Why is my cat not eating, can't open mouth, has bad breath & red gums?

Question

For two weeks my cat hasn't been eating and when I tried bottle feeding him I noticed that he can't open his mouth. When I got to open his mouth I realized he has really bad breath and his gums look inflamed. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

Bad breath and inflammed gums in an older cat can be caused by gingivitis or stomatitis. This is a severe inflammatory disease caused by a reaction of the body's immune system to plaque on their teeth. It is extremely painful. I would recommend that Snowball be checked out by a veterinarian for treatment before it gets worse. If Snowball is a young cat or kitten, then there may be another cause, like oral trauma from eating something or an infected tooth. All of these should also be evaluated by a vet as soon as possible before they have a chance to get worse.

Why is my cat not eating, can't open mouth, has bad breath & red gums?

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