My Thin Cat

My cat Beau has always been thin. I've always wondered if there was something wrong but because he eats I just figured he was just thin. If you stroke his back you can feel his spine and if you grasp his waist you can feel his hip bones. You cant see his ribs but you can feel them if you run your fingers across his rib cage. I'm wondering if he has diabetes. I tried to weigh him but the scale shuts down over 11 pounds so with a three pound tare for his cage he's at least eight pounds. I'm going to bring him to the vet Tuesday. He's not always at the water bowl and he does not urinate frequently. I have been able to see his second eyelids from time to time but I figured his eyes were always bugging out of his head since he was a kitten ans this seemed normal for his facial structure. He always seems to want to bury his food. Any thoughts?

Has Beau ever had blood work?

How old is he?

Tested for parasites, or been dewormed?

Do you schedule feed or free feed?

Some cats do have higher metabolisms than others, and self regulate.

However I do urge you to follow through and get him to the vet for a check up including stool check, blood work and urinalysis.

My first guess would be tapeworms or other parasites, but, like people, some cats are just skinny.

I just put him in a light cardboard box and weighed him. I got 9 pounds 4 ounces. He's 7 or eight years old. Angela keeps those records so it might take a few weeks to find them. We went the deworming gauntlet four times. Every time we got a new cat they decided they could sell us medicine for all the cats. When I think back on the details of that I think we were being ripped off. No bloodwork for beau as of yet. His stools are small and "beaded" compared to the rest of the cats. I'll bring him in and let them check him out. Thanks All!

He must be a big boned kitty! He is definitely due for his first senior blood profile. Be sure the vet orders the thyroid test too.

Let us know how it goes, okay?

We will be anxious to hear about Beau. You are doing the right thing to get some bloodwork done. The doctor can tell so much about the cat by doing that. Here's hoping he will be fine.

I agree to talk to your vet, but some cats are just thin. My Ellie has been checked out three times in her life by different vets, because I was worried about her thinness, but they have all dismissed my concerns. She is glossy and sleek, her eyes are bright, she eats well and she is the most active all my cats. Her legs are very long and I always tell people she is the supermodel of the cat world.

I'll defiantly report back. It's probably nothing. But I'll feel better knowing that. I just noticed my join date and I would say he's 5 1/2 years old. We free feed both wet and dry. I'll see the vet tuesday. Can they get blood out of him right there or will they have to sedate him?

Originally Posted by Sailfish

I'll defiantly report back. It's probably nothing. But I'll feel better knowing that. I just noticed my join date and I would say he's 5 1/2 years old. We free feed both wet and dry. I'll see the vet tuesday. Can they get blood out of him right there or will they have to sedate him?

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Blood is easily taken. My vet takes from a vein in the throat. Some take from the forearm. Urine, also is now taken directly from the bladder. It's called Cystocentesis. Kitty doesn't feel a thing.

I'll be watching for updates on Beau!

for a good report from the vet! Moose is naturally skinny; sometimes I look at him and he looks underweight, but his vet says that's just his body type and he's very healthy. Please let us know what happens.

Is he neutered? If no, then that may be it. Intact males have more drive, and are more likely to be underweight.

Has he always been skinny? The first thing that comes to my mind is hyperthyroidism, which is where the thyroid glad is over active, making his metabolism too high, especially if his coat is course or dull. It is detected with a blood test (sometimes in house, sometimes sent to the lab), and if his T4 is too high, he would be on a thyroid medication called methimazole daily or twice daily, depending on the values.

Another thing that comes to mind, with the hard stool, is kidney function, which again, is detected with bloodwork and urinalysis. Kidney abnormalities is a whole different ballgame, and treatment varies depending on the severity.

Or it could be something completely different!

The best answer is a vet visit. Just be prepared to do bloodwork, just in case.

Blood is usually collected with the patient wide awake, especially in sick, geriatric, or debilitated animals. The only exception is if the kitty is WAY too aggressive, and will hurt himself or others, rather than help. Blood samples for chemistries, t4, CBC, require larger volumes (usually 1-3 cc), and is frequently collected from the jugular vein (vein in the neck), because it is the largest vein (and easiest to hit) and has the best flow, which prevents clotting (if a sample clots, it is null and void to the blood analyzer). Sometimes, it is collected from the inner saphenous vein, which is on the inner thigh. This method is used most if kitty is too wiggly to sit still for a jugular stick.


I hope that answers some questions.

Good luck!

Okie

Thanks for all the great info. I'll use this to ask questions at the Vet. Beau was born 1-16-06 so he's younger than we thought. I found all his paperwork and got an appointment at a "cats only" vet at 2:30 today. A bit of a ride but I think it might be worth it to explore this specialized care facility. Check out the Cat Doctor
www.catdoctors.com

Let us know how it goes!

Beau got a ride in the box today to see the cat doctor. I brought all his paperwork and we decided his heaviest recorded weight was 10 pounds even. He stood on the scale for her and measured 9 pounds 2 ounces. He's missing 14 ounces. She looked him all over. She massaged the intestine and said the mention of his stools being a bit tight was true but not to the point of concern.
she offered advice of using miralax. She said although he was thin he was solid and was not to be considered skinny. She discovered an infected tooth and thought this might be where the weight came off. He's chewing on just one side. She said to skip the blood work because she could get all we need for labwork when we extract his upper right molar and clean his teeth. He will need anesthesia for this and Beau can't drive home himself so I guess I'll have to pick him up. I think I might have the other three cats have dental checkups. Just trying to figure out how to pay for it. The cats come first.. them other bloodsuckers will have to wait I guess. Thanks for all the input and encouragement. This site is one heavy tool when it comes to helping out our cats. See construction workers do have hearts! even though local lore says they don't... there's no scientific proof!

I bet it's the tooth. I am glad that you found a great vet and his records! that the dental goes well!