Cat losing weight - mystery to the vet!?

Question

Our 11 year old cat has lost a lot of weight - she's eating fine - in fact, she's been eating anything she can get her hands on, which she never used to do. She'll l**k a plate clean or even stick her head in what we're eating. She has been throwing up a lot, too. She complains a lot more than usual and has even randomly scratched me in my sleep to wake me up. I bring her into the kitchen and show her that she has food and she still whines.

This is important - we've taken her to the vet. She's had her blood and stool tested, her weight measured, and they don't know what's wrong. The vet says that 'old cats just get skinny sometimes' and I'm not buying it.

We have two other cats who are overweight. (one is 9, the other is 5)

Could they have missed a parasite? Has anyone seen this happen? I'd like to have some ideas to present when we take her to the vet next, because she's just getting skinnier and I'm worried. Thanks.

Answer 1

my mom's cat dropped a drastic amount of weight, a year later the vet found fluid in his lungs and around his heart. we had to put him down...

Vet said it could've been cancer or liver failure...

please have the vet perform more test to ensure he doesnt miss anything

Answer 2

well this happend to one of my cats Tara your cat sorry to say might be dieing X'(( cause my little tara was 11 when she died.

Answer 3

Aside from what your vet has done - see a specialist about having an endoscope of her intestines done as well as an ultrasound of her abdomen.  Unfortunately if they have ruled out the thyroid, it is probably not going to be very good news.  Just my opinion from experience at my hospital but that would be my next step.

Good luck.

Answer 4

has she been checked for thyroid problems? feel very gently on the left side of your cats lower neck and jaw area if you find a pea sized ball in the area she has thyroid problems...take her to a vet and if yours missed this then take her to another one.does she have diarrhea by any chance? this is also a symptom

Answer 5

2% of cats who are hyperthyroid test as normal (per Texas A & M vet school). She is exhibiting the classic symptoms of the disease. Discuss treating for hyperthyroidism with the vet to see if she responds and gains weight.

Answer 6

Please get a second opinion from another vet.  You may need more diagnostics like x-rays, ultrasound, or even intestinal biopsies.  Yes, older cats can lose weight, but it's generally not just a normal process of aging, and 11 is certainly not ancient in cat terms.  You don't say what bloodwork you had done, but hopefully they checked her thyroid and glucose levels, as diabetes or hyperthyroidism can make cats eat a lot but still lose weight.  

Answer 7

Older cats tends to lose weight.  My 17 year old baby lost a lot before she passed, and for no reason the vet could find.  So I don't know.