Why is my senior cat losing hair, coughing, and still boney?

Hi there. 11 is not particularly old for a cat, so I would hope that Sam has many more good years left. There are many things that can cause vomiting and weight loss in a kitty this age, including diabetes, hyperthyroisism, chronic pancreatitis, and chronic kidney disease. The dermatitis is likely a separate issue, which could be due to allergies, fleas, or a bacterial or fungal skin infection. Most of these problems are very treatable once a diagnosis is made, so I would suggest taking Sam to the vet for an exam when you are able to. He/she can do blood work or other testing if needed to help determine what is causing his symptoms and get him started on appropriate treatment.

If he seems to be losing weight, I would make sure her thyroid level was tested. If so, the skin could be due to an allergy or other skin condition. Thyroid level being high can cause skin and hair changes so I would first get this level checked out. As for the skin, you can use Douxo PS calm shampoo and mousse, both of which can be found online quite easily. 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.

Hair loss can be a sign of allergies, fleas or ringworm and is probably unrelated to the cough/cold signs you're seeing. I'm not quite sure what you mean by moaning - if Bounty has a congested nose and his breathing is noisy this could be a sign of an upper respiratory infection. If he is coughing this could be a sign of asthma or some types of lung infections. I would recommend having him seen by a veterinarian. They can examine his skin and also help determine what is causing the cough/cold signs and moaning and recommend appropriate treatment.

Kitty should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. He could have hyperthyroidism and your vet can run blood-work to test his thyroid level. Once your vet determines the exact cause, he/she can recommend a treatment. Hope he feels better soon.

He could have multiple things going on here. Itching is a sign of allergies, so I would first check for fleas (they leave behind tint black pepper looking specks on the skin). The purple bumps may be an inflammatory reaction or actual masses, so have these tested through your vet. The wheezing is the most concerning symptom that he has, as this can be early signs of asthma, bronchitis, a mass (an enlarged thyroid) pressing on his airway, or an upper respiratory infection. I would encourage you to schedule an earlier appt for Tobby to address the wheezing as soon as possible. Cats with airway issues are consider unstable and should seek medical attention right away because the lungs are their stress organ, so that means that if they are not feeling well then the lungs can get worse very quickly. I hope that your pet Tobby feels better soon. Best of luck at the vet.

Hello. Hair loss could be due to many factors however with the image you have provided it looks like it could be possible parasites (fleas), behavioural (stress), or with his age possible hyperthyroidism. Wheezing can be due to asthma (increased risk if smokers in the house), or heart disease. I would suggest getting Twinkie seen at your vet's next available appointment, as cats often don't give you many early signs of breathing troubles before a crisis, so if you are hearing wheezing now it is best (and most economical) to treat it early while Twinkie is still stable. Your vet will also look at the skin for parasites, and may want to do a blood test to check for hyperthyroidism. Good luck with Twinkie!

Oh no, poor Paddy! Unfortunately without seeing him in person, I can't say for certain if this is something relatively minor. A rash in cats could be caused by an infection (bacteria or yeast), allergies, or insects (fleas, mites). This would also cause fur loss. In a senior cat, hyperthyroidism could cause hair loss. Make sure he is up to date on his flea treatments, giving him one such as Revolution or Advantage if he isn't. You will have to disinfect the environment as well. I would have him seen by a vet for this though, and I can give you a number of resources that may help you afford a vet. He does need a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis to check on his overall health, and these tests can help diagnose if he does have hyperthyroidism or not, which is very common in senior cats. Once the cause of his symptoms is diagnosed, the vet can prescribe treatment for him. Affording a vet: You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also 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. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.
 God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help.
 The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.
 Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay. IMOM is dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged.