The cat lost his appetite. The cat is not eating well. Anorexia and lack of appetite in a cat

If your cat has not eaten for more than 12 hours, seek veterinary advice. An anorexic cat can quickly develop hepatic lipidosis, which is life threatening.

Lacking the supply of nutrients, the body begins to use fat reserves as food. These fat reserves are sent to the liver to be broken down into nutrients, because this is the main condition for their absorption by the body.

Unfortunately, the liver cannot process fat as quickly as it needs to in a particular case, which leads to the accumulation of fat in the liver and in turn prevents the body from working properly.

Reasons for loss of appetite:

A cat, whether sick or not, can lose its appetite.

And the reasons could be: nervousness, stress or illness.

1. Nervousness can be due to a change in your cat's diet, dirty food trays, having to eat from the same tray with other cats, an unsuitable place to eat, etc.
2. Stress is a very common reason cats lose their appetite. Change of residence, bullying by another domestic cat (or dog).
3. Diseases. There are many reasons why a sick cat loses its appetite.

But more often still anorexia occurs in sick cats and this is facilitated by the following possible medical reasons.

Diseases that cause cats to refuse food:

• An abscess is a pocket of pus under the skin that occurs when bacteria living on the skin or teeth enter the body through a puncture (bite), most commonly during a cat fight.
• Addison's disease (hypoadrenocorticism)

Endocrine disease in which chronic insufficiency of the adrenal cortex leads to a deficiency of hormones, especially cortisol.

• Anemia is a decrease in the number of red blood cells due to a number of factors, such as disease or blood loss.
• bacterial infections.
• Some medicines.
• Coccidiosis is a protozoal infection most commonly seen in kittens under six months of age.
• Dental or mouth pain (gingivitis, tooth abscess, stomatitis).
• Feline diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or because the cells do not respond to insulin.
• Ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Glomerulonephritis is a disease caused by inflammation of the nephrons, which are the tiny filtering units in the kidneys.
• Hemobartonellosis is a disease caused by an unusual type of bacteria that attach to the wall of red blood cells, destroying them in the course of their life.
• Heartworm (Heartworm)

• Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection that most commonly affects the lungs and gastrointestinal system.
• Hypercalcemia is high levels of calcium in the blood.
• Trauma or injury.
• bowel obstruction.
• Poison poisoning.
• Kidney failure (acute or chronic) is a disease in which the functioning of the organ is disrupted, which leads to the accumulation of toxins in the body.
• Nausea. A cat that feels nauseous does not want to eat.
• Cancer (abnormal cell growth).
• Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas.
• Portosystemic shunt is an abnormality of the liver caused by the development of blood vessels that flow into the intestinal tract.
• Pyometra is a bacterial infection of the uterus.
• Stress (some possible causes of stress include: change of residence, loss of a companion, new pet/person in the house, hospitalization, boarding)
• Vaccinations. The cat may feel unwell for a short period of time. Your cat's appetite should return in a day or two.
• Viral infection (Feline Herpesvirus, Feline Panleukopenia Virus, Calicivirus, FeLV, etc.)

Diagnosis of feline anorexia:

In order to properly diagnose even an illness such as anorexia, the veterinarian will examine the sick cat, listen to your story about living conditions and suggest performing some tests, including:

Diagnostic tests

1. Complete blood count, biochemical analysis and urinalysis.

These basic tests assess organ function as well as blood cell counts, infection, and hydration. Hyperglycemia may be present in diabetic cats. Hypoglycemia may be present in cats with insulin-producing tumors. Elevated liver enzymes may indicate hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or Cushing's syndrome. An increase in glucose or protein in the urine may also indicate diabetes.

How and how to help a cat suffering from anorexia:

A sick cat loses its appetite easily, but there are ways you can try to get it to eat.

Food

1. Warming food will help you smell odors and may be enough to stimulate your appetite. Food should be heated to body temperature.
2. Offer very tasty food such as tuna, shrimp or shredded chicken.
3. Try hand feeding him.
4. Feed him small amounts of food, but often.
5. Force-feeding liquid food with a syringe.

Everyday problems

• Trays, bowls, etc. with food for the cat should be freely available.
• Keep trays, bowls, etc. clean and fresh.

