Is it normal for a cat to lose two pounds

within a week? He has a URI and is on antibiotics. He was overweight when I got him so I put him on Nutro Natural Choice Weight Management dry kibble and he gets one packet of Nutro Adult Care wet food for dinner after he gets his antibiotics.

Also: How long does it take a cat to get over an upper respitory infection? He is still sneezing and coughing. I keep having to wipe his nose of what was yellow discharge, but now is clear.

I am a first time cat owner, so I need a little help. I am taking him to the vet on Tuesday for a follow-up.

I am no vet but I would say no since most vets that I talk too recommend one or two lbs over several months... 2lbs for a 10 lb cat is a 20% loss in a week... that is like a 150 man lossing 30lbs in a week not good..

Wow, I didn't know that. Also, how long do you think it would take for an adult cat to get over a cold?

I am glad you have a follow-up apt....try to encourage your fellow to eat a bit more right now - I know the cat was plump, but if appetite is that off, with that much wt. loss in a week, you risk hepatic lipidosis (I think...though I'm not vet either!). It could be sense of smell is off, so try warming to room temp the canned food, try if you can get these - dried bonito flakes (can get from Asian market or buy the labelled for pet's variety - such as petsmart carries - by Cosmic for one)..these flakes have a very strong smell and can be sprinkled atop dry or wet food to encourage your cat to eat. Consider feeding some baby food to (plain meat - check the label to be sure there is NO onion...gerber second stage is one that does not).

It depends on whether or not the antibiotic was effective or not in clearing up what was going on...if bacterial it should clear it up, if viral, it really won't, just helps to be sure it doesn't progress to something worse. You can ask your vet on Tuesday, if in their opinion, it's viral and adding powdered lysine to the food would be advisable.

Here is a link to an article by TCS member Hissy on Hepatic Lipidosis.

He also seems to have a bit of eye discharge along with his nasal discharge. I checked his eye and saw that his left eye has a tiny lesion on his cornea making him squint from time to time. I can't believe the vet is closed for the weekend and not taking walk-ins for the weekend either.

My cat is eating his wet food but barely touching his dry food. I am going to probably give him another pouch of wet food in the morning as well.

I have the humidifier on in my room to keep adequent amount of moisture in the air to help clear up his congestion. He would not stop clawing and mewing inside the bathroom when I put him in for a steaming. I just want him to get better. The Humane Society from where I adopted him got very defensive when I called to ask if he was sneezing before I got him because he didn't sneeze at all when I was adopting him.

If he's eating wet, then give him just wet - I honestly would not worry about him having been plump right now...feed him 3-4 times a day, as much wet as he'll take (this is simply what I would do).

Ouch..sounds like a corneal laceration (I've seen too many of those in this past year plus with an oldster of mine)...your vet on Tuesday will be able to check it, prescribe appropriate eye meds, ecollar if necessary. Watch to see if he's doing any pawing or rubbing at this eye, or just the squinting. Poor fella...both of you will be so much happier once this is all cleared up, and you can both just get back to being cat and cat's companion

Losing weight that rapidly can be dangerous. I have a friend who tried to get her cat to lose weight too rapidly. The cat soon became "anorexic" and wouldn't eat at all. This went into hepatic lipidosis. The cat had to put on IV fluids to save it's life. It was touch and go for a while, but he did make it. As I understand it, most cats get hepatic lipidosis secondary to some other problem.

Please read the information on the link that Pat & Alix gave you above, so you are better informed about this very dangerous possibility. Monitor your cat's eating and behavior carefully in the next few days. After that great a weight loss already, it is possible that your cat cannot wait until Tuesday unless he starts eating more. You may need to see if you can find an emergency vet in your area.

Do you know what kind of food he was on at the Humane Society? Maybe he just doesn't happen to like the dry food you are giving him, and would eat something else better.

The humidifier is helping with his decongestion. He is currently sleeping underneath my wicker chair.

Thanks for all your concern!