Why is my cat losing weight, in pain, and has a lump on his side?

I would be worried that Oliver has something going on that has the potential to be serious. Oliver needs to see the veterinarian ASAP for bloodwork and the check the mass and his teeth. Bad teeth, cancer, kidney or thyroid disease could all account for the weight issues. A painful mass does not always mean its cancer but you still need to be concerned. The doctor may recommend to aspirate the mass to determine what it is and what steps are most appropriate moving forward. I hope this helps!

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!

I'm sorry to hear that your cat isn't doing terribly well. There are several different possibilities here. One is that his weight loss is completely unrelated to the masses. As cats get older, they're more likely to develop conditions like hyperthyroidism or kidney disease, which can lead to weight loss. While neither of these conditions can be "cured," both can be managed to some degree with certain medications or diet. The other possibility is, as you mentioned, that these masses could be cancerous. I completely understand not wanting to pursue extensive treatment for cancer, but before making the assumption that it is cancer, I'd try to get some more information. For starters, I think it's perfectly reasonable to take your cat to the vet for an exam and some bloodwork to check his organ function. There's a chance that your vet may find something that's not terribly difficult to manage, but you don't know unless you look. I would expect that your vet would recommend trying to diagnose the masses in order to be thorough, but if you are clear that you don't want to look into them further, it shouldn't be an issue. At the end of the day, you own your cat and are responsible for making choices for him. Your vet's job is to present those choices to you and help you to find the approach that works best for you and your cat. I hope this helps and that everything goes well.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend taking Tully Mars to a vet for blood work. He could be diabetic or have thyroid disease. Both of these illnesses can cause increases in appetite and weight loss. The blood work helps to rule in and rule out multiple diseases. Good luck and kisses to Tully Mars!

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your concerns about Ren. In a senior cat, there is always a concern that any growth could be malignant. Cancer would cause her to stop eating and lose weight. In addition, while the lump may not be malignant, there could be something else causing her to stop eating and lose weight. I would take her into the vet first thing in the morning. The vet can diagnose what is going on with her, and what treatment options may be available. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

Thank you for providing a picture of Dalton's bump! This bump could be a benign or malignant tumor, but I am very concerned that he isn't eating well and is losing weight. It is best that he is seen by a vet as soon as possible for not eating well and losing weight. This could be caused by dental disease, systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. It would be good to have a physical exam, blood tests, and urinalysis done on Dalton to diagnose why he isn't eating and losing weight. The vet can also do a fine needle aspirate on his bump. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the bump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once all of his symptoms are diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options with you.