Please help with my cat!

by Donna and Matt
(Fall River,Ma, US)

Hello,

My cat is almost 14 years old and he was very heavy but now he is losing weight, especially just before his back legs in his belly. The first part of his belly is still a little chubby. He never comes to sleep with me anymore, does not use the litter box all the time. He does not want to eat much. All night he meows. I am very concerened and to get him to a vet, he puts up a fight and I cannot get him in the carrier, I have tried seditives, etc.

Do you have any insights? Please help he is our little boy.

thanks
Donna and Matt

Answer by Kate
Hi Donna and matt, I well a loss of weight like this can be caused by many things such as thyroid problems, heart problems, cancer etc etc. As your cat is now getting on it is not unusual for illnesses to start to appear. My own cat who is 17 lost a lot of weight a few years back and was diagnosed with a thyroid problem
https://www.our-happy-cat.com/cat-thyroid.html

She is fine now after treatment but it was very important that we got her to the vets as soon as we could.

I know how difficult it can be to get some cats to the vets but it is vital for their well being that you do this. My sisters cat had to be handled by three people all wearing thick garden gloves to get him into the carrier (he was originally a feral cat and never really became domesticated)

i suggest that you leave the carrier basket open near to his usual sleeping points for a week or so. let him discover it for himself and this will help him to relax around it more. he may even eventually get in it to sleep. So that when you need to take him to the vets he will not be so stressed around the carrier.

Also make sure your behaviour does not become stressed around him when it comes to the carrier or the vets. Cats are very good at picking up your own fears and emotions, so treat it like a relaxed game and nothing to worry about.

You really do need to get your cat to the vets soon.

I hope you can get something sorted out soon

best wishes Kate

---