My cat looks and feels malnourished, but he eats plenty! Help!?
Posted by: Alan in bone cancer in dogs treatment, tags: eats, feels, help, looks, malnourished, plenty
First of all, the old bastard is almost 17 years old. He was always an outdoor cat, and other cats always seemed to really respect him. We used to call him “The Godfather” and “Satan” among other goofy names. His real name is Milo (like from the movie, I think it came out the year he was born…1992?).
I was away at school and returned home to my parents (who keep Milo), and a few things were really odd.
We have a Black Labrador that he always hated. Milo got the front porch and Angus got the back yard. When I was sitting in the back yard with Mom and Dad, Milo jumped over the gate (barely) and walked up to Angus, and the dog LICKS him. Mom says recently the dog and cat have been hanging out. The dog is 11. So after 11 years they call a truce? Okay, so…
Then I go over to pet Milo. He always had kind of a thick black and white coat (a tuxedo cat), and when I stroked his fur, it was as if he was just fur and bones! I could easily feel his defined cheek bones and he rubbed his face on my hand!
“What the hell, Mom!!”
Mom says he eats plenty. After that she gives him a whole can of wet food, which he then proceeds to eat all of. She guessed stomach worms; I guessed cancer.
I swear he’s barely over the size of a kitten, and you could have guessed it if it weren’t for his rugged appearance (the end of his ear is split at the end, I guess from some fight probably ten years ago or so). I guess he weighs about 3-4 lbs. And he just acts like he’s stoned all the time. I know he’s old, and probably will die within the next couple years, but I love my cat and want to do something to help him. Can anyone help?
Awesome answers so far guys, thanks so much.
Here’s an addition to the question:
We live in Houston and our house got pretty screwed up in the hurricane (RIGHT after some really expensive renovations), and I don’t see my parents allotting too much cash right now to treating the super old cat. He hasn’t been to the vet in a while, mainly because he was so wild and getting him in a carrier would have been close to impossible. Nowadays I think this would be pretty easy.
I was thinking of personally funding Milo’s treatment, and I was wondering (ballpark) how much a diagnosis and treatment of Hyperthyroidism would cost?
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Entries (RSS)
May 14th, 2010 at 8:48 am
Take him to a veterinarian and have a full work-up done. Ask about thyroid testing. Hyperthyroidism may be a concern. Symptoms include weight loss even though the cat is eating ravenously. Good luck with your cat.
ADD: Sorry to hear about your house. I hope you’re able to get things repaired. I can tell you that if it IS hyperthyroidism, here’s a little breakdown of costs that my hospital would charge. Of course, costs vary a bit depending on the vet, etc. But here you go:
Physical examination: $42
Full bloodwork including thyroid test: Approx $150
Thyroid test alone: approx $40
Treatment costs can vary based on what you do. Some places will offer surgery or other therapies to shrink the thyroid gland, and at that point it would only be a one-time cost. OR there are daily medications that can be provided, like methimazole, and cost for that ranges around $30-$50/month, if I remember correctly.
Good luck in getting your kitty treated!
May 14th, 2010 at 9:47 am
It might be worms but you also have to think about its age. 17 is pushing it for a cat.
May 14th, 2010 at 10:30 am
I agree. You really need to take him to the vet. It could be any number of things like you mentioned, worms, cancer, diabetes, thyroid. Sounds like something is out of whack. Good luck and God bless.
May 14th, 2010 at 11:04 am
Hyperthyroidism is common in older cats. It revs up their metabolism so that even though they have a good appetite they continue to lose weight. A simple blood test can tell if that is the problem. Medication can be given to correct it. Worms are could also be contributing and getting a good broadspectrum dewormer won’t hurt.
May 14th, 2010 at 11:28 am
Please get him to a vet and have some diagnostics done (bloodwork and possibly x-rays). Yes, he could have cancer, but also could have hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or another treatable illness. Intestinal parasites don’t necessarily cause weight loss. This is something your vet needs to diagnose–don’t just leave him to waste away when he could be treated.
May 14th, 2010 at 11:55 am
There can be a bunch of things that are very treatable. hyperthyroid for example. He lives outdoors no one can see all the symptoms. Get him to a vet. He can live past 20 but if he is losing weight and is sick, he needs your help and believe it or not, your family owes him that
May 14th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
He’s definitely near the end of his long life, but you’re right – he’s way too skinny if he really only weighs 3 – 4 pounds. It’s entirely possible he has cancer. Easier to test for and treat are worms. Take him to the vet so they can run a fecal exam and treat him if he does have worms.
You know this cat better than anyone right? Is he normally all into his food at meal time, devouring an entire can in one sitting?
You can do some tests at home. Check for discharge from the eyes. This is a sign of illness. Do a pinch test. Gently pinch the skin on his back. If he properly hydrated, it should snap right back into place. Check his gums. When you press on your fingernail, it turns white. When you let go, it goes right back to pink right? Your cat’s gums should do the same thing. Look in his ears. They should be clean and odor-free.
May 14th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Its probably cause he’s 17
May 14th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
sounds like the same symptoms my cat had,and he was diagnosed with hyperthyroid, where the cat eats constantly and is bone thin , eventually I believe the organs shut down there are pills (Tapazole) you can get which can control it if it has not gone too far . I waited too long and my cat never got totally better but he did extend his life until he ended up with a respitory problem and had to be put down.. check out hyperthyroidism in cats on the net