Information on older cats?

Question

is it normal for older cats to be skinny? we feed my cat can catfood shes put on some weight but her stool is really loose..is that normal?

Answer 1

Dietary needs change in older cats, just like in people. They need more vitamins and they may not tolerate some foods as well. Remember that when you change foods it may take many weeks for them to have a normal stool. Some cats have a hard time with diet change.

I would get a check up to rule out any medical issues. Teeth can get decayed and cause pain when the cat eats so have those checked as well. I would avoid any vaccinations in an old cat. Many times that leads to kidney failure. It wouldn't hurt to have her checked for worms as that can cause both problems you are seeing.

If all is well I would put her on a high quality natural canned food and supplement with a daily feline vitamin. My 17 year old cat has acts like a young cat after doing that with her. If you don't have a good food source in your area you can get food and vitamins at http://www.onlynaturalpet.com

A great book for older cat issues is The Very Healthy Cat Book http://www.belfield.com/books.html#cat

I hope you and your cat have many more happy years!

Answer 2

What do you mean 'normal'? It's common for older cats to lose weight and have diarrhoea, but it certainly isn't healthy, and requires medical attention.

If your cat puts on weight when fed canned catfood then feed her this. It probably isn't hyperthyroidism (most common cause of skinniness in seemingly healthy older cats) if she is capable of putting on weight. If she's used to dry food then wet food is likely to give her diarrhoea - get a high quality food like Iams or Hills - no whiskas, Felix, fancy feast or any other rubbish from supermarkets, it's more likely to cause diarrhoea because it is rich. It may not be the food causing the diarrhoea though, there are a zillion possible causes for diarrhoea.

This cat needs to be checked by a vet, illnesses are more and more common in older cats and they need to be caught early. Many vets offer Senior Cat checks so common problems like hyperthyroidism, diabetes and dental trouble can be caught early. It's wise to be on top of these things.

Chalice

Answer 3

Hi there,

I am a feline only vet tech. You didn't mention how old your cat is, so I will try and answer as best as I can.

Geriatric cats are prone to some very specific serious but treatable diseases that will cause them to lose weight. Among these are Diabetes (may cause weight loss or gain), Hyperthyroid (extremely common) and renal failure.

Maintaining weight and hydration is very important in an older cat, and weight loss with prolonged loose stool warrants further examination.

Your older cat should have a full veterinary exam and have a baseline blood panel taken. Have your vet do a full blood panel (CBC/VS/T4) now to rule out these diseases and problems that may be brewing with all the major organs.

Best case scenario, nothing is found but you have something to compare it to if trouble comes in the next few years. Worst case scenario, she gets diagnosed and can get started on treatment that may lengthen and improve the quality of her life.

Good Luck and let us know how she is doing

Answer 4

Your cat may have diabetes or a thyroid problem affecting her weight. This is quite common in older cats but it is often treatable. The loose stool may be a result of the type of catfood but it could also be a health problem.

Your older cat needs to go in for a geriatric exam with your veterinarian. Tell him/her exactly what you've told us and anything else you can think of and get him/her to do some bloodwork.

Answer 5

I have 2 elderly cats, Peanut is 17 1/2 and Cuddles is 16.
As they've aged their eating habits have changed alot. they
don't eat alot now and I think it is because they are less active. they sleep 75% of the time now. They are both healthy, and one is skinny where as the other is sort of slightly chubby. They also go through the loose stool once in a while but I haven't seen any distress. If you think that they are having a medical problem I would consult with your Vet. Otherwise Just enjoy the time you have with them. They are such a joy and part of the family...

Answer 6

Loose stool is not normal for a cat. When you say skinny I assume you mean underweight. Her ribs are starting show and she has a bony look. In an older cat this can mean many things. It could be a sign of kidney failure, hyperthyroidism, or cancer. You need to have her checked by her vet. They will do a physical exam and will more than likely to bloodwork to look for abnormalities.

Answer 7

I had two cats that lived until they were 19 years of age. Both of them got pretty skinny before I had to put them down. They may have had diabetes, not unheard of in old cats. As far as the loose stools, I can't say that my oldsters had any problems with that. You may want to consult your vet and see if there is some food that may help with the loose stool.

Answer 8

My cat i 14 and skinny too. I can no longer feed him canned pureed food he gets diarrhea really bad from it. I do however give him the cans with the pieces or the pouches with the pieces or slices they call it. He seems O.K. with those. So I don't know if you are giving your cat the mushy kind I call it, but if so try like the grilled selections or ones like that.
P.S. It is weird, when he was younger the mushy kind didn't do that to him.

Answer 9

What brand of food are you feeding? If it's a poor quality food like Fancy Feast, I'd try switching to something healthier like Wellness or Felidae canned, from a pet food store. If you recently switched foods and didn't do it gradually over a week or two, it may have upset her tummy. Need to mix a bit of new and old together, reducing the old and increasing the new over the course of a week or two.

Answer 10

Some cats get skinny when they get older, I wouldn't worry about it unless you found some other strange things the cat is actually doing, or acting strange. Just like us when we get old, things don't work like they used to, and we don't look the same when we get older either.

Just try to keep an eye out for any strange behavior, other then that I wouldn't worry about it.

good luck!