Why It's A Major Health Risk For Your Cat To Not Eat

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If your cat has lost its appetite, you have a big problem on your hands. Cats will not eat for a wide variety of reasons -- everything from a simple cold to cancer can potentially cause your cat to lose its appetite. However, cats are particularly susceptible to the downsides of not eating. If your cat won't eat, read on to learn why you need to get them medical care right away.

Cats' Bodies  

Unlike humans, cats' bodies aren't designed to live off of fat stores for extended periods of time. This doesn't mean that cats can't store fat, as cats can easily become overweight if their pet parents feed them too much. However, while humans can survive off of fat stores for a period of time during famine, cats' bodies have evolved to constantly take in food. If they don't get enough to eat, they can develop a disorder called fatty liver disease.

Fatty Liver Disease

Fatty liver disease is a serious problem that can cause your cat to die. When a cat's body doesn't get enough calories and nutrition, the body switches to its fat stores and attempts to survive off of those, instead. However, cats' livers aren't designed to handle large quantities of fat like a human's can. As a result, if a liver has to process too much stored fat, it can begin to fail. This process is also known as hepatic lipidosis. Due to this problem, if your cat hasn't eaten for more than a day, you need to get to an animal hospital right away.

Your Vet's Process

When you go to an animal hospital, your veterinarian's first steps will be to assess your cat's condition. Finding out the underlying reason for why your cat isn't eating is important, but it's also important to immediately start providing nutrition to your cat's body in case they're becoming ill from not eating. This nutrition may come in the form of an IV, or your vet may force feed your cat. In any case, it will help to provide your cat the calories and fat it needs to prevent the liver from shutting down. Once your cat is stabilized, your vet will thoroughly examine your cat and perform blood tests to determine why it's not eating.

Finding out that your cat could potentially die simply from not eating can be scary, but it's important for pet parents to have that knowledge. If your cat won't eat for more than a day, you should get to an animal hospital right away for emergency treatment and tests. Contact a company like Columbine Animal Hospital & Emergency Clinic to learn more.

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23 February 2017

Happy, Healthy Pets: Everything You Need to Know

Hello, my name is Katrina, and I love my dog. We live out in the country, so he is able to run a lot. He even has neighboring dogs who come to see him and play. However, fresh air and exercise are not the only things he needs. He also needs a healthy diet, the right shots, and care for his mental health. If you are a pet owner, you will love the tips that I plan to include in this blog. I'm going to focus these posts on everything you need to know to keep your dog happy and healthy. I hope these ideas help you, and I wish you and your pet many years of happiness and good health together.