My cat is acting and looking really strange

We just got home from a five day trip a couple days ago, and my cat has been acting strange ever since we got back. Wet food is a special treat in our house, so when we crack it open, our cats usually get excited. This is why we felt it was strange when she laid there for a couple minutes, and once she finally got up to eat, she only licked at the food. To add to that, she puked it up a couple minutes after. She has been meowing strangely (almost in a sad sort of way). She just lays in the corner of my sisters closet all day.

The first day we got back, she puked twice, but we thought nothing of it. We took her to the vet, and they didn't notice anything wrong, but we found out she dropped 3 pounds in two weeks (since her annual check up). Once she got back, she urinated (She hasn't pooped yet) and ate most of her wet food. Other than the wet food, she hasn't been eating anything else, but she's been drinking almost non-stop. I am sitting here now and she's been drinking for 15 minutes!

Early this morning I realized inside her nails were red, like there was blood inside. She has been losing her balance a lot, and she is walking up the stairs slowly and can't jump as high (like up to the bathroom counter).

I'm really worried, so thanks in advance for whatever you have to say!


Your cat sounds as though she is very, very ill. If your veterinarian didn’t do bloodwork, this cat needs bloodwork as soon as possible. She may also need x-rays or even need to be hospitalized.

Your cat could have hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease, where the body starts to break down fat because the cat stopped eating. If caught early enough, she could be treated for this and get well, but she would need to have bloodwork to diagnose this life-threatening cat illness.

With the weight loss you described and the excessive drinking, your cat could also have a problem with her kidneys, could have feline hyperthyroidism, or cat diabetes, to name a few, all of which would need to be diagnosed with bloodwork.

Please bring your cat to a veterinarian as soon as possible. This is urgent, and is most definitely an emergency. If your previous veterinarian did not suggest doing bloodwork, you may want to consider bringing your cat to another veterinarian for a second opinion. But in any event, your cat needs treatment as soon as possible.

Best wishes,
Dr. Neely