Food avoidance in a kitten younger than six weeks of age, for just 12 hours can pose a lethal danger whilst loss of appetite (whatever the cause) can have a serious impact on a cat’s health if persists for more than 24 hours. Starvation and dehydration will exacerbate pre-existing health conditions whereas prolonged periods of reduced calorie intake may result in the development of life-threatening conditions such as hepatic lipidosis.