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Why is my senior cat overgrooming, having accidents, and not eating?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | spayed | 13 years and 3 months old | 17 lbs

My cat has been overgrooming the last 2yrs. One vet said the overgrooming was a food allergy to possibly chicken. I changed her diet to accommodate and test that theory. In the last few months, the overgrooming is worse than ever. And now sometimes she'll refuse to touch food I have been giving to her for weeks/months with no problem. So now she's basically on an all seafood flavor diet. And today I noticed she had a urine accident, in bed and her butt fur was soaked in it for a day. I'm worried

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on January 20th, 2020

This overgrooming can be a sign of a medical illness such as hyperthyroidism, which can be common in senior cats. The urine accident could be due to kidney disease, another common illness. I'd have Noel seen by a vet for a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis.

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