My cat stopped eating and just smells food. Is he okay? What to do?

Poor Garfield. At age 17 that is an awful lot going on and I'd be worried there is an underlying issue such as kidney or organ failure, disease, etc. Since he's so old and is having so many symptoms, it's best to bring him to your vet ASAP. They will likely want to run a few tests such as bloodwork or an X-ray to check his organ function, etc. If you can, bringing in urine or stool samples can also help with any testing and help streamline the process. Until you can get the vet, keeping him as comfortable as possible and keeping his eyes and nose clear with a clean washcloth can help. Some cats also do better eating if they can smell the food, so warming up his food or adding some boiled chicken that is smelly may encourage him to eat a little until you can be seen.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Garfield. Yes it is concerning that he's been vomiting, is constipated, and has lot weight. I see he's an older boy, and some of his symptoms can be caused by a serious medical condition like diabetes, hyperthyroidism, kidney failure, heart disease, or even cancer. I would take him into the vet in the morning. I recommend getting a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis to see what is going on. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on your description, I am quite concerned she may be dehydrated and may have some systemic disease or infection going on. I would have a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions / concerns and I would be happy to help further.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on your description, Frollo may be dehydrated and nauseous. I would recommend having him seen by a veterinarian to assess how dehydrated he is and so that the veterinarian can help determine what the problem is. Frollo may need anti-vomiting / nausea medications to prevent him from continuing to vomit. If he does not improve with veterinary care, then the next step would be abdominal x-rays or an ultrasound to make sure that there is no GI foreign body obstruction or other cause. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The signs you are describing are definitely cause for concern. These can be related to organ failure, infections. and certain cancers. I recommend having your cat seen by a vet as soon as possible to determine what is going on and begin treatment. I hope all is well!

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! Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Gimli 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!