Deaf and pooping in house.

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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