Cat hungry but not eating - NOT FINICKY

I want to discuss why a cat would not eat (or eats very little) though it goes to the bowl.   This means the cat has an appetite but for some reason does not chow down normally.    I am not talking about a cat that totally has NO appetite.  I am not talking about a cat being plainly finicky.

My last cat would run to the bowl when I opened her favorite bag of food, sniff, tale a couple of bites and stop.

Walk away.

Then I would open the bag, she perked up, went to bowl, sniff, a nibble or 2, and stop,

Walk away.

Open the bag, she gets excited,  goes to bowl, take a nibble,....stop

I realize the reasons could be myriad, but it is a problem that frustrates people time and again.   The vets seem to have no answer for it (the ones I saw).   So maybe if we compile a checklist - it will help someone solve it on their own.

• Teeth problem
• Mouth problem 
• Excess stomach acid
• Nausea
• Dehydration
• Upper respiratory issue - cat need for smelling its food
• ????

The most common reasons that I have noticed for what you describe are nausea and mouth/teeth problem. Unfortunately, even if someone could diagnose the problem on their own, the problem needs to be addressed by a vet in order to cure it. There are meds that can help alleviate nausea and mouth and teeth issues need to be resolved before they get worse.

While it's possible for the nausea to go away on its own, most likely there is an underlying cause. In addition, nausea and not eating can lead to fatty liver disease.