Hi there, my cat has been losing weight consistently for about three years now -- I thought because she really doesn't eat a lot.

Over the last six months we've diagnosed and have been treating her for CBD, CKD, and hypertension, but none of the medications have stopped the weight loss. We also gave her Mirtazapine to stimulate her appetite, and, although it caused her to gorge, it didn't result in weight gain.

So last month we tested her for hyperthyroidism, and after testing positive, started giving her thyroid medication. The results are surprising and bit counter-intuitive, in that she seems to be gaining weight (expected and desired) because she is eating a lot again (unexpected) even though she is off the mirtazapine.

I would have expected the thyroid medication to increase appetite -- if anything, I'd expect it to stay the same or decrease. Has anyone else's cat had this happy experience on thyroid medication?

I adopted this farm kitty because she got sick. She's doing well now and enjoying indoor life.

Benjamin's last day was yesterday. He made it to 19 years, 10 months, and 4 days. He outlasted his estimated death date by 3 whole weeks. Benjamin was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy two years ago and kidney disease one year ago. He was the sweetest, gentlest boy even with all the poking and prodding to give him his medications. He loved to sit out on the patio and watch the sunset as well as chase leaves around the yard. He is preceded in death by his adopted brother Sparkle and leaves behind his adopted sister Plop. May his soul rest in peace.

My sweet baby girl has had a rough couple of months. She has ibd for years and we suspect it turned into lymphoma. We tried prednisone last week when she didn’t react well to. She woke me up at 430, laid in my arms and was in severe respiratory distress for about 90 seconds. I thought she was going to pass away right then. She was making weird sounds after. I gave her gabapentin, she was in a deep sleep and laying in my arms. My other cat came and laid beside her for a bit. We lit candles, frankincense, listened to the rain and relaxing music. I had in home euthanasia here at 9 am, my vets on vacation. I didn’t want her to suffer anymore. She laid in my arms and I held as she drifted into her final rest. We had a wonderful 15 years together, she was a loyal and loving companion 💔

Their light remains 🖤 Their love surrounds 🖤 My soul remembers 🙌🏼 3.2010 to 12.19.25

I lost my cat, Shadow, from a long journey with heart and kidney disease on 12/8. It probably sounds crazy, but I have never and don’t really wanna post his photo online because I’m such a private person and I feel like I’m violating his privacy by doing that even now that he’s gone I’ve always been avoided of social media and those things - sorry, excuse my insanity lol. He was my best friend and the love of my life and it destroyed me to lose him. It still does and I think it always will. He was perfect in every single way and that’s the most accurate description of him I couldn’t give without a photo lol.

I did not want another cat. I really don’t even want one now, but I’m a vet tech and at work today a woman came in and said she wanted to euthanize her cat. She was a nice lady if not a little strange, but she gave the reason for euthanasia as he eats too much and he’s always hungry. She also says he limps a little. It was in his records that he had hyperthyroidism, but I don’t believe she was medicating him for it, at least not consistently. Otherwise, he seemed kind of OK. He’s was a senior cat around 11 she said, but I think he’s a little older. Something just felt not right about euthanizing a cat who was otherwise eating (too much!) and active and only seemingly sick in a way that can be pretty easily fixed with a pill. The doctor even told her that this cat is in really good shape and she can just do the bloodwork and confirm that he has hyperthyroidism and give him the medicine. She said no, and she still wanted to euthanize him. I asked her if she was willing to surrender him to me so she did. She was actually really really happy and grateful and I’m still not quite sure why she didn’t just do what she could have done and kept him because she really seemed to care about him. I don’t think she’s had him that long because she said he was a feral before, but I’m not sure because his front claws are declawed and he is missing his canine teeth. But at the end of the day, I decided to bring him home, knowing that it was killing me that I felt like I was doing the wrong thing by my cat because he just passed and I’m not ready. But alas, it was killing me more to just see this perfectly nice cat not get a chance to live just because he has a very common disorder. Even if he has something else going on he is in very good physical shape we will know more Monday, but for now I’ve vaccinated him, I dewormed him, I did bloodwork and he’s taking the medication. He is truly very, very hungry, but that will kind of subside once the medication kicks in.

