Cats are known for their picky eating habits, but if your cat won't eat, there may be a major problem.


All pets should be worried if they refuse to eat, but cats may be more at risk.


Animals must rely on their fat stores for energy when they don't consume enough. The liver must digest stored fat before it can be burned as fuel. Protein sources must be sufficient for this step.

When a cat stops eating, it loses weight quickly, which quickly depletes its protein reserves and overburdens the liver with fat. Hepatic lipidosis, a risky condition caused by this, can result in liver failure.

You should speak with your veterinarian as soon as you observe a change in your cat's feeding habits because a cat's loss of appetite frequently implies disease. The more rapidly you react to the issue, the more likely you are to be able to take action that will be beneficial.


Why Is Your Cat Not Eating?


Illness. One of the most important signs that anything is amiss is loss of appetite. So pay special attention if your cat suddenly stops eating. Just a few of the possible causes include infections, kidney failure, pancreatitis, digestive problems, and cancer. Even a toothache, though not necessarily bad, could make your cat stop eating.

fresh vaccination Did your cat lose its appetite soon after you brought it in for normal immunisations at the vet's office? If so, a negative reaction to the shots could be the cause of your cat's unwillingness to eat. Even while vaccines have saved the lives of millions of animals, some do have negative effects. One of these more frequent adverse effects, which are typically transient and minor, is loss of appetite.

travelling and being in strange places Many cats are creatures of habit, much as many people. Therefore, a change in routine may cause a decrease in appetite. Additionally, some animals get motion sickness when they travel by automobile or by plane, which can cause them to feel unwell and prevent them from eating.

impulsivity or psychological problems. If your cat is not medically ill, as established by your veterinarian, then worry or sadness may be the cause of your cat's unwillingness to eat. Sensitive cats often find changes in the home upsetting, and occasionally meeting new people or changing a cat's routine can have an impact on their emotional health. Or perhaps your cat is just a picky eater. Remember that cats typically take a while to get used to new kinds of food, so a recent change in diet may be to blame.



Steps You Can Take


Remember that whether your cat is sick, anxious, or merely fussy, a complete refusal of food can have disastrous consequences. Therefore, never starve your cat to force it to eat a particular food, even if you're attempting to get it to follow a doctor's diet.

Work with your veterinarian to create the ideal routine for you and your pet if illness is the cause of your cat's refusal to eat. Feeding canned food to a sick cat may encourage them to eat. This can entail altering the nature or consistency of their diet. In more severe situations, veterinarians can suggest syringe-feeding your cat a liquid diet or prescribe medications that stimulate appetite. Or the vet may suggest setting up a feeding tube to ensure adequate nutrition.



There are methods you can try to get your cat to eat when disease is not the issue.

You might already be aware that some foods, such as liver or canned tuna, can whet a cat's appetite .Just remember to serve these items sparingly. Large doses could endanger your pet by depleting or overdosing on some vitamins.

Try encouraging your cat to eat commercial canned food rather than solely human food. By heating the food or adding fish oil, broth (make sure it doesn't contain onions, which are hazardous to cats), or other ingredients, you might be able to get your picky cat to eat. or cooked egg.

If your cat still refuses to eat, take the food away from it and offer it fresh food later in the day. If the food is left to harden and become stale, your cat may begin to avoid it in the future.


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