Why won't my cat eat, is he constipated?

Question

I adopted an orphaned seven year old cat a few months ago when his elderly owner died. He was grossly overweight and has never eaten much. I put this down to grief initially as he was devoted to his owner, he is still not eating although he asks for food. His weight is down and he does not seem to be in any distress or discomfort, he may be eating at a neighbours house who has cats but he is losing too much weight now. Tried loads of different cat food and he wont eat any of them. He goes out in the garden and is a good mouser but I am worried.

Answer 1

Bring him to a vet to be evaluated. A cat that won't eat is telling you that something is wrong, especially if they are losing weight.  I took over care of my sister's elderly cat and ultimately, we had to eliminate all dry kibble from her diet and I cooked her food myself with additives from the vet.  Cats do not starve themselves on purpose, believe me.  I don't let my cats out unsupervised - I think that is a mistake as they can get into poisons and such at neighbor's homes.

Answer 2

go to the vet and ask him/her.

or, keep him inside for like 2 days and see if he will eat.

maybe your neighbors are feeding him.

Answer 3

they is probably an underlying problem maybe in his health

u need to take him to the vet right away and ask questions

Answer 4

If you suspect constipation; when a cat has no (or very infrequent) bowel movements, when it strains while attempting to defecate, and when it has a significantly decreased amount of stool, you should take it to the vet.

Here are some reasons/ideas why your cat might not be eating:

Acid Stomach

Anemia

Anorexia - This is a "Catch 22." You cat won't eat and become anorexic. Once a cat stops eating, they lose the desire to eat again. We have to help them remember to start eating again.

Antibiotics - Some cats get nauseated and lose their appetite while taking antibiotics. It is important to make sure eating continues so that your cat does not become anorexic.

Cancer

Diabetes - Controlling the blood sugar levels will often bring the appetite back.

Heart Disease - Example:Cardiomyopathy - When the heart cannot pump blood efficiently, oxygen is not delivered as it should be and weight loss occurs. A cat with heart disease may have fluid build up around the heart and lungs making the cat very uncomfortable and not feeling like eating. As the cat leans forward to eat, all the pressure from the excess fluid around the heart and lungs push forward, causes discomfort and may even make it hard to breathe. If your vet has not done a chest x-ray lately, ask for one as this will show any fluid build up, enlarged heart, etc.

Chronic Constipation

Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver Disease) - When a cat stops eating for even just a few day, Hepatic Lipidosis can occur. This is especially true if the cat was overweight. If caught early enough, this is usually a treatable disease... the cure mainly being getting enough calories in on a daily basis. There is an underlying reason why the cat stopped eating, so assist feed your cat to provide strength and give you time to run more tests.

Here are links that have good discussions abaout Hepatic Lipidosis:

http://www.healthypet.com/Library/illnes...

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?...

Dehydration

Diabetes

Hyperthyroidism - Generally a ravenous appetite is associated with hyperthyroidism, but there are some cases where the cat becomes anorexic.

Jaw - cracked, broken, tumor?

Kidney Disease (Chronic Renal Failure "CRF")- Cats with kidney disease often feel "yucky" because their kidneys cannot filter the toxins in the blood. They also often have a "sour" stomach, which turns them off of food.

Mouth/Throat - Are there any sores, injuries or foreign objects?

Sinus Infection - Sinus infections often cause the sense of smell to be lost. Even people who have lost the sense of smell do not want to eat.

Teeth - Bad tooth? Cavity or impacted tooth? Do they do dental x-rays?

Throat Problem - Ulcers, tumors or a sore throat. If a sore through, try a little Slippery Elm Bark (SEB) for it's soothing properties. SEB capsules can be bought at health food stores. You'll open the capsule into cold water, bring to a boil, cool and then syringe into the mouth. I'll look for the exact instructions.

Upper Respiratory Infection (URI)

Ulcers: Mouth, throat or stomach - What can be done? Try carafate for 4 to 6 weeks, even if symptoms have vanished to ensure healing is complete.

You should still take it to the vet for proper treatment.

Hope i helped

Good Luck with your cat.

Answer 5

u shouldn't try 2 fix this on your own, take him 2 the vet!  

Answer 6

take him to the vet