Kitten does not eat dry food: reasons for what to feed your pet

Reasons why a cat may refuse dry food

There are many reasons that can cause a cat to refuse pelleted food. Some of them are associated with natural physiological factors, others are not normal and can threaten the cat’s life.

Diseases

Many diseases can provoke a refusal of dry food. The owner needs to pay attention to the general condition and behavior of the animal. If the cat is interested in the food, sniffs it and tries to eat, but at the last moment turns away or spits out the pellets, this may indicate damage to the gastrointestinal tract or the presence of a foreign body or neoplasm in it.

With dermatological diseases affecting the area around the mouth, the cat retains its appetite, but cannot eat due to pain

Pathology can affect not only the intestines or mucous membranes of the esophagus and stomach, but also the oral cavity. Animals often refuse dry food due to toothache. At first it causes discomfort, but the cat continues to eat. Later, as the pain intensifies, a kind of reflex arises, and the pet turns away from food. Interest in wet food and natural products can be maintained: softened food causes less discomfort. With dental diseases, a pet may chew on hard objects in order to independently get rid of the source of pain. Most often, an injury or signs of pathology can be detected by visual examination, but in some cases an x-ray is required.

Tartar can lead to the loss of fangs, so regular brushing with a special brush is recommended.

New growths in the oral cavity can cause no less discomfort. During eating, they can be injured by teeth or hard granules. In some cases, this can cause bleeding. Most often, tumors can be detected independently. They can be soft, hard, movable, fixed, white, black, etc.

Depending on the location of the tumor, the animal may experience increased salivation and difficulty swallowing

With diseases and damage to the musculoskeletal system, a cat may refuse dry food and other food while maintaining appetite due to limited mobility and pain. In such cases, the animal experiences severe discomfort, meows, limps, drags its paws or cannot rise at all, defecates under itself, etc. The condition is one of the most dangerous, so it is important to carefully deliver the cat to the veterinarian without causing it additional pain.

In some cases, the animal completely refuses dry food. It has no interest in it or other food. The pet is hungry, but at the sight of food it immediately turns away or leaves. This symptom may accompany the following diseases and conditions:

Intoxication. Poisoning is accompanied by rapid heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, digestive disorders, fever, etc. In severe cases, loss of orientation in space occurs. In a critical condition, the cat stops reacting to what is happening, and the body temperature drops. Possible failure of internal organs. In case of mild intoxication, after the poisoning is removed, the condition returns to normal without additional intervention. If the cat’s health deteriorates significantly, the cat is fed through a tube and given intravenous infusions to prevent dehydration.
Lipidosis. The disease is characterized by excessive accumulation of fat in the liver. The animal may eat poorly or completely refuse food for a long period of time (2-4 weeks or more). The cat quickly loses weight, and the ribs, breastbone and hips become visible. The animal is worried about digestive disorders and jaundice. In case of lipidosis, appetite must be corrected as part of general therapy, since irreversible processes often begin to occur in the body.
Internal injuries. The main signs of illness are hidden bleeding, swelling and severe pain. If the cat's gastrointestinal tract is damaged, blood may be detected in the stool. In the absence of severe exhaustion, the animal’s condition returns to normal on its own after treatment.
If the tissues of the urinary system have been injured, blood impurities or solid clots will be present in the urine; indirectly, color allows you to determine the location of damage
Infections. The reason for refusing dry food can be both gastrointestinal lesions and, for example, cystitis. In this case, poor appetite is associated with intoxication of the body by bacteria and their decay products. The animal definitely needs treatment, even if the symptoms have weakened or disappeared without treatment. Improvement in condition may indicate that the disease has become chronic.
Gastrointestinal pathologies. The pet does not eat well or refuses dry food due to inflammation and pain in the abdomen, as well as nausea. If an animal eats both pellets and natural products, it may choose the latter. Foods that are high in liquid cause less pain due to their softer texture.
When feeling nauseous, your cat will often lick its nose.
Disorders of the central nervous system and brain. Most often this is observed with injuries. Appetite problems are associated with impaired transmission and recognition of nerve signals. As a result, the cat does not feel hungry while the body needs energy and nutrients. Treatment is mandatory; if necessary, the pet is fed through a tube.
Helminthiasis. Infection with worms can occur through eating raw meat, contact with other animals, or accidentally ingesting parasite larvae along with insects, soil or water. With mild helminthiasis, weight loss, deterioration in general health, and mucus and blood in the stool are observed. Larvae or whole worms may be found in natural secretions and vomit. In severe cases, worms cause intestinal obstruction. After taking anthelmintics twice, the symptoms disappear; only animals in critical condition need additional correction.
Inflammatory processes that accompany acute and chronic diseases. Deterioration of appetite can occur with any pathology due to the active functioning of the immune system. Most of the energy is spent by the body on eliminating inflammation, so the pet feels weak and loses its appetite.
Intestinal obstruction. Refusal of dry food is associated with blockage of the gastrointestinal tract and the impossibility of normal movement of food and feces. In such cases, the cat experiences pain. With partial obstruction, the animal is bothered by bloating and diarrhea, with complete obstruction - constipation. Nausea appears. Without help, the pet may die. After normalization of the condition, the cat gradually returns to a normal diet.

