Symptom Triage｜Appetite and Body Weight | Evidence chain

FAQ

My cat has suddenly stopped eating. Can I watch for a day or two first?

That is not advised. Fasting rapidly triggers hepatic lipidosis in cats, and fasting in donkeys can trigger hyperlipaemia, so for these two species even a single day without eating warrants a visit, without applying the observation window used for other species. Before you leave, note the time and amount of the last meal, whether the animal still drinks, alertness and activity, any vomiting or diarrhoea, and whether faeces and urine are passed normally.

My pet eats more than before but keeps losing weight. Is that a good sign?

No. A marked increase in appetite with falling body weight is common in feline hyperthyroidism, canine diabetes and Cushing's syndrome, and thyroid or metabolic abnormality in birds, and it calls for a veterinary visit. Weigh at a fixed time each week and record it, and watch whether water intake has risen at the same time and whether there is vomiting or soft stool.

My senior cat or dog is slowly getting thinner. Is that just normal ageing?

Do not treat it as ageing. Slow weight loss while appetite looks normal or even improves is common in feline chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism, and in canine intestinal disease or tumours. Older animals are especially easy to overlook, and weight loss is often the earliest and most frequently missed signal. Weigh on the same scales every month, plot a trend line, record water intake and faeces, and take the records with you to the visit.