Cat refusing to eat (anorexia)
A cat that has not eaten for 24 hours needs vet contact today — feline hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) can develop within 2–3 days of fasting and is life-threatening.
Recognise the signs
- Walking away from food, sniffing then leaving
- Picking at food but eating much less than normal
- Hiding, sleeping more, dull coat
- Weight loss — feel along the spine and ribs
- Vomiting or diarrhoea alongside
- Drooling, pawing at mouth (dental pain)
- Yellow tinge to gums or eyes (jaundice — emergency)
- Bad breath
First aid steps
- Try warming wet food slightly (not hot) to release smell.
- Offer strong-smelling foods — sardines, tuna in spring water, chicken, prescription recovery diets.
- Rule out simple environmental causes — bowl moved, dish dirty, dog or other cat blocking access, new bowl material.
- Note exactly when the cat last ate a full meal.
- If the cat refuses food for 24 hours, phone the vet — do not wait longer.
- Provide quiet feeding space away from other pets and high traffic.
Do NOT
- Do not let a cat fast more than 24–48 hours hoping appetite returns.
- Do not force-feed at home with syringes — risk of aspiration and worsening food aversion.
- Do not assume the cat is 'just being fussy' if it is also hiding, losing weight, or unwell.
- Do not give human appetite stimulants or medications.
- Do not change food repeatedly hoping for a hit — multiple food changes can themselves cause gut upset and food aversion.
When to phone the vet immediately
- Any cat off food for 24 hours
- Vomiting alongside refusal to eat
- Jaundice (yellow gums, eyes, or inner ears)
- Hiding, lethargy, or noticeable weight loss
- Drooling or pawing at the mouth
- Overweight cat off food (highest hepatic lipidosis risk)
- Diabetic cat off food (insulin dose needs review urgently)
- Kitten under 6 months refusing food
Signs that can usually wait for a routine appointment
- A bright cat that skips one meal but eats normally at the next is rarely concerning, particularly after a stressful event (vet visit, fireworks, new arrival).
Common causes
- Dental pain — fractured tooth, resorptive lesions, gum disease
- Kidney disease (chronic, common in older cats)
- Hyperthyroidism
- Pancreatitis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Stress — moves, new pets, new family members, building work
- Foreign body or gut obstruction (especially string)
- Cancer
- Recent vaccination (mild, transient)
- Food change disliked
- Nasal congestion preventing smell (cats with cat flu often go off food because they can't smell it)
What the vet will need to know
- When the cat last ate a full meal
- What food was offered and what was refused
- Other signs — vomiting, drinking, urinating, hiding
- Recent stressors or environmental changes
- Body weight if known and weight history
- Indoor/outdoor
- Other cats in the household
- Current medications, vaccinations, recent flea/worm treatments
Aftercare
- Treatment depends entirely on the underlying cause — dental work, kidney support, thyroid medication, fluid therapy.
- Hospitalisation with feeding tube placement may be needed in established hepatic lipidosis.
- Recovery diets (Royal Canin Recovery, Hill's a/d) for several days to weeks.
- Anti-nausea and appetite stimulants (mirtazapine, capromorelin) prescribed where appropriate.
- Strict monitoring of food intake at home, often weighed daily.
Prevention
- Annual health checks; senior bloods from age 8 catch chronic disease early.
- Annual dental checks — feline dental disease is a leading hidden cause.
- Manage stress at known triggers (slow introductions, Feliway, multiple resources in multi-cat homes).
- Avoid frequent unnecessary food changes.
- Maintain healthy body weight — both obesity and rapid weight loss raise hepatic lipidosis risk.
Breed-specific notes
- Overweight cats of any breed are highest risk for hepatic lipidosis.
- Maine Coon, Ragdoll, British Shorthair, Sphynx, Persian have higher cardiomyopathy and dental disease incidence — both can present as inappetence.
Frequently asked questions
Why is fasting more dangerous for cats than dogs?
Cats can develop hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) within 2–3 days of not eating, particularly if they are overweight. The liver becomes overwhelmed processing fat stores and can fail. Dogs do not have the same risk on the same timeline. This is why a cat off food for 24 hours warrants vet contact, not a wait-and-see.
My cat won't eat after a stressful event — should I worry?
Brief reduced appetite after a vet visit, fireworks, or moving house is common and usually resolves within 12–24 hours. If a cat refuses food for over 24 hours, especially if hiding or showing other signs, contact the vet — stress can also unmask underlying disease.
What's the best food to offer a cat that won't eat?
Strong-smelling, palatable wet foods — sardines or tuna in spring water (not brine), warmed roast chicken (no skin or bones), or prescription recovery diets. Warming food slightly releases aroma. If nothing works for 24 hours, the next step is the vet, not more food experiments.