Menu
  • Services
    • Dog Training
    • Euthanasia
    • Grooming
    • Kennels/Boarding
    • Microchipping
    • Preventative Care
      • Bloodwork
      • Dental
      • Parasite Prevention
      • Spaying or Neutering Your Pet
      • Vaccines
      • Wellness Care/Checkups
    • Radiology
    • Surgery
  • Patient Center
    • Print Forms
    • Payment Options
    • Pet Wellness Program
    • Tour Pet Hospital
  • About Us
    • AAHA Accredited Practice
    • Meet the Team
    • Community Involvement
    • Testimonials
  • Resources
    • Blog
  • Contact
    • Appointment Request
  • Pet Portal
  • Online Store
Healthy Pet Hospital
Healthy Pet Hospital
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletter Library >
  • Cats >
  • 9 Reasons Your Cat May Be Losing Weight

9 Reasons Your Cat May Be Losing Weight

  • Created in Newsletter Library, Cats

A lounging house cat

Is Anxiety, Stress, or a Disease Causing Your Cat to Lose Weight?

It's only natural to be concerned when your cat starts shedding pounds after years of maintaining the same weight. Sudden weight loss is often a warning sign that something is not quite right with your furry friend's physical or mental health. These nine conditions, diseases, and other factors can affect your cat's weight.

1. Cancer

Cancer can certainly cause weight loss, although it's far from the only reason your cat may be losing weight. Other signs that may indicate your cat has cancer can include sores that never heal, lumps and bumps, lameness, stiffness, lack of appetite, pale gums, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, or trouble urinating or defecating.

2. Parasites

Roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, and other parasitic infections might be the reason your cat is so thin. Your pet may develop the infection from eating wildlife, swallowing fleas, nursing from an infected mother, or even eating stools from an infected animal.

Symptoms of a parasitic infection can include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, bloody stools, dull coat, and fatigue. You may notice parts of worms or whole worms in your cat's feces in some cases. Some cats drag their bottoms on the floor in an attempt to ease the discomfort caused by a worm infestation.

3. Diabetes

Weight loss can also occur if your pet develops diabetes, a disease that occurs when your cat's body stops producing insulin or doesn't make enough insulin. Despite eating more, your cat may lose weight. You may also notice your pet drinks more than usual and also urinates more often. Diabetes is becoming more common in cats due to increasing obesity rates, according to DVM360.

4. Kidney Disease

Kidney disease causes waste products to build up in your pet's body. Cats affected by the disease may lose weight, urinate and drink more than usual, and become lethargic. High blood pressure can also occur as a result of kidney disease or failure.

5. Stress

Cats that experience stress may eat less and soon begin losing weight. It doesn't take much to stress a cat. Changing your work schedule, adding a new person or pet to your home, loud noises, too few litter boxes in a multi-cat household, and other factors may raise your pet's anxiety level. In addition to changes in eating habits, other signs of stress and anxiety can include a disinterest in grooming or grooming more than usual, spraying, urinating outside the litter box, aggressive behavior, hiding, and meowing frequently.

6. Gastrointestinal Problems

Food allergies, infections or inflammatory bowel disease could affect your cat's ability to absorb nutrients needed to maintain a normal weight. Vomiting, diarrhea, itching, changes in your pet's coat, red skin, difficulty defecating, and coughing may be signs of a gastrointestinal issue.

7. Conflicts with Other Pets

If your cat is one of several other pets in your home, conflicts with other animals may be the reason for a drop in weight. Other pets may prevent your cat from eating from a communal food dish. If your cat feels threatened, it may go into hiding and rarely attempt to sneak past the other animals. Observing your pets at mealtime can help you determine if a conflict could be related to the change in your cat's weight.

8. Dental Problems

It's hard to eat if your teeth hurt, you don't have many teeth left, or your gums are inflamed or infected. If a dental problem is the reason your cat is shedding pounds, you may also see a change in the way your pet chews or notice that your cat drools often. Bad breath, tooth discoloration, and red gums are other signs of dental issues.

9. Old Age

Aging may increase your pet's risk of weight loss. In fact, 30 to 40 percent of cats aged 10 to 12 years have difficulty absorbing fats, proteins, and vitamins B-12 and E, according to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Since the risk of diabetes, kidney disease, and other diseases increases with age, trouble absorbing nutrients could be just one factor in your older cat's weight loss.

Are you concerned about your pet's weight fluctuation? Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

DVM360: Diabetes Mellitus in Cats, 4/1/09

WebMD: Weight Loss in Cats, 9/8/18

Pet Health Network: How Can You Reduce Your Cat’s Stress at Home?

Cornell Feline Health Center: Chronic Kidney Disease

Our Location

Location

Find us on the map

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Healthy Pet Hospital

Monday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Saturday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Featured Articles
  • February Newsletter: Weird Things Your Cat Does and What They Mean

    Looking for an explanation for your cat's strange behaviors? ...

    Read More
  • February Newsletter: Where to Start When Training Your Puppy

    Is your puppy ready to be trained? ...

    Read More
  • January Newsletter: National Bird Day

    Got any plans for National Bird Day? ...

    Read More
  • January Newsletter: Don't Forget to Vaccinate Your Pets this Year

    Is pet vaccinated? ...

    Read More
  • December Newsletter: Cold Weather Tips for Your Pets

    Are your pets ready for winter weather? ...

    Read More
  • December Newsletter: Pets and the Holidays: What to Know before Feeding Your Pet Table Scraps

    Could holiday table scraps cause health woes for your pets? ...

    Read More
  • November Newsletter: How arthritis can affect your pet

    Could your pet have arthritis? ...

    Read More
  • November Newsletter: National animal shelter appreciation week

    Looking for ways to support your local animal shelter? ...

    Read More
  • Three Reasons to Always Microchip Your Pets

    Wondering if microchipping is right for your pet? ...

    Read More
  • Bad Breath Can Indicate Your Pet Needs Dental Care

    Could bad breath mean that your pet has a dental issue? ...

    Read More

Newsletter Signup

Sign up for more articles

Testimonials

Testimonials

  • "The most important thing, of course, is the care my dog received, and by that measure I have nothing to complain about. However, every time I've been to Pet Hospital, I've had to wait long periods of time--a long time to drop my dog off, and a long time to pick him up. In both cases, it was over a half-hour, and given that I had to notify my job twice while I was waiting that I would be later than anticipated, that is much too long."
    Peter W.
  • "Everyone is very friendly and supportive. A calm climate for my anxious little guy!"
    Suzanne V.
  • "Always a positive experience at Pet Hospital. The office staff loves seeing the dogs, and the dogs are actually excited to go there."
    Tom W.
  • "Incredible service!! I needed a same morning minor emergency appointment and was seen in 15 min. The doctor and vet techs go out of their way to make the examination as stress free as possible. I drive from Costa Mesa to this hospital."
    Kathryn A
  • "Enjoyed meeting Dr. K...He is a wonderful addition to the staff.
    Exam and grooming went off without a hitch.
    Thank you"
    Anonymous
  • "Pet hospital is prompt, friendly, and professional in all aspects of care for my pet and toward me as a owner. Gracie is family to me and her care is paramount. I am never disappointed at the way she is loved and treated here. I wouldn't take her anywhere else.!"
    Anonymous