Neighborhood cat not eating for 3 days, only drinking. What to do?

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!

That is concerning that Kovu has suddenly stopped eating as much and has not eaten for the past three days. That makes it a medical emergency. When a cat doesn't eat for three days, they will develop a fatty liver which is fatal without treatment. Since you cannot reach your vet, you need to take him into an ER vet clinic now or find another vet in town to see you. Best of luck.

Take Piper back into a vet immediately. It's extremely serious when a cat won't eat, and if they don't eat going on 72 hours, they will develop a fatty liver which is fatal without treatment. Please take her into a vet now. Best of luck.

It’s a medical emergency when a cat won’t eat, and if they go longer than 72 hours without eating, they will develop a fatty liver. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment. Koko cannot wait until Monday to be seen, i strongly urge you to take him into an ER vet now.

Your cat really needs to be seen by a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment. She is likely dehydrated from not eating or drinking well and will require subcutaneous or intravenous fluids. Because she hasn't been eating, she is also at risk of developing a condition called hepatic lipodosis. This disease is the most common cause of metabolic liver failure. At home encourage your cat to eat by offering highly palatable food, such as fish-flavored canned cat food or Stage 1 strained chicken or turkey baby food (no onions or garlic). If necessary, gently open her mouth and place a small amount of moist food on her tongue. Watch to see if she swallows it. If she does, place a couple more dollops of food on her tongue, then encourage her to eat a bit on her own.

Aw poor Simba! I'm sorry to hear he's sick! It would be a good idea to have him checked out by a veterinarian to ensure he does not have an intestinal obstruction, infection, or other cause of vomiting and decreased appetite. He may need injections to stop his vomitng and fluids to rehydrate him. I'm concerned that 4 days of not eating can cause serious illness in a cat so the sooner he sees a veterinarian the better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Simba is feeling better soon!

Poor Gizmo Hill! If she has not eaten in three days, this is a very serious problem - cats can develop a life-threatening illness called hepatic lipidosis from not eating for multiple days in a row, so it's very important to find out what is causing her to not eat and get her started on appropriate treatment right away. I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to - she may need blood work and x-rays to help diagnose the problem so that she can be treated before things get worse.