How Long Can a Cat Go Without Eating? Why 24 to 48 Hours Matters

A cat that skips breakfast is worth watching; a cat that skips a whole day is worth a phone call. Cats cope with fasting far worse than dogs do. The 2014 AAHA weight management guidelines say not to let a cat go longer than 24 hours without eating, and VCA says a cat that has refused food for more than two days needs a vet right away. The reason is a liver problem that’s almost unique to cats, and it can start from what looks like a simple loss of appetite.

How long is too long for a cat not to eat?

Time without eating	What it means	What to do
One skipped meal	Often minor in a cat that’s otherwise acting normally	Watch closely; offer fresh food
About 24 hours	AAHA’s limit for how long a cat should go without eating	Call your vet today
More than 2 days	VCA: consult a vet immediately	Vet visit now
3 to 4 days of little or no food	VCA: the usual lead-up to fatty liver disease	Emergency

Eating “a little” counts too. VCA describes the lead-up to fatty liver disease as three to four days of little or no eating, so a cat nibbling a few bites a day is still at risk.

Why can’t cats go without food?

When a cat stops eating, its body starts moving fat out of storage to use for energy. A cat’s liver isn’t good at handling a sudden flood of fat, so the fat builds up inside liver cells. That’s hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease.

What the vet sources say about it:

• Cornell’s feline health center says it is almost always preceded by the cat refusing food.
• VCA says affected cats have often lost at least 25% of their body weight.
• In more than 90% of cats, according to VCA, an underlying disease caused the loss of appetite in the first place.
• Overweight and obese cats are at greater risk, per VCA and the University of Illinois.
• VCA says it is fatal if not treated quickly and aggressively. Treatment usually means a feeding tube, and the average cat needs 6 to 7 weeks of tube feeding before eating on its own again.

So the not-eating is two problems at once: a sign that something else is wrong, and a danger in its own right.

Why has my cat stopped eating?

VCA splits it into two kinds:

True anorexia: the cat doesn’t want to eat. Causes include illness of almost any organ, such as kidney disease or diabetes, nausea, a lost sense of smell, and stress.

Pseudo-anorexia: the cat is hungry but can’t eat comfortably. Causes include inflamed gums or mouth, dental problems, jaw pain and pain elsewhere in the body. A cat with back pain may simply not want to bend down to a bowl on the floor.

Stress is easy to underestimate. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists these as triggers that can stop a cat eating:

• Moving to a new home.
• A new pet, or the loss of a pet or family member.
• Boarding.
• Being accidentally shut in a garage, basement or attic.
• An indoor cat getting lost outside.
• A forced diet change to a food the cat won’t accept.

Worked example: how much should my cat be eating?

You can’t tell if your cat is eating less unless you know what “normal” is. Take a 12 lb neutered adult cat. Our cat calorie calculator puts its daily needs at about 300 kcal (range 270 to 330). On a half-wet, half-dry plan, the cat food calculator turns that into:

Food	Daily amount
Wet food (90 kcal per can)	About 1⅝ cans
Dry food (400 kcal per cup, 3,800 kcal/kg)	About ⅜ cup (39 g)

Measure out the day’s food in the morning and see what’s left at night. If this cat leaves most of a can and half its dry food for a day, that’s a real drop, not fussiness. Weighing your cat monthly helps too: VCA notes cats with fatty liver have often lost a quarter of their weight, and that loss starts small. Our post on how much a cat should weigh shows how to track it.

What can I do at home while I call the vet?

These tips from VCA can help a cat with a poor appetite eat, but they don’t replace a vet visit:

• Warm wet food to about body temperature, around 100°F (38°C). Stir it if you use a microwave, so there are no hot spots.
• Offer small, frequent meals of strong-smelling, tasty food.
• Feed in a quiet, warm, comfortable spot.
• Raise the bowl if your cat seems stiff or sore.

Don’t try to force a cat to eat a new “healthier” food during this time. Go back to whatever your cat ate happily before.

Also keep an eye on water. Our post on how much water a cat should drink covers normal intake and when drinking more is a warning sign.

Signs a cat that won’t eat needs a vet today

Call your vet the same day if your cat:

• Hasn’t eaten for 24 hours.
• Is eating much less than usual for more than a day.
• Is vomiting, very tired, hiding or weak.
• Has yellow skin, ears or whites of the eyes (jaundice). The University of Illinois lists jaundice, lethargy, weakness, vomiting and behavior changes as possible signs of fatty liver disease.
• Is overweight, a senior or has a known health condition and has stopped eating. Our post on when a cat is considered a senior explains why older cats need closer watching.
• Drools, paws at its mouth or drops food, which can point to mouth pain.

If your cat has refused food for more than 2 days, VCA’s advice is clear: see a veterinarian immediately.