Dog ate chocolate?

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Deaf and pooping in house.

Species: Cat
Breed: domestic shorthair
Age: 11-15 years
My cat is now about 15 years old and is in relatively good condition apart from the fact that he is now almost totally deaf. For the past 12 months, he has been leaving his poos anywhere, even inside the house, something he has not done before. We have left him a litter box, but he wont use it. We generally feed him Whiskas from a tin or a pouch, plus some dry food. If feeding him pouches, it is not uncommon for him tim to eat 5 pouches in one go. He is also fairly bony now and seems to eat a lot for his weight.
As you can imagine, it can get pretty smelly around here.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi David...thanks for your question.

It looks like you have a few issues with Mick: He is defecating outside of the box and also is eating a lot and losing weight.

I'll address the weight loss first. The most common reason for an older cat to lose weight despite having a decent appetite is hyperthyroidism. This is a condition where the thyroid gland produces too much hormone. Cats who have this will lose weight.

Hyperthyroidism is treatable. Most people treat it by using a medication called methimazole prescribed by your vet. Your vet will do a blood test first to determine if this is what he has. It is a good idea to have this checked soon as untreated hyperthyroidism can lead to heart problems, strokes and blindness.

Regarding the inappropriate defection, it is possible that this may resolve once the thyroid is corrected (if this is indeed hyperthyroidism).

However, some cats will do this if they have some arthritis pain in their lower spine. While there are medications that can treat arthritis they need to be given under the supervision of a vet as some of them can be hard on the kidneys. There are unfortunately no at-home remedies for arthritis.

You can try adding one or two more litter boxes and make at least one of them a box with very short (or no) walls such as a boot tray. This way it is not difficult to get into the box.

I hope that helps! I would highly advise a vet visit soon!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.