recently my13 year old cat has stopped eating and her breath has started to smell
2007-09-22 12:04:21 · 13 answers · asked by kap3461 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
A cat, particularly an elderly cat, that's stopped eating needs to get to the vet ASAP to find out why. It could be so many things - from something very serious to something that's very fixable with treatment.
2007-09-22 12:08:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I had this same issue. Here is my somewhat long story, so bear with me.
I noticed that Angelo (age 10) wasn't eating much of his dry food and was losing weight. At 18 pounds, you notice things like this. Soon after that, he developed feline acne on his chin, and when I was cleaning off his chin with the medication I noticed that he was missing several of his teeth. Out of curiosty I pulled back his "lips" and saw that his back teeth were coated with plaque and some of the gum areas were red and swollen. His breath was horrible, too. I took him to the vet and they diagnosed him with periodontal disease, and they pulled 4 more teeth and gave the remaining teeth a really good cleaning. He can only eat wet food for the rest of his life, but I don't think he would complain about that... and he looks and seems to feel soooo much better. With antibiotics and lots of love he's doing GREAT.
You really don't know if your cat has these issues unless you're looking for them. We don't think about taking our pets to the "dentist" but I realized the importance of it with Angelo. According to the vet, if had I let it go and not taken him in, the bacteria from the gum infections could have gotten into his bloodstream and, well, you can imagine. Please take your baby to the vet ASAP.
2007-09-22 12:32:12 · answer #2 · answered by princessyumyum 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Is she throwing up? Bad breath and loss of appetite is a sign of Kidney disease. Take her in and get her checked they will run blood tests to see if she has it. Do you notice weight loss at all? I took my cats in and I hadn't noticed that the oldest cat had lost weight, they continued to eat but they threw up a lot, both were diagnosed with kidney failure, however, by the time the signs show the kidney disease is pretty advanced.
You can keep them alive for a little longer by giving them fluids under the skin three times a week depending on the stage of kidney disease, it's not a cure or something that will prolong their life for a long time but it does help somewhat.
When it gets too far advanced their breath will become unbareable as it did with my eldest when her kidneys finally failed.
Good luck
2007-09-22 12:20:11 · answer #3 · answered by Weimaraner Mom 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Bad breath could be bad teeth, or it could be related to kidney function (this causes very bad smells in the mouth). A blood panel may be needed to check how the organs are doing, but at the bare minimum an exam that includes a good oral exam by the vet is what's needed.
2007-09-22 13:03:26 · answer #4 · answered by hudsongray 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kap, I have no doubt that your kitty has dental issues. Cats and dogs need their teeth cleaned occasionally to retain the health of their teeth and gums.
Please take kitty to a vet as soon as possible. He/she will check your cat's teeth and gums, and I'm nearly positive they will recommend cleaning. I recently had my elderly female cat's teeth cleaned, and the difference in her breath and the appearance of her gums was like night and day!
Suggestion: Kap, since your kitty is older, please request that the vet "masks" her when she is anesthetized. This is much easier on the system of an older cat.
2007-09-22 12:11:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You really need to take her to the vet. She could have a dental or medical problem that needs rectifying. At 13, her teeth might be suffering from decay, making eating painful and her breath unpleasant. Or it could be a digestive problem.
2007-09-23 00:10:01 · answer #6 · answered by Maria D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like she has teeth or gum problems, very common in cats of all ages. she may just need her teeth cleaned to remove plaque which will help gum problems or it could be that teeth will have to be removed. None of the above is a major problem if dealt with quickly but if her mouth is so sore that eating is a problem then she needs seen fast before she starts to lose weight.
2007-09-22 12:13:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Tooth/mouth infections are always a concern as they can spread through the blood stream if not caught in time, as is a cat who stops eating for more than a day or so. Call your vet.
2007-09-22 12:12:24 · answer #8 · answered by collynn 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ewww she might have a tooth infection. Take her to the doc, they can fix that. Mine had an abscess and had to have the bad tooth out. But all was well after that!
2007-09-22 12:07:30 · answer #9 · answered by Flatpaw 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
it sounds to me that she has a sore thoart. just like humans when your thoart is sore you do not eat and your breath becomes bad. maybe, see if you can give her something for pain relieve and fever.
2007-09-22 16:46:07 · answer #10 · answered by gracie 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