Daisy stopped eating her usual food, what do I do?

Daisy (9, tabby) has completely stopped eating her usual wet food. She used to be a picky eater but she would always clean her bowl. Now she just stares at it. I’ve tried warming it up but no luck.

I’m worried about her weight because she’s already a bit on the light side. Sam (6, mix) is in the same room and he’s anxious when there are new smells, so I can’t just switch to a strong-smelling food easily.

Has anyone dealt with this? I don’t want to force it but I need her to eat something.

If she’s not eating for more than 24 hours, call your vet. Nine years old isn't ancient yet, so this could be dental or kidney stuff. Don't guess.

I tried everything with Jasper when he was a kitten and wouldn't eat the dry food. He just didn't care. I had to switch to wet, high protein. If she’s healthy otherwise, try a different protein source like fish or turkey. Picky cats are a pain in the ass.

@jgreen I’m planning to call the vet if she skips tomorrow’s meal too. It’s been about 18 hours so far.

I looked at some advice about warming food, which I tried, but I think Sam’s anxiety makes the kitchen too stressful for her. I saw a thread about quiet eating spots and I’m thinking of moving her bowl to a different room.

It is really hard when they just stop caring about the food they loved. For Dot, who is also anxious, we found that separating her from the other cats during meal times helped a lot. She eats better when she doesn't feel watched.

Also, check if she’s drinking water. If she’s dehydrated, she won’t eat. I know a lot of people focus on the food, but the water intake is a good indicator. If she’s not eating and not drinking, that’s when you need to rush to the clinic. I’m sorry you’re going through this, Holly. It’s stressful.

Thanks for the advice. I’m going to try moving her to the spare bedroom where it’s quiet.

I was reading about another cat with similar issues and I saw a link to a thread about Mittens' history which had some good notes on arthritis affecting appetite. I’m not sure if Daisy has arthritis, but she does move slower than she used to.