My 10-year-old cat has allergies and drinks more. Are they linked?

Given Beyonce's age, I would be concerned there is a medical cause behind this behavior. Increased drinking and urination can be caused by diseases such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or kidney disease, all of which are common in senior cats. Hyperthyroidism can also causes changes in a cat's coat. I would take her into the vet in the next day or two for a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis, which are tests which will help diagnose if she has one of the diseases I mentioned above. Should she have one, the vet can discuss treatment options with you. Good luck, I hope this helps!

I would be concerned about either diabetes or hyperthyroidism in Fuu. The symptoms you described can be seen with both of these diseases that usually affect older cats. I would recommend taking Fuu in to your vet to have some blood work performed. This simple test can distinguish between these two diseases. If she has diabetes she will need insulin injections daily and hyperthyroidism can be easily treated with a daily medication as well. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. She will need to see her veterinarian for laboratory work. Increased vocalizations and increased thirst are common signs of hyperthyroidism. This is a disease where the body makes too much thyroid hormone thereby increasing metabolism. Other signs can include weight loss, hyperactivity, increased urination as well as vomiting and/or diarrhea. If this is her diagnosis, the disease is typically managed with medication. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cody is super cute! I have never diagnosed Cushing's in a cat. It is exceedingly rare in cats. The most common causes for increased thirst/urination in older cats are: diabetes, kidney failure, hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), cancer, liver disease and cancer. I recommend taking Cody to the Vet for full blood work (includes T4 and urine), it will rule out almost all of the above. I hope this helps and I wish you and Cody the best!

I am sorry Berry is not feeling well. It is possible that Berry has allergies and this is causing the itching skin and nasal breathing. However typically allergies start at an earlier age. If this is a new occurrence at her age I would not think allergies was very likely. I would be concerned about chronic rhinitis, foreign object stuck in nose, fungal infection, bacterial infection or even cancer. I would make sure she gets a good oral exam too. If she were to have a bad tooth this could affect her nasal passage. It is possible the next step if to have x-rays taken of her skull and sinus passage to make sure a mass is not present. At home you can try over the counter anti histamines. Also, you can place her in the bathroom and run the shower to allow the steam to help clear her nose. I would make sure to apply flea prevention every 30 days just incase her itchy skin is due to parasites like fleas. Hope that Berry starts to feel better

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. With your history and knowing he is drinking and urinating quite a bit, I would be concerned about kidney disease or diabetes. I would recommend having a comprehensive blood panel run on pepper to rule these conditions out. I would also have his urine tested as part of a full workup. Blood work is a good place to start as it will help rule out many possible causes of the symptoms you are seeing. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

Any cat that is urinating more is probably drinking more water. Both of those things (and the strong smell) can be caused by diabetes or kidney disease. I suggest you have Felix to the vet for an exam, some blood testing and a urine test.