Why is my old cat vomiting, losing weight, and breathing fast?

Romeo is gorgeous! Thank you for including pictures. Missing teeth is not a reason that Romeo should be vomiting. I think I would recommend having your vet do an exam and do some blood work to evaluate for something like hyperthyroidism which causes cats to eat more, but not gain weight because their metabolism is abnormal. It is a treatable condition, and there are certainly other things that could be going on with Romeo, so I would start with a trip to the vet to determine what might be going on with him and to determine how to treat it. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Romeo feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Noah does need to be examined by the veterinarian and he will need bloodworm and a fecal exam at least. The main causes of these symptoms are hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, diabetes, severe dental disease or severe parasites. The mucus in the eyes and mouth may be unrelated to the other symptoms. It's possible his immune system is run down and so opportunistic infections are occurring. Don't wait to have him examined. All those conditions can be successfully cared for if treated early. I hope this helps and that Noah starts healing quickly.

Vague behavior changes like you are describing can be the first sign of illness in an older cat, so if you feel something is wrong I would encourage you to see your veterinarian again. Blood work might be recommended to rule out kidney or liver disease. The vomiting could be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease or even an intestinal mass and if the blood work is normal an abdominal ultrasound might be recommended. Finally, the vocalizing and hissing could be a sign of pain from something like arthritis and there are some supplements and now pain medications that can be used in cats.

Gizzy needs to be examined by the veterinarian. The two most common conditions that will cause these clinical signs are kidney disease and hyperthyroidism. Please keep in mind that other causes are also possible. Both of these can be successfully managed with special foods/medications. The key however, is that treatment must start before things get too bad. The longer you wait, the worse things may become. These conditions are not death sentences if caught at an appropriate time. Many cats will live a quality life for a few years after diagnosis. I recommend to have Gizzy examined by the veterinarian within the next few days. Some simple blood and urine tests will be needed for a correct diagnosis. Left untreated, these conditions can cause pets to become more sick and potentially suffer. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I'm sorry this is going on with Precious but she needs to see a vet. The most common issues we see with older cats are: 1. diabetes 2. kidney disease/failure 3. hyperthyroidism Any of those can cause her symptoms and all are treatable (to an extent). All can be ruled out with simple blood testing. The best one she could have is hyperthyroidism - it is not expensive to diagnose or treat. Of course it may not be any of those and she could have something else going on entirely. First step is you need to know what the diagnosis is. I don't know what prices are in your area but an exam and bloodwork is probably right around $200. All you can do is call around for prices and see what you can work out. Some humane societies these days have low cost services so maybe check with them.

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!

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.