One of my five cats is about 6 to 7 years old now. She used to have a shiny grey coat and had very fat glands under her belly area. My others cats were healthy too. Apart from a bout of cat flu from which they all recovered thankfully.
Now though, all the cats are healthy still, apart from the grey cat. Her coat is no longer shiny, its dull. Her hair is corse and no longer smooth, she has lost all that fat and appears to be getting thinnner and she appears to be loosing hair towards the back of her body..in clumps.
She is eating and drinking. Pooping normally and does not seem in distress.
I thought maybe it was the result of flea problems which they were all treated for a while back. But none of the others have this problem.
If she gets any worse I will take her to the vet but does anyone know what this could be? Age? Fleas? Liver/Kidney disease? Cat flu even maybe...??
2007-09-17 00:05:50 · 13 answers · asked by bhafc87 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
Given her age and what you've described, the most likely cause is hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid). Weight loss and a poor coat in a middle aged cat that is still eating well is pretty classic. Does she seem to be drinking any more water than she used to? Has her behaviour changed at all? (Hyperthyroid cats often, but not always, become a bit cranky)
Other possibilities are diabetes and kidney disease, though with kidney problems they usually start to show signs of illness.
The best thing you can do is to take her to the vet and get her checked over- all three of these conditions can be very easily diagnosed with a blood test, and it is possible to treat both hyperthyroidism and diabetes.
I hope that helps :o)
2007-09-17 01:15:25 · answer #1 · answered by Loz 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi there,
There can be lots of reasons for fur loss in cats - ranging from behavioural issues such as stress, to medical issues such as allergies, disease or fleas.
How long ago did you treat your cats for fleas and what did you treat them with? If you've never treated them for fleas before, or used a different product, and the hair loss has only appeared since treating them for fleas, it could be that she is allergic to either the fleas or the treatment. One of my mom's cats has a very bad allergic reaction to flea bites and loses a lot of her fur. Luckily, it can be treated by the vet.
I would suggest that you do not wait until it gets any worse. It does not sound as if it will sort itself out. I would take her to the vet straight away and prepare for blood tests to be done. 6-7 years old is not elderly at all - this is the prime of a cat's life.
Good luck and I hope your cat is ok.
xx Emmie
2007-09-17 10:10:02 · answer #2 · answered by Sparklepop 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
she could have a medical problem or she could be just showing her age,is she fed on a senior diet?as their requirements are different from adults and kittens.it could still be fleas as they can sometimes be hard to spot,she could be having a reaction to them.diabetes or kidney disease are other options as ill heath quite often shows up in their coats condition,and she also has lost weight.it really could be so many other things(stress,skin condition,fighting,diet intolerance,hormones,urinary infection)-your best bet is to see your vets.sorry i havent really helped,i hope its something thats easily fixed.p.s. when you flead them did you do the house aswell?coz if you didnt there will def be some fleas around.good luck!!!
6-7 yrs old is quite old to an outdoor cat especially(i dont know if your cat is or not) that is why around 7-8yrs they should be switched to a senior diet.
2007-09-17 00:33:04 · answer #3 · answered by phoebetazz 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
6 - 7 years is not that old for a cat. I would recommend getting her to the vet as soon as possible. Sounds like she could have a bad virus or she may just need some extra nutrients which the doctor can help you with.
2007-09-17 00:15:27 · answer #4 · answered by LoveBeingAMum 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The dull coat and weight loss need to be checked by a vet. They'll do a blood panel to see how the organs are functioning, which will give you your answer. I think it's necessary at this point as she should be 'healthy' in fur as well as eating, but you know she's not.
2007-09-17 12:22:48 · answer #5 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i agree with loz this is possibly a hyperthyroidism problem. best to get it checked at the vet to sort this problem out as cats can go on for years with this problem with proper meds. it could also be a hormonal problem or maybe fleas are still troubling. good luck and i do hope its nothing serious
2007-09-17 01:34:15 · answer #6 · answered by Karen D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hair loss in cats (all of them, from tigers down to Moggies) is a sure sign of illness. The first thing one does when confronted with a possibly ill cat is to stroke him and see if more than the usual amount of hair comes away.
I think your cat needs a trip to the V.E.T. Better safe than sorry.
2007-09-17 00:18:08 · answer #7 · answered by Michael B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some thyroid disorders can be cured, but many require lifetime treatment. Learn here https://tr.im/N4R8K
For example, sometimes early stage thyroid cancer can be cured by surgery to remove the thyroid gland, but you will need to take thyroid hormone medication afterwards for the rest of your life. Goiters can also be surgically removed and do not always recur after surgery. In most cases, thyroid disorders need treatment over a lifetime. However, with treatment most people with thyroid disorders can live normal, healthy lives.
2016-02-09 15:32:41 · answer #8 · answered by Tayna 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In terms of the hairloss, I would recommend having a veterinarian look at his skin to try to determine the cause. Hairloss in clumps is not normal. An underlying metabolic problem can cause hair to fall out in clumps. Your veterinarian can run a blood screening for these diseases
2007-09-17 03:09:30 · answer #9 · answered by ♥ sanaz ♥ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2017-02-11 15:41:23 · answer #10 · answered by Simpson 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