What next if blood tests are normal?

victry77

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Feb 2, 2013
Messages
23
Purraise
2
Hi, just looking for some opinions.

I've just come back from the vet with my cat Minnie (almost 5yrs/spayed/indoors). She's always been a very small thin cat and also a picky/fussy eater.

Over the past three weeks I thought she might have lost a little weight. For some reason, yesterday, I REALLY noticed this, so rang the vet straight away and managed to get an appt today. As a side note, she also lost a little weight last April, and so did my other cat, both checked by vet with no sign of anything wrong. My other cat regained all the weight. Minnie regained some of it.

There are no other symptoms, although, over the past couple of weeks I did feel that she was eating more than usual. Given that she has such a picky appetite, it was noticeable that she was actually eating all the food in her dish. She also has always brought up furballs every now and again.

She'd lost approx 8oz. On examination, vet found nothing out of the ordinary. I also pointed out a couple of little baldy patches near her leg. One developed in January and one last month. The fur is growing back and vet seemed to think it was unconnected to the weight loss. She had bloods taken which will be sent to the lab and will be back in a couple of days.

Obviously, it's a case of waiting and seeing if the show anything abnormal, and it might be jumping the gun a bit, but if they are normal, what should I do next? I've just read lots of cases of cats that have been seriously ill but have had normal blood results.

Our vet can tend to be a bit of a "wait and see" type, but I know I will just worry. So, given the symptoms, and hypothetically if the bloods are normal, what should be the next step?

Any help much appreciated.
 

denice

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Messages
18,836
Purraise
13,144
Location
Columbus OH
Personally I would say if all blood work comes back normal then an ultrasound would be next.  Eight ounces is a lot of weight and there has to be a reason for that weight loss.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

victry77

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Feb 2, 2013
Messages
23
Purraise
2
Thank you for replying so quickly Denise.  Yes, it is a lot of weight, especially as she is so little anyway. I just wanted to have a good idea of what I need to push for next if the vet comes up with, "Let's see how she goes."

I'm worried sick now, tbh.
 
Last edited:

lindsey.design

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 24, 2019
Messages
36
Purraise
27
I know this is an old thread- did you have any update on your kitty? This sounds like what I am going through right now with my boy.
 

fionasmom

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
13,125
Purraise
17,362
Location
Los Angeles
Since there is a new post, I want to agree with what was said 2 years ago about doing an ultrasound or other imaging. Possibly another type of test might be suitable as well depending on the symptoms your cat is having. It is completely possible to have normal standard blood tests, even larger panels like the geriatric ones, and for something else to be wrong. Not trying to scare you but most skilled vets will have an idea of what the next step might be.
 

white shadow

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 28, 2010
Messages
3,102
Purraise
2,985
Location
CA
.....did you have any update on your kitty?
lindsey.design lindsey.design - that member hasn't been on the forum since April 2018 (just click on their username to see this).

But....here's what they later reported in another thread dated August 2017: Sudden Hairball Vomiting (you can click on the number of their messages/posts - all of those posts will then appear in a new window)
.
 
Top