Partial refusal of dry food and selectivity may be caused by visual or olfactory impairments. In this case, this is due to the unattractiveness of the food. Cats navigate by sight and smell, so if they lose their senses, they may suffer from poor appetite. If the situation does not improve after normalization of the pet’s condition and a course of therapy, owners are advised to use additional tricks to increase the attractiveness of the food.

One day my cat started refusing dry food. At first I didn’t suspect anything, because approximately every 2 months she arranges several fasting days for herself: she eats less or goes hungry altogether. When problems with appetite began to become permanent, I became wary and decided to examine the cat: I carefully felt her stomach, looked into her ears and eyes, and checked her skin. The reason became clear when it came to the mouth. There were tartar on the chewing fangs, the gums around were red, and one of the teeth was loose. When I began to analyze, I remembered that recently the cat was often mischievous: she chewed wires, headphones, and even ruined several pairs of shoes, which was unusual for her. After removing the problematic fang, ultrasonic cleaning and treatment with dental gels, the appetite gradually returned to normal.

Lack of experience

Refusing food if the cat has not tried pellets before is a normal reaction. The animal understands that it is edible, but the unusual smell and consistency repels it. The cat will not die of starvation and sooner or later will begin to eat dry food, but a gradual transition is preferable. Otherwise, due to a sudden change in the menu, the animal may suffer from digestive disorders, exacerbation of chronic pathologies and the development of new diseases.

Spoiled food

Dry food remains conditionally suitable for consumption for 2–3 years, however, after opening the package, the shelf life is greatly reduced. This is due to the fact that the granules contain oils. When exposed to air, they quickly oxidize and go rancid. Depending on the storage method, the food will spoil after 3–8 weeks. Once rancid, it should not be given to cats as it may cause poisoning.

It is strongly recommended to refuse to buy food in bulk, especially if we are talking about super-premium class or higher: it is not known how long ago the package was opened

When I got my second cat, my dry food consumption increased. I decided to save money: buy large packages. This made it possible to reduce the cost of 1 kg of feed by an average of 20%. However, within a month the cats did not have time to eat all the contents. About a third of the volume remained in the bag when they both refused food. At first I thought they just didn't want to eat, but after a day it became obvious that something was wrong. When I gave the cats wet food, they readily ate it, as well as kibble from another package. We had to get rid of spoiled food. Now I buy small packages and make sure they have a zip closure. It partially prevents contact with air, so it does not allow the feed to spoil prematurely.

Pickiness

Cats are somewhat like children: if they understand that they can get something tasty, they will strive to achieve this by any means necessary. Whims are also on the list. If a cat once refused dry food, and the owner began to offer her delicacies or spoon-feed her, she will remember this. In the future, the pet will copy the previous behavior in order to get attention and extra treats.

Feeding "from the table" is fraught with begging and even theft

Animals can be very stubborn in their whims. Once upon a time one of my cats was sick. To make sure she got something to eat, I gave her her favorite wet food and dried chicken pieces. The cat recovered, but a month later she went on a hunger strike. I was afraid that she might start to lose weight, so I started giving her treats again and took her to the vet. The specialist said that everything was fine with the animal and advised him to ignore pickiness and just leave the food freely available. For about 2 days the cat became stubborn. I felt sorry for her, I constantly wanted to feed her, but I listened to the veterinarian. After this, the cat began to eat the pellets with the same appetite.

Getting used to flavor enhancers

Getting used to flavor enhancers can be a problem when switching from one food to another. Most often, this is encountered by those owners whose cats previously ate economy-class products.

Economy-class food for cats can be compared to fast food for people: there is little useful in them, but after such nutrition it is difficult to switch the animal to a healthy diet

Animals completely ignore the bowl of new food until hunger becomes unbearable. The owner's behavior should be the same as in the previous case: it is recommended not to pay attention to pickiness and observe so as not to miss uncharacteristic symptoms that may indicate illness. It is advisable to gradually switch your pet from one food to another.

