Why does My Cat Lose Weight?

Why lose weight

It can be for various reasons, the most common being the following:

Emotional causes

Stress

The cat is very sensitive. They do not like changes at all . The move, the arrival of a new member to the home, re-distribution of furniture, … anything can make you feel so bad that you could even stop eating, with the consequent loss of weight.

For this little hair, what you can do is use Feliway in diffuser, which is a product made with the synthetic pheromones of the cat in charge of relaxing it. But it will not be the only thing you can do: you must also continue with your daily life , as if nothing happened. Pay him a lot of attention and give him a lot of love . You can stimulate your appetite with wet food cans for cats, which are much tastier and more odorous than dry feed.

New home

If you just adopted it and do not eat, during the first day it is normal. Everything is so new to him that he needs time to get used to it. To help you, it is convenient not to overwhelm or force anything , you just have to leave your trough and drinker full and invite you to play several times throughout the day.

Of course, if you spend two days or more and do not eat anything, take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

Physical causes

Cancer

The cat is an animal that can be affected by different types of cancer, like humans: skin, bone, lung, heart … Weight loss is the symptom that is common in all of them, but not It is the only one : vomiting, lack of appetite or diarrhea are just some others you may have.

This disease is more frequent in older hairy ones, of eight years or more, but it is not necessary to lower the guard. If you suspect that your friend has it, do not hesitate: take him to the specialist to treat him with chemo or radiotherapy, or surgery as the case may be.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that appears when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin , which is responsible for metabolizing glucose that is then transformed into energy. Thus, the level of sugar in the blood rises, which can increase the appetite of the cat; However, since you can not metabolize it, you will lose weight and you will probably see it drink a lot more water than normal.

The treatment may consist of giving specific medication, insulin injections or changes in diet .

Kidney diseases

The kidneys are the purifiers of the organism. They are the ones that filter the toxins, thus preventing them from ‘contaminating’ the blood. But when they start to fail, these toxins accumulate, which causes the cat to lose weight and appetite , difficulty urinating and lethargy.

To help you get back to your normal life it is important to take it to the veterinarian to prescribe medication. It is also likely that you have to change your diet and give low-protein foods, phosphorus and sodium.

Hyperthyroidism

It is a disease caused by an overproduction of the hormone thyroxine , which is produced by the thyroid gland. The excessive amount of this hormone increases the cat’s metabolism, which makes it necessary to stay much more active. In addition, the food your body ingests processes them faster, so you barely have time to absorb the nutrients you need.

Other symptoms that may occur are high blood pressure and kidney problems, so it is very important to consult a veterinarian for treatment , which can be with medication, radioactive iodine therapy or surgery.

Internal parasites

Cats can have many serious problems with internal parasites. If your friend has, you will see that he eats a lot, eagerly, but hardly fat . When the infestation is severe, you will notice the swollen, soft abdomen.

The best thing to do is put him on antiparasitic treatment . The professional will give you syrup, pills or antiparasitic pipettes (depending on what you consider appropriate) that you will have to give to your cat.

Dental problems

The mouth is the entrance door of food. When the cat feels pain or discomfort, it may not want to eat and, therefore, lose weight . This becomes more evident as it gets older: the accumulation of tartar causes infections in the teeth, which dissuade the feline from tasting any bite.

If you see that you do not feel like eating, if you chew with difficulty, and / or if your breath smells bad, take it to the veterinarian to have it examined and treated with medication. In very serious cases, you might have to remove a tooth.

Old age

With the passage of the years, the body is worn away little by little. When it reaches 10 years (more or less) the muscle mass is lost, so that the weight of the animal is reduced . You do not have to worry more than necessary; you just have to take care of him giving him a lot more pampering and love so he knows how much you love him, which will give him the strength to keep going.

How to prevent my cat from losing weight?

There are several things you can do to keep your cat from losing weight early:

Give it a quality feed, without cereals and very rich in animal protein . This will strengthen the immune system.
Take care of it as it deserves . And I do not mean just giving you water and food, but also that you care about him. Play with him every day, pick him up and give him a few kisses (without overwhelming him). Show him how much you care. Everyday. Until the end.
Take it to the veterinarian whenever necessary . You have to receive all your vaccinations , and special attention if you suffer an accident or fall ill.
At home, avoid noise, tension and loud music . It is a very sensitive animal that stresses very fast.
Make the presentations little by little . If you intend to give him a cat companion, introduce them little by little and gradually, exchanging their beds and having a lot of patience. In this article you have more information.

As we have seen, there are several reasons why a cat can lose weight. I hope you could find the cause of your friend