Have you seen your cat go long periods without eating anything? Are you worried that it may be a victim of liver damage because of its appetite? These are all valid concerns you can have as a cat owner, and they are also very common. However, if you are cautious about its health at an earlier stage, your cat will not face liver damage. But how long? How long can a cat go without food before liver damage?
This article provides every detail you will need to get your furry friend back to good health as soon as possible. Let’s get started.
How long can a cat go without food before liver damage
When your cats abruptly stop eating, our thoughts start to think of the worst-case scenario.
The time period of your cat’s survival depends on a lot of things. Some cats may have a lesser appetite, so they can last longer without food.
But, every cat is different and its lifestyle varies, so it’s tough to tell the exact time range. On average though, an adult cat can survive 2 to 3 days without a proper meal.
This is, keeping in mind that it does not drink water during this time. If it does have regular sips of water throughout the day though, it can survive up to 10 days.
We know how important water is in your cat’s diet. With no water, it is very likely that your cat faces liver and other organ problems. And if your cat’s liver has failed please go through cat liver failure when to euthanize.
But what could be the reasons why your cat is not ready to eat food?
Reasons why your cat is not eating food
Cats can stop eating food out of the blue, and you will not even know what changed. But usually, it is one of these reasons that we have mentioned below.
It is important that you observe your cat closely before deciding what to do for the next step.
Let’s look at the different reasons your cat could have a loss in appetite leading to liver damage.
The stress of moving places
Moving homes may be stressful for you, but it can also be stressful for your feline friend.
This anxiety may show in their appetite. A change of place/food bowl/cat food can trigger this response in your cat.
It is a time-taking process for your cat to get used to its new environment, so it requires you to be patient.
However, in some cases, your cat may get sick and weak since it has not eaten. If this has been happening for the past few days, then you should take it to the vet.
The longer it goes without having a proper diet, the more the chance of it getting liver damage.
Dental Issues
One of the reasons your cat may avoid eating at all is that it has pain in its tooth. If toothaches are painful for us, they are going to be painful for the cat as well.
Changing Food Type
Once your feline friend is satisfied with one food type it may not be very suitable to transfer over to another type of food as cats are very particular about what they consume. Unbelievably, cats notice the texture and shape of their food. Some cats exclusively consume dry, crunchy food, while others only consume wet food. Your cat may stop eating if you’ve lately changed the texture or form of the food you provide them.
The awareness of feeding your cat spoiled or expired food should be taken under consideration as this can lead to food poisoning.
Gut issues
As a cat owner, you have probably witnessed your cat eating stuff he should not be eating. It may be as easy for some cats to digest this kind of stuff as it is to pass a hairball. Others find it to be a strange substance that they are unable to process.
These things, including hairballs, can lodge themselves in your cat’s intestines. This creates a hindrance in the intestine. Your cat will stop eating and perhaps vomit if there is a blockage in the intestines.
What can you do to fix this problem?
Minimise the stress of new places
Some cats are usually more accustomed to their home environment, however, some cats do not prefer to eat as the change in the atmosphere makes them lose their appetite.
If the temperature of the place you live in goes to zero degrees or below zero degrees then you may invest in a “thermal bowl” that makes cats feel like they are back at home.
The best possible way to make your feline friend feel at home is to warn the cat before moving so that it can ease into its new environment.
You can do that by making the cat aware of the moving situation as a lot of the stuff will slowly start to go away. This gives the cat a rough idea of what is about to happen.
On the day of the move your cat will mostly spend its time in the cat carrier, so making the cat comfortable and relaxed is an important factor.
It is advised to put your cat’s favourite toy in the carrier, and when you reach your apartment, open the carrier’s door and let the cat explore the new place at its own pace.
These steps can make your cat easily feel at home and may not even be frightened to see such a new environment.
Toothache treatment
Toothaches can be very painful. Luckily though, they can be avoided easily.
There are kinds of toothpaste specifically made for cats that protect the cats’ teeth from parasites and clean the teeth thoroughly.
There is not much you can do for the dental hygiene of your cat, but there are some things that your vet can recommend, as it is always best to turn to the professionals
Change in diet
Cats are very particular about what they eat. Once they are set to one feed, they tend to deny any other kind of feed which is put in front of them.
If the feed of the cat has been changed, there is a high chance that the cat might have stopped eating.
One thing that you can do is to change the flavour of the cat food. This may work most of the time but not all the time as some cats do not like the flavour of some cat foods.
Digestive problems
Sometimes cats can stop eating due to something stuck in their digestive tract.
If your cat can’t get through any hindrance in the intestine, it may be exceedingly risky and require surgery.
Keep a watch on his litter box and his behaviour in general, and call your veterinarian right away if you think there may be any hindrance present.
And if your cat is looking for food but not eating eat may be it would help Cat asking for Food but not Eating.
Conclusion
So in conclusion, how long can your cat go without liver damage?
No cat is the same and the time it can survive without food varies. In general, a cat can survive up to 3 days without any intake which can lead to liver damage.
There may be many reasons that contribute to your cat not eating food.
For example, your cat may be frightened of your new place or dealing with a lot of stress. Or They are not used to such things, as cats are often very territorial creatures, they mark their territory and defend that place.
Some other reasons that may contribute to your cat not eating anything can be the hindrance of hairballs stuck in the intestine, as hairballs tend to be stuck in the intestines sometimes, this can cause your cat to lose its urge to eat.
Other issues can be dental issues or change in the cats’ diet. These problems can heavily contribute to the loss of appetite of a cat
Cats are tremendous creatures, and as often as we may see things as problems in our furry friends, they may be just natural things for the cat so that its health is improved.
Therefore, if your feline friend is still not in good health it is advised to show your cat to a vet so that the following health issues do not prolong.
