Four-legged pets always delight their owners. Cats are not just a toy, they become real members of the family, so it’s very disappointing and difficult when your favorite ball of wool is unwell. A pet cannot say what exactly bothers him or where it hurts. Therefore, the owners have to literally guess how to help the unfortunate animal.
Most often, when contacting a veterinarian, four-legged owners are interested in why a cat does not eat? The reasons that explain this phenomenon can be very diverse. Therefore, it is worth considering this common phenomenon in more detail. However, it will be extremely difficult to independently diagnose the condition.
Why doesn't the cat eat and drink?
If the animal is in a similar state, then it is customary to call it anorexia. Moreover, it is characterized not by lack of hunger, but by a complete loss of appetite. If the cat does not eat, the duration of this condition will depend on many factors. Some pets suffer from this manifestation for only a few days, while others may suffer for more than 1 week. If at the same time no measures are taken, then the animal’s organs may begin to refuse, which will lead to the death of the beloved fluff.
However, do not confuse an unpleasant ailment with the simple moodiness of the animal. It is likely that the cat does not eat anything, because she does not like this or that food. Very often, owners of animals prepare food on their own, while they often make a mistake - they salt food. This can not be done, since animals are different from people and do not always tolerate such food. The same goes for too warm food.
What if the cat doesn’t eat? In such a situation, first of all, you need to try to slightly change the diet. If before that the animal ate only dry food, perhaps his body requires liquid canned food or light soup.
In some situations, the cat eats nothing due to the fact that she was moved to a new place of residence. You need to understand that animals experience stress with any change in environment. During the acclimatization period, which can last several days, the animal may completely lose its appetite. In this case, you need to wait a bit. When the pet gets a little used to the updated environment, he will begin to eat normally.
In rare cases, there are instances that simply stop eating from harm. Perhaps this is just a temporary boycott with which the pet is trying to get a favorite treat.
If we are still talking about anorexia, then you should be careful. Let us consider in more detail, because of which the animal can be in this state.
Causes of Anorexia
If the cat is sluggish and does not eat, then this may be a consequence of a disease of the digestive tract, pancreas or liver. The main sign of this ailment is that the pet constantly lies on its stomach. As a rule, such pathologies are additionally accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting. It is impossible to provide independent assistance to a cat in such a situation, so you need to immediately contact a veterinary clinic or call a specialist at home.
Anorexia often appears in females during the first estrus. In this case, the cat eats poorly, as cardinal changes of a hormonal nature occur in her body. There is a complete restructuring, so at such moments the animal prefers to refuse any food. In this situation, do not worry. After a few days, the young cat will come to its senses and begin to lead a familiar lifestyle.
It is also worth carefully examining the body of the pet. In some cases, refusing food is a manifestation of pain shock. Perhaps the cat got into a fight, she was bitten by a tick or she damaged internal organs when she jumped during the game. If the fears are confirmed, it is necessary to give the pet a light pain medication and call a doctor.
If the cat has stopped eating, then it is worth excluding the appearance of her worms. If these common parasites are wound up in the animal’s body, then in this case such manifestations are quite possible. In order to prevent such an ailment, it is worthwhile to conduct appropriate procedures in a timely manner. At least once every 6 months it is necessary to give the pet special preparations for the appearance of parasites.
The cat does not eat dry food
As mentioned earlier, this may be due to the fact that the animal simply does not like the food selected for it. However, the rejection of dry food may also be due to the presence of parasites in the cat's body. Therefore, this probability should not be ruled out.
If the cat does not eat, but only drinks, then perhaps it was transferred to a different type of food, which does not suit her at all. In this case, you need to buy the usual food for her and look at the reaction of the animal.
Also, this can occur in conditions of high heat. Like humans, cats during the heat prefer to drink as much water as possible and significantly reduce portions of food.
What to do when refusing dry food
In this situation, first of all, you need to try to slightly dilute dry food with water. Especially if the cat drinks a huge amount of water. It is possible that the selected food for her is too dry, and she does not want to suffer from constipation. It is also important to ensure that there is always water next to the food bowl.
In addition, you should not pour out a lot of food at once. Some owners prefer not to strain themselves once again by pouring a daily dose into a bowl immediately. However, most feeds quickly lose their attractive aroma. After that, the animal simply loses interest in it.
It is also worth making a rule to always store food in sealed packaging. This will keep it fresh and fragrant.
If the animal does not eat after anthelmintic
With helminthic invasion, parasites are destroyed in the body of the animal with the help of special preparations. As a rule, after a similar procedure, kittens feel unwell for some time. However, it happens that an adult animal does not tolerate such therapy.
This can happen for several reasons.
For example, it is possible that an expired medicine was used for the procedure. Because of this, intoxication can occur, as a result of which the cat does not eat and experiences pain.
Also, this can happen if a specialist has injected an animal with a too large dose of the drug without preliminary calculations taking into account the weight and age of the pet.
There are situations when cats show an allergic reaction to some of the components of therapy. In case of intolerance to the drug, the animal will experience lethargy and will not show interest in food.
After the procedure, it is recommended to diversify the nutrition of the animal, so do not limit yourself to just one dry food. It is worth pampering a cat by preparing or buying something better for her.
