My cat won't eat, looks unwell, and her fur is changing. What's wrong?

I am sorry Sassy is not feeling well. I would recommend taking Sassy to a vet as soon as possible. it is possible that she has something like dental disease causing her pain while eating or unfortunately underlying disease. Depending on Sassys age I would be concerned about kidney function, liver function, infection, viruses and possibly cancer. A vet exam is going to help guide you in the direction to hopefully make sassy feel better.

Poor Missy! She could have a dental problem causing her symptoms, such as a tooth root abscess, broken tooth, or severe periodontal disease. There could also be a growth or foreign body in her mouth. Shaking the head frequently can also be a sign of an ear infection, while licking the mouth as well as not eating and drinking can be a sign of nausea . She is in pain from this, and she is showing this to by shaking her head frequently, licking her mouth, not eating, and not drinking. It's very concerning when a cat won't eat or drink, and I would take her into a vet today. The vet can diagnose what is causing her symptoms, and can treat her for it. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Poor Pippy! Yes, it certainly sounds like she's sick - shaking is often a sign of pain or discomfort in cats, and not eating or drinking is also a very non-specific sign of illness. Unfortunately, these are very vague symptoms that could be caused by almost anything, so it would be best to have Pippy examined by a vet as soon as you are able to. He/she can do a thorough exam to check for any areas where she might be painful, and can also do blood work and x-rays if needed to help determine the problem.

Hi Emily. Poor Miri. A loss of appetite is a very general sign of many illnesses, and it's actually extremely serious when a cat won't eat. If she goes long enough without eating (about 72 hours), she will develop a fatty liver which is fatal without treatment. You need to take her into a vet now.

Cats will often go off their food and be more lethargic when they are coming down with an illness. This is usually due to an upper respiratory infection (aka cat flu) or an infection of the stomach or intestines. While she may not be having nose/eye discharge, or diarrhea right now, you may see this in a day or two. Their are a couple of other diseases that I worry about with a fighting cat, because they can cause them to feel bad like this and be spread through biting. FIV and FeLV are two viral diseases that can depress the immune system and possibly lead to long-term infections. These can be easily tested for by a vet. If she is eating a little, then make sure there is plenty of water mixed in the food, because I worry most about dehydration. Sometimes warming up the food will entice them to eat it, so try that along with trying different, tasty foods. The best thing to do for Alba is to take her to the vet. She may be running a fever and could already be dehydrated. They also may see something else that indicates what her specific aliment is. It doesn't seem like an emergency right now, but it would be best to get her to the vet within a day or two. I hope that helps and Alba gets better soon.

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.

It sounds like Sissy may have two issues going on. It's likely she is drooling and has bad breath related to dental infection and dental disease. She will need to see a veterinarian for a dental cleaning and to have infected teeth removed if dental disease is indeed causing the problem. Her skin issues could be related to flea issues so it's best to be sure she is on a quality flea preventative like Revolution or Advantage. If a flea Issue is not present Sissy will need to see a veterinarian to rule out issues like allergies or mites causing hair loss. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!