My cat has lost weight?

Question

My cat has lost a lot of weight over the past 2 weeks.He is eating,but seems to be constantly licking and biting himself,parts of his fur has worn away.He just looks so thin,can anybody help?
I also had a little kitten but she disappeared a couple of weeks ago,could he be pining for her?

Thanks for all your answers,have made appt for vet.Only my second day on here,and everyone has been helpful.
Thanks again

Answer 1

CAIDS? Cats' Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Answer 2

You're going to get a ton of similar answers about taking him to a vet and you really don't have any other option but that.

My daughter's cat was doing the same thing with biting his fur and licking but it was NOT worms or fleas. It was actually a skin condition--they called it a Hot spot---and it became a habit that he couldn't break. They gave us a steroid for him to take and it cleared the problem up and his fur grew back. We watch him more closely to make sure he doesn't pick up the bad habit again. Around that time his appetite was good, but he was losing weight and sometimes would throw up. The hair he was licking and biting was getting stuck in his throat and stomach. So that could be why yours is losing weight--he's not getting the nutritional value of the food. We also found out at the vet that our cat had several bad teeth (and we didn't know) and was swallowing the food without chewing & that added to him not digesting it properly.

Good luck---vets are expensive--but once they give the right diagnosis, you feel so much better.

Answer 3

It sounds like he might have a bad allergic reaction or fleas or mites. Appetite loss could be anything. He needs to go the vet ASAP. Bring a stool sample so they can test for worms (a major cause of weight loss). I hope he has been vaccinated for everything 'cause feline leukemia is on the rise and often deadly. It could cause weight loss. You didn't say how old he is. It could be he's just getting old. My guess is that he has worms and a flea allergy. Your vet can give you Frontline which is a great product for fleas. If a cat is allergic to fleas (like mine), it only takes one little flea to trigger the cat to literally make sores from licking and biting! I doubt the cat's health problems are related to the missing kitten. Most cats prefer to be the sole kity in the house and older cats rarely bond with young kittens that aren't their own. Take him to the vet as soon as you can. No one (not even a vet tech.) can give you a diagnosis online without actually examining your cat! Good luck. I hope he gets better and your kitten shows back up (KEEP COLLARS AND TAGS ON CATS EVEN IF THEY'RE INDOORS AND CONSIDER MICROCHIPPING FOR IDENTIFICATION).

Answer 4

Sounds like fleas which inturn when licked and eaten will cause worms. Worms will eat what he eats and acts like a bad diet pill. Get a flea tablet and tape worm pill from the vet. For preventative, flea collar and keep it current. You will not have to take the cat into the vet, but you will need to know how old and how much the cat weighs. Also if the cat eats mice or birds and they have fleas the same will happen. Our vet says once a season is over(summer) the cats should be dewormed because our cats are allowed outdoors. Have a Purrfect Holiday!

Answer 5

It sounds like he has fleas badly. Fleas often come back with a vengence around this time of year because of central heating. They can also give the cat worms - hence the weight loss. I'm sorry to say, you really shouldn't have let it get this far - it can lead to all sorts of other more serious problems. Get the cat to a vet.

Incidentally - cats do over-groom when they are stressed - so he may be pining for the kitten, however, I really do think it sounds like he has fleas. Seek professional advice. Good luck.

Answer 6

Try feeding it more than once a day in small amounts. The worn away fur can just be a sign of old age or skin problems. My cat is really thin also she just has a really quick metabolism. If your cat starts throwing up visit a vets office.

Answer 7

Have you checked him for fleas? Also take him to the vet he may have a serious medical problem and the longer you wait the more he suffers. I don't think he would pine that much for a kitten to make him have these symptoms. When in doubt, take him to the vet. Youshould treat him as if you would a sick baby. That cat nor a baby can tell you what is wrong with it, but if he was a child you would not hesitate to take him to a professional. Your cat depends on you to take care of him, so return his love and take good care of him.

Answer 8

Get your cat to the vet ASAP!!! It could be that he is misses his kitten buddy, but there are lots of other reasons he could be losing weight including worms or fleas. But it could also be more serious than that and the sooner you find out what it is, the better for the cat (and much less expensive for you).

Answer 9

Yes he could be but it could also be something like fleas or mites.
If he is chewing his fur away it suggests an infestation of some kind check him out and take him to the vet. They might to a skin scraping and check it for mange etc and give him a medicated bath which depending on what it is you might need to keep doing for a period of time.
He could have something like a hairball stuck which although he is eating is possibly blocking part of his stomach but its unlikely.

Answer 10

You cat could have worms. that could be why your cat is eating and also losing weight. If your cat does stop eating microwave his/her dinner to the temperarture you warm a baby bottle.
worms can also cause hair loss due to the nutrient the worms are bsorbing instead of the cat.. i hope this helps if it get any worse take the cat to the vet..