If the poor condition of the pet lasts more than 24 hours after the anthelmintic, then this is a pretty alarming signal. In this case, you should seek qualified help as soon as possible.
Natural causes
In some situations, the cat eats poorly or completely refuses food for no apparent reason. And this happens suddenly. It looks like a cheerful pet, who ran around the apartment yesterday and played with candy wrappers, does not suddenly touch food. What should the owner think in this situation? In fact, this can be a huge amount of explanation. For instance:
- Stress. Even having started repairs or moving a pet's bowl from one place to another, one can quite expect such a "hunger strike". Despite their appearance, cats are very sensitive animals.
- Fasting day. Cats perfectly feel their body and themselves know how to properly maintain the body in good shape. Like people, sometimes they need food breaks. Therefore, the reason that the cat does not eat can be covered not because the menu does not suit her, but because the animal wants to stay healthy. As a rule, such hunger strikes do not last more than a day. After that, your favorite Murka begins to eat as usual.
- The consequences of pregnancy. During the postpartum period, the animal often experiences malaise. Against the background of severe toxicosis, the cat can not even look at food. Therefore, do not bother her going to the doctor. It is better to surround the animal with love and give him as much drink as possible. By the way, if the cat does not eat after sterilization, then this is due to the same reasons.
- The postoperative period. With any surgical intervention, the animal suffers from a variety of ailments. Moreover, every day the beloved four-legged pet is getting better. Therefore, do not sound the alarm, it is better to wait until the cat herself comes back to normal.
Some more tips
What if the cat doesn’t eat due to natural causes? In such a situation, it is necessary to try to find out what exactly influenced the change in the taste preferences of the pet. If we are talking about a stressful state, you need to spend as much time with the animal as possible, and try not to change the environment too much, if possible, especially with regard to the cat’s personal belongings. It is best to put her bowl in its original place. If the animal is disturbed by the noise of repair work, then in this situation, on the contrary, it is worth moving its berth to a quieter corner, where it can hide and enjoy being alone.
If the animal periodically arranges fasting days for itself, then you need to carefully monitor that there is always liquid in the bowl of water. As a rule, refusing food, cats are more likely to lean on water.
If this behavior is due to puberty, then it is worth offering the animal a new feed. In case of refusal of food and a sharp loss of weight during estrus, the cat must be taken to a specialist. Perhaps a malfunction occurred in her body, which requires more attention or treatment.
Disease
Not always refusing food is a harmless protest from the cat. In some situations, this may indicate deeper problems. For example, a cat may suffer from:
- Problems in the oral cavity. If the jaw hurts, no one can eat. The same goes for cats. As a rule, they refuse to eat if they experience pain, with the formation of tartar or due to congenital pathologies. In addition, cats, like humans, develop tooth decay. Therefore, first of all, it is worth examining the oral cavity.
- Poisoning. If the cat refuses food, then perhaps she is simply sick of any foodstuffs against the background of this ailment. In this case, vomiting can be caused by a huge number of reasons. It is best to take a closer look at the vomit. If they have blood, bile or feces, then in this case, you must immediately consult a doctor.
Very often, in apartment buildings, planned poisoning of rats is carried out. In these situations, pet owners often bring particles of poison from the stairwell to the apartment on shoes. If such events were carried out and the cat really was poisoned, then it is worth taking a closer look at its behavior. If the animal is very lethargic, suffers from high temperature, and its mucous membranes are pale, you need to go to the clinic.
Also, a cat may refuse to eat due to:
- The virus. As a rule, infections of this type are often accompanied by a refusal of food. However, besides this, among the symptoms there will be frequent sneezing, fever, tearing, dehydration, and sores in the mouth.
- Foreign body in the stomach. Cats love to feast on everything that is bad. Sometimes they play with some objects and in a fit of passion can swallow them. At the same time, in medical practice, there were Christmas toys and pins with needles. However, such games lead not only to loss of appetite, but also to more serious consequences, such as an obstruction of the intestine.
What to do with the disease
In this situation, only a veterinarian can solve the problem. It is not worth it to deal with the treatment yourself, since the owner cannot diagnose by eye the probable ailment from which his pet suffers. In order to prescribe the correct treatment, the doctor must first examine the pet. After this, a number of diagnostic measures are carried out. First of all, the state of the oral cavity is evaluated, breathing is listened.
After this, it is necessary to take blood and urine for analysis. This will help to quickly identify an infectious disease or the presence of inflammatory processes in the body of the animal.
An x-ray may also be required. Based on the data and based on the indicators of examination of the cat itself, the specialist prescribes the appropriate treatment.
Finally
Some animals may refuse food for the most unthinkable reasons. For example, especially squeamish pets will boycott if they find that the food bowl is not clean enough. Others are simply not ready to exchange their favorite plate for a new container. Therefore, in the first place, it’s worth not to panic, but try to remember if there were any significant events in the cat’s life. It is also important to ensure that the feed is always fresh and not weathered. Therefore, do not pour food for a few days in advance. It is better to give a treat in portions. And, of course, you need to cherish the cat and take care of it, then it will never be capricious and will not have to consider the reasons why the cat eats too little or refuses to eat at all.