OT- advice for our Whiskers

Whiskers is now 14 years old.  He's a sweet old cat, but he's acting very strange lately.  He's ALWAYS been an inside cat....until we moved here to the big house.  He LOVES it outside here and watching the squirrels, chipmunks, birds and other neighborhood cats that drop by to visit on occasion.  He doesn't  stay out long, just a little bit at the time.  He loves the leaves and grass and all the open space. 

About 3 weeks ago....he had an infection under his bottom lip.  Kyle took him to the vet while we were at the beach and got him an allergy and antibiotic shot as well as his rabies vaccine.  He mentioned to the doctor about his strange behaviors to the doctor didn't seem concered. All the doctor said about the infection was to never feed a cat from a plastic bowl or dish.  Whiskers drinks from a stainless steel bowl, bu t had a plastic feeding dish, so we've switched to corningware and the infection was all cleared up in a matter of a few days.  

Whiskers has ALWAYS slept at the foot of our bed for 14 years now....up until a couple of months ago.  Now he sleeps on top of the hard cabinets, countertops, refrigerator, toilet lid, you name it....but not on our bed on HIS soft throw that I bought special just for him.  He's lost weight too.  He's been drinking out of the toilets (thank God we keep them flushed and clean as possible)  YUCK!   He will literally SIT on the toilet seat for hours....we have become accustomed to putthing thelids down now and keeping them shut, but he still will sit on the lid, like he's just waiting for someone to open it. He likes to drink out of the kitchen faucet. 

He lays around all over us almost lifeless.  He even lets the baby pet him.  He used to swat at him when he tried to pet him.  He jumps up in company's lap..people he doesn't even know and has NEVER done this before and just lays in there lap without them having to hold him there. 

We are just beside ourselves.  We don't know what's wrong with him.  Maybe this doesn't seem weird to anyone else, but for our Whiskers he's just not acting himself at all lately.  Is it his age or is he sick?  He got fleas after our inlaws visited with their dog, during the funeral of our sister in law and stayed the night.  Whiskers has NEVER had fleas up until that time.  Can cats get worms from fleas?  I'm grasping at straws here.  I'm thinking worms would make him lose weight, *(although I haven't seen any) or thinking Feline Leukemia or even diabetes *since he's drinking so much water). 

Do any of you have any advice for me?  I used to work for a vet, so I'm trying to think of anything that I've heard of....and these are the only things that come to my mind. 

Whiskers is like a child to us and has been our baby for years.  He grew up with our girls and he's such a special part of our family.  I know he's getting old, but I'm not ready to lose him yet.  Any advice would be appreciated.  Jill got Whiskers for her 4th birthday, so he is extra special to her as well.

Waiting for replies on this one....ya know our Roscoe is 13 years old now.  Why can't cats use plastic bowls/dishes?  *going to change Roscoe's now*
Roscoe does some very strange things now too!!


Love you,
Lindy

I don't know why, but that's what the doctor told Kyle.  What is Roscoe doing these days?  Poor Whiskers has lost so much weight.  The girls are just so sad everytime they pick the poor boy up.  He used to run when we tried to pick him up, now it's like....Oh thank God...someone is picking me up.  Hold me, pet me, make me feel better....


I sure wish you and Dixie could be at Tannehill with us tomorrow.  We had such a good time last time we all went there.

Roscoe always loved attention, but now it is at the annoying level. lol He licks the bathtub & shower after our baths!!!!!!!!  ewwwwwwww GAG! He whines for food allllll the time but won't eat.....he has lost weight. He whines & whines for food or water. but his bowls are never empty...always fresh food & water. NOW ALL GLASS! lol He poops anywhere he wants to *grrrrr* even with a clean litter box!!!!!!  That makes me mad!  I think he has potty issues (its not easy to GO). Maybe that's his age. He has GOOD food from Petco not WM cheap stuff. He used to throw up ALL the time til we changed his food.

BTW, he is an indoor cat. (U know, but others reading this don't know.)


P.S. I wish we could be at Tannehill too.

Whiskers used to lick our bathtub too.  It really was GROSS!  ickk......GAG!  He does all the other things you've said Roscoe does too except for the pooping part.  He does used his litter box still.    He has become quite annoying with his begging and when Christian spends the night, he will wake us all up with some sort of mating call of sorts.....yelling out, meowing so loud it wakes us all up.  But mostly does that when Christian is here and I honestly don't think it has a thing to do with Christian at all.It's just that I've always got one eye and ear opened listening out for Christian I think.  ha ha

I don't have any answers for you on your cat but just wanted to say that our peekapoo who is almost 16 has started acting strange. She now sleeps most of the days and is up most of the night. She has also started drinking a lot of water and wants to eat a lot more than she is used to eating. Her back and legs have gotten real bad. I know that her time is very near but waitng on her to give me the go ahead that she is ready. i had my Pom put to sleep when she 15 an it was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do.

I had to have my chihuahua put down when she was somewhere around 14.  It's been about 12 years now.  I loved that girl.  She was my baby before I ever had babies of my own.  She got cancer and arthritis so bad.  It was so hard seeing her like that.  She really suffered and I couldn't take it any longer for her.  My dear dear Kasie~!

my shadow got like that, it is most likely age but he could be jealous of the baby.  Sometimes animals have delayed reactions.  good luck with him and i am curious also why no plastic bowls?

Hmmmm.  My cats are 11 and have always eaten out of plastic bowls.  Maybe I better rethink that and get them glass or metal bowls.  I would get a second opinion if your kitty is still acting differently.  Gotta take care of our beloved furballs.  I don't take chances with my babies.

Sandi
         

First course of action is a complete bloodwork up to include T4  test for thyroid