# Is there any illness that is related to rapid weight gain?



## fbodgrl (May 10, 2004)

I have had Mateo since early January. He has nearly doubled his weight. A while back I posted about how much he eats. It really isn'y more or much more than any of my others. He always acts like he is starving though.

I'm just curious if there is any condition this would apply to....aside from just being a fatty kitty.


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## Ianthe (Jun 7, 2004)

What about a thyroid problem?


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## fbodgrl (May 10, 2004)

hmm.....possible. I haven't really researched anything about it. I figured I would start here first.

He was estimated to be 1 yr old at the shelter. He was about 7 1/2 lbs when we got him. Last time I weighed him he was around 14 lbs (on a human scale...so not quite accurate). I can tell that he has gained quite a bit though. He out weighs all my other cats. He isn't free fed, he eats high quality wet twice a day. Roughly the same amount as the other 3. They all maintain their weight.


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## Ianthe (Jun 7, 2004)

I think I would start with having a thyroid test done on him....especially since he is not being free fed, he shouldn't be gaining weight like that, I don't think.


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## jennifer2 (Mar 5, 2005)

HypOthyroid would definatly cause weight gain. I've got it myself :roll: 
But cats normally get hypERthyroid which would be a weight loss, hypOthyroidism is rare in cats. Other signs would be a dull coat, mental sluggishness.
If you're concerned I'd get a blood panel done to see if anything is off. I believe there is an adrenal disorder that does have a symptom of weight gain. Again, it's pretty rare.
Does he seem fat or just bigger than your other cats? My cats are very different weights. Calypso is usually around 8lbs while Korbel is more like 12lbs. It's just different body types. 

Jennifer


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## fbodgrl (May 10, 2004)

He seems fat. All my cats are on the bigger side too. Zoee was 19.5, but is down to around 12.5 or 13 now. Lamar is usually around 12 lbs and Zack is usually around 11. Of course all these weights are on a human scale with me holding them, so I am sure they are off a little.

When we got him at 7.5 lbs he seemed small, so I anticipated him gaining weight. Now he looks like a bowling pin...at least that is how my BF describes it. He has a small head and a big lower half :lol: I am going to try and find pictures to compare. You can definitly feel he is heavy when you pick him up.


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## jennifer2 (Mar 5, 2005)

fbodgrl said:


> He has a small head and a big lower half



Korbel looked like that in her fat stage. My friends said she looked like a tick!! I like bowling pin better!


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## emma_pen (Nov 2, 2004)

Hypothyroidism is very rare in cats, and does not generally cause weight gain in animals like it does in humans, either. I have only ever seen hypothyroidism in dogs. The most noticeable symptom in animals is bilateral alopecia.


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## fbodgrl (May 10, 2004)

Oh yeah....I forgot to mention too. He was only at the shelter for 2 weeks before we adopted him. I highly doubt he was a fat cat and lost alot of weight before we adopted him.


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## jennifer2 (Mar 5, 2005)

Was he an owner surrender or a stray?


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## fbodgrl (May 10, 2004)

They didn't have too much information about him. All they could tell me was a lady brought him in. She left him in the lobby and said she didn't have time to do any paperwork. He was there around 1 1/2 weeks before I adopted him. I think he may have been an outdoor cat. When we first brought him home he used to sit at the door and cry to go out.


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## Ianthe (Jun 7, 2004)

I had no idea hypothyroidism was so rare in cats.

In the last 3 months I worked at the vet, we had 2 cats diagnosed with it. 8O


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## emma_pen (Nov 2, 2004)

Ianthe said:


> I had no idea hypothyroidism was so rare in cats.
> 
> In the last 3 months I worked at the vet, we had 2 cats diagnosed with it. 8O


Are you sure? Wow, I've never seen it in cats. Cats usually get hyperthyroidism, dogs get hypothyroidism.


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## Ianthe (Jun 7, 2004)

Yes, I'm sure. Both cats had an extensive thyroid panel because neither could lose weight, and both were gaining.....both turned up with a definitive diagnosis of hypothyroid.


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

Yes, cats can be hypOthyroid. It's just not as common.


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