Stress

Cats, like people, can experience problems with their appetite when they are mildly ill, in a bad mood or under stress. Since animals are conservative, even insignificant events for us can cause a behavioral disorder. For example, the arrival of a child or a new pet for neighbors, the relocation of some family members, or the rearrangement of furniture.

On the upper floors of the play complex the cat will feel as comfortable as possible, because from there she can watch what is happening from above

To normalize the condition, it is recommended to give the cat its own territory, where no one will disturb it. This will protect your pet from unwanted attention and help improve sleep. This is especially important if the family has small children, dogs or other cats. It is advisable to purchase a play complex or house. This is more aesthetically pleasing, although for cats even a cardboard box is a shelter. It is recommended that restless animals be crate trained from childhood to protect them from accidents. While the owner is not at home, the cat may chew through the wires or fall out of the window. The cage prevents this and serves as a kind of personal room for the pet.

When animals are stressed, they have problems sleeping: it becomes superficial, so the pet doesn’t get enough rest, which further aggravates the situation.

To combat stress, it is recommended to pay more attention to the cat, talk to it, play and pet it more often. This will allow the pet to feel like part of the family and strengthen its position in the “pack”. These measures cannot be ignored if stress is associated with the appearance of a new animal. Otherwise, the pets will begin to sort things out among themselves and become aggressive.

Malaise and poor appetite may be associated with other stress factors. For example, heat, pregnancy or recent vaccination. In such cases, it is necessary to alleviate the pet’s condition with the help of appropriate measures: arrange a cool shelter, prepare a nest for birth, provide comfort, etc. Gradually, the appetite returns to normal.

Sexual hunting

Estrus and heat are other factors that can cause a decrease in appetite without an immediate threat to health. Cats are designed in such a way that they are forced to reproduce by natural instincts, and not by feelings more common to humans.

Removal of genital organs is not a cruel measure, but an operation that helps a cat avoid discomfort during estrus, deterioration in health during childbirth and feeding kittens, and diseases due to hormonal fluctuations and infection.

When in heat, pets feel physical discomfort, which can be compared to the pain of cystitis. Only sexual intercourse can weaken it, so animals fully concentrate on sexual hunting. The remaining instincts weaken until the discomfort is completely eliminated and the heat is completed.

Fasting day

To improve digestion, some cats arrange fasting days on their own every few months. Most often this happens after eating fatty foods the day before. During fasting days, the pet refuses food partially or completely. Fasting normally lasts up to 2 days. During this time, it is important to provide your pet with access to clean water.

Eating disorder

The reason for refusing dry food may be the lack of a stable daily schedule. This includes both spontaneous feeding and feeding with food from the table. In the latter case, the cat may become picky. Unplanned meals can lead to a lack of hunger at the time of the main feeding. If you refuse to eat and there are no other symptoms, you should analyze the situation. Perhaps one of the family members feeds the cat from the table?

It is important for cats to live on a schedule. With a spontaneous daily routine, they may not have time to get hungry by the time they eat. A stable schedule allows you to maintain normal appetite of the animal. Its internal organs adapt and begin to secrete digestive fluids strictly at the same time, which contributes to the feeling of hunger at the right time.

The one who always ate does not eat

It is not surprising if a cat refuses to eat dry food, which he always ate with pleasure. This happens often, but it does not mean that something happened to the animal. Perhaps I'm just tired of the smell and taste. It's time to find a worthy replacement for your usual food. You don’t have to look for an analogue; you can try a completely different type of nutrition.

The same applies to kittens. You need to try everything, but do not overfeed with different foods. This is necessary in order to understand what the animal’s preferences are: natural food or food industry products.

This is not the food

As we said, the cat's olfactory system reacts to animal proteins and fats in food, sending signals to the brain that this is the most suitable food for them. If dry food is poor in meat components, and vegetable fats are used instead of animal fats, then the cat may well refuse to eat it. After all, in nature cats do not eat grain, vegetables, mushrooms and nuts, and in most cases they only sniff flowers and grass and pass by. And even hunger doesn’t stop them from holding on tightly to their eating habits!

Therefore, cat food, of course, should consist primarily of meat rather than grain products, and then your pet will eat it much more willingly. In general, the advice is simple - change the food to one that meets the biological needs of cats as predators.

