- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
If your cat skips a meal or two, they’ll probably be okay for a short time. While it’s worrying when your cat refuses to eat or drink, most cats can go 24 hours without food or water and still be okay. However, it’s important to know when to take action.
You may read or hear of cats surviving one or two weeks without food, but those stories are usually about neglected or stray cats who may be eating scraps or treats. When it comes to a house cat who isn’t eating at all, they will start to experience nutritional deficiencies after 24 hours.
We spoke to Dr. Jo Myers, a veterinarian on Vetster, to learn how long cats can go without food, what happens when a cat doesn’t eat, and when pet parents should consult a vet.
What’s the Longest Cats Can Go Without Food?
A healthy adult cat shouldn’t go longer than 24 hours without food. After that, Dr. Myers says their health can begin to decline. Senior cats, kittens, and cats with underlying medical issues may start to develop adverse effects even more rapidly.
Though a missed meal might not be an emergency for many cats, the tables can turn quickly depending on age, body condition, and health status. Kittens, for example, have very limited energy reserves and higher metabolic needs than adult cats. According to Dr. Myers, even a half-day of poor food intake in a young kitten is cause for concern.
Without food, your cat’s body will eventually begin to break down fat for energy. This puts them at risk for a dangerous condition called hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease. Contrary to what many pet parents expect, overweight cats have a higher risk of hepatic lipidosis than cats with lower body fat percentages.
The longer your cat goes without eating, the more their health will decline. They’ll lose muscle, their immune system will weaken, and they may develop life-threatening complications.
Reasons Why Cats Stop Eating
There are many reasons cats stop eating, ranging from momentary stress to underlying illness. Dr. Myers says both medical and behavioral reasons are common, so it’s important to look at the big picture to identify potential causes.
Common behavioral or environmental reasons why a cat may refuse food temporarily include:
- Stress due to changes in the home
- Changes to household routine
- New pets or people in the house
- Travel outside the home (such as a vet visit)
- Inter-cat conflict in a multi-cat household
- Change in food flavor or texture
If your cat refuses food for more than a meal or two, it’s likely due to their health rather than their behavior. Medical reasons a cat may not eat include:
- Nausea (often associated with underlying systemic illness)
- Gastrointestinal disease
- Kidney disease
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Liver disease
- Nasal congestion or other respiratory illness
- Pain (including dental pain)
Dr. Myers notes that cats are generally good at hiding pain and illness, but changes in appetite are often among the earliest and most useful clues that something is wrong.
Marina Demidiuk via iStock
How Long Can Cats Go Without Water?
On average, cats need about 4 ounces of water per 5 pounds of body weight daily. This amount may vary, however, depending on your cat’s age and health.
Like with food, regular water intake is even more crucial for kittens than healthy adult cats. Kittens need at least 2–3 ounces of water per pound of body weight each day. Before being weaned, kittens get the moisture they need from their mother’s milk.
And as they age, many cats develop a reduced thirst drive. Additionally, age-related mobility issues may lead senior cats to visit the water bowl less often. Senior cats are also prone to health issues like kidney disease, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism, which can increase the risk of dehydration.
Going more than 24 hours without drinking water is a serious concern, especially if your cat is also losing fluids due to vomiting or diarrhea. After this amount of time, your cat may start showing signs of dehydration, such as:
- Lethargy or low energy
- Weakness
- Reduced skin elasticity
- Sunken eyes
- Panting
- Rapid heart rate
- Decreased urine output
When To Call a Vet
Dr. Myers recommends that pet parents contact a veterinarian if their cat has had little to eat or drink for 24 hours. Make the call sooner, she says, if it’s a kitten or a medically fragile cat.
She also suggests that pet parents trust their instincts. You don’t have to wait for a crisis to reach out to your vet—it’s enough that you’re worried about your cat and want to take the best steps to get them eating again.
If your cat’s condition isn’t critical but you want a second opinion, Dr. Myers says virtual care can be helpful. Virtual visits are easy to schedule and often available the same day. At the very least, the vet can observe your cat, ask questions, and provide reassurance or a recommendation to seek an in-person visit.
Tips To Encourage Healthy Eating
Sometimes, when a cat refuses food, a change in feeding tactics can encourage them to start eating again. The goal is to stimulate your cat’s interest without overwhelming them. Here are a few things you can try:
- Stick to a feeding schedule so your cat learns to anticipate meals
- Offer small meals frequently instead of a full portion at once
- Gently warm wet food or add warm cat-safe broth to dry kibble to enhance the aroma
- Add a flavorful meal topper or mixer to make the food more appealing
- Try offering a different flavor or texture of wet cat food
- Rotate between several recipes so your cat doesn’t develop an aversion
In some cases, adding an appetite stimulant can help get your cat’s eating habits back on track. If you’ve ruled out underlying health issues but the tips above still aren’t doing the trick, talk to your vet to see whether a prescription medication might be what your cat needs.
