Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Sarah_Jane on December 19, 2011, 15:28:07 PM
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My friend is really upset, has a male cat 18 yrs old who has lost a dramatic amount of weight. Started a few months back both her cats went off there food, then about week later both started eating again And even though there eating now her male cat refuses to put on weight even though her other cat has got a bit chubby! There not stealing each others food iv checked. Now he is constipated.
She took him to vet who told her it was more than likely something to do with the liver or old age :Crazy: and sent her away saying there wasnt much could be done, no blood tests etc in the last week though she thinks he may have a small fit. Which again the vet said was common in a cat that old. Iv never had a cat that old so i dont know about it was just wondering what you guys thought about it. :thanks:
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My purrrrrrrrsonal reaction to that vet is rubbish and not likely to be liver at all, would guess at thyroid problems most likely.
I would advise you sister to find a better vet urgently and get some condensed milk.......carnation do it in tubes,,,,,,mix a teaspoonful with water and hope the cat will drink it. luke warm is best. do this once a day for a couple of days and hope the system will work again. If it doesnt work will need vet help.
I have had two cats over 18yrs and still have one and Napoleon was 17 going on 18.
Fits are not common in a cat of any age and it needs the basic blood tests done for kidneys and thyroid at least, plus advise for the fits.
I can help on how to deal with them but the cat needs to see a good cat vet now and first.
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Completely agree - I'd advise your friend to try an alternative vet, at the very least a round of blood tests should have been done in my opinion! :/
If a cat does has liver problems, you can check for jaundice (yellowing of tissue) by looking at the inside of the cats ears, whites of the eyes and in some cases the gums too. If they are very yellow - I'd get him back to the vet fast.
It does sound like it might be a thyroid issue too - rapid weight loss despite an increase in appetite is classic symptom (mine is HyperT).
If the cat is getting 'antsy' and a bit over fidgety that can be another sign - HyperT increases the metabolism (hence the weight loss) and also the heart rate. When Schmoo got really bad she had an 'episode' of getting very strung out and excessively panting very loudly with her toungue out, shes never done it since, but it was very scary at the time.
Gills tip on the milk for stopping constipation works a treat - speaking from previous experience! Schmoos was sorted within the day when we tried it LOL!
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i have told her 2 see another vet... wen i asked how the vet came up with liver disease she said the vet had felt the cats tummy and said she could feel the liver was enlarged! :-: wud have thought that any vet worth there salt that felt a enlarged liver would have given a better responce than "your cat isnt in pain feed him these biscuits and if and when he is in pain bring him back and we'll discuss your options"
forgot 2 say thanks for replying guys knew you would help :hug:
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Agree with the others, get your friend to see another vet. My cat Harry recently started having fits (he's 14) and he was found to have high blood pressure which he's currently on tablets for. He'd also lost a lot of weight despite eating well, hyperthyroidism was also suspected, blood tests showed that to be normal, but its still worth testing for.
Didnt know about that tip with carnation milk :wow:
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its got be carnation condensed milk lol
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Definitely time for a new vet!
Get all the blood tests done, once you know what it is, you can deal with it, no matter what.