Other

• A cat with a runny nose has a natural smell problem. During illness, regularly remove nasal discharge using appropriate means that help drain mucopurulent formations from the nose.
• Keep your cat safe and comfortable. If he is not feeling well, he may need some secluded place (away from noise and other pets).
• If the cat is seriously ill and requires hospitalization, arrange with the veterinarian for the possibility of visits for feeding. Because illness and stress in most cases cause anorexia.
• Talk to your veterinarian about a nutritional supplement such as Nutrigel. This high calorie spread is easily squeezed into your cat's mouth while they have no appetite.

Treatment for feline anorexia:

The goal of treatment is to find the underlying cause, provide treatment and support.

A set of measures aimed at solving:

1. Encourage your cat to eat because nutrients are very important for her recovery. Offer very tasty food like tuna, shrimp, shredded chicken, or very tasty pasta like Nutrigel.
2. Use appetite stimulants.

Mirtazapine- an antidepressant that can also stimulate appetite. Maropitant citrate is an antiemetic (vomiting) that can also relieve nausea, which is a common reason why cats lose their appetite.

In some cases, mirtazapine and maropitant may be used together.

Other appetite stimulants include cyproheptadine (Periactin), an antihistamine, and corticosteroids such as prednisone.

1. Use a feeding tube.

If the above methods don't work and your cat is still not eating, you may need to feed your cat through a tube until the appetite returns. The feeding tube is a plastic tube that is placed either through the nose (nasoesophageal feeding tube), through the skin of the neck and into the esophagus (esophagostomy feeding tube), or through the abdominal wall and into the stomach (gastrostomy feeding tube). Soft and watery food is placed in the feeding tube to ensure your cat is adequately nourished until the appetite returns. Once the tube is inserted, the cat can be treated on its own at home.

1. Antibiotics to treat bacterial infections.

Supportive care – such as fluid therapy to treat dehydration and anticancer drugs.

Non-medical causes of anorexia:

• Dirty food bowls and trays pose a natural risk that old (stale) food has an unpleasant odor. Wash cat utensils in hot, soapy water regularly once a day.
• Sharing food bowls. Cats are not social eaters, they prefer to eat on their own, so if there are several cats in the house, stick to the rule that each cat should have its own food bowl.
• The place to eat is very important. Cups for food and water should not be in close proximity to garbage cans. Bowls should be located in an easy access area, but due to high traffic.
• Sudden changes in diet. Cats fed the same type of food are very sensitive to dietary changes. If you want (or need to) change your cat's diet, do so within a few days. Start by adding small amounts of the new food to his regular food and slowly increase the amount of the new food. Loss of appetite is often one of the first signs that your cat is not feeling well. Always be aware of how much your cat is eating and if a veterinarian needs to be consulted due to loss of appetite.
• The presence of several animals in the house. Provide each member with their own place to eat, this will allow them to feel relaxed while eating.

Pets, like people, can suffer from various diseases. A sign that not everything is in order can be a poor appetite in a cat. He eats reluctantly, or refuses to eat at all.

Lack of appetite should alert the owner. It is worth worrying not only about the pet, but also about yourself. Many diseases in cats are transmitted to humans. If the animal does not eat well, then there are reasons for this.

cat problems

If the causes of poor appetite in cats are not identified, then the consequences can be quite sad. Some diseases, not treated in time, are sometimes fatal.

A suffering cat cannot leave a good owner indifferent. Any change in your pet's behavior is an occasion to check his physical condition with a veterinarian. If a disease is detected, it is necessary to conduct a course of treatment. This applies not only to "elite" cats, but also to common "mongrels".

Pet owners should not hope for 9 lives of their cat. This information is slightly exaggerated. The reasons why a cat may not have an appetite can be very serious or, on the contrary, banal.

A balanced diet has a big impact on the health and appearance of cats. Errors in food are immediately reflected in the quality of wool, the condition of the eyes and teeth. If you feed them incorrectly, various internal diseases can occur.

Internal diseases of cats

The cause of poor appetite or refusal to eat can be both viral and non-infectious, internal diseases. Carefully observing the pet, you can notice their signs.

