Elderly Feline Weight Loss
My cat will
be turning 18 soon and I noticed he has gotten extremely thin with big
clumps of hair near the end of his tail. Should I be concerned? if so,
what should I do?
Older cats have special needs. They require food made for the elderly to have healthy kidneys and circulation. They also need visits by the doctor more often, to keep up with their changing metabolism and needs. An older cat may not keep itself well groomed, so more frequent groomer visits may be necessary. You do need to keep the hair trimmed from under the tail to avoid feces accumulation in that area. Many possible conditions can cause an older cat to become thin. You and your veterinarian can explore the possibilities, and address any problems found. Hyperthyroidism is common in older cats, and causes a metabolic change, resulting is a thin cat with ravenous appetite. Renal failure causes nutrients to wash out of the blood into the urine. It is more common in the seniors, and also causes weight loss and weakness.
Parasites, such as tapeworms, can prevent the cat from absorbing all the available nutrients from his food. Some parasites also cause diarrhea, others do not. Parasitized cats often have a poor looking haircoat in addition to being thin.
Feline Leukemia Virus can cause many different syndromes. Sometimes weightloss is all one notices initially.
Dental problems are also associated with weight loss, for a cat with bad teeth has trouble eating and chewing food.
A thorough physical examination, fecal analysis and blood panel can quickly determine if he has any of these problems. Each problem is treated differently, so a proper diagnosis is necessary. An 18 year old cat deserves an annual physical and blood panel anyway.
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