My cat is skinny, sleepy, and won't eat. What's wrong with him?

Significant weight loss is always a concern, especially if his appetite is good. Hormonal conditions such as diabetes and thyroid disease or poor absorption and digestion of his food is possible and I would recommend a full physical and blood panel as soon as possible in order to stabilise his condition before he becomes too frail

Tori does look a little thin. It is very common for the physical exam to normal but there is no way the vet can tell what is going on inside with the function of the internal organs. So, if lab work was not done, I suggest that as the next step. Cats, as they age, typically get one of three diseases: 1. kidney disease, 2. hyperthyroidism and 3. diabetes. All of which can cause weight loss and all of which can be easily detected with simple blood testing.

Since Fred is an older kitty it is likely he is suffering from an overactive thyroid. Kidney disease and diabetes can also cause this. I suggest you take him to your vet for an exam and a blood test. Hyperthyroidism is easily treated with thyreostatic medicine and is likely the most common cause for the weight loss.

I would recommend having some blood work performed on your cat. Hyperthyroidism is a common disease in middle aged to older cats that causes an increase metabolism so cats are often very hungry but unable to gain weight. I would also recommend having your vet check a fecal sample to ensure that Koda does not have any intestinal parasites as this can cause weight loss as well. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Good morning! It sounds as if Bunky might have diabetes, or kidney problems, or even an excessive amount of thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism), based on the weight loss, and excessive thirst. Unfortunately, these are conditions that would need to be diagnosed by blood and urine tests, which would involve taking him to see his vet. Thyroid problems are very treatable with an oral medication, and diabetes is treatable with daily insulin injections, or sometimes just with a special food your vet can prescribe. At home, there isn't too much that you can do; I wish there was more I could suggest!

I would recommend taking Oliver Paul into for an exam by a veterinarian. They can do a full exam, and a geriatric blood work panel. They may also take his blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause weight loss in older kitties. It can also cause eye problems. Another common and treatable condition in older kitties is hyperthyroidism. They get benign (non-cancerous) tumors on their thyroid gland that causes them to produce too much hormone which up regulates their metabolism. They will eat a lot and continue to drop weight. A veterinarian can get Oliver on a plan to recovery! Thanks for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Mickey! It definitely sounds like he is feeling terrible. Just like people, there are many conditions that can make pets feel sick. This could range from parasites to cancer. Also like us, diseases are best addressed early and this may result in a better prognosis. I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian today. The doctor will need to learn the underlying cause in order to give appropriate treatment. Bring in a stool sample in case the doctor needs to test it. The doctor will likely want to check the thyroid, kidney and blood sugar levels to looks for evidence of renal disease, hyperthyroidism or diabetes since these three conditions will all cause weight loss. A physical exam is the only way to start narrowing down the causes. I hope Mickey starts feeling better quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions!