Why won't my cat eat but still drinks water and uses the litter box?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I am sorry to hear that Kitty is not feeling very well. With the description and blood results, I worry about a condition known as hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) or triaditis (inflammation of the pancreas, liver and small intestines). For fatty liver disease, a feeding tube is generally recommended to help bring cats out of this condition as nutritional support is key and extremely important in these cases. I would recommend an abdominal ultrasound as the next diagnostic step to help better determine what the cause could be. If Kitty is still not wanting to eat, you need to consider hospitalization and feeding tube placement to help her get through this. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Kong. When a cat doesn't eat, it's extremely serious. That's because if the cat goes long enough without eating (about 72 hours), they will develop a fatty liver. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment. The fact that he won't eat or use the litter box tells me he is quite sick or injured. I would consider his symptoms a medical emergency that cannot be treat at home. Please take him into a vet immediately. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have him 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!

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!

There could be several reasons why your [cat will not eat](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-isnt-my-cat-eating). Take a look inside your cat's mouth and under its tongue if you can do it safely. If you see any redness, inflammation or bleeding of the gums or around teeth, there may be [periodontal disease](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/dental-disease-1/) present. Confirm there are no foreign objects (or string) in the mouth or under the tongue. If you see anything that does not appear "normal", schedule an exam with your veterinarian. Other potential causes include [kidney disease](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-things-you-should-know-about-kidney-disease-in-cats), [pancreatitis](https://www.petcoach.co/article/pancreatitis) or gastrointestinal issues. These may require blood work and x-rays to diagnose. If the mouth is clear, try warming the food slightly or adding some liquid from a can of tuna to stimulate appetite. If your cat does not eat for 3+ days, see your vet immediately to avoid complications involving [liver function](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/hepatic-lipidosis/).

I doubt very much that the litter change had anything to do with the signs you are currently seeing in Misu. Lack of appetite and not drinking water are both serious problems that could be caused by pain, nausea, internal organ problems (like kidneys or liver), or intestinal issues. Unfortunately these are very vague signs and he will need some tests, like bloodwork, urinalysis, and possibly x-rays to determine what is going on, and how to treat it. I urge you to call again and make an urgent appointment, or take him on to see an emergency veterinarian tonight.

I am sorry to hear about Annabelle. If she is not eating and now not drinking these are definitely signs of concern that require evaluation by a veterinarian. In particular, if she is an overweight cat (it says on your information that she is 14 pounds) then she is at risk of developing a dangerous liver condition called hepatic lipidosis if she isn't eating. There are many possible underlying causes for her symptoms, including primary GI disease (such as inflammatory bowel disease, gastritis, stomach ulcer, gi tumors, gi infection, pancreatitis, cholangiohepatitis) or disease of the liver or kidney (either of these can cause increased thirst). The vet will want to do an examination and will likely recommend bloodwork and an x-ray to try to determine the cause of her symptoms. She may need to be prescribed an appetite stimulant, and may need fluid therapy if she is dehydrated.