Why is my cat getting so thin?
Even if your cat's appetite and behavior seem to be completely normal, unexplained weight loss should always be in contact with your veterinarian. More common causes of feline weight loss are described below.
Lack of food
Stress or anxiety
Some cats stop eating because of environmental stress, such as moving, or introducing new pets or humans into their lives.
Gastrointestinal disease
Gastrointestinal diseases prevent normal digestion and/or absorption of nutrients, resulting in weight loss. More common cat gastrointestinal disorders include:
Diabetes
Hyperthyroidism
Many older kittens suffer from hyperthyroidism, which is excessively secreted by the thyroid gland. Although this disease can cause a variety of symptoms, the common feature of hyperthyroid cats is weight loss. This is because excess thyroid hormone increases the metabolic rate, causing more calories to burn.
Organ failure
Weight loss is usually caused by dysfunction or failure of important internal organs such as the heart, liver or kidneys. Losing weight is usually the result of a drop in appetite.
Tumor
Certain types of benign and malignant tumors are notorious for causing weight loss. This is because some cancer cells consume calories and actually deprive the kittens of their nutrition.