Rapid weight loss in senior cat

[tamarindy]

Hi all,

I have been consulting all sources while I wait for my cat's test results, and thought I might try here too.  I'm driving myself crazy trying to figure out what's up.  He is my best friend and I have had him since 2004.  He was abandoned by someone moving out at the time so I have no idea his real age, but he is estimate at 14-15ish.

Here is what's up:

January 5th he had senior bloodwork done at the vet.  They tested kidneys, liver, thyroid, did a urinalysis, etc.  They found nothing out of the ordinary.  He has been losing weight since almost 6 months ago.  Outside of the weight loss, nothing else seems off.  He eats, drinks water, is acting the same as always.  

I took him in today to recheck bloodwork.  They said he lost .4 pounds just since January 5th.  They are going to call me with results on Wednesday.  We are taking a trip until Monday (spring break- I'm a teacher) but I have a cat sitter come everyday and have my mom on standby. 

I am sitting here crying when I need to be packing.  I try to do the very best for him (high-end food, tons of love, attention) my husband had a patio enclosure built  just so he can enjoy it.  I know I can't stop aging but the vet says it has to be something else.  It's just that no one knows what it is.  

Has anyone else experienced this in their kitties?  I could really use any input while I wait.

[cmeon]

I'm sorry, it's so awful waiting for answers (assuming there's an answer at all)! FWIW, it sounds like he has a wonderful life with you. Try to have a fun trip!

[mich1]

Yes, twice with my last 2 cats. Sorry, you're not going to like my answers though as it was not good.

Gomez was always a sleek, slender cat. I think he maxed out at 11 lbs. He lost weight but continued to eat like a hog. I was feeding him everything he liked (even giving him kitten milk for the calories). Vet could not find any reason why he was losing weight, despite multiple blood tests and a lot were very specialized. Imaging turned up nothing. I had him put down when he was 4 lbs. At this point, he had lost so much muscle that he could not even get up or down from the sofa. If he tried to jump down, his legs collapsed under him. It was devastating to watch, but no signs of pain whatsoever. He still enjoyed life until the end.

Gizzy was tubby and was about 15 lbs. From Dec to March, he lost 5 lbs and was at a really good weight but 1/3 his body weight in 3 months was not good. I took him to the vet and imaging showed a shadow over his spleen. Vet was hoping it was limited to his spleen, so opened him up and he had cancer that had metastasized everywhere. He never was brought out of anesthesia.

I'm sorry......excessive weight loss in a cat is not good and I wish I had something positive to say about this.

ETA:  Gizzy was 13.  Gomez was probably 14 or so but I got him as a young adult and he could have been as old as 17 or so.  Vet estimated his age at 1 when I got him due to the state of his teeth, but that cat never accumulated plaque and his teeth looked the same when he died as when I got him.

[tamarindy]

Thank you for the replies. I know it isn't good. I also have a cat named Gomez (Gomey) and he is a senior with no teeth. :-)

I am trying to enjoy myself even though I'm kind of dying inside.

[mich1]

I'm so sorry about this, I know you are dying inside but I think that this goes along with being pet owners. They're going to get sick and over our lifetime, we are going to go through many, many pets. I'm on my 5th cat as an adult and I have 4 previous cats that each have a little piece of my heart.

The only way of not feeling this is to not have pets, and in my world this is unacceptable.

[caddywompus]

My last 2 cats both had a significant weight loss prior to their deaths. They were still eating and drinking and playing like normal, but just steadily got skinnier. There was no medical problem identified, their bodies just sorta started declining. Neither ever acted like they were in any pain or discomfort. I just gave them as much attention as I could each day!
Sorry that you are going thru this- it sucks when our pets aren't able to tell us what's going on!