Skinny cat, always hungry, foul stools

[ginger899]

This cat belongs to my Aunt. She (the cat) is always hungry, so eats a lot, but gains no weight. Also her bowel movements are apparently copious and very foul-smelling, and not a normal colour, but a pale caramel colour. Energy not brilliant, but not exactly "lethargic"
My Aunt is reluctant to take her to the vet, though I suggested she should, to test Thyroid and a test for liver values. But my Aunt said the cat is traumatized by vet visits.
No doubt I will manage to talk her round soon, but can anyone shed any light on what might be wrong with this cat?

[lunatuna2]

I thoroughly soak the dry food in water first and both my cats really like it and they lap up all the excess water, too - less calories (one is sort of fat and could eat all day long), yet they feel more filled up. I also them feed them canned cat food twice a day. They're not picky eaters so they eat anything, but I wonder if this helps the "dry food problem." I buy them good quality food, but the canned food seems to be a lot more expensive. I try to stretch it out a bit this way.

[lunatuna2]

I add water to thoroughly soak the dry food (I also feed canned) which both my cats lap right up. Is the only problem with dry food that it doesn't contain enough water? If so, soaking the dry food in water first may help.

[terryttd]

My 18 yr old cat had same problem.it was the thyroid..

[terryttd]

My 18 yr old cat had same problem.it was the thyroid..

[spirit3]

When we first got Spirit she had a bout of explosive diarrhea that stunk horribly-WAY worse than normal stool-sort fishy-I don't remember the color; it turned out she had some sort of parasite and had to have meds. It wasn't worms-something else.  Take a stool sample to the vet-make sure to watch for deyhdration & keep giving fluids!!

[opus88]

diarrhea is usually do to a fast change over from one food to the next, any change in diet has to be transitioned over or yes...diarrhea.
otherwise diarrhea is a sign of a sensitivity to any number of ingredients specifically 'grains' in either the dry or some wet brands....

[blenkarni]

I'm sorry to say but my experience proves the opposite and to give a cat soft food that has a soft stool problem can only lead to diarrohea.

[opus88]

I don't care if the food was recommended by a Vet or NOT...dry food is a terrible diet for cats..they run into all sorts of problems with this dehydrated food. please read the following for better knowledge on nutrition..you don't need to be feeding a raw diet but cats do need the moisture from wet food b/c they don't drink enough to compensate for the lack of moisture in dry food....any can food is better than dry!!
www.catinfo.org/nutrition

[blenkarni]

I have a similar cat. He is a young adopted stray, very thin, rapacious appetite, being fed dry, good quality food ok'd by vet. He has been wormed twice with Veterniary standard wormer. His toilet is not smelly but it is soft. Also his toilet is very small for the amount he eats. I dont overfeed him fo fear of expanding his tummy though he eats more than the other cats. Seems to have no respitory or other problems. Can be very active. What could the problem be? And if it is liver or thyroid can this be treated? He seems a healthy cat in all other respects.

[PikaPika88]

It sounds like my 13 yrs old cat.  He has renal disease.

[nancyjac]

The stool issue sounds like coccidia which is an internal pesticite, not a worm, so a OTC wormer will not help.  It is easily treated but requires a more specific medication available only by prescription.  Is she losing weight?  She could just have a high metabolism or she could be hyperthyroidic.  If she is not losing weight, I wouldn't necessarily be concerned.  The probiotics won't hurt, but they won't do anything to treat any of these conditions either.

[ginger899]

Thanks, yes I agree. I shall work on getting her to see sense! Yes there IS milk involved. Whyever people always think "cats have to drink milk"...heaven knows?

[AnnieBrooke]

Probiotics are not the worst idea in the world, since they won't hurt and could help, but really it could just be the other food she gives the cat (in other words, entirely dietarily related, especially if there is a whole lot of milk involved).  Or maybe she has not wormed for the right worms.  The cat needs to see a vet.

[ginger899]

Yes she is wormed regularly apparently. She's feeding a veterinary diet food because the cat had skin problems (that's another thing that shouts *liver* to me)  However the skin problems seem to have cleared. The cat also hates the food, refuses to eat it, and my Aunt gives her other things (not sure what) Anything else gets absolutely wolfed down apparently, and her hunger is insatiable.
I suggested maybe trying a probiotic....but I have a sneaking feeling there ARE liver issues here.
But could all these symptoms be Thyroid related?

[AnnieBrooke]

I'd vote for liver issues with the pale color.  What is she feeding the cat?  And has the cat been wormed regularly?

[cmannine]

My cat is being looked at for different colors of diarrhea and being underweight. The bloodword came back normal gave her a dewormer and got a script for another one as well as a fecal test. The testing is adding up even under the pet plan we are on none of it is counted on it unless you have a different pet insurance not through the vet directly.