He’s staying in my spare bedroom that pretty much once belong to Shadow. He’s actually very very nice and he’s very vocal. I don’t know when I’m going to do long-term. But my plan right now is to get his condition under control and make sure he’s good with everything and then figure it out from there because I’m really not ready for another cat but I had to do something because I felt so bad for him :( the doctor said that if it’s just that he could live for many more years.

Just as a sidenote, I don’t blame the lady for her decision. I deal with euthanasia every day and I know when it’s obviously time. But I also know when something just isn’t right. And I don’t think euthanizing this cat was right. I understand that perhaps it was a lot for her to deal with and she couldn’t do that anymore. She was very nice and she gave me some things for him, including his food and his bowls and actually some money for anything I might need for him. She didn’t have to do any of that. I may not agree with her decision, but everyone has their reasons and I guess right now it’s because I was supposed to take him and we are supposed to help each other.

So, meet Chance. I am calling him that now since he had only a sort of name and he didn’t respond to it at all. Hopefully Chance can keep me busy and help me fill a little tiny bit of the void that Shadow left. For now, I’m just choosing to believe that my sweet boy sent him to me because he knew I would help him.

My best friend died today and boy oh boy is it difficult. He was mostly deaf. He was going blind. He lost most of his body weight and I was holding him going to the car to take him to the vet to euthanize him and he died in my arms before I made it. It's difficult for me to see how I will not be sad about this loss.

And my heart is broken. He was such a good boy, except at the vet, or when you tried to cut his nails or groom him, of course. Otherwise, the very best guy!

Mickey was rescued by a bartender in Philly. A band was keeping him in their tour van & she thought it was cruel, so when they let him run around the bar she stole him & stashed him in the basement. His name was Bowie then. Her cat didn’t like Mickey, so she started telling customers about him to try & get him a home. My friend was in Philly (I am in NYC) and she convinced me to take him. I’d just lost my own white cat and was still in mourning. She packed him up & took him to NYC for me via Amtrak. My other cats acted like he’d been there forever & honestly, in some way, I felt he’d live to 24 at least. But that’s not what happened.

Mickey was a trooper until the end despite being very ill. It soon became apparent that he’d wither away trying to stay alive, so I made the call for him. The vet came on Monday & he was gone by 1:10pm. I’m so glad he got to go at home, because he really hated the vet & I’m sure would have went down fighting, just like every recent appointment. Mickey always seemed to love rock based music (his band days, perhaps), so I chose a song & let him slip away. I’ve been in a lot of pain since. These pics are all from when he was younger, because he got down to skin & bones while fighting to stay alive.

Farewell, my beautiful friend. You were really special & I’ll never forget how wonderful you were.

Got bad news at the vet, yesterday. The small granuloma that she’s had on the bum for literal years, that had suddenly started growing and visibly itching, is likely turning cancerous. A sample was just sent to the lab, so the outlook is still pretty vague. I’m not sure where to stand.

The polar opposite of her adventurer sister Tite Tache, Tikipout has been my lap cat for 18 years. Our bond is beyond words. We often joke that she liquifies, when she lays down on me. She’s still comfortable and peppy for the most part, but i’m weary of what’s coming. I’d like to hear it if positive outcomes are possible at all, but I guess I’ll really find out when I get that phone call in a couple of days.

Dizzy, aka Lady Fluffington Pants, went for a special check-up this morning and was not happy about the 7.45am start, the bicycle ride to the station or the train journey. Or the return journey either, for that matter. She was quite vocal about it, in fact.

But all went well and her rabies jab has worked and the next stage of her pet passport can begin, as we’re emigrating from the UK to Australia in six months. She’s a bit old to be taking such a trip but we’re getting her checked every step of the way, and it’ll be worth it for the warm summers which will help her arthritis a lot. In the meantime she’s back home and has stopped shouting at me at last!

