My cat is 14 years old. He seems okay. He's eating okay and he chases my younger cat around the house sometimes. I'm just curious if he's getting sick because his fur seems to be separating. He's a long-haired cat. And the last time which was years ago, his fur looked like this and he ended up in the hospital for two weeks. Any vets out there?
2007-11-17 12:57:18 · 10 answers · asked by angeleyes 3 in Pets ➔ Cats
Thanks for all your answers, but he's fine. I just worry for nothing sometimes.
2007-11-20 21:30:32 · update #1
You could take him to the vet? Or it's just old age.
2007-11-17 13:29:16 · answer #1 · answered by Kim 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a 12 year old male cat with diabetes! Last year, he started losing weight, even though he was still eating great, but he was drinking a lot of water. Also, his breath smelled really sweet .. sort of like fingernail polish remover (acetone). So, I took him to the vet. They took blood, and sent it off for analysis. The next day.......diabetes confirmed! His glucose level was too high, so for the past 15 months he's been getting insulin twice a day. He's gaining weight, now, and looking a lot better. His levels are still not real good, but a lot better than they were. We have to get his blood tested once a month, now, to regulate his dosage. I don't know if this helps you to make up your mind to have a vet check your cat, but at his age, a checkup wouldn't hurt! He could have something else, just as bad or worse, wrong w/him. Oh, my cat was and is still chasing my others around. Good luck...I hope it doesn't turn out to be anything serious, but ... sure better to be safe (now) than sorry (later).
2007-11-17 13:14:57 · answer #2 · answered by brutusmom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Vets do not come on to yahoo answers to give medical advice.
Be very careful of any advice you recieve here. Remember, a phone call to the vet is always free. They may suggest you bring him in after hearing symptoms, but most of the time they are a great source of information that will put your mind at ease.
I would say get the cat an appointment for a check-up. Once a cat becomes elderly, like yours, the wellness exams should be done every 6 months instead of every 12 months.
2007-11-17 13:05:51 · answer #3 · answered by Crystal 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
If he had a problem before, I would recommend that you take him to a vet and get it checked out. I don't know what you mean by his fur separating. Is he licking himself bald? Is his fur falling out? There could be a number of causes, and it's best to get a diagnosis from a vet, and the sooner the better! Since your cat is eating and playing, it's probably not serious, but it could become serious if not treated promptly.
2007-11-17 20:03:18 · answer #4 · answered by Pandagal 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I am a licensed vet, and I do come on here and answer questions, mostly to try to off-set a lot of the ignorance I see in answers to the medical questions people pose (not to be mean, but I really don't understand why people would post medical questions on a message board; the few of us on here that are trained know we cannot diagnose anything without seeing the animal for ourselves).
I also don't really understand what you mean by "fur separating." What caused this before? Why was he in the hospital for two weeks? Oftentimes skin and fur problems in pets can result from:
1. endocrine problems
2. ectoparasites (fleas, mites, etc.)
3. genetic aberrations (more likely in a younger animal)
4. nutritional deficiencies
You need to take him in to see a vet. There is no way for anyone on here, including a licensed veterinarian such as myself, to have a complete picture of what is going on with your animal without doing a physical examination and getting a much more extensive medical history on him.
2007-11-17 13:49:49 · answer #5 · answered by sahlamere 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Fourteen is not that old but he is getting up in years. The fur is a good indication when health is not at it's best. Time to take him to the vet to prevent a more serious problem.
2007-11-17 13:32:52 · answer #6 · answered by Laurie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not a vet and to my knowledge no one here who claims to be one is legitimate and no licensed veterinarian would be suggesting anything here as it would be considered malpractice.
It sounds as though it could be a hormonal issue (usually thyroid) that might be causing the problem. All cats of 14 should be seeing their vets at least once a year for a blood panel to look for possible problems related to their age. Please do that before the cat deteriorates to the point where he can't be helped.
2007-11-17 13:06:28 · answer #7 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well I'm not a vet but I plan on getting a part time job at Petco this summer so I will answer your question: if he was in the hospital before when this last happened i would get him in right away. Good luck!
2007-11-17 13:01:49 · answer #8 · answered by somebody 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't understand what you mean "fur separating" -- if anything looks suspicious, you should take him to the vet at once.
If your cat actually IS sick, better to catch any problem in its initial stages, than to wait and have your cat get sicker.
2007-11-17 13:09:34 · answer #9 · answered by aattura 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Crystal gave a good answer. He sounds very healthy to me right now, HOWEVER since he's had this problem before, and since it was serious, AND since he's getting up there in age, best to play it safe and have him checked over.
2007-11-17 13:18:45 · answer #10 · answered by danl747 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