My 17 yr old cat has barely eaten anything in the last week. She is drinking water and using the litter box as normal. What can I do, please?
My 17 yr old cat has barely eaten anything in the last week. She is drinking water and using the litter box as normal. What can I do, please?
Hi there, this is Dr Linda, a small animal vet with 10 years of clinical experience.
I'm sorry to hear this and understand you must be very concerned for your senior kitty.
A reluctance to eat can have a wide range of causes at this age including:
It is important she sees a vet in person so she can be examined and the vet may need to run some tests such as a blood test and abdominal scan, to make a diagnosis.
Her treatment will depend on what we find and may include e.g. pain relief, anti nausea medicine, fliuds and/or antibiotics.
At home, offer her some warm and tempting food like mashed chicken, white fish, rice, egg etc. as it is important she continue to eat and does not develop dehydration or low blood sugar.
Hopefully she perks up soon.
