Tucker has lost weight

[random]

Tucker has recently been loosing weight. At first I thought it to be the hot weather we had for a while but he didn't seem to pick up. He's absolutely fine otherwise, you would never know, he's just rather quite skinny now and i'm really quite worried about his weight. Took him to the vet, he's absolutely fine, blood tests yet to come back but no ideas really, and then just yesterday I noticed he had a clump of fur missing, I was away most of the day yesterday and today have noticed another, so seems he is being bullied by someone.

I have never seen any of the others bullying him or even have a spat with him so it must only happen when i'm out for some reason. :? I'm quite glad in a way that it happened (the fur missing) as i'd never had noticed otherwise as they all get on very well, wee spats now and then, like a chase or slap on the face when someone has had enough but nothing serious and never involving Tucker usually as it's usually one of the younger boys (Colin and Ani) on Kiara as she doesn't like to play wrestle and they try it on or Vitaani having enough of the boys messing about and tells them off but nothing major.

So I was just thinking that perhaps he is worried and not eating right? He always eats when his food is put down but not one of the cats will sit and finish a bowl of dry, they leave it and pick through the day so it's really hard to monitor them individually (although he now eats seperate so I can) and he always finishes off his fish/chicken meal as usual.

He's not depressed or anything, he's bright as a button and his absolute normal self apart from the obvious weight loss. He's being kept seperate from the other cats for the time being unless I am home, so I will just have to keep a very close eye, will let you know about bloods, they are due back monday. Very odd why this has happened all of a sudden too and why I have never seen anyone fighting, if not for the missing fur i'd have never known as i'd have never guessed it. :?

Fingers crossed for my poor wee man. x

[Moli]

Poor baby, hope he picks up soon, and the bloods come back normal.....

[random]

Also, poops are all fine. The cats share all the boxes so I don't know how often he is going but everyone's poops are fine. Today he has been given a seperate tray whilst he is iscolated so I will be able to monitor that but only how often he goes as I know they are fine, no runny tummy or anything.

[Moli]

Nothing change has it Random?, I have one the slightest change in anything he reacts...............

[random]

Poor baby, hope he picks up soon, and the bloods come back normal.....

Nothing change has it Random?, I have one the slightest change in anything he reacts...............

Thanks Moli, no nothing I can think of but will have a good think incase of something minor. I just find it really odd and am worried now that one of the others is worried/anxious over something and taking it out on Tucker as he is a soft lad but have heard of cats living together and turning on ones that are ill, so that's worrying me too, will be worried 'til I get the bloods back now, have allsorts running through my mind.

[angieh]

Hope you can find out the reason for his weight loss random. It's worrying, poor boy - how old is he?

(OH and I witnessed Kizzy being bullied by next door's cat this evening. She'd lost quite a few lumps of fur and she'd wet herself - this was outside. It's distressing to think that she's being bullied.)

[dandysmom]

So sorry to hear this, Random; no ideas what could be causing it. Good that you've isolated him for a bit so you can monitor the input and output. It's the not knowing that's so worrying. Fingers crossed that the blood work will give you a clue...(((hugs)))

[pcspik]

My first thoughts is that he could be renal - weight loss is one of the symptoms. Diabetes could be another - but the cat would be extremely hungry. Other causes are a tumour on the bowel or an auto immune disorder, but with those two the faeces would be affected.

Anyway, hopefully the blood tests will come back and pinpoint the problem.

[calismum]

Hope his bloods are ok. If he is being bullied then by isolaing him (and I assume giving him food etc) then hopefully the weight will go back on.

All fingers and toes crossed for his results ((hugs))

[Elaine]

Fingers crossed his bloods come back ok. Cat bullying can be so subtle and go easily unnoticed, hope you manage to get to the bottom of it.

