My cat ate a rat, now he's lethargic and not eating. Is he okay?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, he should see a veterinarian. He may not be eating due to dietary indiscretion from eating the bird or mouse or it could even be due to a gastrointestinal obstruction. I am afraid that if he is not drinking water he may be becoming dehydrated. They would be able to check for these possibilities and most importantly start him on medications to make him feel better. Good luck and have a great day!

I would be concerned that Willow ingested a rat that had ingested some poison previously. Some poisons may cause more problems than others when ingested secondarily. The other possibility is that Willow feels sick from eating the rat itself. If her digestive tract is not used to ingesting fur and bones she may be feeling sick from that. It would really be best to have Willow checked out as soon as possible by a veterinarian. They can assess blood work to make sure she is not anemic (as some rat poison can cause this) and also make sure she is not showing other signs of toxicity. They can also give her things like IV fluids or other supportive care if necessary. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Willow is feeling better quickly!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal or respiratory diseases (infection/inflammations) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. A check up is needed if the signs last for more than 24hours. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

I would recommend keeping a very close eye on your cat for the next 12 to 24 hours. When cats are free to roam outside they are more prone to getting in fights and ingesting something toxic. If she does not eat this evening or tomorrow morning and she is still acting lethargic and I would recommend taking her in to your vet to be checked out.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Acting slow or 'off' is a sign of an animal not feeling well in general. This can happen due to many different causes including fevers, pain, stress, dehydration, and many other causes. If he is just a little bit off and still eating, you can try waiting a day or two, because if this is just a small virus it will pass. If he stops eating, is vomiting, seems sore, or isn't improving, or becoming more dull, then I would get him to a vet right away. Also, if there is ANY possibility he got into any rat-bait I would get him seen immediately. Best of luck with Half And Half, I hope he feels better soon!

If Rorschach is still feeling bad in the morning I would get him checked by his vet. Depending on the size of the bird and if he swallowed or whole he may have an obstruction of his GI tract or possiblility of bones causing a perforation. if he strains to defecate, begins vomiting definitely get him seen.

It sounds like he is getting sick. Without additional clinical signs it is hard to say exactly what is causing his lethargy and decreased appetite but he could be starting with a respiratory virus or a gastrointestinal virus. He could also have parasites that need to be treated. If it continues than he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. Your vet can run lab work to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. If he is unvaccinated, please discuss a vaccine plan with your vet once he has recovered from this illness.