Click to Skip Ahead
Cats can lose weight for several reasons. However, even if your cat is already overweight, it isn’t healthy for them to lose weight suddenly. If your cat has suddenly lost weight, you need to take them to the vet. Once the cat’s caregiver notices weight loss, it is likely already extreme and needs to be evaluated by a vet (who will order tests to ensure there isn’t an underlying issue).
However, there are some cases where weight loss is normal. For instance, after pregnancy, cats will likely lose weight. However, some cats may continue to lose weight as they nurse the kittens, especially if they are not eating an appropriate and balanced diet. So again, consult your vet if your cat is losing weight, as our guidance, although approved by a veterinarian, is not a replacement for specific veterinary advice and a clinical examination.
What Causes Sudden Weight Loss in Cats
There are many reasons for sudden weight loss in cats. It’s vital to have your cat looked at by a vet if they are losing weight, even if you think it may be caused by something benign. One of the top causes of weight loss is diabetes. A cat with diabetes cannot utilize the sugars in their food. Therefore, they will slowly “starve” even when eating. Specifically, this is called “cellular starvation,” as the cat will still eat the usual amount of food, but the glucose will not reach the cells.1
Diabetes always requires veterinary treatment and long-term management. Diabetic cats need to be switched to an appropriate food based on your vet’s advice. Stress and anxiety can also affect eating. Some cats may spend more time hiding and less eating when stressed out. If their food bowl is out in the open, they may not feel like approaching it. If their litter box is somewhere “scary,” they may also avoid it. In the end, this can cause UTIs and similar issues, which may also make them not eat and lose weight.
However, if your cat isn’t eating, you should be able to tell by the amount of food in their bowl. If they are not eating, eating less than usual, or eating normally and still losing weight, it is time to take them to the vet. After all, this is likely a sign of an underlying issue that needs to be resolved.
How Much Weight Loss in a Cat Is Concerning?
It depends on the weight of the cat. Usually, when the owner notices the lost weight, the cat has already lost a substantial amount and needs to be checked out by a vet. A cat’s weight generally varies on a daily and weekly basis, like ours.
The only way to identify minor weight loss is to weigh your feline. If you weigh your cat regularly and notice that they have lost just a little bit of weight, it is probably nothing for you to worry about if it is not a trend and your cat is otherwise fine. Of course, your cat shouldn’t become underweight—if they are losing a small amount of weight each week and not on a weight loss diet, this usually indicates something is not quite right.
If your cat is on a special weight loss diet, some weight loss is to be expected. However, it depends on the cat’s size. Some overweight cats may lose a lot of weight at the beginning of the diet and then slow down.
- Improve your cat’s dietary health with our convenient calorie calculator here.
Which Diseases Cause Weight Loss in Cats?
Many diseases cause weight loss in felines. Technically, any illness can lead to some degree of weight loss. In many cases, the cat won’t feel very good, which can decrease their appetite. Therefore, a disease doesn’t have to directly affect a cat’s digestive tract or metabolism to cause weight loss.
Dental disease, inflammation in the mouth often caused by viruses, or oral tumors may all cause significant pain and discomfort. They can also put cats off their food, leading to weight loss. Intestinal parasites are another common reason for weight loss, mainly in kittens and young cats. These parasites consume your cat’s food after they eat, which reduces the calories they get.
Therefore, the parasite may make your cat lose weight in extreme cases. However, this isn’t always the case. A vet can examine your cat’s feces to determine if they have parasites. As we have explained previously, diabetes can also cause weight loss. This usually also causes cats to drink and urinate in large amounts.
Diabetes is a fatal disease if left untreated, as cats will slowly starve. Therefore, taking your cat to the vet for dietary recommendations and insulin for treatment is important. Hyperthyroidism can also cause weight loss in felines. Usually, the condition affects middle-aged and older cats, such as those that are over the age of 8.
The thyroid produces hormones that regulate a cat’s metabolism. If the thyroid is overperforming, it can cause problems for a cat’s digestion, heart, kidneys, liver, and most organ systems. For one, it can prevent a cat from absorbing the appropriate number of calories or burning them too quickly. In this way, a cat may lose weight even when eating regularly.
FIV and FeLV are two common viruses in felines. They can sometimes be dormant without causing any apparent signs of illness, but other times, they can lead to systemic disease and weight loss. Therefore, if your cat loses weight, you really need to take them to the vet to test for these diseases and other possible causes of weight loss. Both viral diseases are serious, very infectious for other cats, and can be fatal in some instances or lead to chronic health issues and tumors.
Kidney disease can also lead to weight loss. It isn’t unusual for your cat’s kidneys to become less efficient as they age. Kidney disease is often irreversible. However, it can be treated with prescription pet food and regular blood, urine, blood pressure monitoring, and sometimes medication.
Some types of cancer can also cause issues. Digestive cancer isn’t the only one on this list, although gastrointestinal lymphoma is a very common cancer in cats. Anything that affects a major organ can cause appetite issues, especially if the cat is in pain.
High-quality cat food is an important part of fostering a long and healthy life for your cat but the right cat food and water dish will promote good posture, offer whisker relief, and aid in good digestion. The Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl is our favorite bowl since it offers all of the above and is beautifully crafted to meet modern home stylings. The wide tray design catches any food and water spills and the entire setup is dishwasher safe. Learn more about the Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl here. At PangoVet, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Conclusion
We highly recommend getting your cat checked by a vet if you have noticed any degree of weight loss. By the time you can see weight loss on a cat, the weight loss is often quite severe. Cats are very good at hiding the signs of their illnesses, as predators in the wild would have taken advantage of any weakness. However, they cannot conceal signs like weight loss.
Your cat may have an underlying disease, act completely fine, and lose significant amounts of weight. Often, cats’ illnesses aren’t noticed until they have progressed. Therefore, it’s best to take your cat to the vet even if you aren’t completely sure if they’re sick.
See Also:
- Cavapoo vs Mini Goldendoodle: Differences Explained (With Pictures)
- Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle: The Differences (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: megaflopp, Shutterstock
