Cat not eating or drinking after surgery: When to call the vet?

If he was recently at the vet for vomiting, and now is not eating or drinking anything, he should be seen again as this would make me concerned about the possibility of a foreign body, or pancreatitis, which would require additional therapy. If your vet didn't do x-rays or bloodwork at the previous appointment it's time to make sure there's nothing more serious going on. However, since your vet just saw Iron I would start by giving them a call with an update, in case they have other input based on their exam findings. Hope this helps and he feels better soon!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Kent. I am sorry to hear that he is still not eating after his surgery. Is his pain well controlled? Being painful after surgery is a big reason why a cat will refuse food. Perhaps ask your veterinarian to prescribe an additional pain medication. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to cats. Also make sure his incision site is clean and there is no pain, redness, discharge or swelling that could possibly indicate an infection. I hope this information helps!

You should let your vet know that he is not eating. Your vet can prescribe pain medications and/or an appetite stimulant to help get him eating again. Offer him a variety of canned food and see if he will eat something.

I would give the vet a call before stopping the pain medication, and let them know that he has stopped eating or drinking. This isn't normal behavior a day after surgery, and the vet should know about this.

Hello. Given the seriousness of his kidney disease, & the subsequent surgery, I would call your veterinarian. Waiting is just not an option for cats because they can become so much sicker very quickly. I hope Ashton is feeling better soon. Thank you.

Oh my goodness! Poor guy! He does need nutrition. What was your vet's recommendation for feeding him? Its hard to assess the risk of infection without knowing what the area looks like more specifically. Definitely offer him water. Is he on antibiotics? If he is on antibiotics, offer him a liquid diet; you can soak cat food in water, mash it up with a fork and let him lap it up. Sometimes a temporary feeding tube is needed to help patient's recover from significant oral injury. Regarding the IV, My understanding from the information you gave is that he was on IV fluids during the surgery, but he went home after surgery. The IV fluids will help him maintain hydration for the time that he's getting them, but not much beyond that, so he does need to be offered water and if he's unable to drink it you need to take him to a vet and either discuss subcutaneous fluids (fluids you can give under the skin at home) https://icatcare.org/advice/cat-care/how-give-subcutaneous-fluids-your-cat or possibly a feeding tube, as subcutaneous fluids don't provide nutrition (calories, fat, carbohydrates), only hydration and electrolytes. IV fluids also do not provide nutrition. Thank you for asking PetCoach!

Hello. Not eating can have serious consequences in cats, so it is important that you do everything you can to encourage Rocky to eat. I would try some different things to spark his appetite, including a little cooked chicken or hamburger, tuna in water, any kind of kitty treats ( many seem to really like the Temptations brand ), & offer, in addition to fresh water, chicken broth, tuna water, even those packets of broth available for kitties, now. You can also offer him some jarred meat based baby foods, as long as they do not have any garlic or onion in them. If Rocky is still not himself by Tuesday, please take him back to your veterinarian for evaluation. He may need some fluids & an appetite stimulant to get him back on tract. I hope he is feeling better soon & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.