Why Is My Cat Losing Weight? Should I Be Worried?

It might sound like this is something that’d be obvious to any cat owner, but actually, this couldn’t be further from the truth. For example, certain cats like Ragdoll, Persian, and Balinese breeds are particularly hairy, so noticing weight fluctuation is very difficult. Furthermore, if your cat is overweight in general, then recent weight loss might not be immediately noticeable.

The easiest way to monitor weight loss in cats is by feeling its sides with your hands. By doing this regularly, you’ll have a good idea of what it’s regular weight should feel like. If its ribs start to become more visible, or you can feel them more clearly than usual, this is a clear sign that your cat has lost a considerable amount of weight.

Why do cats lose weight?

Of course, cats lose weight if they don’t take in enough nutrients. However, there’s a wide range of factors that lead to weight loss in cats that have nothing to do with the amount of food they consume.

Weight loss is extremely important to monitor because it can be symptomatic of critically serious health issues. The earlier it’s spotted, the best chance your furry companion has of a full recovery.

Diabetes

Fast weight loss can indicate diabetes in cats. If its cells are struggling to absorb glucose from the blood, energy supplies will drain quickly. This is the case for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Should this occur, the cat’s body will use what fat and protein it has to provide food for the cells lacking in glucose. This leads to dramatic weight loss if left untreated.

Cancer

Tragically, cancer is the greatest cause of death for cats. Just like humans, they can get cancer anywhere in the body. It occurs when cells grow uncontrollably, damaging other cells and organs. It’ll often lead to a complete loss of appetite. 

Stress

Stress in cats, or anxiety, may have a considerable effect, and lead to your cat losing its appetite. There are certain circumstances that may upset your cat or lead it to be depressed. Perhaps its living space is too loud, or there are too many animals in its feed area, or its food serving area may be unclean.

These are just some of the reasons that a cat’s immediate environment may lead to stress.

Intestinal Parasites

There are many kinds of internal parasites that cats suffer from, but tapeworms and roundworms are by far the most common. If left untreated, the problem will affect your cat’s bowel movements, sometimes causing diarrhea along with vomiting. 

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IDB) is one of the issues that’s easier to spot the signs of. It’s important to look out for symptoms such as bloody stools, lethargy, a general lack of hunger, diarrhea, and vomiting. 

Each issue alone can cause weight loss, but if some occur in combination, IBD is the likely cause. It should be checked immediately, as it can quickly lead to critical levels of weight loss.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is a painful glandular disorder related to cats. In fact, it can affect every single breed of cat. 

However, the vast majority of cases appear in cats over 12 years old. In almost 100% of cases, it’ll lead to weight loss, but there are some other symptoms to look out for, like breathing difficulties, higher than usual hair shedding, diarrhea, and frequent vomiting.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Another issue most commonly seen in older cats. It occurs as kidneys gradually lose their ability to function properly. If they become unable to filter blood and produce urine, a wide range of problematic issues can arise. Watch out for increased thirst, lethargy, and frequent urination, alongside weight loss.