Why is my senior cat suddenly losing weight and looking so skinny?

Yikes! Depending on how rapidly Hobbes has been loosing weight, that's could be very concerning. I would focus on trying to figure out why his weight is down so much. At a minimum, he needs some blood work that checks his kidney values, thyroid level, and urine. If your vet has already done all of that, ask if they would refer to somewhat to have a full abdominal ultrasound. I'm worried about hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, or even cancer for Hobbes.

Tori does look a little thin. It is very common for the physical exam to normal but there is no way the vet can tell what is going on inside with the function of the internal organs. So, if lab work was not done, I suggest that as the next step. Cats, as they age, typically get one of three diseases: 1. kidney disease, 2. hyperthyroidism and 3. diabetes. All of which can cause weight loss and all of which can be easily detected with simple blood testing.

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.

I recommend to have her examined. Certainly something like cancer is possible but there are some other conditions that are common in older cats like renal disease and hyperthyroidism that generally respond very nicely to treatment but this does depend on the severity. If renal disease is caught before things get too bad, cats require a special diet, sometimes a medication, sometimes subcutaneous fluids and the average time of quality life after diagnosis is 2 years. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-care-for-a-cat-with-kidney-disease/ Hyperthyroidism can be controlled with a special diet, with medications or with a permanent solution like radioactive iodine treatment. Many cats with this condition will live normal live expediencies as long as they are medicated. https://www.petcoach.co/article/hyperthyroidism-in-cats/ It's always best to know whats happening. That way you can made an educated decision and prevent any suffering. Bloodwork and a urinanalysis will give you and the doctor a good idea of what is happening inside Natasha's body and then you can make an appropriate decision once you know what your options are. I recommend to get this done within the next day or two since both of these conditions will respond best to earlier intervention. I hope this helps.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Salem. Unfortunately, he sounds very ill. He will need to see a veterinarian. Start with the physical exam and office call. It is worth having him evaluated and seeing if something on his exam can tell the doctor what his problem may be or if it is potentially treatable or not. You can ask for a written estimate of cost prior to authorizing any diagnostics or treatment. This will give you the necessary information to make a decision. Extreme weight loss can be due to conditions such as an over active thyroid gland, diabetes or even cancer. I hope this information helps.

I would recommend taking Oliver Paul into for an exam by a veterinarian. They can do a full exam, and a geriatric blood work panel. They may also take his blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause weight loss in older kitties. It can also cause eye problems. Another common and treatable condition in older kitties is hyperthyroidism. They get benign (non-cancerous) tumors on their thyroid gland that causes them to produce too much hormone which up regulates their metabolism. They will eat a lot and continue to drop weight. A veterinarian can get Oliver on a plan to recovery! Thanks for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m glad to hear Grippet has lost the weight you wanted him to, but at his age we would want to ensure all the weight loss is for healthy reasons and not an underlying medical issue. As cats age, they frequently can get an overactive thyroid, diabetes, or kidney issues (among others) that can lead to unhealthy weight loss. I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian and have bloodwork done to ensure all his weight loss is healthy and there isn’t an underlying issue that needs to be addressed. Good luck!