My elderly cat won't eat or drink and is losing weight. What to do?

Have you had Skittle checked out by a vet for this weight loss? It could be due to something serious like kidney failure, liver disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or even cancer. She needs to see a vet asap for this weight loss, and I would recommend getting a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis. Please take her into her vet in the morning. I would not give any supplementary food until after she sees her vet. Best of luck.

This is very concerning and may not related to progressing kidney, thyroid disease or diabetes. An urgent vet check and urine and blood tests is recommended. Do not delay investigation as early treatment is required

These signs are probably not due to old age alone and there is likely something going on with Shadoe. Unfortunately, without a full physical exam and diagnostic testing, it is not possible to determine what could be causing these signs. However, lethargy and eating and drinking very little along with weight loss are very concerning signs that warrant a visit to the veterinarian. Here are some resources that will hopefully help you afford a vet for Shadoe: 1) You can see if your vet accepts payment plans. 2) Look for a low cost clinic in your area 3) Try to apply for Care Credit online (www.carecredit.com) 4) There is an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants (redrover.org) 5) Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website (bestfriends.org)

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. So sorry your cat is having this issue. I suggest you get him to your vet for a check up and some blood testing. Thyroid disease is very common in older cats as is kidney disease and diabetes. All of these things can cause similar symptoms and all are easily diagnosed with simple blood testing. You need to realize that at 17 years old he is about 85 in human years. At this age, things start to fail and go wrong. You need to find out what is wrong so you know how to best treat him. Some things are very easily treated with daily medications. I don't think this is something you are going to be able treat at home without knowing what the underlying cause is. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

I am sorry to hear about Sugar. My rule of thumb is that any cat who is losing weight needs to be seen by a vet sooner rather than later. I am particularly worried about kidney disease which is common in older cats. After a good physical exam, your vet may recommend bloodwork to check on the kidneys and thyroid in particular. Best of luck to you and Sugar!

I strongly recommend a vet visit for Sam with possibly booodwork. Weight loss and weakness is not a normal symptom of old age. His not wanting to eat and weight loss indicates that he has something else going on. In older cats kidney disease, heart disease or metabolic/endocrine diseases can be common. With treatment Once you have an accurate diagnosis as to why Sam isn't feeling well then you can tailor diet and care to make his golden years as comfortable as possible. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would highly recommend taking Billie to a vet if he has a decreased appetite that is causing weight loss. Typically cats will not stop eating just due to older age. However certain disease like kidney disease, hyperthyroidism and infection/dental disease can cause weight loss. IT is best for him to be examined by a vet. Hope that helps