My cat seems sad, sleeps a lot, won't play or groom. What's wrong?

It's very hard to know what is wrong based on these very general symptoms, I would expect a kitten this age to want to play all the time so you are right to be worried, my recommendation would be to have him checked by your vet ASAP

Sleeping more than normal for more than one day is not normal. Sometimes a cat may sleep more after a busy night out. However if this lasts through the weekend or if your cat stops eating or appears lethargic, you should take her to your vet on Monday for an exam and possibly a blood test.

I am worried that Cube might be sick. Kittens normally are quite playful, so a kitten who just eats and sleeps without periods of high energy play and curiosity is not normal. Please take him to the vet for an exam. The vet will probably recommend some blood tests, and may also recommend a stool sample. It could be that he was born with some sort of internal defect such as a heart malformation that makes him not able to have periods of sustained play. Please have him seen by a vet ASAP. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

For sure - this is definitely not normal behavior; as you have said before Cutie is normally playful and active. Unfortunately lethargy is a very general sign of many diseases, and it's unlikely that we will determine the cause of her signs or what to do about this here. I would definitely say that you should be worried, as this has been going on for a few days. Cutie needs to be seen by your vet for an examination and likely some testing, including blood work and possibly x-rays, depending on what other symptoms there are (fever, pain, for example) and the results of the physical exam.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds that your cat had a thorough investigation at your vets. Some cats are lethargic and less playful when they have fever (I guess that was checked by your vet) or painful condition, for example muscle pain, joint pain, spinal pain and more. If his activity is not back to normal in 2-3 days I would suggest trying a short course of anti-inflammatory medications.

Hello, that is a lot of sleeping! Sleeping all day is pretty normal for an older adult cat, but I would not consider it normal for a young cat like Leo - a 10 month old kitten should be active and playful. Since Leo is new to you and you're just getting to know each other, it's possible he's just a lazier kitty - but I would recommend having him checked out by a vet to make sure there isn't a health issue that needs to be addressed. If he were my patient, I would recommend running bloodwork, including a FELV/FIV test, to screen for any illnesses. If bloodwork was normal and he is eating & drinking well, then I'd reluctantly conclude he may just be a lazy cat....but, again, it's worth having him seen, if you aren't seeing the normal activity and playfulness that kittens usually have! Hope that helps!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Mittens. Abnormal behavior in a cat is often the first sign of problems. If this continues, you should have him evaluated immediately. Your vet can take a history, perform an examination, and then advise a diagnostic/treatment plan. Possible causes include pain, infection, inflammation, stress/anxiety, bite/scratch wounds if he was outside, among other things. Good luck and I hope Mittens bounces back to normal soon.