Why is my 14-year-old cat vomiting, lethargic, and over-grooming?

Poor Claire. She sounds like she really feels bad. A cat that is 13 years old that is displaying the symptoms that Claire is definitely in need of some veterinary attention. Five of the most common diseases for a 13-year-old lethargic, non-grooming cat are kidney disease, liver disease, hyperthyroidism, cancer, and diabetes. The good news is that most of these diseases are very treatable and can give her a good quality of life. Of course, she could have other things completely causing this behavior but we always start with looking for these five I urge you to take her to the veterinarian as soon as possible to get a full CBC blood chemistry profile, thyroid hormone analysis, urinalysis, and abdominal x-rays performed. I realize that this seems like a lot and it is. But these tests, however, are absolutely necessary to make a diagnosis and begin treatment before Claire gets much much sicker and harder to treat. Thank you very much for your question and I hope I have provided enough information to answer your question

Elevated BUN (uraemia) in itself is associated with nausea and vomiting and the underlying cause should be investigated. Dehydration as a result of vomiting, intestinal bleeding, obstructive bladder stones, fever, diabetes and kidney disease can all contribute - a thorough urine analysis would be recommended. Fluid therapy would be advised as soon as a urine sample has been obtained in order to try and reduce levels but urine production must be monitored closely to prevent overhydration if kidneys are not able to function well

Hi, and thanks for your question. These signs could be compatible with an inflammation infection of the gastrointestinal system and surrounding organs (like pancreas and liver). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Pale gums and inappropriate dietary habits (commonly called Pica) are quite common in anemic states and this should be checked as soon as possible to find underlying cause. A blood test and urine analysis is needed in order to start investigating clinical suspicion of lower red blood cells. I would recommend an immediate check up, treatment and outcome will depend on the results of clinical examination and blood tests. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If Willow did not have her blood tested when she was in for her exam I would highly recommend having the vet pull a blood sample and check to see if she has any abnormal values. Kidney disease is something we quite commonly see in older cats and this certainly could be the cause of the vomiting / decreased appetite. The sooner her blood is tested the better and the faster you will know what is going on with her. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi. There are many possible causes for vomiting from primary GI to secondary GI causes. If blood work or x-rays didn't get us many answers, I would move forward with an ultrasound as that much vomiting isn't normal. I would also recommend asking your veterinarian for a prescription bland diet during this time. Good luck

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.