My cat won't eat or is vomiting: what to do
In cats, not eating is more serious than in dogs: within one or two days the liver can be damaged. This guide doesn't replace a vet.
Reviewed by Paola De Valeri, veterinarian, October 17, 2026.
Why you shouldn't wait
When a cat stops eating, its body starts using fat for energy and the liver gets overloaded. This is called hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) and it can be fatal. It happens mostly in overweight cats.
That's why, if your cat eats nothing for 24 hours, or eats very little for more than a day, take it to the vet even if it's still drinking water.
Go right away if it also…
- Vomits several times, vomits blood or can't keep water down.
- Is very lethargic, hides and only sleeps.
- Breathes with its mouth open or struggles to breathe.
- Goes into the litter box and nothing comes out, especially if it's male.
- Has yellow gums or yellow whites of the eyes.
- May have eaten thread, a rubber band, a plant like a lily or medicine.
About vomiting in cats
- Hairballs happen now and then, but vomiting more than once a month isn't normal.
- Vomiting whole kibble right after eating may mean it ate too fast.
- Yellow or clear with foam is usually bile or stomach juice: if it repeats, see your vet.
- If it vomits and also won't eat, is lethargic or loses weight, take it to the vet.
Why a cat stops eating
- Stress: a move, a new animal, visitors or changing its bowl or where it eats.
- A sudden change of food, or food that went stale.
- Pain in its mouth or teeth.
- Kidney, liver or pancreas disease, or infections.
- Nausea from eating something it shouldn't have.
Don't give it human medicine or force-feed it with a syringe unless your vet tells you to.
Frequently asked questions
- My cat won't eat but drinks water. Is it serious?
- It can be. A cat that doesn't eat for 24 hours should see a vet even if it drinks water, because its liver can be damaged within one or two days.
- How long can a cat go without eating?
- It shouldn't go more than a day without food. After 24 to 48 hours the risk of hepatic lipidosis goes up, especially if it's overweight.
- My cat won't eat and only sleeps. What do I do?
- Take it to the vet the same day. Sleeping more than usual and not eating, together, are a sign something is wrong.
- Is it normal for my cat to vomit yellow?
- Once in a while it can be bile from an empty stomach. If it happens more than once a month, or it also won't eat or is lethargic, see your vet.
Related guides
- My cat isn't peeing: when it's an emergencyWhy a cat that can't pee is an emergency and what blood or peeing outside the litter box mean.
- How often to deworm a dog or a catHow often to deworm a dog or cat by age, and signs that it has parasites.
Wagori: everything for your pet, in one app
Keep its vaccine record, find vets and trusted services, and see events near you. It's free. The app is in Spanish for now.
Works in the browser on your phone or computer. The app is in Spanish for now.
Sources
Information from: