Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 4/22/2009

Question
Hi, my 7year old siamese cross neutered male cat is progressively wasting away over the past while. I've had our vet check him out and he's apparently healthy and has tested negative for FeLV. He has unequal pupil size and a slight  discharge from both eyes from time to time. I've treated his eyes with an antibiotic eye ointment from the vet, but it seems like a chronic condition. He eats very poorly and I've recently noticed a 'sour' type smell from his coat? Could he have some type of metabolic abnormality?
He has always been of light build compared to my other moggies, however he is not thriving at the moment, despite not being obviously unwell. He eats only a very small amount of food, then turns away. He has a slightly runny nose and he seems to 'swallow' a lot, however he did have a throat xray a few months ago and it appeared normal. Any ideas as to what I could do, or suggestions as to tests I could suggest the Vet run, would be much appreciated!

Answer
Monty -

It is difficult to recommend treatment for a cat that I have not seen, but perhaps you should request radiographs of the abdomen.  The fact that your cat seems to "swallow" frequently may indicate that he has a upset stomach or an inflamed pancreas.  Inflammatory bowel disease or food allergy can also cause the symptoms you describe and usually can be treated with antiinflammatory medications.  


If there is a veterinarian in your area that sees only cats, you should seek his/her opinion, too. Good luck in finding relief for your pet.

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM