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Why is my cat suddenly lethargic, not eating, and staring off?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male

Hello, I’m worried about my cat. He’s about 15 months old, currently he is eating and drinking But only when encouraged, he has gone from a very energetic cat to laying down all day. No energy at all, no resistance when picked up or put down. And when he isn’t sleeping he is just staring off into whatever is in front of him. He does react to objects in front of him, follows them with his eyes and head but no energy to chase. He does stand up and move around but would rather lay down

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on March 18th, 2020

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

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