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My cat won't eat food or treats. When should I take her to the vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 7 years and 8 months old

My cat, normally very food-motivated, is refusing all food and treats. She did eat this morning and noon, she usually eats 3x/day. How soon be for I should take her to her vet?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Davis

Veterinarian

Published on September 26th, 2017

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.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Amber W

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on

    I'm sorry to hear that something is going on with Julie. She may just have something simple like mild stomach upset. However, if she is not back to eating normally by the morning I would have her examined by a veterinarian. When cats go for longer than 12-24 hours without eating they can end up with an issue called hepatic lipidosis. This is more likely to occur in overweight cats. So I would not wait longer than 12 hours if Julie is still not eating. Your veterinarian can run blood work to see if there are any underlying issues causing her inappetance. To encourage her to eat your could try to offer her some boiled chicken, hamburger, or steamed fish. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Julie is feeling better soon!

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