• Musculoskeletal system. Diseases of the bones, muscles, cartilage and tendons are often caused by improper feeding of cats. Lack of minerals and vitamins leads to the destruction of bone tissue. Cats change their appetite - they begin to gnaw on wooden objects and other things. Digestion is disturbed, constipation and diarrhea may occur. If the course of treatment is not carried out in time, the bone and cartilage tissue will begin to break down.
• Skin diseases. Insufficient hair care and improper nutrition can lead to skin diseases. Various mechanical irritations lead to dermatitis or eczema. This causes the cat suffering, as a result of which the appetite decreases sharply and the animal loses weight. On examination, it is easy to notice the first signs of the disease - pustules, papules, scratching, hair loss at the site of the rash.
• Nervous system. Nervous diseases include: epilepsy, various convulsions and paralysis, paresis and fainting. Before and after the attack, the appetite is reduced. Any convulsive muscle twitching or inappropriate behavior of a pet is a reason to urgently contact a veterinarian.
• Digestive organs. Gastrointestinal disorders can lead to the death of a cat. The first sign of the disease is the refusal to eat. It is accompanied by bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, bad breath, increased salivation. The causes can be both internal diseases of the organs and infectious diseases. You can't do without consulting a doctor.
• urinary system. Cats are more likely than other animals to suffer from kidney disease. At the same time, they become lethargic, apathetic, and eat poorly. The amount of urine may be increased. During treatment, you must follow a diet.
• The cardiovascular system. Congenital or acquired pathologies are quite common in domestic cats. Shortness of breath, bluish color of the mucous membranes, cough, lethargy, poor appetite are signs of the disease. Most often, chronic cough speaks of heart problems.

Almost any disease leads to a decrease in appetite. For the owner of a cat, the main thing is to notice and treat the disease in time. It is important to remember that proper nutrition is the basis of a good appetite and the prevention of many diseases, and a veterinarian is your best friend.

Many cat lovers are faced with the fact that the kitten has lost its appetite for no apparent reason. This usually happens after the cat stops breastfeeding.

The transition to a new, and yet unusual food, can cause constipation in the baby. Cats are very sensitive to the slightest changes in their body. Naturally, the kitten has a poor appetite and, for some time, he may refuse to eat, but the hunger strike should not last more than three days. It is worth paying attention to the appearance and behavior of a small pet. A healthy kitten has:

• playfulness;
• mobility;
• shiny coat;
• wet nose;
• clear eyes;
• clean ears;
• claws do not crumble.

Changes in behavior and a painful appearance may indicate a disease or malnutrition of the baby.

What can cause a kitten to refuse food

If the kitten lives in a private house and often goes for a walk, then the hunting instinct may be the cause of temporary hunger strikes. The kid is just hunting. Kittens enjoy catching bugs, lizards and grasshoppers. He hasn't lost his appetite, he's just full.

City kittens do not have the opportunity to go hunting, so you need to look for the reason for refusing to eat. One of them may be inappropriate food. For a growing organism, the balance of minerals and vitamins is very important. They form the skeleton, increase immunity, affect the coat and behavior of kittens.

Lack of sufficient clean water can also reduce appetite in a healthy kitten.

Any vaccination temporarily reduces appetite. This is normal and nothing to worry about. Very quickly, the pet will again begin to eat normally.

Many kittens, like children, like to chew on various objects, which can damage their teeth and gums. The baby behaves normally, but eats reluctantly, sometimes "cries" when chewing. It is necessary to check the condition of the oral cavity.

Worm infestation is a common cause of refusal to eat or poor appetite. Periodically, the intestines of kittens need to be freed from worms. To do this, it is not necessary to carry to the veterinarian, you can give a pill, taking into account the weight of the kitten.

If the lack of appetite in a kitten is accompanied by changes in behavior and appearance, you should contact your veterinarian. Symptoms of the disease may be:

• dull coat;
• bloated belly;
• low mobility;
• festering eyes;
• lameness;
• ear discharge;
• foci of baldness on the skin;
• nasal discharge;
• discoloration of the mucous membranes;
• diarrhea;
• vomit;
• constipation.

Any of the signs is a reason to sound the alarm. The disease can be transmitted in utero and manifest later. Some diseases can be brought into the house by people, so you should not reassure yourself that the baby did not leave the house and could not get infected.

Diseases of the internal organs, as well as infectious diseases, can reduce appetite. It is almost impossible to make a diagnosis on your own, so a visit to the veterinarian is simply necessary. Your baby may have kidney, heart, liver, bone, or muscle problems.

