For your information, cats can last without food and water for no more than 3 days. On the other hand, your furry friend can last for almost two weeks without food alone since drinking enough water is vital for cats to remove toxins in their body.
Cats require an adequate nutritional amount of food and water to jump around and be as active as they usually are. If the cat refuses to eat or drink, there might be an underlying cause for them to act out of character. It might be as simple as boredom, or the reason can be worse than what you think; it will need immediate vet care.
For many reasons, cats might stop eating for a week, and only drink water in a day. In the worst-case scenario, cats could completely stop consuming anything, even their favorite canned wet cat food. Cat live without food for two weeks without food, but they can't go without water.
Like you who can't go without a drink, fluids are vital for a cat to eliminate toxins out of its body. Prolonged dehydration is dangerous and can lead to death if not cared for. But it's not just some fluids that it needs. So, do not let your cat go without water for too long.
One mythical belief is that cats are fond of drinking milk. The older cats get, they are more lactose intolerant. It can cause them gastrointestinal upset if they consume too much milk. Hence, they can't go on without drinking water. Lack of nutrition in their body can do more harm to them.
Food and water go hand in hand for protection and securing a healthy life for your pet cat.
Understanding how long cats can go without food and water is tricky without the helpful comprehension of the experts who spent almost their entire lives trying to recognize how our beloved cats behave.
There is nothing heartbreaking than seeing your fur kid stressed, sick, or behaving oddly. We love how they can make us smile after a stressful day at work or welcome us with warmth after a long day of school but to achieve that, we have to first be mindful of the hows and whats before taking home a pet cat.
Many cats suffer from different reasons unbeknownst to us at first glance, so the best thing to do is to be watchful and knowledgeable about the cat's behavioral pattern. We need to create a healthy place to live in before deciding to own a kitten, especially when it comes to their appetite. Their refusal to eat or drink indicates that something is going wrong on your part as a responsible fur parent.
What Should You Do If Your Cats Go Long without Food and Water
So the next time you notice your cat go without food and water for 24 hours, here's what you can do to help:
- Do not panic. Panicking won't do any good for both you and our cat. Take a deep breath and look, or better yet, list down your cat's unusual behavior and try to recognize if it happened before for insight.
- Add liquid food or vet-approved canned cat food to help your feline to recover. Also, ask for helpful tips in terms of your cat's diet.
- Always give clean drinking water to your cat.
- Dispose of 24 hours old food or water. Bacteria accumulation is faster than you realize. Don't wait for an upset stomach to discover such an important matter.
- Help boost your cat's appetite by providing affection and frequent 'cuddle time'. It is a vital part of owning a pet, especially when in times of need.
- Don't force them to eat or drink. Pressing them to consume anything is stressful rather than helpful. Be more gentle since your cats are not feeling well.
- Be vigilant. Look for signs instead of trying to be 'the vet'. And please do not wait until your cat not eating or drinking for 3 days to take it to inspect its health.
- Don't hesitate to set an appointment with your local vet. A frequent visit or check-up helps to recognize early symptoms or illnesses.
