By Dexter Mercurio, D.V.M.
Cats can not go on for more than two weeks without any adverse effect on their bodily processes.
Cats require a relatively large amount of protein as fuel. In times of starvation, the cat’s liver will take up fat from the body’s reserves. This is a survival mechanism as the liver turns fat into usable energy. However, this process changes the liver and turns it into fat. The condition is called hepatic lipidosis, a disease that renders the liver nonfunctional if left untreated.
Anorexia or inappetence in cats may have dire consequences if not addressed quickly. There are many different reasons the cat does not want to eat. Your veterinarian will look for the underlying cause.
While the primary cause is being treated, the patient must be fed with a high-quality diet to prevent the onset of hepatic lipidosis.
PetMD listed the following signs of hepatic lipidosis:
1. Prolonged anorexia (often if several week duration)
2. Rapid weight loss
3. Vomiting
4. Diarrhea
5. Constipation
6. Muscle wasting
7. Depression
8. Downward flexion of head and neck
9. Jaundice (e.g. yellowing of eyes)
10. Drooling
11. Cat may collapse in the latter stages
Other symptoms will be related to a concurrent, underlying disease.
Different techniques may be employed to get the cat to eat. An appetite stimulant may be prescribed along with syringe feeding.
If the patient is not eating, an esophagostomy tube may be surgically placed.
About the Author: Dr. Dexter Mercurio, or Doc Dex to patients and owners of pets, is a graduate from the University of the Philippine and the head veterinarian of Vets in Practice in White Plains, Quezon City.