Mary Allen
Weight loss in cats is almost always a symptom of a disease. The only exceptions: the house tiger is overweight and has to go on a diet, or it is already older. In this case, weight loss in cats can also be due to the natural breakdown of muscle mass.
As a sign of illness, weight loss in cats is very unspecific, since a wide variety of illnesses can lead to emaciation. Therefore, take your fur nose to the vet if you lose weight unintentionally to determine the causes.
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Weight Loss: One Symptom, Many Causes
If weight loss in cats is accompanied by fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, it may be Feline Infectious Peritonitis FIP. If your house tiger throws up frequently, looks exhausted, and has a dull coat, the emaciation can also be a sign of kidney failure.
In addition, weight loss in cats can also be caused by a parasite infestation. For example, if worms nest in the intestines, this means that cats lose weight significantly.
Cats that suffer from the so-called fatty liver syndrome often refuse food and become thinner and thinner as a result. Being overweight is one of the main causes of fatty liver, so weight loss initially seems desirable. However, it comes after just a few days of loss of appetite and refusal to eat, these velvet-pawed patients experience a nutrient deficiency.
With age come the niggles – also in cats. Above all, cats over the age of ten are prone to hormonal imbalances such as an overactive thyroid gland. The result: Despite eating and possibly even increased food intake, the cats lose weight.
Tumors can also be to blame if your cat is losing weight. Malignant tumors in particular drain a lot of energy from the animal’s body. The result is emaciation.
Stress as a Cause of Weight Loss in Cats
In addition to illness, stress can also lead to weight loss in cats. The animal’s organism then increasingly releases the hormone cortisol. As a result, fat reserves are reduced and the cat loses weight.
The stress can be physical or psychological. A move, new other pets in the immediate vicinity of the death of a two- or four-legged friend can be the cause. But diseases also put stress on the body and can lead to weight loss in cats.
When to Take Skinny Cats to the Vet?
The diseases mentioned must be treated by the veterinarian. Even if overweight cats suddenly don’t want to eat anymore, you should take them to the doctor quickly before weight loss occurs.
The vet will check your cat for other symptoms, such as touching it or doing a fecal exam. Ultrasonography may also be needed, as well as blood and urine tests. Depending on the diagnosis, your veterinarian will then coordinate the treatment with you.
It is best to coordinate a healthy, balanced diet for overweight house tigers with the veterinarian in order to avert the development of fatty liver in good time. Only if your cat loses weight in this way do you not have to worry about your cat losing weight. In all other cases, as a precaution, you should take them seriously as a symptom of a possible disease.