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Why is my senior cat peeing outside box, losing weight, but tests are clear?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Maine Coon | Female | spayed | 14 years and 1 month old | 12 lbs

Our 14yo cat has recently begun urinating and dedicating in different areas of the house, as well as in her litter box. She is also drinking a ton and urinating 12-20 times per day. Bloodwork and x-rays were completely clear. Vet did not see cancer on the x-rays but she doesn’t appear stressed. However, she’s lost a third of her weight in the last eight months. Any other thoughts? She’s confined to a small area until we figure out an answer.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on August 29th, 2021

It's interesting that her blood work was normal with that information. If she is losing weight and urinating a lot, it is possible that she could be losing protein in her urine. A urinalysis would check for this. Hyperthyroidism is another cause for weight loss in an older cat. Thyroid hormones are easily tested for but not commonly found on routine lab work - it has to be specifically requested. Another possible cause for the inappropriate urination and defecation in a senior-aged kitty would be pain from arthritis. It sounds like your vet hasn't quite gotten to the bottom of Olivia's medical concerns. I would take her back in for follow-up so they can move on to the next step in diagnostics. Also, we can never completely rule out cancer, since there is no simple cancer test. It can be a little tricky to find if the body isn't showing us specifically
where it could be, but I am hoping that isn't what is going on in this case.
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 19th, 2017

    It sounds like there are a couple of things going on with Abigail at the moment. She could have an abscess in her cheek causing the swelling. That could be brought on by a fight with another animal or by a dental problem. An abscess will be painful, and that would keep her from wanting to eat. It would make her mouth sore as well, especially if she has a dental problem, and she will not want to use her mouth to clean herself. The problems with leaping onto the sofa and balance could be due to arthritis or joint issues, while the weigh loss and urination could be due to kidney disease, diabetes, or hyperthyroidism. I would have her seen by a vet first thing Monday morning for a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, urinalysis, and potentially x-rays. Using these tests, the vet can diagnose what is causing all her symptoms, and can discuss treatment options with you.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Health & Wellness
My senior cat drinks, eats, pees a lot, losing weight, tests normal. Why?
It is fairly rare, but ask your veterinarian if your kitty may be suffering from Cushing's disease or liver disease. Also sometimes cats can still be hyperthyroid, even though the thyroid parameters are within normal limits (this is called euthyroid sick). He could also have a tumor. In any case, this needs to be investigated further.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My old cat is losing weight, vocalizing, and peeing more. What to do?
I would recommend the bloodwork if possible. Many of the symptoms your describe could be due to hyperthyroidism which can often be managed with diet or medication. Renal disease diabetes are also concerns. Speak with your vet to determine what they suspect is most likely and find out if it is possible to test for one thing at a time instead of running a full panel at once. The vet will suggest the best options but often if you explain financial constraints we can work with owners. If unable to do the diagnostic testing then euthanasia is a reasonable option to prevent her from suffering. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why is my senior cat having accidents, losing weight, and wobbling?
Zoie very likely has arthritis, which may make it painful to get into her litter box and/or squat to have a bowel; movement. She may also be suffering from a typical old cat disease, such as hyperthyroidism or kidney disease. Both of those are easily diagnosed with a simple blood test. Diabetes can also cause weight loss, as can severe dental disease. Please take your kitty to your vet for a geriatric exam. You may also want to make it easier for your kitty to enter her litter box. The bigger the box the better and it should have a low entrance.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why is my senior cat lethargic, losing weight, and peeing outside box?
Poor Nelson! From your description, I would say that something is definitely wrong. 13 or 14 years is really not overly old for a cat, certainly not old enough to cause these symptoms due to "old age." Some common causes of weight loss, decreased appetite, and acting lethargic along with peeing in odd places and difficulty walking would include diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or chronic kidney disease. I would recommend having Nelson examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - he/she can do basic blood work and a urinalysis to check for these problems and help determine what is causing his symptoms. In many cases, these illnesses are quite treatable once a diagnosis is made, so there's a good chance that your vet will be able to help.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why is my senior cat losing weight and vomiting with normal bloodwork?
Poor Checker! This is a huge amount of weight to have lost in a year, so I would say that something is definitely wrong. In older cats with significant weight loss like this and normal blood work, the most common possible causes would be an intestinal absorption issue like inflammatory bowel disease (which can be present even if she is not having diarrhea), or some type of abdominal cancer. The next diagnostic steps would be abdominal x-rays and ultrasound, with exploratory surgery and intestinal biopsies if needed to get a definite diagnosis. If this isn't possible for financial reasons, a trial course of oral steroids and injectable vitamin B12 might be helpful - I would suggest discussing these options with your vet to see what he/she recommends.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My senior cat pees on carpet, vet says blood work normal. What to do?
Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If the veterinarian did not test her urine, I would recommend having her urine tested to see if she is dealing with a urinary tract infection. If she has a UTI, she will need an antibiotic and potentially an anti-inflammatory. If her urine was tested and came back normal, I would recommend providing her with multiple litter boxes with different litter and consider the use of a product called Feliway, which can be found online or at your local pet store. 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. Please remember to rate this answer as helpful or not. Thank you!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why is my senior cat vomiting, having diarrhea, and losing weight?
There are three very common diseases that older cats get and I am guessing she has one of these that are causing her symptoms. Hyperthyroidism Diabetes Kidney disease These can all be easily tested with some simple bloodwork at your vets. It is not likely parasites so spend your money on the blood testing and not the fecal test. Only do the fecal test if the blood work all comes back normal. My best guess as to what is going on based on your description would be hyperthyroidism which can be easily treated. So please get Ebony to your vet for an exam and testing. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/hyperthyroidism-in-cats )
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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