If Cats Lose Weight despite Having a Good Appetite

Weight loss always occurs when calorie intake is less than calorie consumption. There are various reasons why cats can lose weight despite having a good appetite.

Here are some of the most common reasons:

Hyperthyroidism:
A common cause in older cats. The overproduction of thyroid hormones speeds up the cat’s metabolism, leading to increased energy consumption. Despite an increased appetite, the cats lose weight, are often restless, and have increased thirst.

Diabetes mellitus:
Diabetes is a condition in which the cat’s body does not use insulin properly or does not produce enough of it. This means that despite increased food consumption, the cat does not get enough energy from the food and loses weight.

Parasitic infestation:
Worms or other internal parasites can absorb nutrients from the food before the cat’s body can utilize them. Despite a good appetite, the cat is not adequately supplied with nutrients and loses weight.

Gastrointestinal diseases:
Inflammatory bowel diseases, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), or intestinal tumors can impair nutrient absorption in the digestive tract. The cat eats normally, but the body cannot effectively absorb the nutrients, leading to weight loss.

Kidney failure:
Chronic kidney disease is widespread in older cats. In this disease, the kidneys lose their ability to filter waste products from the blood, which can lead to loss of appetite, nausea, and weight loss, although the cat initially eats well.

Cancer:
Some types of cancer, such as lymphomas or tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, can lead to an increased metabolism, which explains the weight loss despite a good appetite. The direct impairment of the digestive system by tumors can also play a role.

Liver diseases:
Liver problems can affect the cat’s metabolism, making nutrient processing inefficient. This can also lead to a paradoxical weight loss despite a good appetite.

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI):
In this disease, the pancreas does not produce enough digestive enzymes, which means that the food is not properly broken down. Cats with EPI often have a good appetite but lose weight because they cannot absorb the nutrients.

Heart diseases:
Certain heart diseases can lead to an increase in metabolism in cats, leading to an increased energy requirement and weight loss, even if the appetite remains normal.

If a cat continuously loses weight despite a good appetite, a veterinarian should be consulted to diagnose the underlying cause and treat it accordingly.