Not eating- When to be concerned?

Hi,

Just wondering when I need to start worrying?

She had diarrhea yesterday morning and must have had some soft stool during the day because I came home to a poopy butt. She didn't really eat her dinner but did eat the handful of treats I gave her after her bath. This was last night.

Just now I did get her to eat a scoopful of wet food and she doesn't seem to be acting out of sorts. Drinking water, using the litter box ok.

I called the vet to ask for advice and they said that if she hasn't eaten anything (I forgot to mention that she did eat some treats) that it could be serious, my only problem is that all the vets in the area close or don't have open appointments after I get off work. (On lunch break right now)

Just wondering if I am ok to wait and see how she does tonight or if I should really consider taking her to an emergency vet after I get off work? Finances are really tight so I would rather not take her unless I'm fairly certain there is something wrong.

Thanks so much for any insight anyone can provide. I am hoping that I am just being a nervous mom and that since she's eaten a little she's ok?

You could try offering her a buffet of food and treats in an attempt to jump-start her appetite again. I would get some plain chicken or beef baby food (make sure there isn't any onion powder in it) and see if she'll eat that. Cheese, water-packed sardines, low-sodium salmon or tuna, broiled chicken breast, deli-meat, plain unsweetened yogurt.....whatever it takes to peak her interest. Here is a great website with tips on enticing a cat to eat again:  http://assistfeed.com/Enticing.htm
 

Forgot to add that my own personal comfort zone for a cat not eating is no more than 48hrs. I think if you can get her eating sufficiently within that time, a vet visit isn't so much of an emergency. If she goes 48 hrs without much of an appetite, she really needs to see a vet to get to the bottom of it. Other opinions on this may vary but that's just based on my own experience.

Thanks. I will definitely try this. So far she is eating just a little bit at a time. A little less energy than normal, but seems to be reasonable for the amount she is eating. 

I've gotten her to eat a bit more of her canned food and she had a few bites of her dry.