[Amber]

The first sign of the majority of illnesses in cats is reduced appetite, so it can sometimes be difficult to find the underlying cause for the lack of appetite and your vet may need to perform tests to help identify the problem.

Consult your vet if he has been off of his food for more than two days, or sooner if you have noticed any other problems in addition (eg excessive drinking/vomiting) it does not take long for a cat to become seriously ill if it is not eating.

When encouraging Patch to eat you should try to avoid any foods containing small amounts of onion or garlic as this can cause toxic damage to cat's red blood cells which may cause anaemia. Such foods include some human baby food, soups, flavoured meats and food flavouring.

To encourage Patch to eat at home, try to keep his environment as stress-free as possible, for example giving him somewhere quiet to relax away from other cats or dogs so he does not have to compete for his food or a resting place. You can increase the appeal of the food by adding strong flavours like fish, and warming the food to body temperature to increase it's aroma. Gently smear some food onto his paws, or around his mouth. This normally stimulates a licking response which may get Patch started on eating again. Try tasty foods such as cooked chicken or fish, or your vet may be able to prescribe a palatable high calorie food. Offer small frequent meals, removed the food bowl in between. Use a wide shallow bowl to avoid the cat's whisker's touching the sides as this can sometimes put cats off of eating. You can also try gently stroking and talking to him to help him relax.

If it did happen to be an abcess, the vet would clip and clean the area, then drain the abcess and give you instructions to clean the abcess twice daily. Antibiotics would be administered to fight infection, but when cared for properly they heal in no time. Patch would probably have to stay in for a little while until otherwise instructed by the vet. High temperature is normally a sign of infection, which can be reinforced by high WBC in the blood (if tests were taken) If it is an abcess it will need to be treated, and if an upset tummy the vet will be able to prescribe some medication to settle him, or if necessary do some further investigation.

Hope this helps hun xxxx