Weight loss and hair loss in older cats

Cat alopecia is common in older cats that are diagnosed with some types of cancer. Weight loss may include loss of fluids usually due to vomiting andor diarrhea loss of fat loss of muscle mass or a combination of all three.

I would say a strong possibility is hyperthyroidism.

Weight loss and hair loss in older cats. These conditions can lead to weight loss loss of appetite diarrhea vomiting hair loss flu-like symptoms change in litter habits. Gastrointestinal Problems - Some of the digestive disorders that your cat can experience are acute gastroenteritis colitis diarrhea constipation irritable bowel syndrome exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and small intestinal malabsorption. There are other less common causes for hair loss in cats such as auto-immune diseases thyroid issues hyperthyroidism Cushings disease hyperadrenocorticism hormonal imbalance and some kinds of cancer.

Rarely some older cats can get bald patches on bony areas like their ankles and on their ears as an age-related change. Chronic kidney failure or CKD is very common in seniors and can be a reason for weight loss in older cats. As its a slow progressing disease your kittys weight loss will be gradual.

Other signs include drinking and urinating excessively. Providing early diagnosis is made theres a good chance the disease can be managed. Feline diabetes can cause hair loss in cats and is seen with other symptoms such as weight loss desire to eat excess thirst and increase in the frequency of urination.

Cat Hair Loss from seborrhea sicca due to Feline Diabetes Source. This is not really a worm but a fungal infection. It gets its name from its appearance.

I would say a strong possibility is hyperthyroidism. Its common in middle agedolder cats. Some of the signs are weight loss despite a very good appetite increased water consumption and hair loss.

Excessive thirst urination and weight loss in a 15- year-old cat is definitely cause for concern. Geriatric cats are at increased risk for metabolic disorders such as hyperthyroidism diabetes and chronic renal failure. Fortunately these disorders are relatively easy to diagnose via simple blood and urine tests.

Many cats experience weight loss in the final weeks or months due to loss of appetite. Weakness the cat may have difficulty standing walking accessing the litter tray or climbing stairs. Extreme lethargy the cat spends most of.

Diabetes is another illness in which cats lose weight despite an excellent appetite however most of these cats show a dramatic increase in thirst and you report that your cat is drinking the same amount of water so diabetes is lower down on my list. Gastrointestinal cancer has to be considered in an older cat. Losing a lot of weight is a sign of an illness.

I dont know the age of your cat but if Ittybitty is older losing weight can be caused by diabetes despite a big appetite hyperthyroidism or kidney disease among others. Issues with their teeth can cause weight loss as can worms. Weight loss in cats between the ages of 12 and 16 is usually a sign of illness.

The five most common causes in this age range are hyperthyroidism kidney disease particularly with secondary kidney infection diabetes mellitus intestinal disease inflammatory or. Normally they affect older cats. 95 of hyperthyroid cats are over ten years old and most cats are over 6 years old when they are diagnosed with diabetes.

Hyperthyroidism occurs with a wide variety of symptoms. It is explained in more detail but the most important of them is. What is known about common age-related changes in cats and what may be done to halt or reverse the decline in body weight that is apparently a predictable prelude to death.

The excess hormones can cause your cat to shed weight despite an increased appetite and drink water more frequently. It could also show other symptoms such as vomiting diarrhea and hyperactivity. Unfortunately theres no known cause for why hyperthyroidism happens to cats but its most common in middle-aged to older cats.

Unfortunately weight changes in older cats are often attributed merely to aging so clients may not seek veterinary care or veterinarians may inadvertently delay a diagnostic workup until marked weight loss is evident or additional clinical signs arise. Starting with a detailed history work your way through a complete workup in these patients. Your felines fur might appear dull brittle and may even fall out.

Additional symptoms may also be noted depending on which chronic disease is causing the weight loss in the feline. Weight loss caused by chronic disease in cats can result in additional symptoms. Lack of appetite Abdominal pain.

Weight loss commonly afflicts middle aged and older cats. It may be a sign of a developing heath problem or the progression of a pre-existing condition if your cat begins to lose weight. It is important to monitor your senior cats weight as even the slightest change in.

11 ye old cat. Very boney but active. Hungry all of tthe time.

Been to vet many times checked for tthyroid. Several types of test including full panel. Negative for all but respitory infection.

Treated for that but keeps coming back we think. Poor thing is down to like 7lbs was 14 lbs a year ago. Unfortunately many pet owners put weight loss in senior cats down to old age but it is extremely common for cats to have underlying medical causes.

Weight loss may include loss of fluids usually due to vomiting andor diarrhea loss of fat loss of muscle mass or a combination of all three. It can further be divided into the following. Hormonal imbalances specifically too much thyroid or increased levels of steroids in the body may lead to cat hair loss.

Another less common factor is heredity. Cat alopecia is common in older cats that are diagnosed with some types of cancer. Diagnosis of Cat Alopecia.

First your veterinarian will examine the characteristics of the hair loss. She will likely check for. Weight loss in cats is usually a sign of a problem.

Rapid weight loss is easy to spot but gradual weight loss can be tricky especially if your cat is fluffy. Weight loss can be caused by many different problems ranging from minor to serious. Always contact your vet if you think your cat has lost weight.

Older cats especially obese older kitties can develop type 2 diabetes a condition that can lead to rapid weight loss. Diabetes results when your cats body fails to respond to the hormone insulin produced by the pancreas or the pancreas doesnt produce enough of it according to WebMD.