Diseases of the nervous system and birth trauma may not appear immediately. The kitten may experience convulsions, dizziness, loss of consciousness. Such symptoms are dangerous, they frighten the kitten and lead to prolonged stress with refusal to eat.

In any case, a small pet requires increased attention and care. And the best assistant in this is a qualified veterinarian.

Sometimes situations arise when a cat has lost its appetite. The reasons for this phenomenon can be very different - from poor-quality food to the symptoms of certain diseases. As a rule, the situation can be solved by correcting the power supply. However, in some cases, the problem is not solved at home, which makes you turn to a veterinarian.

Nutrition problems

Sometimes owners do not pay much attention to what they feed their pet. If the food is too monotonous, then the question may arise what to do if the cat has lost its appetite. Obviously, the same food can eventually get bored with the animal, so the cat will consume it extremely reluctantly. Then it is enough to introduce new components - feed or familiar homemade food.

Another problem is insufficient quality products, for example, sausages, pates of dubious composition, cheap feed from little-known manufacturers, etc. It is important to pay attention to the composition and, if necessary, consult a veterinarian. Perhaps even some normal foods are contraindicated for your cat due to the nature of the digestive system.

1. Disorders of the nervous system

This is another common type of reason why a cat has no appetite. Cats and cats are quite sensitive animals. They respond to almost any significant change in lifestyle, and sometimes the reaction of a pet can be unpredictable. Obviously, some situations are sure to cause stress, which explains why the appetite has disappeared.:

• Moving to a new place. At risk is, for example, a kitten that was torn from a cat and settled in a new house.
• Long long road.
• The arrival of a new pet.
• Birth of a child.
• Dangerous situations (for example, a fight with a cat, the threat of a dog attack, etc.).
• Insufficient attention of the owner, conflict atmosphere.
• Prolonged absence of the owner (it is known that cats very often become attached to a specific person and do not like change).

In rare cases, cats lose their appetite even for harmless reasons - changing the bowl, changing the location of the toilet or resting area. Therefore, it is worth analyzing whether there were any significant changes the day before. If the reason that the appetite has disappeared is connected precisely with stress, it is necessary to give the pet as much attention as possible.

2. Food poisoning

Cats suffer from decreased appetite and as a result of obvious causes associated with eating disorders. As a rule, several symptoms are observed at once:

• nausea and bouts of vomiting;
• liquid stool;
• general weakness of the animal;
• loss of activity, drowsiness, etc.

If this situation continues for more than a day, exhaustion is observed, it is better to contact a veterinary clinic: you will need to take medications.

3. Diseases

If the appetite is gone, and the cat is lethargic, this may be a symptom of some disease.:

• infections;
• inflammatory processes;
• development of benign or malignant tumors;
• violations of the functioning of the liver, intestines or stomach;
• oral diseases.

Such pathologies lead to anorexia (complete lack of appetite), which is fraught with exhaustion of the body. Therefore, if the appetite is gone for no apparent reason. you should immediately contact the veterinarian for examination.

When there is no cause for concern

In some cases, the cat does not eat anything for quite understandable, objective reasons, for example:

• change of season - if a cat is let out on the street, in the spring he can eat less, as the body is rebuilt for the summer season: in addition, the animal often finds other food on the street;
• poor appetite is observed during the breeding season, which also occurs in the spring: the cat may become more aggressive, overexcited and lose significant weight;
• strong weather changes, pressure drops can also cause loss of appetite: especially if the cat or cat is already quite old;
• finally, if the owner washed the bowl with a chemical agent and, through negligence, did not completely wash off the remnants, this also explains why the cat has no appetite.

These causes are a normal physiological reaction of the body and do not require any treatment. Loss of appetite in a cat in such cases lasts for several days, after which the animal consumes the usual daily volumes of food and quickly gains weight to normal levels.

Thus, it is worth worrying only in cases where other symptoms are added to the loss of appetite - for example, nausea, vomiting, lethargy for a long period of time. It is possible that the cat has begun to have an upset stomach or intestines, so an urgent consultation with a veterinarian will be needed.

Reasons why a cat does not eat well

1. A sharp transition to a new or unusual food. Cats have their own taste preferences, just like humans, so even high-quality food suddenly introduced into the diet can cause food refusal. The owner should always carefully study the composition of the feed, the manufacturer's recommendations for feeding and remember that a new product is introduced gradually, only mixed in small quantities with the old and familiar to the animal.

