# Cat losing weight, otherwise healthy



## madkiwi (Apr 26, 2005)

Hi all,

Our Casper (looks like a mix of Maine **** and somalian) has been constantly about the same weight (9#) forever. Over the last month he has dropped to about 7.5#, we can feel his spine is quite pronounced, and his hip bones and ribs feel like there is little more than skin over them. He has never been sick (and apart from the weight loss seems fine now). No vomiting, litterbox looks normal, etc.

No behavioral changes, still friendly and happy, still drools when he is being fussed over. He doesn't want to chase after the laser pointer as much, but if it comes close he pounces on it. He still "talks" constantly, gets on the bed and tries to position himself between my wife and I, and follows us around the house like normal.

He is going on 10 years old, we have had him since he was 4. He is an indoor cat. We have been feeding him Royal Canin Sensitive and switched recently to Indoor (both are dry foods). Occassionally we would give him some Friskies Sliced or Tender cuts as a treat. Then we give him a couple cat treats in the evening.

We have always just had a 4# gravity feeder loaded up with his kibbles, and he was fine with that. Now it seems like he just does not like his food. Won't touch it. I have been trying to mix it up, switched to putting down wet food twice a day (I was mixing it with his dry). Currently trying Fancy Feast and Nutro wet foods, his dry feeder is still loaded up with the RC Indoor in case he wants it. He still wants cat treats (favorite is Aquari-Yums Crunchy treats and Whisker Lickin's Moist). He seems to be taking some interest in the wet food, but does not appear to be exactly scarfing it down.

I am worried that either he has some kind of disease or liver problem, or some kind of metabolism change is taking place because he is now a "senior". Either that or he really hates the Royal Canin enough to stop eating.

Any ideas?

Mark


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## Gudewife (Jun 27, 2004)

A vet visit is in order to have a geriatric screening done (to check for thyroid, liver, and kidney problems), to check for infectious diseases (FIV, FeLV) if he has any risk factors for them (like going outdoors) and to have his teeth checked (dental problems can make a cat stop eating and grooming, and is often overlooked). 

A pound and a half in a month is a fairly dramatic weight loss, so I'd call the vet and schedule for a geriatric screening/bloodwork and a dental checkup.


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## spacemonkey (Aug 12, 2004)

Our oldest cat has lost weight because of dental problems, combined with some behavioral issues, so that's a definite possibility.


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## jennifer2 (Mar 5, 2005)

I agree, get a bloodpanel. A 9 to 7.5 lb drop is a 17% weight loss, that's pretty dramatic.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

A 17% weight loss is not "otherwise healthy".


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## BamMcg (Apr 25, 2005)

Let us know what happens. I had a cat with those same simptoms that checked out fine for every blood test and teeth ect... she started what you are saying at about the same age and we ended up putting her down at age 17. We still don't know what was wrong. She went from about 9 1/2 lbs to just under 8. By the time we put her down, it was difficult as her veins were even collapsed. She at normally, but by the end, every couple of weeks vomited. That's it, just all those symptoms you just explained.


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## stu (Jul 15, 2003)

We noticed one of our cats, Gemma, had lost a fair bit of weight. We could tell when we stroked her that she was getting thinner.

We took her to the vets, and she was diagnosed as diabetic! So now I jab her with insulin each morning, and her weight has stabilised. It's a pain, but it's good to know what was causing the weight loss. And she is as friendly and chirpy as ever.

You must take your cat to the vet.


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## madkiwi (Apr 26, 2005)

Cat went to the vet yesterday. Vet found no readily apparent causes, noted a white patch in his throat and prescribed some Amoxycilan (not directly related to the weight loss). No tumors etc.

Took blood for tests, will hear back today or Monday, he is suspecting a thyroid problem, but we are waiting for confirmation.

Since we switched foods he seems to be eating more though, so maybe he just was starving himself because he really hated the Royal Canin Indoor 27.

Mark 

(edited to add a photo)


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Have heard of thyroid problem causing a weight loss. Sounds like a reasonable diagnosis. Don't know about the white patch. If a fungus, an antibiotic won't kill it. Works only against bacteria. Let us know what the blood test results are and how your kitty's doing, please.


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## stu (Jul 15, 2003)

They thought Gemma had a thyroid problem, too.
I'm glad you've gone to the vet, and I'm sure your cat will be fine.

On the food issue, I don't buy the "my cat will only eat.....XXX" theory.
I reckon if they're hungry enough, they will eat what's put in front of them.
That's not to say you can feed them any old rubbish, because that would be quite wrong, but I know that cats like to try it on and whine, and eventually their owners give in!


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## jennifer2 (Mar 5, 2005)

stu said:


> I reckon if they're hungry enough, they will eat what's put in front of them.


That's not a good idea for all cats though. Some cats are suseptable to problems when they go without eating for very short periods of time.


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## madkiwi (Apr 26, 2005)

Well, the vet called. One of the thyroid tests came back negative, and the rest of the blood work shows everything is normal (liver function, diabetes etc).

So there is another thyroid test that we hope to hear the results for on Monday, but at this stage it is still a mystery.

On the home front I went to our local pet food superstore and bought the smallest bags of Nutro Natural Choice and Wellness Adult they had (already am trying Premium Edge) to see if we can coax him into eating more. Luckily they have a money back guarantee policy, if he turns his nose up at these then I can return them and try Professional, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, Iams, Wysong, Eukanuba, Newman's Own, Nature's Recipe, Foundations, Sensible Choice and Science Diet. A good selection, as you can see!

Mark


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## madkiwi (Apr 26, 2005)

Well, the second test (T4) came back- it is hyperthyroid disease. I am sure some of you know what this is- a benign tumor of the thyroid is stimulating thyroid hormone production. This is causing his heart to race, and his metabolism is going nuts.

Our choices are, treat the symptoms with a Tapazole pill 2 x per day which will counteract the extra hormones in his system, or treat him with radioactive iodine, which kills the tumor allowing his thyroid to work normally.

The cost of treating with Tapazole over a year is like $300 (mail order) plus regular visits to monitor hormone levels, while the vet says the radioactive isotope treatment runs around $1000. As Casper is only 10, he has (in theory) many more years left, so the iodine treatment is probably the way to go.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Oh, your poor little kitty.  But at least you know what it is now and can go from there. Sounds like it's a treatable condition, anyway. So hope he gets better!!


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## jennifer2 (Mar 5, 2005)

Did the vet tell you about the quaranteen period with the radioactive isotope?


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## madkiwi (Apr 26, 2005)

Well, he said that Casper would have to stay there for 4-5 days.

Did he leave something out?


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## jennifer2 (Mar 5, 2005)

No, that's right. It usually takes a little less than a week before the levels come down enough to legally go home. You won't be able to touch your cat in this time. I think it's probably harder on the owner than the cat.

Jennifer


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## madkiwi (Apr 26, 2005)

Well, we could cuddle the fish! But we do have a dog too, so she'll be with us.

Wife is out of work and has a serious medical condition (more serious than the cat's) so this is a bad thing expense wise at this time. However, considering he is still pretty young it is almost a no-brainer- if he was real old, or had another serious condition then euthanasia would be a possibility. But I can't do that to him considering that if the iodine treatment works (and the cure rate is pretty good) he probably has 8 years or more left.

Timing could have been better though.


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