Thin & scrawny cats

[Second Summer]

A quick question: Do old cats have a tendency to become really thin and scrawny? The other day we met a very friendly, but also very thin & scrawny cat while we were walking in the neighbourhood. We thought it was lost, so asked a few of the neighbours in that area if they recognized it. It followed us home, and Jen talked to our next-door neighbours who kindly donated some cat food. The cat ate and then disappeared.

I wonder if it was thin & scrawny because it was abandoned or because it was old. Or both, I suppose. The fur was in a decent condition, though I noticed a few knots.

It was definitely not a feral cat. It was clearly used to humans, and not afraid of children either.

 

[Calliegirl]

Cats shouldn't be thin and scrawny because they are old, only if they have health issues. I have one that's 15 years old and one that's 11 and they are both a pretty healthy weight.

Sounds like someone dumped him and he's either been trying to survive on whatever scraps he could find, or he may be sick. Since it doesn't sound like he's acting sick, he's probably thin from lack of food.

 

[Second Summer]

Well, are there old age-related health issues that could explain the scrawniness? One of my relatives had a really old cat that was scrawny as well.

This one that we found seemed so kind / naive / trusting that I have trouble understanding how it could have survived for very long on its own. This whole area is full of cats and they don't take kindly to strangers.

 

[KLS52]

I have a 19 year old who went from 10 lbs to barely 6 lbs but she has health issues. Since being on daily sub q fluids for 6 months, she has gained almost a pound back but she likely won't do much better than that. Her appetite is very good. She is fur, skin and bones. Her coat is a mess, too. I try to brush her, on her good days, but I can't bear it most times, she's so boney.

The vet and I can't believe her thyroid is normal. It's common for cats to have an over active one as they age. My Mandi took thyroid meds for five years and died at 17. She was very thin also.

It's hard to say with regard to your stray, not knowing how old it is or how long it's been on its own. I say if it continues to come around, keep feeding it.

This is unrelated, but the mama I'm currently fostering is very thin and she eats whenever she wants which is four times a day. I thought she would fatten up a bit (it's been three weeks) but I guess nursing seven babies is taking every bit from her.

 

[GingerFoxx]

I had a cat that in his youth was close to 20lbs. when it got to be 12 or 13 years old, he lost about a 1/3 of his weight in a short period of time. The vet diagnosed him with diabetes, which we then treated with daily insulin. He put several pounds back on and remained pretty stable there until he passed away a few years later. There are many reasons a cat can get skinny even with access to food. That's just one example.

 

[Amy SF]

I have a 16 year old cat that is skin and bones. The vet last saw her last September 26, and he checked her over and pronounced her perfectly healthy for her age. But she is also part Siamese, and since that breed tends to be very slender, that may have something to do with her being so skinny. She wasn't quite so skinny when she was younger; it's only in the last few years that she lost some of her weight. She has a very healthy appetite. She has access to dry food most of the time (I cover it during the night), and she eats all the canned food she wants in the morning. She drinks all the water she wants and does not appear to be sick in any way.

A few years ago I had a colleague who told me she had an elderly cat that was skin and bones. She said the cat was perfectly healthy, just old.

So I do think it's possible for elderly cats to be really skinny, but that doesn't mean they're sick.