Anorexia in Your Cat: When Your Cat Just Won't Eat

Diane Levesque, a jury consultant in Rochester, New Hampshire, was mystified. She had just adopted two domestic-short-haired cats-a brother and sister--from a friend who moved to an apartment where cats were not allowed. Levesque, who already had two cats, was happy that all four felines seemed to get along. Within a couple of days, however, she became alarmed. "I noticed the new cats were not eating anything," said Levesque. "At first, I thought I must be imagining it because they seemed normal otherwise. But they started looking thinner."

After consulting with a veterinarian, Levesque learned that her new cats were suffering from anorexia due to the trauma of moving to unfamiliar surroundings. She ended up giving the cats back--who were then treated for anorexia by their former owner's veterinarian-- and then given to a shelter for adoption.

Most of us know that a reduced appetite or not eating is a sign of physical illness in a cat, symptoms which require medical attention after two days at the most. But what we may not realize is that cats may stop eating because of stress or emotional problems, such as depression.

Feline Emotions and Anorexia

Some cats crave company when they eat. Perhaps your cat likes you to walk her to her food dish, and seems to enjoy you petting her or talking to her while she eats. On the other hand, cats will often not eat as well when their human companion is not around. You may have noticed that if you leave your cat for a night or two, he doesn't eat very much of the food you leave for him. But when you return, he runs for the food dish.

Another classic example is a cat who stops eating when she is hospitalized for an injury or illness. "Your cat may be stressed by the cage, different food, bedding, litter and the sight, smell and sounds of dogs and other cats," says Katherine Houpt, VMD, PhD, board-certified veterinary behaviorist and director of the Behavior Clinic at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Cats may also become anorexic if a feline or human companion suddenly dies, leaving the cat to grieve. Not eating can be a manifestation of this grief, just the same as it is in humans.

But due to cat physiology, anorexia in cats can be very dangerous, even life threatening. "This is particularly true with overweight or fat cats," says Dr. Houpt, "who can succumb to fatty liver disease if they stop eating."

Taking Charge of Anorexia

If you realize your cat is consistently eating less or not at all, get your feline to a veterinarian right away to rule out physical illness. Don't let your cat go for more than two days without eating.

If the veterinarian diagnoses a psychogenic reason for the anorexia, there are a number of steps to take. First, sit with your cat and encourage him to eat. "Make regular food more palatable," says Dr. Houpt, "by giving your cat wet cat food or even baby food. Try sprinkling the food with the water from a can of tuna to give it more taste." Sometimes slightly warming the wet food can make it more aromatic and attractive to your cat.

If your cat is hospitalized for a physical cause and is not eating, visit your cat in the hospital and encourage your cat to eat. "Cats probably think of us as their parents," says Dr. Houpt, "and having us near them can help them feel protected when they are in unfamiliar surroundings."

Another thing that helps a cat who is in unfamiliar territory is a product called Feliway, says Dr. Houpt. This is a synthetic version of a cat's cheek secretion that induces familiarity for a cat. You can buy this as a spray or a plug in diffuse in a pet supply store.

No doubt you know how your cat rubs her face against furniture and your leg or hand when she enters a room. "This is how your cat says, 'you are mine,' "explains Dr. Houpt. What your cat is actually doing is placing a chemical--released by a gland in her cheek--on an object. The cat then smells or senses the chemical and recognizes the object as part of her territory.

The synthetic spray, when used in a new location, will make your cat feel more comfortable in strange surroundings. This may help your cat settle down, lower her anxiety level and increase the chances that she will feel more at ease to eat.

If these tricks don't work, there are at least three medications in pill form that your veterinarian can prescribe to help stimulate your cat's appetite. In rare circumstances, your cat may have to be forced-fed for a while or receive food intravenously until he is ready to eat on his own.

Cats, like humans, often don't want to eat when they don't feel well-even if it is because of grief or some kind of emotional trauma. But expert advice, good human company and some kind of medical intervention, if necessary, will usually get your cat eating happily again.

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This article originally appeared in a 2005 issue of CatWatch, a publication of the University of Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine. For more information on this publication, please contact the author.