Posted by:
cyclopsgrl
at Sun Dec 31 14:55:46 2006 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by cyclopsgrl ]
Hi. Two 15 year old cats here and have gone thru most of the top four or five common Senior cat problems between the two.
I wouldn't worry overmuch, but your vet is absolutely right running tests. Losing two pounds is a good indicator something might be going on -- and good for you for taking your cat in regularly to be checked. Any time a cat loses weight, it is good to check it out, especially if they are Senior. Cats are considered Senior any more from about age 8 to 10 on.
She is not being over cautiuos -- Thyroid and Kidney problems can start around age 12 or so and both can be treated fairly easily for a long, long time (years) depending on the stage they are in. Weight loss is always an indicator to check things out. Your cat is a young Senior. I also know diet can play a big factor in weight/health once they hit Senior. My two suddenly gained 2 pounds overnight a few years ago. My vet had me switch over to Senior food... Diet is something you may want to discuss... It is really hard to speculate what it could be -- but remember your cat is young so whatever it may be probably can be treated fairly easily and long term. It may just be a diet change.
I have never been able to get a urine sample from my cats as I have two in the house to contend with. The vet has always done it for me. They may need to keep the cat for a half a day or so if they can't get it right away, but they can get it themselves if you have problems.
Now that your cat is a Senior, whether there is anything wrong at this point or not, it is a good idea to take him in every six months for a check-up. They can run a fairly inexpensive blood and urine test and catch things early on. I have the basic blood work done every six months and urine checked about once a year unless there is a problem... ----- Tammy
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