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Hi. I have a small, 19 YO long hair female cat. She has been losing weight over the last 18 months and is currently pretty much skin and bone. She eats about 1/3 cup of dry plus 3 oz of wet food/day. She drinks about a cup of water/day and does not gain weight no matter what I feed her. I suspect she has a form of Hyperthyroidism but don't know. She in an indoor cat and weighs about 4 lbs. I'd love to know what options I might have?

Hi. I have a small, 19 YO long hair female cat. She has been losing weight over the last 18 months and is currently pretty much skin and bone. She eats about 1/3 cup of dry plus 3 oz of wet food/day. She drinks about a cup of water/day and does not gain weight no matter what I feed her. I suspect she has a form of Hyperthyroidism but don't know. She in an indoor cat and weighs about 4 lbs. I'd love to know what options I might have?

Updated On December 5th, 2019

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Longhair | Female | spayed | 19 years and 7 months old | 4 lbs

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

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Poor kitty! There are a number of different things that can cause weight loss in an older cat like this, including hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. I would definitely recommend taking her to the vet as soon as possible for an exam and some blood work, to help diagnose the problem. Many of these issues can be very treatable once a diagnosis is made, so there's a good chance your vet will be able to help.

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