Cat wont eat one week now

Question
I rescued a male feral teenager from an airport parking lot. I had been feeding him and finally was able to pick him and place him in a cage. I brought him home and released him in our house. It's been nearly one week and from what I can see this little guy has not eaten. I'm not certain he's drinking. We tried several types of food: hard, wet, stinky, cream... still just hiding and will not come out and eat. What do we do? Is this life threatening?

Answer
Debi,

Yes, this is a potentially life threatening situation. Cats that haven't eaten for more than a day or two are at serious risk of developing liver (and other organ) failure. This cat should see a vet immediately if you think that he hasn't eaten in a week or so in order to find out what's happening with him that's causing him not to eat. Contrary to popular belief 'stray' and 'feral' aren't interchangeable terms, strays are generally abandoned pets while feral cats are generally born outside to stray or feral mothers which means that they generally don't get the handling and socialization that they need in order to become confident and comfortable with being handled by people. If this kitty is a true feral then the stress he's undergone as a result of being handled by people and brought indoors could potentially be at the very least a contributing factor in his lack of appetite, at worst it could be the actual cause of his unwillingness to eat. In the event that this kitty is examined by a vet and the vet says that he's truly a feral kitty (as opposed to a fearful stray) the best course of action will vary based upon what the vet's medical findings are - if the kitty has gone into liver failure he may be past the point of treatment and euthanasia might be the most humane option for him, if he shows no signs of organ failure and he's found to be healthy then vaccinating and neutering him so that you can release him where you found him would likely be best for his overall psychological wellbeing. In the event that this kitty does have to be put to sleep for one reason or another I'd be more than happy to offer a supportive ear if you need someone who understands to listen. If you have any further cat related questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact me again - I will do my absolute best to help you and your feline friends out.