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Cat Losing Weight
A
cat losing weight is a real concern and no doubt people search for a
reason why. As can be imagined there is often no clear and clean answer
because losing weight is a general symptom and many illnesses and
medical conditions might result in the loss of weight; the simple
reason being that when a cat is ill he or she will feel poorly and not
feel like eating.
I have personal experience of this with my cat, Binnie, who is about 18
years old (at 2010). She had been overweight for most of her life.
Suddenly about 5 months ago she started to lose weight markedly. When
an old cat losses weight it can be serious and a visit to the
veterinarian is called
for. Before taking her to the vet I made a judgment that the likely
cause came from two possible sources (a) loss of sense of smell due to
old age and/or (b) feeling unwell.
She showed no clear signs of being ill but she was going outside more
and I decided that she was uncomfortable with fleas irritating her. I
decided to flea comb twice daily and take other steps to control and
eliminate the flea. Secondly, I bought the most palatable cat food I
could
find and varied it more. She ate more and gained some weight. Although
she is now lighter than
before, her weight has stabilised. Being lighter is a benefit to her as
she can get through the cat flap for the first time in about 4 years! Changes
in Older Cats | The
Cat Flea: biology, ecology and control | Cat
Flea Treatment.
Although it is difficult to deduce simple reasons for a cat losing
weight, there are some specific illnesses that are more directly
related to a cat losing weight and in order to try and assist people
looking for answers I list below all the pages in the fine book: Cat
Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, Fully Revised and Updated that relate to a cat's weight loss as
set out in the index of signs and symptoms. I recommend that you buy
this book:
- A chronic infestation of hookworm
(more commonly seen in the adult cat) causes diarrhea, anemia and
weight loss. Hookworms are thin worms a quarter to a half inch long.
Diagnosis: seeing eggs in the cat's feces. Cat Parasites
| Cat
Deworming.
- Feline
Hyperthyroidism - see heading picture. Caused by an excessive
production of the hormone, thyroid. Symptoms: restlessness, high food
consumption due excessive to hunger but accompanied by weight loss [more]
- Feline Infectious
Peritonitis
(wet and dry form), a serious and common disease in feral, wild and
domestic cats, caused by the Caronavirus group produces symptoms that
include (a) loss of appetite, (b) weight loss, (c) listlessness and
depression [more
info].
- Feline Leukemia
Virus Disease Complex (FeLV) is "responsible for more diseases
that any other infectious agent..". Symptoms include (a) fever (b)
apathy (c) loss of appetite and weight loss (d) vomiting, constipation
and diarrhea [more
info].
- Feline
Immunodificiency Virus Infection (FIV), a "chronic cause of
immunodeficiency..". The virus is a retrovirus. Signs include fever,
swelling of lymph nodes, low white blood cell count, diarrhea, mouth
disease, loss of appetite and weight loss [more]
- Infection of the protozoan, Toxoplasma gondi causing the
disease, toxoplasmosis.
Normally no symptoms but when there are symptoms they include loss of
appetite causing weight loss, cough, rapid
breathing, fever, diarrhea
and swollen abdomen [more].
- Periodontal disease
and tooth decay - gum disease and rotten teath makes it
uncomfortable to eat so the cat goes to food but does not eat. This
leads to inevitable weight loss [cat drooling]
[bad
breath in cats].
- Chronic upset
stomach (inflammed stomach - gastritis) caused by such things as
hairballs
shows signs that include, lethargy, dull coat and the cat losing weight
[common
cat illnesses] [cat vomiting].
- Inflammatory Bowel
Disease (IBD) produces symptoms of chronic diarrhea,
malabsorption, anemia and the cat losing weight [more]
- Liver disease
commonly caused by idiopathic
hepatic lipidosis results in a jaundiced appearance (yellow
whites of eyes and skin), vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, pain
and loss of appetite and therefore weight loss [feline
fatty liver disease]
- Sugar Diabetes -
Diabetes Mellitus - a more commonly encountered disease than was
the case years ago causes symptoms in the early stages of increased
urination, increased consumption of water and food and "unexplained
weight loss..." [more]
- Feline Anemia
results in increased sleeping, weakness, lack of appetite and loss of
weight [more]
- Kidney Failure
- first signs are increased drinking and urination and as it progresses
the signs are apathy, sluggishness, loss of appetite leading to the cat
losing weight, dry hair, brownish tongue, ulcers on tongue and gums [more]
- The older cat
- weight loss can be caused by numerous diseases some of which are
described above but which also includes cancer and loss of smell. Elderly
Cat Health Problems. Geriatric
Cat Care.
External
Links:
From
Cat Losing Weight to Cat Health Problems
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