[random]

Just wanted to thank everyone for your replies and support, sorry I can't reply to you all individually but my own PC is still broke and i'm trying to do everything I usually have all day to do in a few hours at my dads. Tucker's bloods came back fine which is a relief as I was convinced it was cancer, and even better because he has put on 2lb since he was last there (thurs morn) since being iscolated and i've put him onto kitten food. Had to take in a pee sample too which was fun to get. :shock: Vet is pretty confident it is just the bullying and he is to go back in a fortnight now for a weigh in unless he shows any other signs of illness in the meantime. So now I just have to try and find out who was bullying him and why/what happened as they are still all fine together when i'm there and no signs of it, everyone will still cuddle up to him, I have let Kiara and Princess stay with him today as he was really mewing yesterday at the window when I got back bless him, a bit distressed for being on his own and I know they wouldn't be the ones causing trouble but it could be any of the other 3.

[angieh]

Very good news about the blood results random. I am pleased that Tucker at least has nothing nasty medically wrong. It's a real shame that one of the others is bullying him. Also very glad to hear that he has put on a bit of weight - hopefully that will continue. He'll be happy with the two girls I am sure. He must have wondered what was going on, being on his own.

It's such a shame he can't tell you who has been nasty to him.

[dandysmom]

Excellent about the bloods and weight gain! tt really is so strange that there are no signs of the bullying while you're there to observe ... :smt017

[calismum]

So pleased his bloods are fine. Glad his weight has improved too.

Now you have to turn detective, not an easy one to solve.

[Moli]

Good to hear his bloods are ok Random........

[Mags]

Pleased to hear his bloods are fine, Random....

[Elaine]

Good news about the bloods but sad that he is being bullied. I know this can be time consuming but have you thought about keeping a little diary about their behaviours when Tucker is around and his behaviour too? As i said before some times it can be the most subtle of movements, postures that can be the tell tale signs of who the bully is.
I hope you can resolve it soon. xxx

[angieh]

I do hope it's not Anakin!

(although he could always come and live with me ..... )

[random]

Thanks guys, I am being extra watchful and will keep you posted.

Angie I don't think it is Anakin as he's still very kittenish and playful and have never ever seen him being mean but he can pester and annoy when the mood takes him but is never nasty (that I have seen), he is generally very laid back.

[farthing]

Our Smudge is quite a nervy cat, and seems to get stressed for no reason, the boys don't need to be near her and she still grumbles, although they share the bed. I does put her off eating. I now feed the girls in the hall and the boys in the bedroom, this allows the old, stressy, slow eating girls a chance to feed. It seems to work for them and the rest of the time they all have the run of the back of the house and are left to get on with it.:)

If he continues to lose weight it might be worth getting his thyroid checked, this won't show up on a general blood test.

[Leesy]

Just read this thread Random and I was just wondering how poor Tucker was getting on and has he put any more weight back on, also have you noticed who is doing the bullying yet.
Hope he is doing well:D

[random]

Thanks guys.

Farthing I am feeding them in halves, 3 in the hall and 3 in the living room, Kiara is a grumbler like that but Tucker is nothing like that, not at all nervy or anything.

He is still putting on weight, slowly but at least he's putting it on again, I guess it will take time. Still don't know who is bullying, they are all together everyday while I am with them and still no signs of anything other than playfighting but he doing better with his weight since being seperated, perhaps i'll never know? :?

[random]

He's back for a weigh in tomorrow afternoon anyway so will let you all know but it's obvious he's put weight on since he was last there so not too worried about that.

[dandysmom]

Sounds good. So mysterious that the bullying only goes on when you're not around ......

[angieh]

It's a mystery random - but very good news that Tucker is putting on weight again.

[Moli]

You probably will never know Random, like you I have a muti cat household, and sometimes one of them seems a bit off, very difficult to find the reason though.....
Good to hear he is putting on weight now...

[Leesy]

So glad to hear that Tucker is gaining weight nicely, strange who the bully is though:?

[MadCatLady]

Good Luck! Keep us posted!!!