How to Feed a Cat When It Loses Appetite?

Is your cat sick, stressed or does it have any other reason it doesn’t want to eat? There are a couple of tips how to restart its appetite.

There might be several reasons why a cat refuses to eat. It may be stress, a disease, vomiting and other, often unknown reasons (I have experience with cat’s inappetence due to rancid dry food caused by inappropriate storage). A cat might survive quite a long time without food but the situation is worse with water. Dehydration and renal impairment may put it in danger quite soon. It is necessary to provide the cat with enough fluids especially when it vomits or has diarrhoea.

To make it fancy drinking, you can try both, or mix a bit of its favourite meat pocket or salmon oil in water. Besides stopping the cat from being thirsty, you will also provide it with necessary nutrients and energy by this. You can use milk, too, but always opt for special milk for cats. Cats can’t digest cow milk and digestive problems, including diarrhoea, often follow after drinking it. Also, don’t try to make it eat or drink using other (e.g. human) food which is unsuitable for cats.

If there is no other way and the cat is too weak or absolutely refuses food and drinking, try to serve it using a spoon or a syringe. However, it should be calm and with no violence. Otherwise, your cat’s condition could get even worse.

You can also support your cat’s appetite with a delicious scent. Give it a meat pocket (some nicely smelly fish, for example) rather than dry food. You can also attract it with its favourite high-quality treats. Sometimes, also a trick when you take a little fluid from a meat can or pocket and put it on its muzzle works as well. Of course, it will immediately lick it and it
activates its taste buds.

It doesn’t have to be highlighted that if the pet has an upset stomach, it needs high-quality and therefore also easily digestible feed which is not any additional burden to the organism and the body gets everything it needs. Don’t provide the cat with excessive portions, rather feed it more often and slowly.

If inappetite lasts longer, you should contact your vet and consult your cat’s condition with him/her. (S)he will say if it’s necessary to see the patient or (s)he will at least give you advice on how to proceed.

Related articles

Dogs and cats of the world III: Dogs in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka – a holiday paradise in south-eastern Asia, the promised land for travellers. It is no problem to communicate here in English, the prices are relatively low, the locals are poor, but friendly… However, to dog lovers, apart from the fairy-tale...

Cuddling with cats can be healing as well

A pet brings joy, that’s what everybody who lives with one in a joint household knows. With its playfulness and unconditional love, it often distracts us from stressful thoughts and duties. It teaches us to live here and now, to concentrate on the...

Dog history IV: Bobbie

In this series, we will get to know famous dog personalities. Dogs, after all, play an important role in our life, so let us take a look what have they already managed to achieve during the time of us living together. Bobbie walked an incredible 4000...

Cat records

Same as with dog record holders, we will find many cat records as well. For example, do you know, what is the record in the number of cats living under one roof? 

Dog records

Are you interested in how big the tallest dog is, how small is the smallest one or perhaps how many balls a dog managed to stuff in its mouth? Among the typical records such as age or size, we will find also a few more peculiar ones, so let us have a...

The mystery of cat’s purring

Everyone, who has a cat at home, is definitely aware of its beneficial influence. When you are down or worried, nothing beats a purring ball of fur settled on your lap or a cat which massages you with its small claws. However, did you know, that...

Cat trees and scratching posts

It is clear to every cat owner, that a fluffy needs its own place where it will feel safe, where it can laze about, play, scratch and climb. Not every cat will like a scratching post or a tree, but if your cat belongs among those who love it, the...