Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi

Our 5yo female cat is lethargic and has not been eating her normal amount of food; this state of affairs has been going on for about a week now. She's an outside cat and lives in an area with a sizeable feral population. She approaches us as if she wants to eat in the same way that she normally does, but when the food is placed in front of her, she takes only a few mouthfuls (we've noticed she mostly tends to go for either the gravy or jelly content, although she did eat a few biscuits last night). We can tell that she wants to eat, but something (an infection from a feral cat, discomfort caused by swallowing?) is preventing her from doing so.

In addition, her fur is starting to look a little disheveled, and she's taken to lying down in the front garden, rather than returning to her secret hiding place as she normally does.

Does anyone have any idea as to what may be causing this, and are there any remedies, OTC or otherwise, which would alleviate this condition? Could anyone recommend any short-term solutions (cat milk, for example) which would ensure our cat is receiving her necessary nutrition? Ultimately, of course, we will need to take her to the vet but unfortunately that's easier said than done (and another story).

Very many thanks in anticipation.

I'd look at working on getting her to the vets

It sounds like she has a problem with her mouth that makes it painful to eat. It could be a bad tooth, or a bad infection around the gums, either way it needs proper treatment either antibiotics or a proper dental.

Normally if a cat has a bad tooth it acts like it wants to eat, takes a few bites and either just gives up, or reacts as if the food has attacked it (it did cause it pain so an understandable reaction).

Pain in the mouth could also mean it hurts to groom which is why the coat is getting worse, or it could just be it is feeling very down, hungry and in pain and can't be bothered to look after itself.

Unfortunately it looks like a trip to the vets is by far the best option and the sooner the better as anyone who has had toothache would tell you.

Best let the vet check, it does sound it could be a tooth/mouth problem and you will know toothache is awful so she must feel pretty bad. The other thing is teeth can infect the whole system so if there’s infection it can make her feel sick too. Best of luck, hopefully it will soon be sorted.

I don't want to be rude but I can't help being blunt - if your cat has been like this for a week why are you asking us instead of taking your cat to the vet? If your cat isn't eating and it's lethargic, that's a sorry state of affairs and it needs medical treatment. Please, please take her to the vet.