Question about cat not eating

5GodsDown

Songster
Apr 1, 2019
125
199
116
Belgium
Hi guys

I didn't quite know where to turn to, so I'll ask my question here. I'm a first time chicken and cat owner, so I'm always worried when they do something unusual.

Usually my animals get fed around 7:30am on weekdays. My cat is always waiting for me on the tv furniture next to the door. I come downstairs, he jumps up, I catch him and we cuddle. He then comes with me to feed the chickens and afterwards he gets his own breakfast. He only receives what he needs for his weight and age in the morning and evening. He eats everything in one go.

In the weekend I sleep in a little bit sometimes. No problem with my animals it seems. Now this morning my cat Archie took a long time to come home. When he got home, he ignored his food, didn't want cuddles and just went for the water. I found this really odd and was worried, but I had somewhere to go so I closed of the cat door so I'd at least find him inside when something was wrong.

I came back in the evening and he still hadn't eaten his food. He started eating when I got home, but he was supposed to get another serving. At the moment he's lying on my chest purring.

Could it be he just ate a big mouse or rat and wasn't hungry? He brought in his first mouse on Friday, but he had also vomited on two spots. It looked like human food, but I rarely give him anything. He was fine until today. Does your cat sometimes just doesn't eat?
 
He's an outside cat? Could be someone else is feeding him too?

I hope not, I don't understand why people would think that is okay. In any case he usually doesn't stray to far away and my only direct neighbours know not to feed him as I have explicitly asked them not to before he was allowed outside. They did have a party with friends yesterday, maybe they fed him while outside. And of course there's garbage bags too...
 
If he is eating now and acts normal he is probably OK. If he vomited human food either someone fed him or he stole it. Either is possible. Bear in mind that cats cannot go for prolonged periods of not eating without serious liver issues. Just thought you should be aware of that.
 
Hunting, sleeping, vomiting, purring... sounds like a normal cat to me. If he's hanging outside, and catching his own food or getting food elsewhere, he just won't eat as much at home. I know that during the spring and summer, my cats hunt their own food (well, one of them), and don't come close to eating as much as during winter.
Your kitty sounds fine, and perfectly normal. :D
 
This wouldn't worry me. I am a recently retired vet tech (25 years), and currently own 13 indoor only cats.
Cats puke. It's a fact of life. Mouse parts, hair balls, grass, you name it. Temporary anorexia isn't usually cause for alarm, especially with an outside cats. If he's eating ok now, and acting normal, I would not worry. If it happens regularly, he isn't acting right, is drinking or urinating more (or less!) than usual, or losing weight, a trip to the vet may be in order.
As you say you are a new cat owner, just as an FYI, you should always pay attention to whether your male cat is urinating. Urinary tract blockage can be fatal in very short order. Symptoms would be straining to urinate, multiple trips to the box while producing little to no urine, yowling when urinating, painful abdomen, and occasionally, vomiting.
 
When my cat has upset stomach and vomiting I offer her a little cooked chicken breast chopped and small amount of white rice. She'll usually eat that even if she won't eat her regular food and helps settle her stomach. At least for her
 
This wouldn't worry me. I am a recently retired vet tech (25 years), and currently own 13 indoor only cats.
Cats puke. It's a fact of life. Mouse parts, hair balls, grass, you name it. Temporary anorexia isn't usually cause for alarm, especially with an outside cats. If he's eating ok now, and acting normal, I would not worry. If it happens regularly, he isn't acting right, is drinking or urinating more (or less!) than usual, or losing weight, a trip to the vet may be in order.
As you say you are a new cat owner, just as an FYI, you should always pay attention to whether your male cat is urinating. Urinary tract blockage can be fatal in very short order. Symptoms would be straining to urinate, multiple trips to the box while producing little to no urine, yowling when urinating, painful abdomen, and occasionally, vomiting.

That would of course be an alarming sight, even to a new cat owner! :p As far as I know no problems there. It seemed to me he was drinking more, but it could just be he's drinking more inside the house. He usually goes outside and has a drink with the chickens, but I have two new ones, so the coop is closed for him now.
 
Thanks for all your replies! I think he's okay. I let him outside yesterday evening and gave him just a tiny bit more food before I went to bed (because he only had one serving instead of 2). It was gone in the morning and he appeared again soon after I got up, eager to get another bowl
 

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