Please hold my hand because I think my furboy may be dying

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

Tomorrow the vets will be open and we will be straight there (sod work)
My beloved fur soul mate, my huge Maine Coon boy is terribly terribly ill.

In hindsight something has been not 100% for a month or so.. and I feel so guilty that I didn't realise he was ill. He started sleeping a lot (even for a cat) and staying on my bed. And eating less (he is a massive 22 pounder normally) However he is a nervous boy and we honestly thought he was having one of his funny phases as he has done this before when scared of the neighbour's cat! He also started to snore like a man..but again we thought, well he's 12, he's large... He has got thinner but has still been sleeping across my neck at night and cuddling me.

But Saturday night I found him on the bed..he'd done a huge (solid..not runny) poo and was lying next to it and he just looked confused and so weary. He hadn't eaten all day at all, but eventually ate a litte that we took to him on the bed, and I brought a litter tray to the bedroom. He hasn't used it as far as I can tell.

He has not moved from under the bed today to eat or drink. He has let me stroke him and has rubbed his head to mine if I get my face to his.. he doens't appear to be in pain. It's more like he is so so tired and suddenly he is extremely thin.

I am terrified I'm going to lose him, devastated that we didn't realise something was wrong. He is an exceptional cat..even at the vets I have never needed a cat carrier as he sits with his paws round my neck.. he is love in a fur coat.

Please say a little prayer /think positive thoughts that it is something fixable because I cannot imagine our lives without him.
Here he is (with my brother)..as he used to look...

[cozietoesie]

Aw Heck, Medusa. I feel for you because I've been like that all day with Seniorboy - but in his case, I think he's just running out of road. Fingers crossed that it's something fixable for your lovely lad.

You haven't got an OOH service nearby? It's only 22.00 and it might help him to get in earlier than the morning.

Let us know how things go, anyway.

[SerenaJoy]

Thinking of you Medusa. He's a beautiful cat - I hope there's something the vet can do for him.

for you too Cozie

[Birdsighland]

Fingers crossed for your boy, Medusa. He'll be feeling more comfortable from tomorrow hopefully with medical intervention. It may be something which can be controlled.

It is only in hindsight that the full picture becomes apparent. You could not have foreseen how slightly being unwell would increase to the present situation.

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

No OOH nearby (rural) and I think it is best if our vet who knows and loves him (he's a bit of a celebrity due to his huge size!) sees him. Also he is so terrified of the car, a long journey would distress him horribly.I'm trying to tell myself that if he dies in the night at least it will be with us, under our bed..or in my arms.

I'm usually a really logical, non soppy person but Morphy has been the centre of our family for 12 years and the thought of him not being here is inconceivable :(

Hugs for your Seniorboy too. It just sucks

[Birdsighland]

Sorry to hear about your boy too, Cozie.

[timtam23]

So very sorry to hear about your cats, Medusa & cozie

I hope everyone gets through the night ok, I did the same a few months ago when my old girl cat was very ill & I remember how hard it was to sit in the dark waiting & worrying until the vet opened

Please keep us updated both of you

[Sonumb]

Oh no Medusa I do hope it is something treatable , he looks beautiful , I shall say a little prayer for you & also you too Cozie

[notapizzaeater]

Aww hope they both are ok xxx

[RubbishMantra]

Is it possible he may have had a little stroke? May explain his confusion etc. He can still live a happy life after this happening. Best thing is to get him to vet's ASAP.

Positive thoughts to you both.

[SecretWitch]

I'm so sad for both of you coping with your beloved kitties being ill..all off Secret cats will be thinking of you

[Cataline]

He's a beautiful boy. Sending you positive thoughts for a peaceful night and a happy resolution in the morning. Hopefully he's just a little under the weather and the vets will help you get to the bottom of it and fix him up.

[DrinkMoreWater]

He is beautiful!! I hope he's OK - it's so worrying when they're ill, much less you can do for them than when a human is ill (Drs/OOH/A&E/Pharmacy).

How are your DD's today?

[Cataline]

How is he this morning?

[MimsyBorogroves]

Thinking of you both.

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

We went to the vets first thing..and he is puzzled :(
Morphy just lay there, all flat and thin and passive (didn't even move a whisker when the thermometer went up his bottom!)
He has lost a kilo in weight (!) and his joints are swollen.. but he had no fever. His kidneys are still functioning.

The vet gave him a pain killing injection and antibiotics.. and I'm to take him in tomorrow to be admitted if no better. Well seeing as he has gone back under the bed, not moved, not ate or drank anything, I'm guessing he will be in tomorrow:(

Unfortunately I have to drive 250 miles tomorrow to look after my daughter at Uni who is having a nasty operation but DH is going to take him:(

I just wish he could TELL me what is wrong.

[timtam23]

Poor old Morphy. I'm glad it wasn't as bad as you'd feared but he still sounds poorly. I hope the vet is able to find out what's wrong - it'll be much easier to run some tests after he's admitted

sorry you're having to cope with so much family illness (both daughter and cat!) at the moment - very stressful.

[cozietoesie]

I'm glad he's likely going in because I'm a bit worried about his fluids. Have you seen him drink anything at all?

[cozietoesie]

PS - I hope your daughter does fine. What a lot you have on your plate.

[Birdsighland]

Medusa, first of all, hope everything goes well with your daughter. It sounds like a stressful time for you.

About Morphy. I just want to tell what happened with my cat. He wouldn't eat much and then practically stopped. He was drinking milk though. His weight plummeted. A few vets visits. The vet did blood tests. Nada. Vet finally looked in his mouth, under sedation and discovered a squamous cell carcinoma tumour. This was only spotted under sedation as it's nigh on impossible to hold their mouth open wide enough and it was right at the back.

This is probably not at all connected with Morphy's illness and I don't want to give you any unfounded worries. However, due to this past experience, I would always insist they thoroughly check my cat's mouth in the future if only to rule it out.

'Come what come may, time and the hour runs through the roughest day'.

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

Update on the furboy..

Morph isn't good. Back to the vets tonight, blood test results pending, more pills and he is now pooing randomly and uncontrollably :( It doesn't look good at this stage.

And today didn't go well for my daughter either.. her tonsilectomy went as planned, but the 9 tonic clonic seizures that followed due to a reaction to anaesthesia were terrifying :( Thankfully she is ok now.. and we now know she has a low seizure threshold, but it has not been a good day.

[cozietoesie]

Go to bed now - and if you can't sleep at least try to rest. Poor all of you.

[Birdsighland]

Sorry to hear your day was so tough. Your daughter is fine now. Frightening at the time I'd say though. That will hopefully only get better. A good reason for lot of ice-cream.

Very sorry to hear about Morphy.