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Question

Our cat has started eating his own feces. This is a very new behaviour. He is an inside cat an has always used a litter tray, however there have been a couple of recent events of him going to the toilet on the sofa. He is a 10 year old Devon Rex. We are wondering if he is starting to get dementia. Any ideas

Submitted: 129 days and 2 hours ago.
Category: Cat Veterinary
Value: $17
Status: CLOSED
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Optional Information

Type of Animal: Devon Rex cat
Gender: Male
Age: 10

Already Tried:
Changing the litter more regularly

Posted by Dr. John 129 days and 1 hours ago.

Info Request

Eating his own feces is certainly abnormal behavior... Is he otherwise acting mentally normal? Any vomiting or diarrhea? What diet are you feeding?

129 days and 1 hours ago.

Reply

He is on weight reduction food from the vet - RD and has been for some time. There is both wet and dry food which is alternated. He also eats raw vegetables which he has done since a kitten.

 

He has recently got up on the table to get into the fruit basket and was caught eating a banana. He also seems to be always hungry - more than normal for a cat.

 

His behaviour does seemed to have changed - he seems to sleep more and is very needy - much more than noral. We are going to take him to the vet soon, but I thought I would check out the internet to see if there was any info on eating feces.

 

Do cats get dementia?

129 days and 1 hours ago.

Reply

No diarrhea - more the opposite. Often takes a couple of days for him to go. No vomiting

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately eating feces can be somewhat non-specific but the fact that he is eating things he shouldn't in general usually points us in the right direction. Based on what you have described, the first two things I would check on him include a thyroid test (elderly cats commonly develop hyperthyroidism) and his blood sugar (overweight elderly cats commonly develop diabetes). Both of these conditions could help explain his insatiable appetite and behavior change. Really, he should have a full blood panel which I'm sure your vet will run but those are two values on the panel that I would pay extra close attention to. Additionally, but less commonly, I have seen anemic animals eat odd things. I don't know the mechanism for it but they apparently feel their body is deficient of something and try to correct it by ingesting anything they think may be edible. Has he lost any weight recently? Do you notice increased water consumption?

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Expert: Dr. John
Pos. Feedback: 100.0 %
Accepts: 101
Answered: 11/12/2009

Small animal veterinarian, ER vet

significant surgical and medicine background, currently working as emergency clinic veterinarian

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