Cats are great at communicating, to a certain point. They can’t just tell us straight when something is bothering them.
It can be a serious concern when cats stop eating, or go off their food. They cannot just tell us exactly why, and immediately the clock starts to solve this problem before they become sick through malnutrition.
Cats are supposed to eat small amounts on a regular basis to keep them in good health. So even one or two days of noticing your cat is leaving their food is cause for concern.
Here are some of the causes, reasons, and ways you can take action quickly if you notice you can has gone off their food.
First Things to Do When You Notice Your Cat Is Not Eating Their Food
Firstly, you should try and establish if your kitty has stopped eating because they are not enjoying the food. If you have changed the food you’re giving them, this could be easy to figure out.
Sometimes the food itself changes slightly as the manufactures change an ingredient or two. I have known this to happen. Cats are creatures of habit, and will become suspicious when things change.
Even changing their food bowl, or the location of the food can upset them. So if you have made any changes recently, reset them. Try another brand of food too, some premium food to get them back into eating.
Think if something has spooked them out about eating too. Maybe a loud noise or something that hurt them while they were eating recently. Anything they can associate with the area, time, and type of food they are eating.
I have known an instance when someone accidently fed their cat some food that was past its use by date. It was probably a bit off, and gave the cat a bad stomach later that day. This is an example of traumatising the cat, and it went off that brand of food.
Either way, you should make an appointment with your local vet within a day or two to get your cat checked out.
Diagnosing the Problem behind a Cat Not Eating
When you take your cat to the vets, they may be able to find out what is wrong with just a quick examination. If it’s a physical problem, it will show itself to a professional under examination.
If nothing is obvious from a physical examination there are other tests that will be carried out. Blood tests, x-rays, and urinalysis are a few of the tests that can help show any underlying conditions.
If the vet has been able to diagnose the problem, you will be given direction on how to move forward. Unfortunately, more often than not it takes a while to diagnose as test results are waited on.
So the best thing you can do is carry on doing some of your own testing as highlighted above. Do your best to encourage your cat to eat a little, and give them some extra special care.
In Summary
It can be very worrying if you see your cat has lost its appetite. Then cannot speak up and explain why, and if leaves us a little baffled.
The best thing you can do is act quickly. If you notice food has been left out from earlier in the day, keep an eye on your cat. If they don’t eat for a day, stand while you feed them the following day.
If your cat is still not eating, and clearly acting disinterested. Take action.