Ask Your Pet Question. Pet Experts Answer You ASAP.

(Not a Pet Question?)

My xat is 15 years old. He eats constantly, but is losing ...
Sent to Pet Experts April 19 02:17 PM

My xat is 15 years old. He eats constantly, but is losing weight. He is active and behaves normally. He has been checked for feline luke and is not diabetic. Is there a vitamin he should take?

 

Optional Information:
Male

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Reply
April 19 2:28 PM (7 minutes and 41 seconds later)
         
Reply to Terri Riba's Post: He eats Canned and dry food. Pro-plan cans. Small, three a day

He started losing weight 9 months ago. He has lost about 8 lbs. He was about 16 lbs when he started losing weight. He teeth and gums are fine. I has the vet check him after he lost about 3 lbs. He has not been tested for hyperthyroidism
Answer
April 19 2:49 PM (21 minutes and 32 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Dear friend,
Whenever a cat his age consistantly loses weight, I suspect a hormone imbalance or organ disfunction.
Hyperthyroid can cause this, so can inneffient kidney or liver function.You already tested for diabetes so we can rule that out.
If he has Thyroid disfuntion he can eat and eat and still lose weight.Many cats will test in the normal range on the high end and actually have hyperthyroid.
Reduced kidney function will also cause excessive thirst and urination because the cat feels dehydrated.He will keep drinking in an effort to replace lost fluids but the ineffective kidneys will not be filtering them into his bloodstream.
If his liver is not 100% you can also see weight loss because certain toxins are not being filtered out.
If his body is healthy and his bloodwork supports proper organ function then we can look at his diet. At any time, a cat can become intolerant of ingredients in his food, especially if the foods contain grains.
At this point, you will have to do bloodwork to ascertain if everything is functioning properly and isolate a specific cause for he weight loss and get it under control.If it continues he can become sick and debilitated.
I would start by changing his food to a natural one with no grains like felidae, wellness or neutro. I can also give you some links to home cooked food if you would like to try that.
Please let me know what was found and how your cat is doing.
If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I will be more than happy to help in any way possible.
Very sincerely,
Terri



Dedicated to Cats and the people who love them!
Please press ACCEPT if my answer was helpful and leave feedback Thank you! Terri
Think you can answer this question?
Login or Become an Expert

 

DISCLAIMER: You acknowledge that any information you may obtain from individuals you contact through use of the Just Answer service comes from those individuals, not from Just Answer!, and that Just Answer is not in any way responsible for any of the information these third parties may supply. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty and no representations are made regarding the qualification of an Expert. Responses and comments on Just Answer! are for general information and are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (such as medical, legal, investment or accounting) and do not establish a professional-client relationship. Just Answer! is not intended or designed to address EMERGENCY QUESTIONS which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals. Please carefully read the Terms of Service.

Just Answer! > Pet Health