Expert: Jessica - 5/18/2011

Question
Hi Jessica,
My Cat Shelly is 17 years old now and over the last week she has lost a lot of weight and isnt really eating. I have also noticed that her back legs look very weak and she looks very fragile. A couple of years ago i had to buy her a litter tray because we live upstairs and she could no longer jump into the garden to use the toilet. She doesnt seem like she is in pain however she always stays upstairs in my mums room and has a lot less energy. on a whole she just looks very old. Do you have any idea what may be wrong with her?

Answer
Hi Adrienne,

It's time for a vet to look at her. The major things we suspect with quick weight loss in cats of this age are diabetes, overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and kidney disease. A blood chemistry panel can determine if any of these are the case. If these are all fine, some of her blood cell counts might indicate if other health issues could be of concern, including cancer. Her physical exam could also be an indicator of this. Abnormal lumps are often felt in the abdomen of cancer patients during an exam.

Some cats become wobbly and seem to lose a lot of weight when they become dehydrated. This could be because of diarrhea or an infection that would simply require antibiotics. Monitor her bowel movements and behavior closely and report these to the vet.

I don't think a change this dramatic is a sign of simple aging, so I would encourage you to get her to a vet and find out just what's going on with her.

Best of luck!

Jessica