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My cat isn't eating, drinking, is warm & sluggish. Should I see a vet?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 3 years and 5 months old | 12 lbs

My cat hasn't eaten more than a 1/2 cup of food in about 4 days and he's not drinking much water. He doesn't like wet food, canned tuna or even freshly boiled chicken, so getting him to eat anything but treats is hard. He's warmer than normal to pick up, leading me to believe he has a bit of a fever, but he has no runny nose or discharge around his eyes. He's a little more sluggish than usual, but that could just be caused by the fever or lack of nutrition. Should I get him checked out?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Makenzie Kurth, DVM

Answered By Makenzie Kurth, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 1st, 2018

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If you’re saying 1/2 per day, that’s more than enough. If you’re saying 1/2 cup over four days (but also a lot of treats) I’m still not that concerned. Either way, if he’s acting differently than he normally does, it’s worth taking him in to get checked out.

Best of luck to you and Tyr!
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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