   This situation can also happen when a cat accustomed to industrial feed is transferred to natural food. It is unlikely that a cat that has eaten will happily eat, for example, vegetables with meat or cottage cheese. But if it's just a matter of changing your usual diet, then you shouldn't worry, the cat just hasn't got used to the innovations in its menu yet. The animal itself does not look sick, it does not have diarrhea, vomiting, copious discharge from the eyes, nose.

2. stressful situations.- animals are sensitive, they, like people, can be sad, worried, afraid of something. In a stressful situation, it may be quite normal to refuse food for a couple of days, depression, apathy. In this case, it would be nice for the owner to first try to find out what is the reason for the suffering of the animal, eliminating it if possible. If the situation cannot be corrected (the death of someone who is dear to the animal, the appearance of a new pet in the house, etc.), then the owner will need time and participation in the life of the cat. You may need to consult a veterinarian, as well as the purchase of sedatives for the purr.
3. Weather. When the temperature outside the window exceeds 30 (or even all 40) degrees, even the most voracious animal can look for a patch of shade on the street or lie exhausted on the floor, forgetting about food. In such cases, you should not forcefully feed the cat and lament why it refuses to eat. On the hottest days, it is better not to overload the animal's body, however, clean drinking water at such moments is more relevant than ever.
4. The owner does not monitor the cleanliness of the bowls of the animal. Cats are one of the cleanest animals, so the owner should wash all cat utensils after each feeding or at least once a day. Dirty plates, bowls with dried food residues, ants crowding around, smell of sour food can make a cat refuse to eat. In addition, neglect of cleanliness can lead to various diseases.
5. Hormonal surge. When the body of the animal is rebuilt during puberty, during estrus and pregnancy in cats, the owner may observe the refusal of food in the pet. During the period of cat sprees, animals may not eat for up to a week, especially females. The owner should not worry, because the cat's appetite will return to normal as soon as the animal calms down, and the problem of hormonal changes will be solved by itself. It may not be superfluous to purchase vitamins, depending on the doctor's recommendations.
6. A lot of tufts of fur have accumulated in the cat's stomach. In cases where the animal actively licks itself, a large amount of wool accumulates in its stomach. This problem is especially acute in the case when the owner does not comb out the pet's fur. Veterinary pharmacies sell special products that prevent the formation of hairballs, which can be purchased by the owner of the cat. For such a problem, in addition to refusing to eat, stool disorders and vomiting are also characteristic.
7. Infection of a cat with a viral or bacterial infection. Even a cat that lives permanently in an apartment, without leaving home, has a risk of catching an infection. The owner should be alerted by the lethargy of the pet, vomiting and diarrhea (sometimes with mucus and blood streaks), fever. Appetite during infectious infection in the animal is absent. By passing tests, you can achieve the identification of the pathogen and determine the treatment.
8. Anorexia. Anorexia in cats is considered to be a refusal to eat due to the loss of olfactory or tactile functions of the body. The cat loses weight, is not interested in absolutely any food, becomes lethargic, sometimes saliva can flow profusely. In the most difficult cases, the veterinarian may decide to feed the animal through a tube. The causes of anorexia can be nasal congestion, chemotherapy or antibiotic treatment, poisoning, and much more. Self-treatment without medical intervention can lead to the death of the animal.
9. Diseases of the internal organs. You can endlessly enumerate all kinds of diseases in which a cat may lack appetite: diabetes, malignant tumors, diseases of the liver, kidneys, problems of the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, and many, many others. If the cat, in addition to 1-2 days of fasting, has various alarming symptoms, the owner should immediately rush to a specialist's consultation.

   As a rule, with any terrible disease, the very appearance of a cat or a cat “screams” about the disease and the following symptoms appear: disruption of the intestines (constipation, diarrhea), vomiting, a sharp decrease in weight, (sometimes purulent), nose, dehydration, sometimes pain in contact with the diseased area, plaintive meowing or complete apathy to what is happening around. All these signs always indicate a serious condition, which must be diagnosed by taking tests, taking scrapings, biopsies, and examination by a veterinarian. Pain will always cause the cat to refuse food or eat very little.

What should the owner do if the cat does not eat well