Cats don’t like their food? Certain cat food formulas contain high-calorie fillers that decoratively fill your cat’s bowl, but don’t actually contribute to his or her health or happiness.
If a cat does not like the food, he or she will eventually starve to death.
If a cat can’t grow to the size necessary for its breed, it will eventually starve to death. Ultimately, the size of the cat’s coat is a physical manifestation of its diet.
While cats can survive without water for long periods, they will quickly become dehydrated and weak if forced to go without food for longer periods of time.
For a cat that has never been starved before, a 48-hour starvation period will not be fatal; however, repeated occurrences can cause severe physiological and psychological damage.
A cat that starves itself for too long may develop malnourishment-related illnesses such as anemia and rickets.
These serious conditions are difficult to treat and require hospitalization and treatment with IV fluids and prescription medications.
Will Cats Starve Themselves If They Don’t Like The Food?
Your cat would sooner starve itself than eat food that it doesn’t enjoy eating.
Healthy cats may starve themselves even if they don’t have an underlying medical condition that prevents them from eating.
Unfortunately, your cat’s health will suffer as a result of this habit. Cats don’t have a lot of body fat, therefore if you don’t eat, your cat will lose weight quickly.
Cats may become “anorexic” in a matter of days, refusing to eat to the point that force-feeding is required. When a cat stops eating, it taps into its bodily fat stores.
This fat, if mobilized, may block the liver, resulting in liver failure and death. Obese or overweight cats are more vulnerable to this affliction.
Unfortunately, your cat’s health suffers in either case.
Obese cats endure higher incidences of cancer and other debilitating conditions than cats of ideal weight. When a cat stops eating due to a loss of appetite or refusal to do so due to stress or anxiety, it can be a challenge to find the reason why.
Your vet will conduct a thorough physical examination and review your cat’s medical history to determine whether there are medical reasons why your cat stopped eating.
Some illnesses and conditions can provide symptomatic relief by initiating the cat’s appetite again.
The vet may also suggest behavioral therapies to help your cat overcome certain fears or show anxiety.
Cats have a low body fat percentage, in fact, most adult cats are actually underweight.
However, if you cat eats too much and not exercise enough, your cat can acquire an extreme amount of body fat in a short period of time. An overweight cat that suddenly stops eating will suffer from liver failure just like an anorexic cat will.
If your cat is not eating, call your veterinarian right away!
How to tell if cat doesnt like food?
Especially in houses with several pets, cats can get into fights over food and hygiene.
This can result in injuries such as bite marks or scratching that leave scars or wounds. While you may think such injuries are minor, they can become infected close to the skin surface if they aren’t treated promptly.
Vitamin C is an important vitamin that humans need for many cell processes including the production of collagen, hormones and neurotransmitters.
In cats, this vitamin is also important for cell function and health, and it’s necessary for a healthy immune system.
In addition, cats require vitamin C for healing wounds and for the maintenance of the immune system.
Even so, attentive owners should be on watch for these signs and make veterinary appointments should they notice them.
If your cat isn’t eating, he will undoubtedly be drinking large amounts of water.
This suggests to me an underlying problem like a bladder infection or kidney problem.
If your cat has solid food in his dish and isn’t hungry, he likely has hyperthyroidism, which is a disease where the cat’s thyroid is overactive.
If you have a female cat in heat or a male cat that is in competition with another male for access to a female, he may not be hungry in order to conserve his energy for fighting and chasing other cats.
If your male cat is neutered and isn’t nursing any kittens he will be less hungry than a male who has females as kittens.
Cats not eating show noticeable weight loss and lethargy A cat that is not eating shows a dramatic loss of body mass and weight in a short period of time.
Weight Loss
To begin with, cats don’t weigh very effectively.
So for example, if they weigh 4 pounds they now weigh 3 lbs. If you notice that your cat has been losing weight make sure to check the amount of water it’s drinking and whether or not it’s eating.
If it’s been eating but just not getting enough nutrition it may be a thyroid problem. If it’s been sick or had a procedure done it will need to get it’s energy back before it’s body can repair.
