What this means
Cats hide illness, so a change in appetite is often the first and only sign that something is wrong. It is worth noticing not only how much a cat eats, but how it behaves at the bowl: it walks up and walks away, licks only the gravy, chews on one side, drops pieces, will only eat soft food or looks at food without eating it. Sometimes a cat is hungry but it hurts to eat, and that is a sign too.
The causes are very many and are not all in the stomach. Mouth pain, nausea, gut problems, kidney or other organ disease, anaemia or cancer can reduce appetite. Stress or changes at home play a part too, but they should never be the first guess: until a vet has examined your cat, regard it as a medical sign.
Cats that go a day or more without eating can become ill quickly, and this is especially risky for cats carrying extra weight and for kittens. Do not wait it out, and do not try to force it or give anything at home instead of an examination. Note since when it has eaten less, what else you have seen and whether it drinks, and tell your vet.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your cat.
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Pain in the mouth or face
Sore teeth, gums or episodes of nerve pain in the mouth make eating hard. A cat may go to the bowl but not eat, drool or paw at its face.
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A stomach or gut problem
Nausea, inflammation, constipation or a swallowed object takes away appetite. Vomiting, diarrhoea or straining may come with it.
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Kidney and other internal disease
When the kidneys or other organs work less well, a cat drinks more, eats less and loses weight. These changes come on slowly.
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Anaemia
When there are too few healthy red blood cells, a cat becomes listless, its gums look pale and its appetite falls.
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Cancer
Lymphoma of the gut or other organs and other tumours can reduce appetite and cause weight loss, vomiting or listlessness.
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Pain, fever or stress
Pain anywhere in the body, an infection or great stress can take away appetite. Cats hide this, so refusing food may be the only sign.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Since when, and by how much, your cat is eating less
- How it behaves at the bowl: walks up and away, chews on one side, drops pieces
- Whether it drinks and urinates as usual
- Whether it vomits, has diarrhoea or struggles to pass stools
- Whether it drools, paws at its mouth or has a bad smell from its mouth
- Whether it is losing weight, sleeping more or hiding
When to book a routine visit
Book an examination if your cat is eating clearly less than before, has become fussy in a way it was not, or is losing weight, even if it otherwise looks bright. If it is not eating at all for a day or more, contact a vet the same day.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Amyloidosis General health A condition in which an abnormal protein, called amyloid, builds up in the organs and slowly disturbs how they work. In cats it can settle in the kidneys, the liver or other organs, so over time these organs can start to work less well.
- Cat flu (upper respiratory infection) Infections An infection of the nose, throat and eyes, caused mainly by two viruses, feline herpesvirus and calicivirus, sometimes together with bacteria. It spreads easily between cats and is especially hard on kittens.
- Chronic kidney disease Kidneys and urinary tract A disease in which the kidneys slowly, over months or years, lose their ability to clean the blood and concentrate urine. It develops quietly, so its first signs are easy to put down to old age.
- Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) Infections A severe disease that develops when the coronavirus living in cats' guts changes inside a cat's body and starts spreading throughout it. It inflames blood vessels and organs, and fluid can collect in the belly or chest.
- Feline orofacial pain syndrome Nerves and muscles A painful condition of the nerves that carry feeling from the mouth and face. A cat suddenly feels intense discomfort in its mouth, as if something were stuck there, and paws at its face. It matters because the episodes can be distressing enough for a cat to hurt itself or stop eating.
- Gastrointestinal conditions Digestion and liver A general name for upsets of the stomach and intestines: a cat vomits, has diarrhoea or constipation, or loses its appetite. Some pass quickly while others point to a more serious illness, so it matters how long they last.
- Hairballs Digestion and liver Clumps of swallowed hair that form in the stomach when a cat takes in more hair while grooming than its gut can pass on. A single hairball brought up is not necessarily serious, but hairballs that keep coming, or that come with a loss of appetite, show that something is wrong.
- Lymphoma Cancer A cancer that arises from lymphocytes, the white blood cells that defend the body against disease. Because these cells are found throughout the body, lymphoma can affect the gut, the lymph nodes, the chest, the kidneys or other organs.
- Megacolon Digestion and liver A condition in which the large bowel widens and can no longer push stools onward. The stools build up inside it and harden, so the cat cannot pass them for a long time.
- Pancreatitis Digestion and liver Inflammation of the pancreas, a gland beside the stomach and gut. In cats it can show only as a few vague signs, such as listlessness and a lost appetite, so it is easy to miss.
- Feline panleukopenia (feline distemper) Infections A highly contagious viral disease that attacks the gut and the bone marrow, so the number of white blood cells in the blood suddenly drops. It is especially dangerous for kittens and can become life-threatening within a short time.
- Polycystic kidney disease Kidneys and urinary tract An inherited kidney disease in which fluid-filled sacs, called cysts, form in the kidneys. They slowly grow, press on healthy tissue and make it harder for the kidneys to work.
- Pyruvate kinase deficiency Blood and immunity An inherited disease in which the red blood cells lack an enzyme they need to make energy. These cells break down sooner than they should, so the cat can develop anaemia.
- Toxoplasmosis Parasites A disease caused by a single-celled parasite, Toxoplasma. A cat is infected by eating infected prey or raw meat but may show no signs at all, and the parasite matters for people too, especially pregnant women.
Body systems: General health Infections Kidneys and urinary tract Nerves and muscles Digestion and liver Cancer Blood and immunity Parasites