Mouth Pain

• Tooth and gum disease are common and may make eating painful for a cat. An abscess in the mouth is another cause of oral pain.
  
  

Kidney Disease

• Kidney disease is common in older cats, especially those fed only dry food. These cats may be chronically dehydrated. Toxin build-up in the blood makes the cat feel sick, and anorexia is a common sign.
  
  

Feline Diabetes

• In diabetes, blood sugar is too high. It can cause a cat's appetite to change in either direction, either increased or decreased.
  
  

Pancreatitis

• Lack of appetite is one of the main symptoms of pancreatitis. This life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas needs immediate treatment.
  
  

Infections

• Viral infections that can cause anorexia include feline leukemia virus, feline distemper, and many others. Bacterial infections can also lead to lack of appetite.
  
  

Complications

• If a cat does not eat for over a day, it can cause serious complications. Severe appetite loss for any reason requires urgent veterinary care.