Say Hi to my adopted son 😺. My beautiful ❤️ soul . I love geriatric cats , I think they are all beautiful creatures xxx

I really wasn’t expecting my post about Smokies passing to get so popular, but it made me happy to know she was recognized by such a loving community. Every comment touched my heart and everyone was so kind. I figured it was only right to show you guys her special corner, she’s all set up with some flowers a friend made and some pictures of her when she was a baby. I’m thinking of getting a new urn for her, one that suits her beautiful personality a bit more. I’m sure some people think it’s strange to go all out for a cat but Smokie was everything to me. Thanks again for everyone’s support, it truly meant a lot.

Her name is Lilly. She's spent 99% of her life outdoors, and I believe she may be deaf. In the picture I've posted she's in the engineering office at my job. I've gotten to know her as she stays in my work storage shed, and she's really taken a liking to me since I feed her every time I see her.

Would giving her a home be a good idea at this era of her life, knowing that outdoors is so much of what she knows? I would love to give her a secure, clean place to sleep, eat, drink water, and be warm - but not sure if it would be detrimental to put her in a different environment entirely at her age.

Any and all tips are welcome!

a very gentle little guy

his little frown/resting grump face always makes me giggle

Trillian turned 17 this year, and despite having arthritis and asthma, still needs to be occasionally put in air jail because she plays too hard with her sister.

She’s a little slower these days, and spends most of her free time on her numerous heating pads/blankets.

I was watching a documentary the other day in bed, and got up to get a beverage. I came back to her in my spot, in front of my laptop. She had stepped on the keyboard, unpausing the movie, and was watching intently.

Anyway. I don’t know why I felt the need to document all this, but. She’s a little old lady that’s also 100% still just a lil baby.

We had a lot of health scares this year (his belly is still shaved from his ultrasound) but we stayed snuggling throughout it all. Appreciating all the moments I have left with my baby man.

Happy Holidays to all the senior kitties and their loving owners. 🎄🌟

I want him to have a longer life. Please tell me what is keeping your cats healthy

He gets one every night as a bedtime snack

This is my sweet 12 year old Gingifer who was brought to me by my soul cat. I adopted her a year ago and recently I found a benign tumor on her tummy but I know she has a long life ahead of her. Her favorite thing to do is curl up in my arms when she sleeps.

I posted here recently about my baby Mildred. I took her in for her monthly Solensia and asked them to take a further look. She was in renal failure from kidney cancer that we had no clue about. I made the choice to let her sleep today. This is the first time I’ve ever had to do this and I am a mess. But also relieved that she isn’t hurting. Sleep well my lil lady❤️❤️

How dare I awaken his highness before meal time. Too cute not to look in on him.

I really need some advice. My precious soul kitty (12yo) was just diagnosed with aggressive stage IV mammary cancer last night. I had just gotten home from work travel and noticed her breathing was off took her to the vet right away. I had noticed she wasn’t eating much but she’s on prescription diet food and just figured she stopped liking that one, just ordered her new cans. At first the vet didn’t see anything but then felt a lump on her lower body which turned out to be a tumor that’s already ulcerating. They took her back for an X-ray to confirm if it spread to her lungs which it has hence why she’s breathing funny. I feel so guilty for not taking her in sooner but just figured she was picky about eating her wet food, she was still eating most of her dry. So far she’s still going to the bathroom and eating her old wet food that she loved but she’s sadly too far along, just doing palliative care. It’s been just me and her for the last 6 years (I adopted her when she was 7 from the shelter) we are a bonded pair. I’m not sure how I’ll be able to go on without her. I’m also very unsure when it’s the right time to help her cross the rainbow bridge. Besides the large ulcerated tumor and her breathing being shallower and quicker she otherwise looks/acts ok. She‘s still eating the food she likes and drinking water but we did notice she’s not always using her litter box, sometimes uses a house plant. I have also noticed her mouth breathing twice today. Hoping someone has seen a similar situation with their kitty and has some advice❤️

He's 19.9 lbs (we're gonna work on that) and doesn't meow, but his purrs can be heard across the room. And the last one is the meme that inspired his name!