Unknown cat illness??

Question

My cat is very skinny but eats all the time. She goes to the bathroom regularly and her stool is normal. My vet told me she has leukiamia but I researched it online and the symptoms of leukiamia are different from what I see from my cat. She has a normal energy level and everything is normal except she has whiter gums than usual and is very skinny. Does any one know what it could be??

Answer 1

I would get a second opinon. Have you wormed her?  

Answer 2

Unless the doctor ran tests he really shouldn't be saying the cat has leukemia. Do you know how much your cat weighs? An easy way to find out is for you to weigh yourself and then weigh yourself while holding the cat then do the math. Then you need to consider the cat's age and bone structure. If it's a young cat (under a year old) and has a small frame then anywhere from 4-6 pounds is about average. Also if she has a high energy level she will be thin. If the cat is over a year old and has a larger frame then anywhere from 6-10 pounds is about average. Most people think a healthy cat should be pudgy but that's actually incorrect. When you pety your cat if you can feel the ribs with some flesh under is normal and healthy. When you rub its back you should feel only a bit of flesh over the spine. There should also be a small indentation between the ribs and hips. If after considering all this you still feel you cat is too thin then a second opinion is a good idea.  

Answer 3

I usually compare leukemia with human aids.  There is no cure for it and sometimes they can live a fairly decent life with it and never get sick.  I have seen cats that are 20 years old with leukemia and have to be euthanized from old age.  If your vet did the blood test and it came back positive she could still be a "normal" cat with a horrible disease.  Please make sure that you never let her outside or around any other cats because it is contagious through body fluids.