16 year old Cat not eating or drinking

Hello, my cat Buster is around 16 years old (maybe 17), and he's been terribly skinny for about a year. The vet told us it comes with old age, an he never had a loss of appetite, infact he ate more than all of other cats. He has arthiritis in his hip, so he has a limp to his walk but he's always talkative and always eager for a head scratch or back rub. But these past two or three days he hasn't been drinking water, just staring at the bowl hovering over it and sometimes licking his lips in a trance before he turns and walks away. He was always eager to eat (both dry and wet food) and we feed him a can of wet food a day to try and put some weight on him (he hasn't gained any weight from it in the past 5 months we've been feeding it to him) but now he will no longer eat, he may lick it and then he'll get stiff and stare at it (just like the water bowl) and then turn away. I've tried feeding him treats to see if it's just the food, and he usually chows down on treats like there's no tomorrow, but he will sniff them and then walk off. I've also notices the skin around his eyes has changes color, from pink to a pinkish brown, does this mean anything?

Buster has been with me for my entire life so this is devastatingly sad, and I was wondering if anyone knows what might be going on or what we could do to help?

We're thinking of euthenizing him because he's quite old and he does have many health concerns and the last thing we want is him to suffer through organ failure at the hands of dehydration (a very painful way to die).
Could he be dying or is there something else causing this?

HE NEEDS TO GO TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY. There is no other way around it.

mphscat said:

HE NEEDS TO GO TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY. There is no other way around it.

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Currently that isn't an option as my parents can't spend the money on unhelpful, expensive tests that we've been going through ever since he became very thin.

I'm pleading for some information. Has anyone experienced this before or heard of something like this? I just need some information to go on so that maybe I can convince my family to take poor Buster to get better instead of just ending his misery by euthanasia! Is this a sign or symptom of something???

Pull a bit of his skin up off his back.  If it goes back into place quickly, he is not dehydrated.  But if it stays there for a while and it doesn't return to normal, he is dehydrated and you need to get some fluid into him.  I am not a vet either, but have had many cats, including one who is elderly and has arthritis like yours does.

Go to the nearest pet store or tractor/feed supply place and get a plastic syringe.  I have had my vet tell me to give a couple of my cats Gatorade, when they haven't been well and not drinking.  Failing that, I have actually used a small bottle of Gatorade and a straw.  You may need help holding him.

All of this is just a 'make do' something you can do temporarily.  You must do as an earlier poster has said, and GET HIM TO THE VET!  Good wishes to you and Buster.

Pi-little said:

Currently that isn't an option as my parents can't spend the money on unhelpful, expensive tests that we've been going through ever since he became very thin.

I'm pleading for some information. Has anyone experienced this before or heard of something like this? I just need some information to go on so that maybe I can convince my family to take poor Buster to get better instead of just ending his misery by euthanasia! Is this a sign or symptom of something???

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what tests have been done? and what diseases or disorders have been ruled out?

it seems that your cat has nausea. the question is why. 

Rather than Gatorade, I would suggest Pedialyte. They use it on small children as well. Get the plain, though. They come in flavors (grape, orange) so make sure you get the clear one.

I'm sorry to hear about your kitty. At age 16, though, there are many different things that can be wrong. Many of these can be treated once you find out what is wrong, but the symptoms you describe are very generic and thus could indicateone of several different things. The only way to know what is wrong is a vet exam and possibly a few tests.

Except you say this has happened already. I don't know what that would indicate then, either the wrong tests or not enough of them, or not the greatest vet. Or a choice to ignore whatever was wrong. But many of the old age diseases are treatable inexpensively and can give the cat months or years more of good quality life. That said, it's also possible he has something that will send him downhill sooner than that.

Eat a lot and lose weight should have resulted in a diagnosis. Now the fact that he's not eating suggests a further complication of whatever the main problem is. Without the main problem to go on there's only so much we can siuggest from afar.

One thing I know is that it is not likely he is just dying with zero to be done other than euthanize. He has a medical condition that causes these symptoms, and many of those conditions have inexpensive treatments that will make him feel better and thus eat more and have some additional quality time with you. It's also possible that he has a graver condition, or that his condition has been overlooked for too long for him to bounce back much.

I know I couldn't go making a euthanize decision without knowing for sure that there was nothing else to do at this point. To me, if you jumped to that now, you'd be possibly cutting his life short. But if you really want more time, you have to find out what is actually wrong. That's not something we can do on here.

I have taken foster kitties to the vet tech & they will do the fluids for a small charge.  You don't see a vet but your kitty needs at least fluids to feel better.  If you have never done this a vet tech might be a better idea.  The vet might know right away what is wrong with him without doing a lot of tests.  If he thinks it is one thing possible one test would tell this.  This may sound unfeeling but I would never put the comfort of a family member aside over money.  Tell the vet that you can't spend a lot & maybe he will help you out.