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My cat started peeing and pooping outside his litter box. The box is kept clean daily. He seems to walk with a slight swagger, and his behavior is different. We got him back a month ago after him having been lost for two months. He was fine until 4 days ago. He had gained weight, now he's losing it again. He's drinking water excessively. He's almost acting like a person with dementia. Wh as t could be wrong with him?

My cat started peeing and pooping outside his litter box. The box is kept clean daily. He seems to walk with a slight swagger, and his behavior is different. We got him back a month ago after him having been lost for two months. He was fine until 4 days ago. He had gained weight, now he's losing it again. He's drinking water excessively. He's almost acting like a person with dementia. Wh as t could be wrong with him?

Updated On January 9th, 2020

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 5 years and 10 months old | 7 lbs

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

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Poor Bob! The symptoms you describe could be caused by quite a few different things, so it's hard to say what might be wrong without being able to examine him and run some tests. Some possible causes would include diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or chronic kidney disease, which are all common problems in cats. I would recommend taking Bob to the vet for an exam as soon as you're able to. He/she can do blood work and a urinalysis to help diagnose the problem and see what kind of treatment is needed.

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