Feline Weight Loss
My cat is
loosing weight. The same thing happened last year at about this time of
year. My vet could not find anything specifically wrong with him and when
he began to gain weight, we thought that the problem had sorted itself
out. Any ideas?
Weight loss can have may causes in cats. It may be behavioral or disease. Cats that are upset for some reason, decrease in appetite. Evaluate recent changes in your household that may be affecting your feline friend. A tom cat new to the neighborhood could be the cause.
Cats are vulnerable to a multitude of internal and external parasites. Check your cat for fleas. Fleas transmit tapeworms. Have a stool sample evaluated by your veterinarian to make sure he didn't eat a bug or rodent carrying roundworms, whipworms, coccidia or other parasite.
Hormones such as testosterone and thyroid hormone affect a cats appetitie, weight and activity level. Consider a blood panel and a visit by your veterinarian to help you in this area. See other articles in our Ask the Vet section on hormones for more information.
Cats are notoriously finicky eaters. They grow tired of certain foods. Try a variety of foods, rotated to keep him interested. Consider a vitamin supplement, such as Vita Gravy.
Be sure to check his teeth for dental problems. The next visit by your vet may turn up something new, especially if diagnostic test are performed, such as a blood panel.
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