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My senior cat lost too much weight on his diet. Is it healthy?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | 12 years and 10 months old | 8.2 lbs

I wanted my male cat to loose weight I changed his diet to Iam's weight controll he was in February 11.8 lbs later 11 lbs later again 9.8 lbs today he is 8.2 he is not interested in canned dry treats he drinks regularly

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4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Mara Howard, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 22nd, 2017

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m glad to hear Grippet has lost the weight you wanted him to, but at his age we would want to ensure all the weight loss is for healthy reasons and not an underlying medical issue. As cats age, they frequently can get an overactive thyroid, diabetes, or kidney issues (among others) that can lead to unhealthy weight loss. I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian and have bloodwork done to ensure all his weight loss is healthy and there isn’t an underlying issue that needs to be addressed. Good luck!

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on August 12th, 2018

    Hi there. Old age, on is own, does not cause this to happen. But, many older cats develop health problems such as chronic kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, or cancer that can cause weight loss. Many of these problems are treatable once a diagnosis is made, so I would recommend taking Precious to the vet for an exam. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment depending on what is found.

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    Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 18th, 2019

    If you can get Rufus in earlier, I recommend to do so. There are many causes of weight loss including kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, parasites or cancer. Early diagnosis and treatment generally gives the best prognosis. Take in a stool sample for testing and expect bloodwork. Best of luck.

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on March 31st, 2017

    Yes, unexplained weight loss like this in an older kitty is reason for concern. Weight loss is an early sign of many different illnesses that are common in older cats, including chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism. I would definitely recommend a senior blood panel (CBC/chemistry panel and thyroid check) as well as a urinalysis to check for these problems. Finding them early before other symptoms appear gives us the best chance of treating them successfully, so this is well worth doing.

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