Cats gave garnered a reputation of being choosy, more so when it comes to their food. As a result, some pet owners do not bat an eye when their feline overlooks their food bowl during meals. But a balanced diet is crucial for the health of your cat. So it is your responsibility to ensure that despite these finicky behaviours, your cat is still ingesting food from time to time so that they can receive the nutrition they need. 

Hence, when your cat stops eating altogether, you should be concerned about a potential issue that would warrant the expertise of a veterinarian. To protect your pet from nutritional deficiencies, this piece touches on a few of the possible reasons why your feline friend has lost their appetite.

An upset stomach

There is a vast array of problems that could affect your cat's digestive system. Some of the more common issues that cats can develop include parasitic infections, acid reflux, allergic reactions, undetected tumours and more. In usual cases, the loss of appetite will be accompanied by symptoms such as vomiting and a running stomach, both of which should have you rush your pet to the vet, as these symptoms put them at risk of severe dehydration since they are not ingesting anything.

To determine what is causing the stomach upset, the veterinarian will carry out diagnostic tests such as X-rays and imaging so that they can get a clear view of this internal organ. Moreover, they may prescribe tests on blood and faecal samples too. It is best to take your cat for occasional veterinary check-ups to protect it from persistent stomach problems.

Oral issues

The second most common reason why cats, and other pets, may stop eating is due to undiagnosed oral issues that make chewing painful. Certainly, it is difficult to handle your pet's dental hygiene on your own, as some animals are simply uncooperative when it comes to teeth cleaning. When their oral hygiene is neglected for the long term, your feline friend will become susceptible to uses such as feline tooth resorption, oral abscesses, dislodged teeth and so on, all of which can inflict a tremendous amount of pain whenever your cat tries to eat.

It is also worth noting that if your cat is on a dry food diet, they are more vulnerable to dental problems since this type of food is usually high in carbs and glucose, which increase the likelihood of oral problems when your pet has poor dental hygiene. Seeing a vet is important so that they can diagnose the oral issue affecting your pet and restore their health. To avoid a recurrence of this issue, you should seek professional teeth cleaning at the vet's office.

Contact a clinic like Findon Vet Surgery to learn more.