Food may be coming out the other end.
You may want to check your cat’s diet to see if you’re feeding it too much cat food and too little water.
Treats
Your cat may be wailing and meowing if it dislikes the food.
When cats don’t like food it states they aren’t getting enough nutrients and vitamins in their food or they are dealing with an underlying issue and that needs to be addressed.
Although the food you are giving your cat may be good, it is not nutritious and appetizing to your cat’s senses.
If your cat is meowing more often than usual and is persistent in its requests for treats, it may mean that your cat does not like its diet anymore.
Before changing its diet, however, it is important to evaluate why your cat is meowing and wailing for goodies in between meals.
A cat that is not eating its complete and nutritious diet may lack energy, become cranky or sad. Your cat may immediately become lethargic after meals.
Your cat’s litter is too close.
When a cat’s litter box is too near, the odor from the box may waft over to the food dish and will make the cat reluctant to eat.
Litter that is either too close to your cat or smells badly will not encourage him or her to eat.
A cat who keeps his litter box too close to food bowls will almost always refuse food.
Place the litter box in an area where your cat is not likely to be disturbed by the bodily functions of you or your other pets, and be sure it does not smell bad.
Make sure your cats’ litter box is kept clean to avoid unpleasant odors, and check the litter at least once a day to be sure it is clean.
At the very least, make sure your cat’s litter box doesn’t smell bad and isn’t left dirty.
Low Energy
A cat’s energy levels will slow down significantly when the animal is sick, and you may notice that your cat wants to sleep more than usual during this time frame.
It’s very important that you contact a veterinarian if you notice a sudden decline in a cat’s energy level, as it could be a sign of a more serious health problem that requires treatment immediately.
Having less energy may be an indication that your companion is having trouble digesting the dry food he or she is eating.
In this case, your pet may need some special attention.
Your cat is afraid.
It is possible for a cat to be afraid of food because the smell is different or because it is a different texture than its usual food.
Some cats simply don’t like wet food. Food should not be changed suddenly over the course of a month; instead, introduce it gradually over the course of several days.
Cats are easily scared by loud noises and new situations.
Full Bowl
It’s possible that your cat isn’t eating or is eating only to get enough calories to sustain itself between meals.
It’s vital to keep track of how much food yourcat consumes over the course of a 24-hour period.
How Do You Get Your Cat To Eat?
You’ll need to adjust your feeding schedule to match what you normally would eat for your age, height, and weight.
Changing your cat’s diet is another option; if it’s a vitamin deficiency or allergy, switching foods should alleviate or eliminate the symptoms.
There are both wet and dry varieties of cat food available that are extra smelly and have a stronger smell than what most cats find appealing.
Wet food tends to be more aromatic than dry food too.
There’s a simple approach to see whether there’s an underlying issue and to see if there’s a more serious problem that’s contributing to the poor eating habits: offer one of your cat’s favorite treats and observe her response; if she accepts the reward, the problem is with the food.
If your cat accepts a favorite treat, the problem is probably with her health and not her diet.
If she refuses to eat it, or if she simply isn’t hungry and won’t eat, then there might be another issue in play.
If you suspect that your cat’s food is the culprit and she just doesn’t like the taste, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should change her diet altogether.
Smelly meals like fish or poultry may not be something you’re comfortable feeding your cat.
Also Read: Can Cats Eat Oatmeal?
How Long Does It Take a Cat to Starve to Death?
When a cat is starving to fast a thin layer of skin develops on the cat’s face as the body tries to conserve water.
Fat reserves are used for energy in cats every day and being underweight for a prolonged period of time can lead to chronic hepatic lipidosis.
As a result, the liver begins to enlarge and the cat develops a distended abdomen as the liver fills with toxins.
Hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver syndrome, often results from a cat’s behavior when faced with starvation.
When anorexia sets in, hepatic lipidosis is an emergency and should be treated immediately.
When the condition takes hold, the cat becomes icteric, or jaundiced, and the whites of his eyes and skin become yellow.
If found early enough, this syndrome can be put into remission and feed the cat for several weeks until it eats again.