Why is my 5-year-old male cat suddenly lethargic and clingy?

Lethargy can be a sign of many different diseases. I am not sure of his age but he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. He could have an infection, musculoskeletal issue, kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, thyroid issue, etc. Your vet can run some lab-work and take x-rays, if needed, to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. He may need an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, or other medications, depending on the cause. Hope he feels better soon!

Yes, it sounds like Sebastian is lethargic. His symptoms are non-specific, but could indicate infection, trauma leading to injury, or endocrine/autoimmune disease. I recommend that you have him seen by a veterinarian to help determine the cause of his symptoms. Your vet may recommend blood and urine testing or even imaging such as an x-ray to help determine what is going on with Sebastian.

It's difficult to say whether he needs emergency treatment without fully knowing his current condition. If he is still eating and drinking normally, then this would be an encouraging sign. It would also be good to know if he is still walking/running around occasionally. If this is the case, then I wouldn't consider this an emergency, but would recommend you take him to the vet tomorrow during business hours. If Drake is not eating and drinking, then I would be concerned of a more severe disease and would recommend taking him to the emergency clinic. The staring into space could indicate a few different things. It could indicate that he has a fever from an infection, a metabolic disorder, or a primary disorder in the brain. It could also be completely innocent, so I wouldn't worry too much until a vet does a good evaluation of him and comes up with some more answers. I hope that helps and Drake gets better soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Gimli evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

What a handsome kitty Chai is! I'm sorry to hear that he is not acting like his usual self. If he is acting unusually tired, but still eating and drinking his normal amount, urinating and defecating normally, then I think it is OK for you to watch him for a couple of days to see if he gets over it. If the lethargy continues or you see other signs of illness develop such as poor appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, drinking excessive amounts of water, then I would recommend taking him to see your veterinarian. I hope that Chai feels better very soon!

It sounds like he is getting sick. Without additional clinical signs it is hard to say exactly what is causing his lethargy and decreased appetite but he could be starting with a respiratory virus or a gastrointestinal virus. He could also have parasites that need to be treated. If it continues than he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. Your vet can run lab work to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. If he is unvaccinated, please discuss a vaccine plan with your vet once he has recovered from this illness.

Poor Garfield. At age 17 that is an awful lot going on and I'd be worried there is an underlying issue such as kidney or organ failure, disease, etc. Since he's so old and is having so many symptoms, it's best to bring him to your vet ASAP. They will likely want to run a few tests such as bloodwork or an X-ray to check his organ function, etc. If you can, bringing in urine or stool samples can also help with any testing and help streamline the process. Until you can get the vet, keeping him as comfortable as possible and keeping his eyes and nose clear with a clean washcloth can help. Some cats also do better eating if they can smell the food, so warming up his food or adding some boiled chicken that is smelly may encourage him to eat a little until you can be seen.