Hungry but not hungry

Our cat is very sensible, eats only what he needs, and is in good shape. But recently he seems to have gone off his food, though he still craves food.

We give him Friskies Indoor Delights, and he would wolf it down. About 9pm, when he came in from outside, we would give him 3 or 4 cat treats, and he would go off and eat some food and have a drink of water.

In the last couple of days, though, he has been turning his nose up at his food (he might eat a few bits then walk away). He drinks his water like normal (ie not much). While he doesn't touch his food, he's right there when you open the bag and practically climbing inside, so he's obviously hungry.

We even bought some completely different food, which he ate a bit of then walked off, not interested.

We had a cat a couple of years ago who ended up being euthenised because he wouldn't eat (long story), and we worry that this fella is going the same way. Any suggestions why he isn't eating, why he seems so fussy, and how we can get him to eat something.

I'll also mention we are on a tight budget, so the sort of food that we ought to feed him is a little too expensive right now.

Could this kitty be dining on insects & small prey while outside or have found a foodie benefactor?

Please see a vet ASAP ... It could be anything from a neighbor feeding kitty to a tumor ... the vet can easily check condition and tell ... Cats can die from not eating as little as 24 to 48 hours

Let me second Sharky. Call your vet and discuss the cat's condition with her or him. There can be many reasons for a cat going off his/her food, and you need to rule out medical ones first.

Let us know what the vet said.

If a cat is hungry yet cannot/will not eat I would get a vet to check his mouth - there may be a dental problem or other cause of pain that makes eating difficult.

I'm finding he will eat a bit if I'm standing there. He's drinking more water now, which is good. I put a bit of beef for him, and he ate it all.

He is acting totally normally, every time I see him he's outside, swiping and eating insects. He's even started to catch mice, which he never did before. He's also cleaning himself, so I'm not sure if he's feeling unwell.

I'll see if I can get him to a vet some time this week, just for a check.

It does sound like it could be a dental issue. Because he acts hungry and then only takes a few bites, which is something he'd do if eating made his mouth hurt. And because he ate some (soft) beef, and won't eat his hard food. Be sure to mention the possibility to the vet....sometimes the vets don't take a really good look in a cat's mouth unless you ask them to. Hope he's fine!

This happened to one of my cats and it was a dental problem, she had to have a mini op to sort her teeth out. Goodluck

Curiouser and curiouser! After spending the afternoon laying on his back in the sunshine, he came into the kitchen for food. Ate two pieces then looked at me expectantly. I gave him a treat, he nearly had my hand off. I had a thought, and put 5 or 6 treats in the bottom of a food bowl. Not only did he eat them, but spent a while licking the bowl as well. I put about 4 treats in the bowl and put a small amount of food with it. He ate it all. It's really looking like he's just being a fussy eater. I did have a look in his mouth, he was happy to let me look, and there didn't seem to be any problems, no bad teeth or swelling, etc. What do you think?

I think you should still contact the vet. As previous posters have mentioned, it could be a dental problem, mouth ulcers, something disagreeing with his system and causing him to feel nauseous, or any other number of things.

You seem to be very much in tune with his overall condition, which is great! Yes, it is possible that he's just being a finicky eater. It's also possible that the current bag of dry food has gone stale or somehow isn't good enough for him. All that said, a mouth problem still has to be ruled out, as it could also very well be something in his mouth which you can't see. You should really call your vet and consult him or her about this.

It's good that your cat is eating stuff in the meantime, but if it is a medical issue with his mouth, it's best to treat it sooner rather than later.

One more thing - you mentioned you think he started to hunt mice. Please keep in mind that consuming prey puts him at risk for a variety of internal parasites and various diseases.