Accustoming a kitten or adult cat to dry food

In the case of kittens, the process is usually easier, since in childhood animals are more prone to rapid adaptation. Adult cats are less willing to switch to dry food, but in the absence of contraindications and health problems, you just need to be persistent.

Kittens can be given dry food from 3 weeks, but it is advisable to start training from 4–6 weeks. This allows the gastrointestinal tract to fully develop and prevents the occurrence of diarrhea and dehydration. Training begins with 1–2 granules. Dry food must be soaked before offering it to the kitten. It is recommended to do the same in the case of adult cats: due to the increased level of humidity, the consistency will be more familiar to the animal.

When choosing food for a kitten, you need to pay attention to the manufacturer’s recommendations: depending on the composition, he may recommend starting to give the product at 3, 4 or 8 weeks

The proportion of dry food and the amount of added water are gradually reduced. By the time the kitten’s teeth change, they are switched to granules in their original form. The menu at this time includes wet and dry food of the same brand or only the latter. The norm is calculated according to tables and individual characteristics, based on physique.

For older cats, you can use treats. For example, it produces spices. On sale you can find special sauces and gravies, dried pieces of meat, etc. It is allowed to mix slightly soaked granules into regular food so that the pet gets used to the taste. Treats are given exclusively in dehydrated form. This helps reinforce positive associations. The dosage of treats should not exceed the recommended one.

Dried fillet pieces are an excellent choice when transitioning to dry food; they are a cross between natural meat and dehydrated pellets.

In some cases, it is necessary to select an individual approach. For example, start by grinding granules and mixing the powder into regular food. For picky pets, wet food can become an intermediate step during the transition. It is advisable to choose products from the same brand.

Is it possible to feed a sterilized cat regular dry or wet food?

The body of a pet that has undergone sterilization changes greatly; for a balanced diet and maintaining good health, it is not recommended to give dry or wet food to ordinary cats. Moreover, regular food may contain a large amount of salt, which will be detrimental to the urinary system of a sterilized cat. In addition, it is worth considering the fact that some breeds are prone to joint diseases that can occur after surgery. To prevent this from happening, it is better to use balanced food specifically for sterilized cats.

Special food is divided into dry and wet.

In Russia there are several brands that produce dry food for sterilized

cats:

Royal Canin,
Gourmet,
Proplan,
Hills,

When feeding dry food, make sure your pet always has fresh water.

If you prefer wet food, then you should pay attention to specimens in cans, it is in them that the moisture level is optimal

Loss of quality

We are not always with our pet. Everyday life requires us to constantly leave and leave. Then you have to give the cat food in reserve. But, as you know, after lying for some time, food loses its original smell and taste. Your pet may not like it. A similar situation arises when owners buy packages of food that are too large and the cat does not have time to eat everything. As a result, the product deteriorates and no longer meets its taste. Over a long period of time, it can change its smell or attract moisture.

We suggest you read: Antibiotics for cystitis in cats

In order for your cat to always eat with pleasure, his food should be in a clean and dry bowl. A cat is a fairly clean animal. The conclusion is that it is necessary to wash the bowl daily or at least every other day.

The choice of dishes also affects the cat's appetite. You should choose a container that is not deep, but spacious. It is desirable that it be heavy so that the pet cannot knock it over with its paw. Lack of clean water near the food can also cause him to refuse to eat. The thing is that cats simply need clean water.

An animal may not eat food when it is a kitten. His little body is not yet accustomed to such food, especially after his mother’s milk. It’s worth waiting until he grows up and starts eating it himself.

The next reason for an animal to refuse food is a sudden change in food. Let’s say a cat is fed food he has prepared himself, and then they want to switch him to food. Such a solution will most likely not yield results, since the animal is not accustomed to dry food.

There are also more serious reasons when a pet refuses not only dry food, but all food at once. In this case, the development of some disease is possible. A cat cannot tell us what hurts. If you have any suspicions, it is better to immediately take your pet to the veterinarian. Your beloved furry will certainly be helped there.

If your pet has no health problems, then teaching him to eat food is quite possible. All it takes is patience and time. In order to do this as quickly as possible and without unnecessary nerves, it is worth attracting the animal to a new food.

The addition of new family members or pets to the home, visits to the veterinary clinic, moving, and even rearranging furniture can cause stress in cats and, as a result, loss of appetite. In some animals, this condition can last for several days or even weeks, but as soon as the cat is finally convinced that the changes do not pose any threat to it, it will calm down and everything will return to normal.

A decrease in appetite can also occur in extreme heat, and this is also a temporary phenomenon, but in this case it is imperative to ensure that the cat has access to clean, fresh water.

