Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I was wondering what your view was on whether to assist(force)feed a cat who won't eat or whether to leave it up to the wisdom of the cat's body as to what it knows best to do. Sometimes a cat may be recovering from a respiratory infection or just feel under the weather or sometimes something else may be going on. How long does one wait before stepping in? I've been on both sides of this question and there have been problems with both-feeding a cat who may not be eating in order to use energy reserves to fight an infection,etc - feeding has only compounded the problem, or not assist-feeding a cat and the weight dropped dangerously low and would continue to drop. How does one determine which course of action to take-leave it up to the cat or step in? Thanks.

The cat not eating for a few days is not a big problem. With an upper respiratory problem, the cat might not be able to smell the food. Beyond that it can become a problem, so intervention is indicated at that point. But right from the beginning give the cat food that is enticing, such as cooked meat or chicken, or canned tuna or sardines.