Why is my senior cat losing weight, howling at night, and circling?

My concern with Menie is that he can have one of a few different things going on. As cats age they can become diabetic, have chronic kidney disease or even become hyperthyroid. With all these diseases you will see an increase in drinking and weight loss. I would recommend taking Menie to the veterinarian and having blood work and a urinalysis performed to see exactly what is going on with him. The urine will also show if there is a urinary tract infection, which they can have if they have diabetics, kidney disease or even if they don't have another disease going on. I hope Menie feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The main suspicion would be hyperthyroidism, he is showing all the symptoms, you need to take him to the vet ASAP in order to have a blood test done that should confirm this, then your vet can start him on a treatment for this condition (fully treatable).

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.

These are indeed an unusual set of symptoms, thyroid disease and diabetes would be the first suspects for a cat with increasing appetite and weight loss. A specialist ultrasound scan of the abdomen may be worth while to investigate difficulties with food digestion and absorption or even tumours using up the calories

With the symptoms you are describing I tend to test for advanced kidney disease or hyperthyroidism. I would encourage him to eat as best you can and get him to a veterinarian. With blood work and a urinalysis they should be able to give you a diagnosis and help direct you as to what is next

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

These sudden changes in temperament and the weight loss are commonly due to an endocrine problem called hyperthyroidism. The thyroid starts working more than normal increasing the metabolism (that is the cause of the weight loss) and causing behavioural changes similar to what you described. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm this clinical suspicion and treat appropriately. A blood test and urine analysis are needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!