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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

My old lady is losing weight, losing her appetite and generally seems under the weather

25 replies

Rooners · 27/07/2013 20:42

She's 14. It's been going wrong since we got a new door and can't fit a cat flap - she's had some issues with the tray, with random weeing, and now won't eat. I've had to put her out at night for a couple of weeks and she's not happy.

It also got a lot worse when I used advocate on her so have been told by the vet to discontinue it.

I'm not sure what to do for her. She's lovely and she seems so down.
Any thoughts appreciated?

OP posts:

peggotty · 27/07/2013 20:46

She may be stressed at the changes in her environment?
Equally it might be something that only a blood test could reveal. When was she last seen by a vet?

Original poster

Rooners · 27/07/2013 20:49

Oh years ago. I had better take her hadn't I - but nothing specific is happening and tbh I worry it'll make her even worse, being taken there. She doesn't like travelling.

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peggotty · 27/07/2013 20:50

When you say she won't eat do you mean she literally isn't eating anything at all or is she just eating much less?

Original poster

Rooners · 27/07/2013 20:53

Yesterday morning she'd been out, and didn't come to be fed like normal - I couldn't find her actually. She turned up when I started calling.
She didn't ask for her supper though she ate it, then this morning again she didn't ask. I took it to her in the end in the garden, but she just seemed to want to sleep, she woke and sniffed it but it was still there tonight and I threw it away.
I wondered if she might be ill, I've brought her in on my bed tonight, will keep a close eye.

thankyou btw.

OP posts:

peggotty · 27/07/2013 20:56

See how she gets on. But I would take her to the vets if I was you. Also if she does stop eating completely it's very dangerous for cats to go any longer than a couple of days with absolutely no food - so if that happens definitely don't delay in taking her to vets then. I hope she's ok.

minsmum · 27/07/2013 20:58

My old boy , nearly 20, lost loads of weight, would just pee & poo where he was and just sat staring into space. We took him to the vet expecting the worst , turns out he has an over active thyroid. He's on tablets now and is eating again has put on weight and is interested in life again.

I would get her checked out by a vet as we thought it was just old age but it wasn't

stealthsquiggle · 27/07/2013 21:02

Our 21yo DCat is not eating I am seriously reluctant to take her to the vet though as she really, really hates both cars and vets and I think the journey in itself would kill her.

Original poster

Rooners · 27/07/2013 21:03

Oh I am so sorry Stealth. Thankyou very much Pegotty and Mins, I thought thyroid too. I will see how she goes, we're going away for two nights this week but my mum is checking on her and I will be back once on the middle day to check as well (only up the road!)

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Lonecatwithkitten · 27/07/2013 21:25

More likely to be kidneys than thyroid.
Thyroid - eat loads still loss weight.
Kidneys- lose weight don't eat much.

MoreThanWords · 27/07/2013 21:55

Kidneys were my first thought too

Original poster

Rooners · 28/07/2013 08:29

Oh dear. Poor old girl, she was hungry this morning though. And normally, up till now, she will eat anything - she gets a bit mad and starts licking stuff out of the recycling etc.

So I'm not sure what is going on. I'm inclined to think stress, she is scared outside and I'm going to get a shed and when I do it will have a flap in it for her. And I got her a little igloo thing but I don't think she feels safe in it.

I might just have to give in and have her indoors but the livign room now smells of wee so I don't know where she is 'going', but she clearly went there last night

Gahhh

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cozietoesie · 28/07/2013 08:37

There might indeed be some stress or weather factors - what's the temperature like with you? - but like all animals she could also be feeling a bit irritable if she's not feeling too well. I have to say that her symptoms sound very like those of my darling Twoago who had deteriorating kidneys from age 13 onwards.

When do you think you shall manage to get her to the vet? It's really only that which will likely clarify her situation.

Best of luck to her.

Original poster

Rooners · 28/07/2013 08:58

Thankyou. Well we're going away tomorrow but we'll be back on Weds, and if there is no improvement I shall make her an appointment.

for what it's worth, can anything be done if it's her kidneys? Or is it more a case of special diet and conservative management/palliative care?

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Original poster

Rooners · 28/07/2013 08:59

It is hot here yes.