Transfer to another dry food

Transferring between foods of the same brand is usually easy, since the manufacturer in most cases uses the same raw materials. Problems arise when owners change the brand of diet or offer the animal a medicinal product. In the latter case, the situation is complicated by malaise and a general deterioration in appetite.

Ideally, the transfer should be carried out gradually. Over the course of 1–2 weeks, the old food is slowly replaced with the new food: first, the share of the first in the bowl is only 10%, then 20%, etc. As a result, the owner completely switches the animal to the new food without consequences for the pet’s gastrointestinal tract. In reality, owners often face difficulties.

Many animals refuse new food at the initial stage. They eat the familiar pellets and leave some of the food in the bowl. You can combat this with the help of tricks. Adding spider sauce works especially well. It saturates all the granules, so cats often start eating the entire portion.

Cats will happily eat sauces and dips from economy-class wet food, but such additives should only be given to healthy animals and in limited quantities.

If your pet still refuses to eat, it is recommended to stick to the regime and ignore selectivity. Sooner or later, the animal will be forced to eat new food due to hunger. The method is not suitable for unhealthy pets: in their case, refusing food and a sudden change in menu can provoke an exacerbation.

Sometimes the reluctance to eat a new food is associated with a sharp change in taste and an increased content of ash (more than 9%) and meat. When I switched my cats to Orijen, I had to deal with this. Since pets were accustomed to more budget-friendly premium and super-premium foods that contain less meat, they categorically refused new food. In my case, an interim transfer to Acana products helped. It also contains less meat, so the cats were persuaded. After about 2 months, we switched to Orijen food without any problems.

The pet is simply full

Refusal of dry food often happens when the cat receives a lot of other food - caring household members treat it with bags from the supermarket, food from the table, raw or boiled meat, etc. Having eaten during the day, the cat, naturally, will not touch the dry granules - rather, it will insistently meow and demand the next treat. Therefore, if you want your cat to eat dry food well, they not only interrupt the appetite, but also upset the balance of the pet’s diet.

Some owners think that the cat has stopped eating dry food because they see that it remains in the bowl. This happens if granules are poured by eye without measuring the daily requirement. The cat eats as much as it should, focusing on its own needs, and the owner is sure that she only “pecked a little.” To avoid such a mistake, accurately weigh the daily amount of feed and pour half in the morning and the same amount in the evening. It is possible that your cat is fully meeting its energy needs and is not starving at all.

Trial and error method

If cats refuse the dry food that they ate constantly, then you can purchase other foods. In this case, in order not to waste money and not get lost in guesswork, it is recommended to take very little of each type by weight. Don't forget to ask the seller to sign each package so you know which food is suitable for the animal.

As for regular food, you can try absolutely any type of dairy, meat, or fish product. Often animals even prefer vegetables and herbs, raw egg whites, cookies or crackers.

What to do if your cat refuses dry food

First of all, you need to try to independently determine the cause of the deterioration in appetite and clarify the pet’s condition. You need to offer your cat other dry food, pate, pouches or natural products. If the deterioration in appetite is due to food spoilage or selectivity, the pet will begin to eat. In such cases, it is recommended to purchase a new bag of food and provide a comfortable environment for the cat so that it can recuperate in the presence of stressors.

If the cat has completely lost interest in food, it is necessary to examine it. The pet must have clean eyes and ears: the presence of uncharacteristic discharge may indicate the presence of parasites, allergies, inflammation and other pathologies. Sunken eyes may indirectly indicate dehydration. There should be no stones or dark areas on the cat's teeth. Gingival bleeding, neoplasms and redness of the border near the fangs are unacceptable.

Inflammation of the gums can cause food refusal

To check the general condition, it is recommended to evaluate the capillary refill rate. To do this, lightly press on the gum, release and wait until it turns pink again. Normally this happens in 1–2 seconds. Delay indicates dehydration. Other indirect signs of dehydration are sticky gums and slow straightening of the skin when grasping folds with your fingers.

In the absence of pronounced signs of malaise, it is allowed to observe the animal’s condition for 1–2 days. Later, with a complete refusal of food, irreversible changes may begin, so long-term fasting is unacceptable. If the animal eats, but little, the owner’s actions should depend on the cat’s condition and behavior. During estrus, this is considered normal, but in some cases urgent help is required.

Feeding dry food to sterilized cats with different activity levels

In apartment cats, energy expenditure can be very low, but it’s another matter when the question arises of how to properly feed a sterilized cat that has the opportunity to walk. Theoretically, such a cat's energy expenditure will be much higher, but it is unlikely to begin to gain excess weight.

