New and would appreciate some advice

Completely irrelevant but Im an expat living in the uae. I have a 13 year old cat named Snoopy who lives here in the uk with my Mum.

Other than ensuring his good health and making sure that he visits the vet regularly and when something is not right, we pay for all his fees and his senior foods.

I last saw Snoopy on April 18th and was in fine form, greeted me in his usual manner, but having returned to the uk last Saurday for the summer I was horrified to find that in a space of 3 weeks (June 18th to now) he has become skeletal, I can feel every bone in his body, Mum says that he started to lose weight before she went on her weeks holiday abroad ( I did ask why she never took him to the vet).

He has been drinking at odd intervals, and is still happy to wonder outside but has eaten very little if anything for the past few weeks, ( he has even turned down his favourite -Tuna ) Im taking him to the vet but all kinds of thoughts are racing through my mind right now... I have cried so much that my head and eyes hurt, I have had Snoopy so long and it breaks my heart to even think that something serious might be so wrong with my baby!

Any ideas on what could be wrong would be warmly welcome... When I picked him up today he never greeted me with the usual sniff of my hiar, licking of my cheek as if to say "Hello Mum"

Sorry to make such a long posting.

Michelle

Welcome to the site Michelle!

I'll move this to Health & Nutrition where our experts will see it.

My kitty had the same sign and they told me it was diabeties =(

Thyroid?

It's very important that you get your cat to a vet asap. Cats don't usually show symptoms of illness unless they are very ill. (It's an inborne instinct because cats in the wild that show illness quickly become prey for predators). Weight loss can be a symptom of many different illnesses such as kidney problems, thyroid problems, diabetes, Feline Leukemia or FIV. I'm sure the first thing your vet will want to do is a Feline Leukemia/FIV test (if your cat goes outside at all or is exposed to another cat that goes outside). If he's negative for both the next step would be to do a CBC/Chem/T-4. This bloodwork checks kidney and liver function, as well as checks for diabetes, dehydration, anemia and thyroid function. It's very hard to tell what's going on with a cat just by doing an exam. I don't mean to scare you, but I work at a veterinary clinic and it's so sad when people bring cats in that have lost half of their body weight in just a few months time and basically it's too late to save them. They go down hill very quickly. A lot of illnesses (if cought early enough) can be treated with either special prescription diets or meds and add months or even years to a cat's life.

Maybe you could feed kitten food. Kitten food is higher in fat and is more palatable to cats.

if you havent taken him to the vet when you read this, you need to start force feeding him until you take him to vet. how is he?

The first thing that came to my head was Hyperthyroidism.

Let us know what the vet said!.

Originally Posted by rosiemac

The first thing that came to my head was Hyperthyroidism.

Click to expand...

same here!

sending lots of vibes your way for a speedy recovery for snoopy

It very well could be diabetes or hyperthyroidism. Both are treatable with medications and can be diagnosed with a blood test. If Snoopy isn't eating, you must force feed him. He can develop a serious and potentially deadly liver disease called hepatic lipidosis. To force food him, get a syringe (without the needle), eyedropper, or whatever else you may have available. Fill it with food mixed with water (so that it is the right consistency). Insert the food into his mouth through the side and allow him to swallow. Don't squirt it toward the throat, as it could get into his lungs. He will need to see a vet first thing in the morning to find out the cause of the problem. The vet may be able to provide you with a high-calorie food to feed him in the meantime. Force-feeding is a temporary process, but you must do it in order to jump start your cat's appetite. When cats stop or nearly stop eating, they get into a viscious cycle of anorexia that we have to help them interrupt. I stayed up half the night earlier this week trying to get food in my cat. The vet may also be able to provide a medication to help stimulate Snoopy's appetite. Good luck, and keep us informed on his progress!

Hey there.... I live in Dubai too!

Anyway, here's something that might help.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products.../Itemdy00.aspx

It is a calorie gel that is specifically designed for cats who are not eating and is very easy to administer. You just dab a little bit on the cats nose and they have no choice but to lick it up You should be able to get it at any pet store or vets.

It is also supposed to stimulate the appetite.

The one thing none of my cats can turn their noses up to is boiled chicken breast thathas been stewed for a long long time in tuna sauce.

Wishing you well.