I have a senior cat, she’s at least 18 years old, and she’s now nothing but skin and bone, even though she’s still eating as much as she used to, if not more. She eats about 0.4 to 0.6 lbs of wet food a day; she doesn't have many teeth left and she struggles to eat her dry food.
I’ve seen her vomit bile with a slight red tinge a few times.
So, I wanted to know if any of you have gone through the same thing with your cats and if there are ways for her to put a bit of weight back on, because it’s heartbreaking to see her like this, poor thing.
Thanks in advance!
Translated from French
The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.
Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.
Hi. My cat is in exactly the same boat, she’s nearly 19. She’s nothing more than skin and bone now. I’m not having her put to sleep because she’s still eating and can still manage to get up on the bed. You can’t really handle her though, as she cries out as soon as you try to pick her up. She started losing weight two months ago.
I know it’s the end; taking her to the vet has always been a massive stress for her, so I’m just letting her see it out like this. It’s not worms making her thin, she hasn't got any, I think it’s just the end of the road for a cat. I just hope she isn’t in too much pain. For the rest of it, as long as she’s eating, I’m keeping her with me.
Hi there,
There could be several reasons for your cat’s symptoms:
- She might have worms, which would explain why she’s eating more than usual without putting on any weight.
- She might have eaten lizards (if she’s a hunter), as eating those little critters can cause cats to lose weight.
- She might have eaten something else (a mouse, a bird, etc.), which could explain her bringing up slightly tinged bile. A bone might have caused a bit of irritation in her stomach or colon; because bones are harder to digest than meat, her liver might have struggled to process everything, leading to some of it coming back up with the bile.
- Or it’s just the natural course of things... just like us, animals tend to either put on weight or lose it as they get older (my 10-year-old dog tends to thin out and lose weight very easily when she’s poorly or if she eats a bit less). In that case, it’s simply down to old age and there isn’t much you can do. As long as she’s eating well, I don’t think there’s too much to worry about. A sick cat will usually stop eating and become quite lethargic.
I agree with the advice already given about seeing a vet, but with one caveat: if your cat is around twenty years old, it’s quite likely the vet won't be able to do much. If she’s still behaving normally despite these symptoms, I’d probably just let her live out her final years in peace at home rather than traumatising her with a trip to the vet at her age...
It’s up to you! But do keep us updated if you feel like it.
Hi there, given your girl is 'at least 18 years old', I think a trip to the vet would be the safest bet, but I’m not feeling very optimistic about the future. A cat losing weight is never a good sign, especially an older one. Sorry. Could you keep us updated? Thanks in advance.
Hi there,
Given the symptoms (and their age), I’d strongly recommend a trip to the vet for a check-up. Catching a condition early often makes it much easier to treat (and less expensive, too).
What I’m about to say might be a bit of a shock, but it’s a reality of being a pet owner:
In the worst-case scenario (an incurable illness or if things have been left too late), considering your cat's age, the vet can also help you make a decision. They’ll be able to tell you, for example, if they think your cat is in pain, how much time they might have left under the circumstances, and what options are available to keep them comfortable, if there are any...
