Cat really won't eat

[Nothungrycat]

Cat has stopped eating (now on 3rd day) and seems very unlike herself. Doesn't want to be around me, a bit withdrawn. I took her to the vet yesterday, at which point she stopped being lethargic and became downright cross - to such an extent that they couldn't examine her properly, but said her teeth seemed fine. Gave her an anti-emetic injection in case she wasn't eating because feeling sick and told me to tempt her with strong smelling food. I've been trying that and its not working at all. Her response to me putting a bit of catfood on my finger just now and putting it near her nose was basically to recoil from me, as well as swishing her tail a bit. She's now gone to hide under the bed. I can't work out if she's stressed about something or unwell. Any thoughts??

There was a cat like this on the Yorkshire vet programme. Turns out it was really constipated and impacted, could it be something like that?

Did the vet not do any blood tests? Our boy stopped eating suddenly last year and it turned out to be acute pancreatitis, treated with a combo of antibiotics, anti-nausea stuff <technical term>, appetite increasing stuff and painkillers. Wouldn’t have been diagnosed without the bloods. Obviously a number of conditions can put them off food though.

Did the vet do a blood test or take x-rays? If not, I'd go back and demand a more thorough examination. It doesn't seem good enough to just say, oh she might be feeling sick.

Is she hiding a lot, or more just avoiding you?

I ask because my very unfighty / anxious cat was attacked last year by another cat, viciously attacked, the noise was terrible - and he hid in the deepest corner of the top floor for 2 or 3 days, traumatised. He still came downstairs for a bit of food, but I don't think for the first 24 hours. So it might be something like that (if she's an outdoor cat).

I got weird de ja vu reading this. My cat had the anti sickness jab yesterday too - on her second day under the bed and not eating.

She still isn’t fussed about her food but we are having some success with treats! Lick-e-licks have been popular…and we had two enormous poos today.

She’s also accepting tuna today. And I’m going to roast a chicken later. The smell might tempt her out of her pit.

Hope your little one picks up soon. It’s so worrying when they’re unwell.

Have you tried warming up some tuna? Or boiled chicken - the warm broth can be tempting too.

I agree with pp the vet needs to do more. Blood tests and checking for constipation seem a no brainer. Also, her behaviour sounds like she’s in pain, so they should have given you some painkillers.

Mine had this a few days ago and it turned out he was massively constipated. Did the vet check for that?

Thank you everyone. I suspect because she was very hissy, the vet didn't do a very thorough examination - I wasn't there as they took her away to find a colleague to help. And they probably decided not to do any further tests because they'd hoped that it would sort itself out. And to the person who asked if she was hiding, nope it's more avoiding me, but only if I try to fuss her. She loves sitting on a sunny windowsill in the spare room. If I go and bother her - by stroking her and maybe offering some food - she'll leave the windowsill and go under the bed. When I leave the room and go to work next door, she nips back up to the windowsill! I will try warming up some tuna later, but if there isn't any sign of improvement she'll be back at the vets tomorrow!

Try giving her some sardines in vegetable oil, hopefully that will tempt her to eat, and if she is constipated, the oil will help with that as well.

Otherwise, if she is still not eating by lunchtime tomorrow, contact the vet again, otherwise you could have a weekend emergency appointment on your hands and they cost the earth.

Mine did this - refused to eat then behaved like there was nothing wrong at the vets.

Turned out she would eat but wanted a Dreamies only diet.

I hope yours is OK soon.

Your vet sucks. They should know how to handle a distressed cat without injuring it. The cat needs a blood panel, temperature taken and a physical examination to check for an abscess.

I'm fairly sure she hasn't got an abscess as I've had cats with abscesses before so did stroke her thoroughly to check. But (as I'm not a vet) I can't check her tummy or anything like that... I'm not particularly impressed by the vet I saw last time, but have had other good ones at the practice in the past. Will be on the phone to them tomorrow! And she normally loves dreamies, but isn't looking at them now!

Our cat did this. He has hyperthyroidism, so we were planning his funeral. My daughter brought round some of her cats' food, and he ate it! Since then (beginning of the year), we've had another two episodes where he will refuse all food apart from something expensive we buy in until he starts refusing that. At present, he's on Scrumbles and Lily's kitchen. Before that, it was Blink and Whiskas Duo, before that one particular type of Felix and Aplaws ... until this year, he would eat anything.

Thank you everyone - I took her back to the vet today and she apparently has a high temperature and is quite anaemic, but they couldn't find anything obvious when they examined her. So, blood being sent off for more tests, and she's at the vets overnight, getting painkillers and hydration. Feeling very grateful for pet insurance....

I’m so glad to hear the update. At least she is comfortable.

Poor puss. I hope she’s feeling better in the morning.

How’s puss doing. Hoping she’s feeling better and appetite come back.

I've been meaning to come back to update everyone. She had two separate sets of blood tests, which ruled out more and more problems. She then had an ultrasound which came back clear. She was also thoroughly hydrated through a drip (which they'd had to put in to sedate her so they could do anything at all). So, the vet was pretty stumped and said they might have to refer her for further investigations. And, then, suddenly overnight she perked up, started eating and her personality reverted to its usual sociable, purry, self. So, no diagnosis, but she's now back at home eating and behaving as normal. She's eating all the same foods that she was before she stopped eating, so it wasn't the usual cat food fussiness kicking in. I'm baffled!!

Awww that’s great news! 😻

Mine did this when he was a kitten, barely ate for a week, threw up a couple of times and hid in a corner. He was so small and I was so worried - then all of a sudden, it was like a switch flipped and he was absolutely fine again! It was really odd.

They are little buggers! Thank goodness you have pet insurance. I wonder what the issue was. Maybe just feeling a bit out of sorts.