Cat not eating? Vet said just anxiety?

My 6 year old orange tabby is refusing to eat. I have tried everything from a variety of canned foods, cooked egg, tuna, even chicken baby food. She even refuses her favorite treats. We noticed the change on Monday of last week. We took her to the vet on Wednesday, and they said everything appeared fine, that she is just anxious. With no change come Friday, we went to the vet yet again and they gave us some canned food and a syringe to feed her with unail the anxiety passes. Now, with it being Sunday, she still refuses to eat anything on her own.

The vet feels the anxiety stems from a month of stressful situations. She went to a new vet last month for her yearly check up and vaccinations. Last Friday she had to go back for a booster. Sunday was rather loud and roudy in the home due to the Super Bowl. Later that night due to our home team winning the game, the night was filled with fireworks and honking horns. Then to top it off and add even more stress, we had to move into a new home on Thursday. I have tried to make her as comfortable as possible due to all the stressful situations by keeping her in her favorite sleeping spot with her favorite blanket with food and water nearby.

She is drinking water and does use the litter box a little, and other than the not eating and creeping around the new house a little more cautiously, she behaves rather normally. Not too much hiding, she walks and runs normally, and her eyes and gums look healthy.

I'm totally lost now. Do I take her to another clinic? Do we continue to force feed her and hope the anxiety passes? Please help me get my little girl back to normal!

Anxiety could be causing a lot of it, but the vet should've given you a bit more information and a plan of action.  Continue syringe feeding her and find a new vet.  At the least, ask for an appetite stimulant.   Also, you might try confining her to one room for a few days to let her get used to her new home, much like you'd do when bringing a new kitty home.  Also, try a Feliway diffuser (Comfort Zone with Feliway) or another calming agent such as Rescue Remedy. 

stephanietx said:

 
Anxiety could be causing a lot of it, but the vet should've given you a bit more information and a plan of action.  Continue syringe feeding her and find a new vet.  At the least, ask for an appetite stimulant.    Also, you might try confining her to one room for a few days to let her get used to her new home, much like you'd do when bringing a new kitty home.  Also, try a Feliway diffuser (Comfort Zone with Feliway) or another calming agent such as Rescue Remedy. 

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I couldn't agree more! If there's any chance of finding a nearby vet who specializes in cats, that might be helpful. I can't believe the difference between our former cat's vets (who saw all species and did not impress with their knowledge about cats, particularly diet) and our new cats' cat specialist, who is fantastic on cat nutrition, behavior, and health quirks.

Good luck, I hope your cat starts to eat on her own soon!

@wonderingchild, how's your kitty today?

stephanietx said:

@wonderingchild
, how's your kitty today?

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Thank you both for your replies. We took Bella to a different vet this afternoon who pretty much repeated the other vet, that it's most likely due to stress. They did prescribe me an appetite stimulant, and I also had them do some blood work to ease my worried mind. We are going to keep feeding her with the syringe until we see her eating on her own, and we should get the blood work results back tomorrow. Fingers crossed!!

Hoping she is ok, I know how worrying it is when they don't eat. 

I'm glad you took her to a different vet and that you got an appetite stimulant.  Hopefully that will do the trick and she'll start eating on her own.  Don't forget the calming agents, too.

Zed Xyzed said:

Hoping she is ok, I know how worrying it is when they don't eat. 

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Thank you! It is very stressful.

stephanietx said:

I'm glad you took her to a different vet and that you got an appetite stimulant.  Hopefully that will do the trick and she'll start eating on her own.  Don't forget the calming agents, too.

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Thanks! I did purchase a calming collar last week, in addition to a calming spray that I have been using in the room she spends most of her time in as well as a few other spots in the house.

Just an update, last night before bed I fed her, and she nibbled a little! This morning at breakfast, she ate half! And tonight for dinner, she was back to her old self enjoying most of her dinner! I didn't get a call about the blood work results, but it appears the appetite stimulant helped a ton! Looks like tonight I will finally be able to rest knowing she has started eating again.

Glad to hear it, I hope she continues eating!

My cat has similar issues. Never liked the syringe idea. However get her started with Rotisserie Chicken from the local grocery. 1/4 cup each meal gives her a kick start and she's eating again.