Question:
My 17 yr old cat has started being hungry all the time. He is also grooming himself more and has more hair balls. He seems to be coughing a day or 2 then if I don’t put hair all ointment on him which he hates he’ll have hairball every 4 days. Over the past 6-8 months he’s been itching himself harder when cleaning himself which seems nonstop at this point. He has scratch abrasions on his back and shoulders. I’ve tried changing food to derm sensitive food -no help, adding wet food which he loves and it slowed down hairballs but not the constant cleaning. I tired Claritin from my vet. Helped a little maybe 20% less scratching and cleaning. I even tried Prozac compounded to a cat treat from my vet. He has started walking through the house at nigh wailing until I wake up and bring him to bed. He drags our cloths to the door crying if we go out more than an hour. Then 3weeks ago he was sleeping on my lap woke up like he was fighting all muscles contracting even his face and he pooped my lap. This lasted 5-8 we. The. He was groggy, confused, walking like he’s drunk for about an 1-2hrs. He just kept walking around the house and would not settle. Then he was tired sleeping for 2nd half of the day. The. Back to normal (still obsessive cleaning biting scratching himself). Then 6 days later he did it again. Woke up from a nap seized then fell out of bed. Then just now he did it a third time but shorter duration and he went to sleep instead of walking around crying and confused. Could he have hyperthyroidism causing itchy skin, increased appetite and triggering seizures? Between these episodes he is fine for a week. Currently he eats science diet indoor cat, wet food fancy feast gravy and science diet hair all, treats are hair all reducing green eye in salmon or tuna. He is 90% indoor cat but likes to go outside rather than the litter box so I just stand at the door and wait for him to come back in. I have a dog who’s fine. No recent changes to family, foods, no contact with other cats. Up to date on shots. Flea control is brushing with a comb to see if there are any and there’s not. Live on a golf course and since moving here 4years ago they haven’t needed flea stuff. We use a water fountain machine for water that I clean daily. We have new cleaners for the last 4-6mos not sure what they use on the floors. Last vet visit said he looks much younger than his age and he has some dental plaque but looks amazing white teeth for his advanced age. They mentioned muscle wasting around his spine. But he eats 2 cans of wet food and about 3/4 cup cat food a day plus greens treats like 10-20 a day. Is this cancer? Hyperthyroidism or some other feline issue causing these symptoms? vet visit in 5days set up.
Answer:
The increased appetite does sound like hyperthyroidism, which is fairly easy to treat, so definitely take him on in to get some bloodwork done - this is the only way to know for sure. His skin lesions are probably something else - allergies are most common. Flea allergies are common. Not seeing fleas doesn't mean that one bit him (even days or weeks ago) and he groomed it off quickly, so with skin lesions like that, in a cat, I'd definitely get him back on flea control, even if you aren't seeing fleas.