Why is my senior cat suddenly washing paws, crying, and not eating?

Hello, thank er you for using PetCoach. I would not necessarily be "concerned" but it would be good for him to drink more water. Two good ways to get more water into a cat are: 1. Feed canned food and 2. Get a water fountain for him. Cats tend to drink more from a source of running water. If he eats canned food it obviously has a higher water content than dry food. I suggest you do those two things and see how things go from there. ( https://www.amazon.com/s?k=cat+drinking+fountain&crid=1UT6TC4LCPX9I&sprefix=cat+drinking+founta%2Caps%2C327&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I am sorry to hear that Kitty is not feeling very well. With the description and blood results, I worry about a condition known as hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) or triaditis (inflammation of the pancreas, liver and small intestines). For fatty liver disease, a feeding tube is generally recommended to help bring cats out of this condition as nutritional support is key and extremely important in these cases. I would recommend an abdominal ultrasound as the next diagnostic step to help better determine what the cause could be. If Kitty is still not wanting to eat, you need to consider hospitalization and feeding tube placement to help her get through this. 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.

This is an unusual behavior, especially in a cat as old as yours. I have seen cats who "drink from their paws" from a young age, and I think it can be normal then. I'd be concerned that in a senior cat this could be her way of telling you she's trying to get more water - that's called "polydipsia", and it can be due to a number of conditions. Usually you'd see them also urinating a larger volume, and/or going more frequently. If this is the case your vet can run tests to determine whether her increased water consumption is causing her to urinate more, or vice versa. Possible causes include kidney disease, some kinds of cancer, a hormonal disease called hyperthyroidism, and liver disease. I would certainly recommend that you get Gizmo in for a checkup with your vet and some tests to see what might be going on.

There could be several reasons why your [cat will not eat](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-isnt-my-cat-eating). Take a look inside your cat's mouth and under its tongue if you can do it safely. If you see any redness, inflammation or bleeding of the gums or around teeth, there may be [periodontal disease](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/dental-disease-1/) present. Confirm there are no foreign objects (or string) in the mouth or under the tongue. If you see anything that does not appear "normal", schedule an exam with your veterinarian. Other potential causes include [kidney disease](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-things-you-should-know-about-kidney-disease-in-cats), [pancreatitis](https://www.petcoach.co/article/pancreatitis) or gastrointestinal issues. These may require blood work and x-rays to diagnose. If the mouth is clear, try warming the food slightly or adding some liquid from a can of tuna to stimulate appetite. If your cat does not eat for 3+ days, see your vet immediately to avoid complications involving [liver function](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/hepatic-lipidosis/).

This sounds a lot like your kitty has problems with his teeth or possibly severe gingivitis or ulcers in his mouth. If he lets you have a look, inspect his mouth for red spots, a red gum line and severe tartar, especially on the molars or any swelling. He will likely need a dental cleaning under anesthesia, if he has not had one in the last year or two. Cats get so called FORL, that is the neck of the tooth often rots underneath the gum and eventually starts hurting. Typical signs would be red gums and some swelling and not letting you have a look at his mouth. Affected cats often want to eat, go to the food, eat a little and then stop only to return later for more but few bites. Please make an appointment with your vet for an exam very soon. In the meantime feed canned food which will be less painful to eat.

I'm so sorry that Cleo is having these problems. Since you mentioned that she is hyperthyroid, I would be sure to check her thyroid level and her blood pressure. If either is high, it could be responsible for the behavioral changes that you are noticing. I would also recommend checking a urine sample since urinary tract infections are common in older female cats to make sure that isn't playing a role in her sudden changes. Cleo is certainly an older girl and not eating as much is certainly a worrying sign, but I would make sure there isn't any treatable explanation for her recent behavioral changes. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your questions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is somewhat expected to some extent though it is important to make sure she is drinking water so she does not get dehydrated. I would encourage her to drink and you may get more than 1 litter box to encourage her to use it. If she does not improve within 2-3 days, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment in case there is something else going on. Best of luck!