My cat won't eat for days and is eating kitty litter, what's wrong?

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.

Missy has to see a vet as soon as possible. When a cat doesn't eat for three days, they develop a fatty liver which is fatal without treatment. She needs to see a vet now to prevent that from happening. In a senior cat like Missy, her anorexia could be caused by kidney failure, cancer, diabetes, and liver failure among other causes. It's also serious that she hasn't used the litter box in two days. She needs a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis to diagnose what is causing her symptoms so she can be treated.

Poor Maverick sounds quite ill! It's actually very serious when a cat won't eat his food. When cats do not eat, they become prone to developing a fatty liver which is fatal without treatment. It becomes an emergency when they don't eat for longer than 24 hours because you want to avoid the cat developing a fatty liver. There could be numerous causes for him not eating including dental disease, systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. The best thing you can do for him is to get him into a vet immediately. The vet can diagnose what is causing him to not eat and act sick, and can treat him for it. Best of luck.

That's concerning! Refusing to eat is often a sign of illness, and without seeing Squid in person, I can't say for sure what is going on. I can also say it can be really serious when a kitten won't eat, as if they go long enough without eating (about 72 hours), they will develop a fatty liver which is fatal without treatment. I'd take him into the vet first thing to take for a health check. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is in fact a concerning sign in cats as inappetence can be observed with conditions such as pancreatitis, kidney disease (most likely chronic in nature), dietary indiscretion and diabetes, just to mention a few possibilities. Cats can develop serious illness when they stop eating. This is known as hepatic lipidosis which is directly related to anorexia. I recommend that if Nutmeg is not eating by tomorrow morning, to have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. General labwork and thoracic/abdominal imaging may be recommended for work-up. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

It sounds like poor Samba isn't feeling well, and he has to see a vet immediately. When a cat doesn't eat going on 72 hours, they develop a fatty liver which is fatal without treatment. This absolutely needs to be avoided, which is why he has to see a vet right away. Anorexia is a very general sign of illness, and it could be caused by many things such as dental problems, GI obstruction, systemic illness, kidney disease, heart disease, liver disease, infection, injury, or cancer for example. The vet can diagnose what is causing the anorexia and can treat him for it. Please take him into a vet now. I hope this helps, good luck!

It's now a medical emergency that Bunty hasn't eaten in 18 hours. If she goes much longer without eating, she will develop a fatty liver which is fatal without treatment. She is quite sick and cannot be treated at home. Please take her into a vet immediately. Best of luck.