Cat Anorexia: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Cat anorexia refers to the lack of interest for food and loss of appetite. There are two types of cat anorexia: true anorexia and pseudo-anorexia. True anorexia refers to a cat that does not want to eat at all, whereas pseudo-anorexia occurs when a cat wants to eat but it cannot due to complications.

These complications may include inflammation, tumors, disease, and pain. A cat with pseudo-anorexia will have difficulty chewing or grabbing food.

What Causes Cat Anorexia?​

The first step into determining the causes of cat anorexia is to define what type it is. The veterinarian will run a series of tests to determine which is the one she is suffering.

The most common causes of true anorexia are:

• Nausea
• Stomach or intestinal ulcer
• Cancer
• Immune disease
• Hot temperature
• Stress
• Environment change
• Pain
• Systemic disease
• Poison ingestion

Some cause of pseudo-anorexia include:

• Periodontal disease
• Gingivitis
• Stomatitis
• Disease of the Salivary Glands
• Cancer
• Temporomandibular joint pain
• Esophagitis
• Eye abscess

Symptoms of Anorexia in Cats​

The symptoms caused by anorexia can be associated with the condition or to the underlying cause. Some of these symptoms are:

• Weight loss
• Icterus (Yellowing of the skin.)
• Weakness
• Lethargy
• Depression
• Partial or complete loss of appetite
• Unresponsiveness
• Excessive salivation
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Treatment of Anorexia in Cats​

The first line of attack against cat anorexia goes against its underlying cause. To reverse dehydration, decrease nausea, and improve nutrition, the veterinarian might provide some supportive therapy.

The initial treatment will conclude with an intravenous. If the cat has spent two or three days with no food, a feeding tube might be placed.

The veterinarian might choose to prescribe you feline some medication to reduce inflammation (steroids), to stimulate appetite, and to reduce nausea.