Problem with male cat not eating

by Pat
(Carmel,Indiana)

I have a problem with my 4 1/2 year old male cat not eating, need help. My cat would never eat any kind of canned food, but now he won't even eat his dry food. I don't think there is anything wrong with him because he does eat treats anytime.


Sometimes he will eat some dry cat food but looks like he is losing weight and I am worried about him. I have tried just about every kind of food imaginable and I don't know what to do. Do you have any suggestions?

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Jan 22, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		I'm concerned about his weight loss
by: Kurt (Admin)

I'm concerned about his weight loss, Pat. Sick animals will go off food as an instinctive response, even if they show no other signs of illness. Obvious other signs like lethargy, hiding or sleeping for extended periods, irritability, hissing for no apparent reason are easy to spot, but not always there. Cats are good at hiding pain and discomfort, so it can be hard to tell sometimes.

You know your cat best, but if my cat changes behavior for more than a day, such as eating habits, I head for the vet.

If he's not eating right and losing weight, I'd have him checked out. Illness, injury, foreign items swallowed, or even a hairball stuck in the gut... could be anything.

To coax him to eat:

Does he like canned tuna in water? Even cats who normally eat dry food often like tuna. I've never seen a healthy cat who likes tuna miss an opportunity to lap up some tuna juice. Bacon grease is another favorite, and some cats really like chicken.

You can drip the juices on the food (or mix in some chopped up moist chicken) and see if that gets him to eat. It depends upon the cat, though, so you have to try different things.

Anyone else agree? Disagree? I'd love to hear more opinions.

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