My senior cat is hungry but won't eat and losing weight. What's wrong?

Question

My cat is 18 years old and in the past year has gotten to where she is hungry but won’t eat. She’s really picky about food, she’ll like a certain type and eat it for a week and then turns her nose up at it the next. She’s losing weight and I’m trying to figure out what she will eat. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 18 years and 2 months old

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM · Accepted Answer

Please check Kitten's teeth. Unless you had her teeth cleaned lately and d under anesthesia, it is likely that there is a lot of tartar on her teeth, which causes painful gingivitis. There also may be tooth abscesses and tooth neck lesions, all of which is painful. This would certainly explain that she is hungry but reluctant to eat. Please take her to your vet for an oral exam and also a little blood test, as there is always a possibility for an older cat to suffer from an overactive thyroid (causes hunger, elevated heart rate, weight loss) and/or a kidney condition (causes weight loss, anorexia, nausea, etc.). Hyperthyroidism is easily treated with either medication/radiotherapy or surgery. Kidney disease can be treated supportively with fluids, and other supportive care. Please take your Kitty to a vet soon, before she looses too much weight.

My senior cat is hungry but won't eat and losing weight. What's wrong?

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