Why is my cat lethargic and not using litter box after moving indoors?

It is not uncommon when pets have not been eating or drinking well to have more extended time between visits to the box. It your kitty was a bit dehydrated from being sick this will also mean less urine in the box too. As it seems that your kitty is feeling better with the care your vet provided i would give it a little time. If he or she is eating then things should normalize. If he or she starts to feel sick again then dehydration may make things worse, and a recheck with your vet is then advised. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I'm sorry to hear that Lily has been feeling so poorly today. As Dr. Melanie mentioned, lethargy and a loss of appetite can be due to many underlying health conditions. Since she seems to prefer laying down, it's also possible that she's experiencing some degree of pain or discomfort. Some of these possible conditions include pancreatitis, infectious diseases (FIV, feline leukemia, FIP, etc.), constipation, kidney disease, liver disease, toxin exposure (did she eat a plant, medication or something else she shouldn't have?), or many other conditions. The fact that she hasn't been using the litter box normally might be a sign that she is dehydrated, even though she's drinking water when it's placed in front of her. At this point, it would be best to take Lily to her vet fairly urgently for evaluation. Your vet will need to examine her and will likely recommend some diagnostic testing, which may include blood work, an ultrasound or x-rays, to get to the bottom of this issue. I hope that she feels better soon!

Congrats on your new cat! You are correct that Oliver should stay inside for a while since he has moved to a new home, good on you for doing that! It is a little concerning that it's been 36 hours with no eating or going to the litter box, but moving into a new home is stressful. Because cats can develop a fatty liver when they haven't eaten for three days or more, which is fatal without treatment, I'm going to give you some things to try to tempt him to eat. You can soak his food in gently warmed low sodium beef or chicken broth, or soak it in tuna juice. You can also try offering him small amounts of boiled white meat chicken (no bones). If you can get him to eat, then he will use the litter box. Should he still not be eating in the morning, then I would take him into the vet for a health check just to be safe. Hopefully, however he will eat some of the tasty morsels I've suggested you give him :-)

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is somewhat expected to some extent though it is important to make sure she is drinking water so she does not get dehydrated. I would encourage her to drink and you may get more than 1 litter box to encourage her to use it. If she does not improve within 2-3 days, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment in case there is something else going on. Best of luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. Defecating outside of the litter box is usually a medical issue and can be linked to everything else going on. I recommend that you have Merlin evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Eddie. Yes, you are correct this can be a sign of illness. As long as he is eating and drinking, and using the litter box, I would monitor him for now. If he stops eating, stays very lethargic over the next 24 hours, stops drinking water, stops using the litter box, or develops other symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, I would take him into a vet right away. Best of luck.