The cat refuses to eat: causes and treatment. The cat is sick - what to do?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Sometimes owners are faced with a situation where the cat refuses to eat. The reasons may be different. Some of them are natural and do not threaten the he alth of the pet, others can lead to serious consequences. Let's look at the reasons why a cat refuses to eat. When to worry and how to help your pet?

When it's OK to not eat

There can be many reasons why a cat refuses to eat. Sometimes the animal is simply naughty if it does not receive its favorite treats. Often there is a refusal to eat during a change of food. Sometimes a voluntary hunger strike may indicate an animal's illness. In this case, a number of other symptoms can also be observed.

Let's analyze how long a hunger strike can be harmless for a cat:

• for a small kitten, which is in the pore of active growth, a harmless hunger strike lasts no more than a day;
• a young cat, subject to constant drinking of water, can withstand a hunger strike without consequenceslasting five days;
• an elderly or sick animal should not be left without food for more than two days.

Below we will look at the main reasons why a cat does not eat anything. We will find out in which case you should not worry, and in which you should immediately contact the veterinarian.

Rest and heat

Due to hormonal changes before estrus, sometimes cats begin to refuse food. They become very restless, walk around the house and yell heart-rendingly. At such a moment, the cat experiences a rather strong excitement, which affects her appetite. Some owners, in order to calm the animal, give hormonal drugs or give special injections. This should not be done, because such procedures greatly impair the he alth of the cat. If your cat is not purebred, has no papers, has no value as a breeder, it must be spayed. Neutered cats live much longer than non-neutered ones, they do not experience painful estrus and do not suffer from sexual diseases.

A cat can also lose its appetite when it smells a nearby cat in heat. During the rut period, cats become aggressive, mark everything around and rush as far as possible from the house in search of a female. An unpromising for breeding cat must be castrated to avoid many he alth problems of the animal.

Pregnancy and postpartum

For a normal pregnancy, a cat must constantly and fully eat. Short-term food refusals are possible only at the beginning of pregnancy, when the cat can be tormented by toxicosis. At the same time,The animal may vomit. A cat can refuse food a day before the onset of labor, which is also considered normal.

Immediately after the birth of kittens, a cat may refuse to eat. During the day, fasting is quite normal. The cat is tortured by childbirth, she is resting and does not want to leave the kittens. If the hunger strike lasts more than a day, and the cat has difficulty breathing, fever, vomiting and diarrhea, the animal should be urgently taken to the doctor.

Stress

If the cat is lethargic and does not eat, the reason may be in the transferred stress. These are quite sensitive animals, the state of the nervous system of which is influenced by many factors. Let's highlight the main factors that can cause stress:

• moving to a new home;
• change of owner;
• appearance of a new animal in the apartment;
• new people in cat territory;
• great fright;
• incorrect containment conditions.

If stress is the cause of loss of appetite, it is worth isolating the animal from traumatic factors. If this is not possible, the cat should be given as much attention as possible. It is necessary to talk calmly with the animal, stroke it more often and give treats, play with it. In extreme cases, the doctor may prescribe sedatives.

High ambient temperature

Cats often refuse to eat in the summer when it's hot outside. Thus, they control the temperature of the body and are saved from overheating. With a rich diet, the animal absorbs morecalories, which means more heat is released during digestion. In the heat, the cat lies almost all day in the coolest place in the house. She eats infrequently and in small portions, but she drinks a lot. This behavior is completely normal. However, a complete refusal to eat during such a period may indicate an illness of the animal.

For the same reason, refusal to eat is possible in the winter. Domestic cats spend the whole day in an apartment where heating works in winter. Because of the house keeping, the biological cycle of cats is so confused that they shed and shed their fur coat just before winter, because they will have to be in hot and stuffy heated rooms. So reduced appetite in the winter, given the high temperature in the apartment, is quite normal.

Infestation

Infection with helminths can cause serious problems with the animal's gastrointestinal tract. One of its symptoms may be the cat's refusal to eat. In addition, the animal's activity decreases, it may have vomiting, constipation, and blood may be observed in the feces. Infection with worms can occur from a sick animal or through food. To avoid it, it is necessary to do preventive deworming. A street cat should be given deworming tablets every three months, in proportions corresponding to its weight. This should be done in the morning on an empty stomach. You can feed the animal only an hour and a half after that.

Fleas can cause no less torment for a cat. Their bites lead to anemia, due to which the animal has a reducedactivity and loss of appetite. Specialized collars, drops, sprays and shampoos will help get rid of fleas.

Ticks that carry a large number of infections can be dangerous. A tick bite can be fatal. Vlas-eaters torment the animal, causing it to itch to bloody wounds. Due to itching and stress, the animal may refuse to eat. When infested with ticks, the cat should be taken to the doctor immediately.

Problems with the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract

One of the reasons why a cat refuses to eat may be mechanical damage to the oral cavity and pharynx. Often large fish and tubular chicken bones lead to wounds and cuts. A cat can lose its appetite due to diseased teeth or stomatitis. If the cat does not eat anything, first of all, you should examine its mouth. If you find inflammation, cuts or swelling, the animal should be taken to the doctor immediately.

Diseases of the organs involved in digestion can lead to loss of appetite. They can be indicated by: nausea and vomiting, refusal to eat, constipation or diarrhea. Cholecystitis is indicated by yellowing of the mucous membranes and vomiting with bile. Signs of poisoning are profuse vomiting and diarrhea. In case of problems with the intestines, constipation is possible. Loss of appetite is also possible in the event of neoplasms in the organs of the digestive system. In any case, only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. The main task of the owner is to consider all the symptoms in time and take the animal to the veterinary clinic. It is important for a cat to get timely help,otherwise the consequences may be irreversible.

Infectious diseases

Viral and bacterial infections can often cause loss of appetite. If a cat is sick, other than refusing to eat, there may be other symptoms:

• Sluggishness.
• Clear and brown eye discharge in cats.
• Increased or decreased body temperature.
• Difficult and hoarse breathing.
• Vomiting and diarrhea.

When an infectious disease changes in the body that can lead to serious complications. Many diseases can be avoided by timely vaccinations. Do not ignore vaccination in the case of animals that do not walk on the street. They are quite capable of becoming infected even through the owner's street clothes and shoes.

If the cat is sick, it must be urgently taken to the doctor. The veterinarian diagnoses the disease and prescribes treatment. Antibiotics are often prescribed for infectious diseases. You may need injections and even a dropper. The best prognosis is possible if treatment is started early in the disease.

What action should be taken?

If a cat refuses to eat, first you need to carefully examine it. On the body of the animal there should be no wounds and tumors, the mouth should be clean. The mucous membrane should be pink. Brown eye discharge in cats may indicate inflammation in the body. If no external changes are found, the behavior should be observedanimal. The cat must be active, respond to your voice, respond to external stimuli. Passivity or aggression can indicate a cat's he alth problems. Other symptoms that accompany fasting should be noted.

If the cat drinks, feels good, her activity is normal, then do not panic. It is important to calculate how many days food refusal lasts. If the refusal of food exceeds several days, it is necessary to take the animal to the doctor for examination.

Thus, if a cat has no appetite, you should not immediately sound the alarm. In the absence of other symptoms, temporary refusal to eat is quite normal. It is worth monitoring the animal closely to note other changes in its condition or behavior. In case of symptoms of the disease, the cat should be urgently taken to the doctor.