My senior cat is losing weight, lethargic, and ill. What's wrong?

These signs are probably not due to old age alone and there is likely something going on with Shadoe. Unfortunately, without a full physical exam and diagnostic testing, it is not possible to determine what could be causing these signs. However, lethargy and eating and drinking very little along with weight loss are very concerning signs that warrant a visit to the veterinarian. Here are some resources that will hopefully help you afford a vet for Shadoe: 1) You can see if your vet accepts payment plans. 2) Look for a low cost clinic in your area 3) Try to apply for Care Credit online (www.carecredit.com) 4) There is an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants (redrover.org) 5) Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website (bestfriends.org)

Your cat needs to see the veterinarian today. The weight loss and lethargy are concerning for many conditions including kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes or cancer. Other causes are also possible. Many of these conditions can be managed if caught early. The veterinarian will need to check from blood and urine test results. I hope this helps.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Garfield. Yes it is concerning that he's been vomiting, is constipated, and has lot weight. I see he's an older boy, and some of his symptoms can be caused by a serious medical condition like diabetes, hyperthyroidism, kidney failure, heart disease, or even cancer. I would take him into the vet in the morning. I recommend getting a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis to see what is going on. I hope this helps!

Poor Nelson! From your description, I would say that something is definitely wrong. 13 or 14 years is really not overly old for a cat, certainly not old enough to cause these symptoms due to "old age." Some common causes of weight loss, decreased appetite, and acting lethargic along with peeing in odd places and difficulty walking would include diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or chronic kidney disease. I would recommend having Nelson examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - he/she can do basic blood work and a urinalysis to check for these problems and help determine what is causing his symptoms. In many cases, these illnesses are quite treatable once a diagnosis is made, so there's a good chance that your vet will be able to help.

I believe these very general symptoms are very worrying, i cannot tell you what is the cause as there are many options but i strongly advise that you take him to the vet urgently to have a blood test done and get this checked.

Based on what you are describing I would be concerned that something is going on with Cupcake. At her age I would be concerned about 3 diseases in particular: diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease. All of these diseases can cause lethargy, anorexia, and weight loss. I would recommend taking Cupcake to the vet to be checked out. Your vet can run some simple lab work to determine if she has any of these diseases. These illnesses can also depress the immune system and lead to additional illnesses like upper respiratory tract infections that would explain the sneezing and watery eyes. Hopefully your vet can determine what is going on so you can start treatment and get Cupcake back to herself. Best of luck.

I'm sorry to hear that Midnight is doing so poorly. As Dr. Darvishian mentioned, breathing changes are a medical emergency and should be addressed by an emergency vet right away. It's possible that Midnight's breathing changes, coughing, weight loss, weakness, appetite and drinking changes, and lethargy could be due to congestive heart failure, asthma, cancer, or many other issues. She's likely experiencing restlessness and a loss of appetite because she can't breathe well enough to comfortably lay down or swallow. I strongly recommend taking Midnight to an emergency vet right away. This is not a situation that can be managed at home. I hope that everything goes well.