My old cat is always hungry – what could be wrong?
Increased appetite is fairly common in older cats, and although not as worrying as a loss of appetite, there are a number of possible causes that really do need treatment. As a result, investigation to find out the cause is always advisable.
What are the possible causes?
Let’s start with the simple ones. In this weather, it could be as simple as being cold, especially if your cat spends a lot of time outdoors! In cold weather, cats have to use more calories to keep warm, so they need to eat more to keep their energy levels up.
Other “physiological” causes (in other words, those that are due to normal body functioning) of increased appetite include increased exercise (not particularly likely in an elderly cat) and pregnancy (possible, but again not very likely). A low quality foodis also a possibility – cheap or low calorie diets mean that the cat has to eat more to get the same amount of nutrition.
There are also behavioural causes – some cats respond to competition for food (in other words, there are several cats all eating in the same place) by avoiding the feeding place when the other cats are there – they’re then ravenous when the others aren’t around.
Some medicines can increase appetite – if your cat is on steroids, some calmers, or anti-seizure medications (like diazepam), they can develop a massive appetite, literally overnight.
But what if none of that applies to my cat?
If you can rule out these simple problems, then an underlying disease is more likely. There are four common disease conditions that commonly lead to increased appetite, usually (but not always) along with weight loss.
The first of these conditions is a parasite infestation – if your cat’s intestines are full of worms, they’ll be eating all the food! As a result, the cat is always hungry. Cats can contract worms from catching live prey, or via fleas. It is a myth that you can always see worms in the faeces – it isn’t always possible to know which cats have the highest worm burden.
The second is diabetes. Like us, cats can develop diabetes mellitus, where they cannot regulate their blood sugar levels. As their blood sugar level rises, however, their cells can’t use the fuel – so they stay permanently hungry, no matter how much they eat. Other common signs of diabetes include increased thirst, urination, and weight loss. If untreated, diabetes can lead to a serious and often fatal condition, diabetic ketoacidosis, with collapse, seizures, coma and death the common result.
The third disease is very common in older cats – hyperthyroidism, a condition where the cat’s thyroid gland becomes overactive. This gland produces a hormone called thyroxine, that controls the cat’s metabolic rate. If too much is produced, the cat becomes “hyper” – weight loss, increased hunger, and often manic or kittenish behaviour. Unfortunately, it puts a lot of stress on the heart, and if untreated will eventually lead to death from heart failure.
The final possible diagnosis is, sadly, cancer – many older cats develop tumours inside them that act almost like parasites, eating up the food in the bloodstream. As a result, the cat is constantly having to eat more to feed themselves – but they’re also feeding the growths.
So what do I do next?
Firstly, rule out the simple, “physiological” causes of increased hunger – make sure your cat is getting a good quality diet, that they’re kept nice and snug and warm, and that they don’t have to fight for their food. If she’s an entire queen, and there’s a chance she could be pregnant, give us a ring to check her over!
If that doesn’t seem to solve the problem, treat for worms – modern wormers are safe and effective, and nowadays some can even be given as spot-ons instead of tablets. Give us a call, and we can advise you on the best treatment options.
Finally, bring your cat in for a full check up with one of our vets. Diabetes and Hyperthyroidism can be diagnosed with a simple blood test, and are very treatable nowadays – with insulin injections for diabetes, and tablets, special food or surgery for thyroid disease. Even cancer can sometimes be managed with modern medicines – unlike in humans, we don’t use such toxic drugs that the cat will suffer or lose their hair from the chemotherapy.
If your cat’s ravenous and you don’t know why, make an appointment to see one of our vets, and we’ll try and work out why. Then we can plan a course of treatment to get them back to normal again!