But here it is important to take into account such a moment as hunting. If a cat actively catches mice during walks, then it can almost completely satisfy its nutritional needs through its natural diet.

However, many domestic cats only play with their prey, losing interest in it after death or bringing it to the owners to “boast of success”, in which case she regularly visits her bowl, and you should monitor the amount of food eaten, and the owner needs to monitor his weight animal and independently choose the optimal feeding option. If the cat gains weight on a standard portion of food, you need to give less food. If the animal runs around a lot, does not eat its prey and begins to lose weight, it may have to be given a little more food (the norm for active animals is the maximum values in the table indicated on the package).

Backup options

It is important to open the briquette with food right in front of the cat. Most animals will be attracted to this and will gobble up the food with interest. There is another interesting method - feeding the cat from your finger. The fact is that many cats will never touch the food in the bowl. They will lick this same food off their finger with great pleasure.

Let’s assume that the animal simply didn’t taste the food. But finger feeding will help you quickly get used to the food in his bowl. It is even possible to slightly open his mouth so that he can quickly feel the taste of food. If the kitten does not eat dry food, you now know what to do.

Picky cat

Typically, cats are conservative in their tastes, and if they once liked something, they have difficulty changing their habits. But there are also pets for whom everything new has a special appeal; about these, it is logical to assume that they stop eating dry food because they are tired of it. But this assumption is wrong, and therefore there is no need to immediately run to the store for another diet. The need for variety in cats is a myth that is generated by our constant desire to “humanize” everything and everyone.

In fact, cats have many times fewer taste buds than humans, so they do not perceive the taste of food like we do. The smell is much more important for them, and cats can be very picky about it. It is easy to see that if you add a fresh portion from a tightly closed bag to the bowl where the dry food is in the morning, then the cat will willingly eat the food. This is understandable: in the air the smell weakens, and with it the cat’s appetite melts. It is better to feed such sensitive animals in small portions several times a day so that the dry food does not sit in the bowl.

When to urgently contact a veterinarian

You can expect the condition to normalize on its own only if the cat feels well. Intervention is not required if the reason for refusal to feed is mild stress, selectivity or disruption of the daily routine. However, if uncharacteristic symptoms appear and prolonged fasting (more than 2 days for an adult cat, more than 6–12 hours for a small kitten), you must contact a veterinarian for examination.

An urgent visit to the clinic is mandatory in the following cases:

The cat became dehydrated. It may appear due to vomiting, nausea, or refusal of water. The last symptom is the most alarming, since it indicates serious problems with the functioning of internal organs. Dehydration can kill your pet in a matter of hours due to blood thickening, so you should immediately contact your veterinarian for intravenous fluids. At home, it is allowed to inject Ringer-Locke solution into the withers, but it is better to first find out the cause of the ailment.
The cat lies in one place, tries to stay closer to heat sources and reacts sluggishly to what is happening. In most cases, this indicates severe malaise and pain. Animals rarely complain of discomfort, since by their standards this is a weakness and can be fraught with death from the paws of another predator.
The cat is behaving strangely. Sometimes pets meow pitifully, unable to withstand the pain or trying to communicate about it, but this is rare. Due to discomfort, the animal may ask to pet it or, conversely, not allow you to touch the problem area. Cats often become aggressive.
The animal has a fever. The normal value for adult cats is considered to be +38…+39°C. In kittens, the temperature may be slightly higher - +38.5...+39.5°C. An increase of 1°C indicates the presence of inflammation, but is generally not life-threatening. If the temperature rises by 2°C, you should immediately consult a veterinarian. An increase of 3°C can be critical.

The most dangerous symptoms include vomiting, nausea, inability to empty the intestines or bladder for a long time (more than 2-3 days and 18-24 hours, respectively), disorders of the musculoskeletal system, etc. With itching, rash, For moderate diarrhea without dehydration and other mild manifestations, the cat can wait, but it is better to contact a veterinarian at the first opportunity, since even banal spots on the skin can indicate, for example, liver pathologies.

What should the dishes be like?

It often happens that a cat refuses to eat food because the dishes are dirty and smell like something foreign. Therefore, it is very important that the bowl is always clean. It is better to give preference to ceramic and glass vessels, since these materials do not retain odors and are very easy to clean.

But if the bowl is plastic or plastic, then it needs to be washed every day in warm water, making sure that no food particles or unpleasant smell remain.