How do you get your cat to not eat?

Why Do Cats Stop Eating?

While your cat might not like the food you're offering, a lack of appetite is often a symptom of an underlying issue. Cats may stop eating if there's something stuck in their stomach or intestines or if they aren't feeling well because of an underlying disease or infection. Your cat's lack of eating can also be a symptom of pain or discomfort. Regardless, it's a significant concern if your cat stops eating.

Respiratory Diseases
Respiratory problems can affect your cat's sense of smell or ability to breathe leading to a loss of appetite.1 Upper respiratory diseases may clog your cat's nose and eyes with discharge resulting in a temporary loss or restriction of sight and smell. Lower respiratory tract diseases may affect your cat's lungs causing them to have difficulty breathing. These respiratory issues may be caused by bacterial or viral infections that require basic care, but they might be as complicated as cancer. Regardless of the severity of the respiratory issue, if the disease keeps your cat from being able to breathe easily or smell food, your cat may decide they don't want to eat.

Digestive System Diseases
Problems with the stomach, intestines, pancreas, or other parts of the digestive system may cause a cat to stop eating. Your cat may also vomit and have diarrhea or abdominal pain alongside digestive issues. But usually, a decrease in appetite will be one of the first signs of a digestive system problem. Issues can range from acid reflux, tumors, an imbalance of intestinal bacteria, parasites, irritable bowel disease, and other problems.

Foreign Bodies
Some cats like to eat things that they shouldn't or may swallow hair that develops into hairballs, all of which may become stuck in the stomach or intestines.2 A foreign body stuck in your cat's gastrointestinal tract is referred to as a gastrointestinal obstruction, or GI obstruction. A GI obstruction won't let food pass through the digestive tract and therefore your cat may vomit and most likely stop eating. Some foreign bodies can pass through your cat's system and may cause temporary GI upset or lack of appetite, but others may require surgery to be removed.

Dental Disease
Diseased or painful teeth and gums can cause a cat to stop eating.3 Cats can fracture their teeth, develop resorptive lesions on their teeth, develop inflammation of their gums, form dental abscesses, and experience other dental issues that cause oral pain. Just like people, your cat may not want to eat if their mouth hurts. However, dental issues may be difficult to diagnose in a cat, and your veterinarian may need to sedate or anesthetize your pet in order to evaluate the problem.

Food Flavor
Cats can be particular. A cat may eat one flavor of the same brand, but completely reject a new flavor due to preference. A sudden rejection of food may occur if food manufacturers change flavors and ingredients without any obvious signs on the packaging—your cat may take notice and rebel. 

Food Shape or Texture
Your cat can also be sensitive to certain shapes and textures when it comes to food. Some cats like triangle shapes, others like round shapes, and others will only eat crunchy dry food or canned wet food.

Food Spoilage
If you give your cat expired or spoiled food, they may not want to eat it. Check the expiration date on the food. Or, at the very least, give it a sniff to see if it smells rancid.

What to Do If Your Cat Won't Eat
If your cat has stopped eating their normal food, check to see if there's a recall on that particular food. It's another good reason why you should consider keeping your cat's dry food in the original bag so you can check the bar code. Sometimes a cat can sense that something is wrong with their food and won't eat it. If you offer new food and your cat still won't eat, then it's time to contact your veterinarian.

When cats stop eating, they can quickly develop hepatic lipidosis by going without food for a few days. This disease is often referred to as fatty liver disease or fatty liver syndrome and it can be fatal if left untreated. And it occurs more often in obese cats.4 This is the main reason why it's so important to make sure your cat keeps eating, especially if they're overweight.

Treatment for Loss of Appetite in Cats
Since cats may stop eating for a number of reasons, the treatment will depend on the underlying cause. Your veterinarian will do a physical examination and may recommend lab tests and imaging, such as X-rays or an ultrasound. Your cat's treatment plan will be based on these results.

Depending on the reason why your cat has stopped eating, you may be able to coax your kitty to start eating again. However, it’s not normal for a cat to stop eating if their food has not changed, so a trip to your veterinarian is essential to rule out medical reasons. 

• If an upper respiratory disease has caused your cat to be congested and unable to smell food, your vet may recommend at-home treatment to help clear your cat’s nasal passages. This may involve nebulizing your cat in a steamy bathroom or placing saline drops in the nostrils. This breaks up the nasal discharge and helps your cat breathe easily so they can once again smell food.
• Tweak your cat's wet food to entice them to eat again. Try heating up cold wet cat food or tuna for a few seconds in the microwave. Or, offer your cat canned kitten food, canned tuna, or canned chicken to whet your pet's appetite.
  
• Experiment by choosing a different flavor, texture, or shape of food to feed your cat.
  
• Make cat food from scratch. Your cat may prefer the fresher ingredients in a home-prepared recipe. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian before offering a home-cooked diet to ensure that it is properly prepared and not lacking essential nutrients. 
  
• Check to see if the flavor of the food your cat has always eaten has recently changed its formula or ingredients. The information may be listed on the packaging as "new and improved flavor." Or, contact the food company and ask. You may need to find a new favorite food for your cat.

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