Why is my senior cat overgrooming, losing hair, and losing weight?

Older cats like your kitty often get an overactive thyroid which will show weight loss, a really fast heart rate, sometimes vomiting, and more vocalisation than usual. Some cats get skittish as well. Hyperthyroidism can actually cause heart problems and mask kidney disease. Hyperthyroidism is easily diagnosed with a clinical exam and a little blood test and there are various treatments available, varying from Methimazole transdermal ointment or tablets to slow down thyroid hormone production, surgery to remove the overactive thyroid gland or radiotherapy. If your kitty is suffering from hyperthyroidism your vet will discuss the various options. I suggest you make an appointment tomorrow.

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.

No, this isn't normal for a senior cat. There could be a medical illness behind this weight loss and shedding hair, such as hyperthyroidism. This can be common in senior cats, and it can be treated either medically or surgically. I recommend taking Sino into the vet first thing on Monday for a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis. Using these tests, the vet can diagnose what is causing her weight and hair loss, and can discuss treatment options with you. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Wet food actually helps cats lose weight. It has a higher moisture content, so it takes more of it to give a cat their daily caloric requirements I would have him seen by a vet today or tomorrow. In a senior cat, this weight loss can not only be caused by dental problems, but also diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, or cancer. I recommend having a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis to diagnose what is causing his weight loss. Once the cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment options.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If Coco has been losing weight, I would recommend having her blood tested and having her thyroid level checked to see if the weight loss and fur loss are the cause of a hyperthyroid. 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.

She could have a skin infection and/or an allergic dermatitis. She may need an antibiotic and/or corticosteroid to help treat. It would also be a good idea to recheck her thyroid level if she hasn't had it checked in the last 6 months.

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!