My cat won't eat dry food, seems depressed, and has mouth pain.

It is pretty likely that he has a tooth ache, has severe gingivitis or other problems in his mouth that make eating hard dry food difficult, so he will not eat enough to satisfy his hunger. Keep giving him more wet food and schedule an appointment with your vet for a dental exam. Older kitties often have dental problems and eating with a tooth ache is horrible.

Given the symptoms described, gum inflammation ([gingivitis](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/gingivitis-and-stomatitis)) or other [dental disease](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/dental-disease-1/) may be the underlying cause(s). Both are very common in cats and may cause pain, especially when eating hard/dry food. Any[ treatment](https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-ways-to-treat-dental-disease-in-pets) will depend on the diagnosis but may include a [dental cleaning](https://www.petcoach.co/article/your-pets-dental-cleaning-what-to-expect), extractions, antibiotics, pain management and brushing her teeth at home. Consider a second opinion with a veterinary dentist if necessary. A dental cleaning and extractions (if necessary) will likely resolve the issue. To treat severe gingivitis, the last resort is total teeth extraction, which solves the problem for most cats. [Cats can eat without teeth](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-things-every-cat-owner-should-know-about-dental-care/) and the appetite may actually increase due to there being no more pain. If your cat eats wet food without any problem, I would probably advise to just keep her on wet food as a full mouth extraction is a major surgical procedure.

You may want to look at his teeth, especially his molars (cheek teeth). Mikkel may have a lot of tartar on his teeth and severe inflammation of his gums which then hurt when he eats dry food. If you see brown concrements on his teeth, then he should be seen by a veterinarian and get his teeth cleaned under anesthesia. There is no need to have a tooth ache, and the bacteria in tartar can actually cause heart and kidney problems.

This sounds very much like she may have a tooth problem or a mouth ulcer or an injury. Since she apparently is in pain when you try to touch her around the mouth, I suggest you take her to your veterinarian for a dental exam. She may need a tooth removed or be treated for an ulcer or have tartar removed.

Hello, thank you for your question about Whiskers. Based on the symptoms that you are describing and her change in eating habits it is possible that she could be experiencing pain in her mouth. Oral pain can be secondary to bad dental disease, jaw pain, or other conditions. In pets with mouth pain it becomes more difficult for them to chew on the dry kibbles and they often prefer the softer food. I would recommend having Whiskers seen by your veterinarian so that they can examine her and look for any abnormalities that could be contributing to this change. They can palpate her abdomen and look for evidence of constipation. Depending on their findings they can discuss the need for additional diagnostics or treatments. Hope this helps!

Hello, I am so sorry you cat is not eating well. It is difficult to determine the underlying cause without a physical exam. Common causes of not eating in cats include: dental disease, inflammation of the intestines, liver, or pancreas, kidney disease, parasites or cancer. Please make an appointment to have your Cat examined as soon as possible.

Poor Charlie! He could have a problem with his teeth or he might have an infection or parasite making him not want to eat. Since it has been going on for a couple days, he really should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. Your vet can run some lab-work, if needed, to help diagnose and then prescribe medications to treat. Hope he feels better soon!