Why is my older cat losing weight, having accidents, and shaggy fur?

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.

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.

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.

If he seems to be losing weight, I would make sure her thyroid level was tested. If so, the skin could be due to an allergy or other skin condition. Thyroid level being high can cause skin and hair changes so I would first get this level checked out. As for the skin, you can use Douxo PS calm shampoo and mousse, both of which can be found online quite easily. 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.

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.

This overgrooming can be a sign of a medical illness such as hyperthyroidism, which can be common in senior cats. The urine accident could be due to kidney disease, another common illness. I'd have Noel seen by a vet for a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis.