Why is my 8-month-old cat not eating well, even though he's playful?

Hi there, and thanks for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. A decreased appetite in a young cat who's usually a good eater is definitely cause for concern. Although it's not a very specific symptom, appetite tells us a lot about how our pets are feeling, and since the decreased appetite has been going on more than 24 hours, it's time for Cash to see the vet. Hope this helps and he feels better soon!

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!

I am sorry to hear that Gary is not feeling well. While being intact can make them have behavioral changes and actively seek out a mate, this shouldn't cause him to not eat or lose weight. I would definitely recommend taking him to veterinarian for an examination. It is possible that he is painful somewhere or has problems with his urinary tract that makes him painful and causes him to urinate where he shouldn't. I hope this helps and that Gary feels better soon.

It could be that Ferdinand is suffering from intestinal worms. Those are very common in kittens, and if he is not up to date on his deworming treatments, I would pick one up for him. You will have to deworming him again in two weeks to make sure that all the worms are killed. If he is up to date on his deworming treatments, it could be he ate something rotten outside that upset his stomach when you weren't looking. In that case, I will give you a home remedy to try to see if that helps. Withhold food for 8-12 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If the diarrhea continues on the bland diet, he starts vomiting food, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, he will need to see a vet right away.

Monitor Cash very closely for any other signs of illness such as vomiting, loose stool, sleeping more or not playing as much. If you see anything else that looks like an illness, have him examined. If you notice that his appetite is continuing to decline, have him examined as well. Sometimes you can see the appetite have some minor variation. When in doubt, have him examined. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for your question! If Roxzy is otherwise doing well – it is good you noticed that his stool is normal, he’s not vomiting and his energy level is good – I am not overly concerned if his appetite is down for a few days. But it if it persists or he seems otherwise unhealthy I would recommend getting him looked at by your vet. Of course it is never wrong to have him examined so if you’d rather be safe I would certainly support you taking him in!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Lethargy and low energy level in such a young kitten is always a concern. This behaviour could be due to fever, pain, intestinal worms and more. Please de-worm your kittens if they have not been dewormed in the last few days. If it does not make any difference, please take him to your local vets for an appointment.