Elderly cat question

[Miss Z]

If she seems happy in herself, and is eating and drinking normally, it probably is just a factor of old age. The reason you can feel her backbone and to some extent her pelvis is because she is experiencing some muscle loss, which is usually normal as cats age and their activity levels decrease. There are some conditions that can cause muscles to waste, but if you are otherwise satisfied that she's healthy then I wouldn't be too concerned at this stage.

[Freedom]

Cats in general do not drink much; as feral / wild cats, they get most of the fluid they require from their prey. So if you are only feeding her dry kibble, start adding some canned / moist food to her diet. As they age, just like humans, they are more prone to dehydrate. If you develop the routine now of adding some canned food, it will help in the long run.

[Jessika]

There are a multitude of underlying diseases or medical conditions cats are susceptible/prone to getting in their senior years. If you're concerned about weight loss in an older cat with a normal appetite, it could be a metabolic problem. In either case, bloodwork will be the best shot at giving you an answer.

Pets are SO GOOD at hiding illnesses until they can't anymore. In most cases, by the time you see clinical signs, the disease process has already been going on for awhile.

[Barbara]

Weight loss and getting bony can also be kidney failure. 30% of kitties older than ten have it. It can be checked in the blood panel. If diagnosed early it can mean years of good life quality. Do you notice that she drinks? Young and healthy kitties drink as well but you don't see them often at the water bowl. This would be an indication for kidney failure.