My cat won't eat her food, but she eats treats. Why is this happening?

Try warming the food slightly or mixing in a teaspoon if plain baby food. If he doesn't begin eating in the next 24 hours, have him physically examined by your veterinarian. A cat that does not eat for 2+ days is a serious risk of developing liver disease which may complicate any underlying condition.

She may have a tooth ache or ulcers or other painful conditions in her mouth. Get some Fancy Feast canned food for her and feed her that until you can take her to a veterinarian (preferably today) for an exam. She is obviously hungry, so there is a chance that eating hurts her or the food is spoiled (sometimes that is not obvious) or the formulation changed significantly.

It’s difficult to tell, but I don’t find it’s particularly common for a cat to suddenly change preferences as an adult and become picky. If your vet is concerned about periodontal disease it might be best to go ahead and schedule a full oral and dental exam under anesthesia if it was recommended- there are many oral and dental problems that just can’t be seen on an unsedated oral exam.

Appetite changes and weight loss in older cats are usually due to an underlying medical problem, rather than just "getting old." Some common possibilities would include chronic kidney or liver disease, diabetes, or dental problems. Many of these issues are very treatable once a diagnosis is made, so I would recommend taking Poppy to the vet for an exam when you are able to. He/she can do blood work to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment.

Since Julie ate twice today you can wait until tomorrow to see if her eating is back to normal. In the meantime make sure she's drinking, take note of her urination and poop in case there are changes so you can relate that information to your veterinarian if you need to take her in. I would pet her all over to see if she is painful, watch her walking to check for lameness and please check her gums to see if they are pink and moist. Some animals if they don't exercise sometimes eat less on lazy days. You are very observant through so if she's not her normal self tomorrow it's fine to bring her in for an exam. They will check her temperature and give her a thorough physical. If there are any problems they may recommend a blood panel, urinalysis and fecal test if they have not been done recently. Cats often hide when they are sick so catching a medical problem before it becomes serious is always a good idea. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Julie.

Cats may not eat due to many conditions including bacterial over growth, parasites, viral infection, bad teeth, severe gingivitis or other even organ diseases. If the not eating has continued beyond 24 hours, I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian. Since there are so many conditions, the doctor will preform a physical exam to start figuring out the cause. Make sure to bring in a sample of fresh stool. The doctor will check her for parasites and bacterial over growth. Many times a bland diet (you can try boiled white meat chicken and plain boiled white rice) can help and then a slow, gradual introduction to the normal food can be done. A good diet in general is Royal Canin. It is low residue and highly digestible. I hope your kitty starts feeling better quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions!

There could be several reasons why your [cat will not eat](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-isnt-my-cat-eating). Take a look inside your cat's mouth and under its tongue if you can do it safely. If you see any redness, inflammation or bleeding of the gums or around teeth, there may be [periodontal disease](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/dental-disease-1/) present. Confirm there are no foreign objects (or string) in the mouth or under the tongue. If you see anything that does not appear "normal", schedule an exam with your veterinarian. Other potential causes include [kidney disease](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-things-you-should-know-about-kidney-disease-in-cats), [pancreatitis](https://www.petcoach.co/article/pancreatitis) or gastrointestinal issues. These may require blood work and x-rays to diagnose. If the mouth is clear, try warming the food slightly or adding some liquid from a can of tuna to stimulate appetite. If your cat does not eat for 3+ days, see your vet immediately to avoid complications involving [liver function](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/hepatic-lipidosis/).