and diabetes are commonly seen in older cats. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!