My 18-year-old cat is skinny, bleeding, and having accidents. What's wrong?

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 suggest you schedule a vet visit and blood work for Elskan. Since she is an older kitty she may be suffering from a kidney problem, hyperthyroidism or diabetes. All of these can be ruled out with a blood test. A shaggy coat and accidents also are signs that Elskan is not feeling well.

I recommend taking Sophie to the veterinarian. Especially without knowing how old Sophie is it is difficult to determine the exact cause of the weight loss and confusion in her. At the vet, after doing a physical exam, they will most likely perform blood work to determine if Sophie has anything going on with her. There are a few different older cat diseases that can cause weight loss. Some older cat diseases can be anything from kidney disease, diabetes or even hyperthyroidism. I hope Sophie feels better and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Princess. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Cats typically hide signs of illness well. So when there is a decrease in appetite, this is significant. She will be examined and will likely need laboratory work to help diagnose her problem. Kidney disease, thyroid disorders, pancreatitis and diabetes are commonly seen in older cats. I hope this information helps!

Duchess needs to visit her veterinarian. Changes in her coat can indicate many things including thyroid disease, stress or allergies. The weight loss is most concerning for a many conditions including thyroid disease, kidney disease, cancer or diabetes. Changes in her litter box behavior could also be explained by any of the above listed health conditions. Best to play it safe and have her examined by the veterinarian. They will check her blood and urine for any abnormalities and this will give you a better idea of the cause and treatment. Best of luck.

It is common for cats to hide when they don't feel well. She needs to be taken to a vet to have the lethargy and bloody urine addressed. They will do blood work to check her kidneys function and a urine sample to check for an infection. Weight loss and dehydration can occur quickly in older cats. Your vet can better guide you in her quality of life based on the diagnostics.

Hi Niki. 18 is a great old age for a cat but it is likely that she is starting to have some age related illnesses. Older cats may be prone to hyperthyroid which can make them lose weight, have skin issues and other problems. Renal (kidney) disease can also affect our older kitties. I would suggest that your dad's kitty see a veterinarian for a senior checkup and some bloodwork. Many of these conditions can be diagnosed on a bloodwork screen and there are multiple medical options to treat to give her the best quality of life in her golden years.