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My 7-year-old cat looks skinny around her hips. Is she underweight?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Does my cat look like she’s getting underweight? She was 8 pounds at the vet last month and is 7 years old. I thought maybe her hip area is looking skinny.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Debi Matlack

Veterinary Technician

Published on October 4th, 2018

From what I can see, she doesn't look too thin, however, if she has suddenly lost a significant amount of weight, I recommend getting her seen by your vet right away, as that could be a sign of diabetes, or hyperthyroidism, especially if her appetite is increased without weight gain or with weight loss. Like humans, cats' bodies change as they get older and this may be the case. If you didn't have senior bloodwork done last month at her appointment, I suggest getting it done to check for any underlying medical condition that could cause her difference in weight.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Megan, DVM, CVA
Veterinarian
Published on April 15th, 2018
Poor Babies! This could be parasites or this could be two separate issues going on. The cat who is very sick could have a parasite, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and much more. I would make sure your vet has run bloodwork and x-rays. I would also see if giardia is something you should have ruled out in your area. This can be a parasite that is difficult to find. Also, I would have a GI panel ran on her. This is Vitamin B12, folate, and 2 pancreatic enzymes (TLI, PLI).

As far as the other cats, I would make sure they don't have any fleas and aren't having any allergic reaction to anything. As far as the weight loss, I would definitely rule out parasites because this could cause the weight loss. Unfortunately, several other things can also cause weight loss and they may need a more extensive work up. You may want to try to increase their food to ensure they are CAPABLE of gaining weight. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on February 9th, 2017
Oh that's not good! Poor Caserta! There can be a medical cause behind this weight loss, such as kidney disease, heart disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or cancer among other causes. I would have Caserta seen by a vet today, and I recommend having a physical exam, blood tests, a urinalysis, and x-rays to diagnose what is causing this weight loss. Once a cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment options with you.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on August 18th, 2018
No, you must take her to the vet ASAP in order to get checked and have a blood test done, there are many things it could be caused by, diabetes and hyperthyroidism are just 2 of them and both require diagnosis before they can be treated with prescription meds.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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