OP posts:

Lonecatwithkitten · 28/07/2013 11:07

There are things that can be done to support the kidneys, but in this weather speed is of the essence as the heat and dehydration puts additional pressure on the kidneys.

Almostfifty · 28/07/2013 15:26

My cat was the same, but I'm afraid she had cancer. I'd get her to the vets asap in case she's suffering.

BurnThisDiscoDown · 29/07/2013 00:12

My lovely boy had this - weeing randomly and weight loss. It was his kidneys, he was young to get kidney failure (only 8) but it's fairly common in cats over 10. He had steroid injections and tablets along with a special low protein diet to help keep it under control. He was diagnosed in January and we lost him this weekend. He was the exception though, MIL's old boy (18 ish) has been ticking along for a couple of years on his special diet and tablets, ime younger cats deteriorate much faster.

Original poster

Rooners · 29/07/2013 08:03

Thankyou everyone and Burn, I am so sorry for your loss. Poor thing, 8 is so young...perhaps you're right and it progresses more rapidly in a little one.

Well I'm about to ring the vets, we're going away at lunchtime so she needs to be seen this morning.

She spent the night under ds2's bed, and yesterday though she asked for food (just fed her when I posted) she didn't eat it.

She was hungry this morning but had a couple of mouthfuls, and then just looked at me and then she drank quite a bit, so I am in little doubt that her kidneys are packing up.

She seemed uncomfortable when I lifted her round her waist, just gently, while she was standing.

Either she has some kind of infection or it's her kidneys, I think - well, maybe the most likely things anyway but only the vet will know.

I am prepared that we may lose her. She hasn't been happy for some time, and I read that despite management kidney failure will always progress and having nursed a couple of cats through serious illness I'd rather she didn't face that.

I'll update when I know more but might not get a chance today.
Thankyou again for all your help.

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cozietoesie · 29/07/2013 08:10

Best of luck.

Original poster

Rooners · 31/07/2013 11:39

Thanks Well we're back from our trip now, and the vet's on Monday! and pleased to say she is still with us and much improved - when we got there, he weighed her and she has lost a lot of weight.

He then looked in her mouth, and one of her teeth was in a very bad way - he went off to get the pliers and it fell out as she stood there on the table, poor old girl, she must have been really uncomfortable

But anyway, he's done her a full blood workup and gave her a long lasting antibiotic, and we've to go back tomorrow to get the results - she needs more dental work and also, he's concerned there may be more going on than the teeth, so, we'll wait and see.

But I am very pleased that we went. She is able to eat again now, and I feel awful that I let her go on even for a couple of days without being able to - I hope she is going to put back on some of the weight.

Thankyou everyone for encouraging me to get her seen. I normally avoid vets if I think it'll self resolve, and normally things do but when she actually stops eating and looks poorly I do take it seriously.

I'll let you know what the bloods are like when we find out.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 31/07/2013 11:54

Ah that's better news.

Yes - dental problems can really influence life - think of yourself or family if you've ever had them. I should have thought of that at her age - I'm so sorry - but at least it's one of the things that a vet will automatically check.

Good that he's doing bloods etc. That way, you'll know what's going on and you'll also be in a position to judge, on the vet's advice, what should be done about further dental work if it might be needed. (eg what general shape she's in if she needs a GA procedure or something.)

cozietoesie · 31/07/2013 11:58

PS - if it was the teeth that were the main problem then yes, she should start putting back on weight. Don't overfeed her in compensation though. Let it be gradual rather than sudden.

Original poster

Rooners · 31/07/2013 13:51

Oh gosh it wasn't your fault - it's the first thing I should have thought of, they always mentioned her teeth being a bit dodgy whenever we've taken her. But last time was so long ago...also I guess if I'd noticed a tooth I'd have had to take her anyway for antibiotics.

He was a very good vet. I like him.

Thankyou again very much.

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Lonecatwithkitten · 31/07/2013 14:12

Glad she is eating again. The vast majority of these cats we can make feel better quite quickly.

BurnThisDiscoDown · 01/08/2013 17:01

I'm glad it was just a tooth (I say just, but it must have been really sore!) and that she's picking up.

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