My cat is lethargic and won't play. Should I take him to the vet?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Mittens. Abnormal behavior in a cat is often the first sign of problems. If this continues, you should have him evaluated immediately. Your vet can take a history, perform an examination, and then advise a diagnostic/treatment plan. Possible causes include pain, infection, inflammation, stress/anxiety, bite/scratch wounds if he was outside, among other things. Good luck and I hope Mittens bounces back to normal soon.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds that your cat had a thorough investigation at your vets. Some cats are lethargic and less playful when they have fever (I guess that was checked by your vet) or painful condition, for example muscle pain, joint pain, spinal pain and more. If his activity is not back to normal in 2-3 days I would suggest trying a short course of anti-inflammatory medications.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Jax hasn't been feeling well. Does he go outside? If he does, even if you can't find one right now I would be concerned that he suffered a bite of some kind, as cats can develop abscesses fairly easily when they suffer a trauma. I would be concerned by his behavior, as it does sound like there may be an underlying issue going on, such as an infection, GI upset, or an underlying medical issue (such as kidney disease or diabetes). If he doesn't perk up, start eating and getting some energy back, I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his change in behavior, have any necessary testing done (xrays, bloodwork) and start any treatment he may need to resolve it. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If he had a fight with another cat he could have suffered an injury that does not appear apparent at this time. However, it would be best to have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to examine him to see if he appears to be painful for example which could be a reason to become lethargic and less interactive. He could also be somewhat traumatized by that encounter which he could potentially eventually get over. However, I still think that he should be evaluated. Good luck and have a good night! Hopefully this is nothing to be concerned about.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Keanu. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian today as he sounds very sick. Depending on his exam findings, he will likely need bloodwork and fecal testing to determine the cause of his symptoms. Infectious diseases are common in young kittens. Based on these results treatment can be started to help him feel better. I hope this information helps!

Cats are SOOO good at hiding pain. I rarely find a cat will be obvious about the source of pain. The fact that she is moving slowly and carefully tells me that she does hurt, but she is hiding it. I recommend taking Shy to a veterinarian for a thorough exam. They might be able to localize the pain to a limb which is making her not want to move, or to her abdomen which causes her to lie down more. Young cats are very susceptible to foreign objects- weird things that they have eaten and get stuck in their intestines. Young cats are also susceptible to trauma especially if they are allowed outdoor. The vet will localize where the problem is and recommend blood work or x-rays for diagnostics. They will form a treatment plan to get Shy feeling back to her normal vocal self! Thanks for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

For sure - this is definitely not normal behavior; as you have said before Cutie is normally playful and active. Unfortunately lethargy is a very general sign of many diseases, and it's unlikely that we will determine the cause of her signs or what to do about this here. I would definitely say that you should be worried, as this has been going on for a few days. Cutie needs to be seen by your vet for an examination and likely some testing, including blood work and possibly x-rays, depending on what other symptoms there are (fever, pain, for example) and the results of the physical exam.