My cat is eating litter and I can feel his spine. What's wrong?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. It is difficult to say if her weight is appropriate without seeing her. It is best for her to see her veterinarian to have her weighed and a body condition score determined. From there, recommendations can be made regarding her weight. Ideally, the spine should be able to be felt, but should not be prominent. I hope this information helps!

Without seeing Mister in person, I can't say if he's too skinny or not, but it would be a good idea to have him seen by a vet this weekend. If he's eating and drinking, and acting otherwise normal, I wouldn't get too worried just yet. All cats are different shapes and sizes, and he may just be a bit thinner than her naturally. I hope this helps!

I'm not quite sure what would cause Noodles's fur to change colors but as long as his skin underneath looks okay I wouldn't be too concerned. I am concerned about the weight loss. If Noodles has lost a tooth it is possible that he has painful dental disease that is making him not want to eat. Other possibilities include intestinal parasites, kidney disease or even diabetes. I would encourage you to see a veterinarian as soon as you can. Blood work and a fecal test would probably be recommended. You could call your local animal shelter and see if there is any subsidized veterinary care in your area, or look into Care Credit (www.carecredit.com).

Hi there. You're correct that being able to feel the backbone or hip bones more easily than normal when petting your cat is a common early sign of weight loss. This could be caused by a number of different things - she may have some type of infection, a systemic illness like liver or kidney disease, or a GI problem like inflammatory bowel disease or chronic pancreatitis (weight loss can be the only symptom of these issues, in some cats). I would recommend taking Narla back to the vet for another exam to discuss your concerns and see if she has lost weight since last time. Your veterinarian may recommend blood work, x-rays, or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem.

This can be a sign of a vitamin or mineral deficiency, anemia, kidney disease or feline leukemia in Miley, and I would have her seen by a vet for a physical exam, blood tests, and a urinalysis. These causes could also lead her to vomit and be quite skinny. Using these test, the vet can diagnose if she does have any of these conditions causing her symptoms, and can treat her for them. I would have her seen by a vet in the morning.

Hello. Feeling Gideon's backbone is not normal for a healthy young cat. There may be some issues going on with him that go beyond just feeding him more. Underlying disease or parasites or some type of maldigestion syndrome may be occurring. It may also just be his body type, but I would encourage you to have Gideon seen by your veterinarian to make sure all is well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I can certainly understand being frustrated at being told to take Felix into the vet, but there are medical illness that would cause him to eat heartily and still be extremely skinny, and those can only be diagnosed by a vet. These medical illnesses include diabetes, kidney disease, dental problems, feline inflammatory bowel disease, hyperthyroidism, FIV, FELV, intestinal parasites, or even cancer. To diagnose these requires a blood test, a urinalysis, and possibly x-rays. Having Felix seen by a vet is the only way to definitively know what is causing his hearty appetite but extreme skinniness, and that way Felix can be treated so he can gain weight. I will give you some resources that may help you afford a vet visit for him. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets