What can cause a young cat to lose weight?
Reasons Your Cat Might Be Losing Weight
- Not Getting Enough Food. Sometimes, your cat is eating less than you think.
- Intestinal Parasites.
- Feline Diabetes.
- Feline Hyperthyroidism.
- Feline Viral Disease.
- Feline Kidney Disease.
- Feline Cancer.
What happens if a cat loses weight too fast?
If cats lose too much weight too quickly they can develop fatty liver disease (called hepatic lipidosis). Fatty liver disease occurs when the body breaks down too much fat too quickly and the liver cannot process the fat fast enough.
Why is my cat eating well but losing weight?
Hyperthyroidism. If your cat is eating more than usual, but still losing weight, hyperthyroidism could be another culprit as well. This happens from a benign tumor that’s being produced by hormones on the thyroid gland.
How fast can a cat lose weight safely?
A healthy weight loss would be close to one pound per month. Some cats may need to go slower while others may shed the pounds more quickly. “Most cats will achieve their ideal weight within six to eight months.”
Why is my cat suddenly so skinny?
Common GI problems that produce weight loss in cats include inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, or certain infections. Intestinal parasites. Also known as worms, intestinal parasites may be the cause of your cat’s unintentional weight loss.
What is feline hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism is a common disease in cats, and mostly afflicts cats middle-aged and older. Also called thyrotoxicosis, hyperthyroidism is caused by an increase in production of thyroid hormones (known as T3 and T4) from an enlarged thyroid gland in a cat’s neck.
How can I tell if my cat has worms?
Symptoms of Worms in Cats
- Vomiting (sometimes with worms in the vomit)
- Diarrhea (with or without blood)
- Tarry feces.
- Weight loss.
- Distended abdomen.
- Skin lesions.
- Generally poor body condition and a dull coat.
What are the symptoms of worms in cats?
Symptoms of Worms in Cats
- Vomiting (sometimes with worms in the vomit)
- Diarrhea (with or without blood)
- Tarry feces.
- Weight loss.
- Distended abdomen.
- Skin lesions.
- Generally poor body condition and a dull coat.
What are symptoms of hyperthyroidism in cats?
The most common sign of hyperthyroidism in cats is weight loss despite an increased appetite. Other common signs include vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, drinking and urinating more than normal, and an unkempt hair coat. Because the disease develops gradually, signs are often easy to miss at first.
What is hepatic lipidosis in a cat?
Hepatic lipidosis is also known as fatty liver syndrome. This disease is unique to cats and is one of the most common liver diseases seen in cats. “The chances of hepatic lipidosis occurring are greater if the cat was overweight or obese.”
Why is my cat thin at the back end?
As cats get older, they will start to lose weight, causing them to become thin in their hindquarters. In most cases, this weight loss is due to the loss of fat and is part of the natural aging process. Therefore, it is nothing to be too concerned about.
Why can I suddenly feel my cat’s spine?
If You Can Suddenly Feel Your Cat’s Backbone, Visit Your Veterinarian. Ultimately, the best move is to visit the veterinary clinic if you notice any sudden changes in your cat’s weight or appearance. A cat backbone that sticks out usually means there has been weight loss or muscle loss.
What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism in cats?
What are the signs of hypothyroidism in cats? The low levels of thyroid hormones seen in cats with hypothyroidism leads to a slowing of the cat’s metabolism which can result in symptoms such as cold intolerance, weight gain, hair loss or matting, lethargy, weakness or low body temperature.
Why is my cat losing so much weight?
What causes an indoor cat to get worms?
So how do indoor cats get infected with worms? Indoor cats will hunt just about anything in your home. Rodents, insects, and other household pests harbor worm eggs, which are passed on to your cat when he devours them. Mice and the common house fly are just two of the many critters that can carry roundworms eggs.
Can cats get worms from litter box?
Some can survive a long time in a litter box, while others cannot. Some parasites in cat stool, such as Toxoplasma gondii, are passed in a form that is not infectious for the first day or two in the litter box. Therefore, cleaning the litter box daily can help reduce exposure to the infectious form.
What is coccidia in cats?
What Is Coccidia in Cats? Coccidia are single-celled (protozoan) parasites that nearly all cats are exposed to in their lifetime. The parasite travels into the intestinal lining cells of the cat, where it matures over about 2 weeks into oocysts, rupturing the cells and causing intestinal damage.
What poop looks like when you have worms?
A pharmacist can help if you have: small, white worms in your poo that look like pieces of thread. extreme itching around your anus, particularly at night.
What is cat Cholangiohepatitis?
Cholangiohepatitis means inflammation of the bile ducts, gall bladder, and surrounding liver tissue. The liver produces bile, which is required for efficient digestion of food. Bile is stored in the gall bladder and passes through the bile ducts into the intestines where it mixes with and digests food, especially fats.
What is feline neoplasia?
Neoplasia is the term for various types of abnormal growths caused by the uncontrolled division of cells. These rogue cells, called neoplastic cells, do not behave and are not controlled like normal cells; they may live longer and divide faster.
What is sarcopenia in cats?
Weight loss and specifically muscle loss is a concern in cats 11 years and older. It can be described as cachexia or sarcopenia. Cachexia is loss of muscle with the disease, e.g. congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, cancer and many other chronic conditions.
What is wasting disease in cats?
What is Weight Loss and Chronic Disease? A cat that is losing weight, but still consuming food is likely affected by chronic disease. Your veterinarian may refer to this condition as cachexia, the term used to describe the wasting and weakness of one’s body due to chronic illness.
What is cachexia in cats?
Cachexia is the loss of lean body mass (LBM) that affects a large proportion of dogs and cats with congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic kidney disease (CKD), cancer, and a variety of other chronic diseases.
What are the signs of hyperthyroidism in a cat?
What are the final stages of hyperthyroidism in cats?
Over time, this progresses to increased blood pressure, severe weight loss, heart disease, blindness, and kidney damage. The slow onset of signs means that cat owners will often miss these changes until the late stages of disease.