Weight loss, but otherwise healthy?

kelli jae baeli · Jan 22, 2017

My cat recently lost a lot of weight. She was a little pudgy, but not obese, then over the course of a few weeks,she suddenly went from about 10 to 8 lbs)--enough so that every time i looked at her, she seemed too skinny.

Now, here's the important part: She is otherwise healthy. Shiny coat, clear eyes and nose, seems mentally and emotionally happy, plays each day, romps and runs around, goes poop and pee, with no apparent changes, eats just as she always does, with no appetite change. There is no indication that she is unhealthy other than the quick weight loss.

So here's my question: Has anyone ever experienced this with a cat? If so, did they gain weight back? did you take them to the vet?

I know the advice is to take them to the vet, because weight loss is a symptom of a whole plethora of illnesses, but i don't have the funds at the moment--invested in something and my money is tied up. I guess i just want to have an idea of how worried i should be, before i make some big sacrifices to take her for expensive/comprehensive tests; and hoping some of you might have had this experience with your cats, and can offer insight to help me make my decision.
Thanks in advance.

stephenq · Jan 22, 2017

Kelli Jae Baeli said:
My cat recently lost a lot of weight. She was a little pudgy, but not obese, then over the course of a few weeks,she suddenly went from about 10 to 8 lbs)--enough so that every time i looked at her, she seemed too skinny.

Now, here's the important part: She is otherwise healthy. Shiny coat, clear eyes and nose, seems mentally and emotionally happy, plays each day, romps and runs around, goes poop and pee, with no apparent changes, eats just as she always does, with no appetite change. There is no indication that she is unhealthy other than the quick weight loss.

So here's my question: Has anyone ever experienced this with a cat? If so, did they gain weight back? did you take them to the vet?

I know the advice is to take them to the vet, because weight loss is a symptom of a whole plethora of illnesses, but i don't have the funds at the moment--invested in something and my money is tied up. I guess i just want to have an idea of how worried i should be, before i make some big sacrifices to take her for expensive/comprehensive tests; and hoping some of you might have had this experience with your cats, and can offer insight to help me make my decision.
Thanks in advance.

How's his appetite? Normal or hungrier than normal? What could be inexpensive now, could be a lot more $$$ if you put it off, loosing 2 lbs is a big deal, thats a 20% weight loss. Imagine a 150# person loosing 30 pounds in the same amount of time. Something isnt right. Yes you can wait until more symptoms or weight loss shows up, but what then?

nevroth · Jan 22, 2017

10 to 8lbs is a a lot for a cat. I personally would be very concerned. You're right, sudden weight loss could be from a number of things- the first that comes to my mind is cancer. If you feed her more will she eat it? You can buy a high calorie booster supplement for her but it doesn't address why she's loosing weight.

Funds are tight but maybe you can find a low cost clinic?

nevroth · Jan 22, 2017

Oh sorry I also mean't to include a personal story.

Once my big boy Momo (pictured in my avatar) went from 15.5 to 12lb in a matter of weeks. He was visibly sick and I was quite poor at the time and did what I thought was the best by trying to treat him at home. But he kept loosing weight. His appetite decreased and his mood changed. I'm so ashamed I let him get down to that weight and he looked and likely really felt like crud. When I finally took him to the vet he had to stay overnight and administered fluids and antibiotics. He had a fever too. Well the next day when I picked him up he was all meows and happiness, I bought a few cans of high cal food from the vet and soon he was on the mend and putting on weight.

So hopefully it isn't something sinister with your cat but even something easy to treat now can become a bigger expense and stress later.

kelli jae baeli · Jan 23, 2017

She's eating normally, good appetite, as i said-playful, looks bright, energetic. It occurs to me that when i got her (In New Zealand), she was (as most are, over there) part feral, and those cats are lean by nature... I paid 2500$ to have her shipped home with me. She'd been through a stressful situation there, and I was also very ill with adrenal exhaustion, which is one reason i had to come back home to the states. She got hefty, gained weight, then went through some other stressful things with a new cat, and then another new cat and dog. Finally, when she adjusted to the other pets and felt secure, that's when she lost the weight. She is now getting along with the remaining cat (the other one died of natural causes-she was very old). They're playing together, etc. I hope it's just a case of she's now at her PROPER weight, and before, she was doing emotional eating. My wife had a similar situation with a cat and the vet said as long as they are eating and going to the bathroom, and seem healthy, that it's not cause for concern. I just wondered if anyone had a similar experience. If i feel she looks like she feels bad, I'll find a vet. Thanks for the comments, everyone. <3

nevroth · Jan 24, 2017

Good luck! You must really be in love to have her shipped with you from New Zealand

Hopefully this is her ideal weight after all~

Weight loss, but otherwise healthy?

kelli jae baeli

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stephenq

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nevroth

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nevroth

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kelli jae baeli

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nevroth

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