Night watch with poorly cat

[BogusCatAndThePunk]

So old boy isn't doing well

Diagnosised with Diabeties a few months ago. Never got it under real control but he was happy and getting on with pottering about, demanding better food,fresher water now slaves…

Had him at vet for routine check up on Tuesday. He'd put on weight and decided that he really need to sit on the computer oh and the vet was very chewable…

Friday, been vomiting so back to vet, he'd lost 500grams.
Refused to get out of carrier (hates the carrier) had anti-b injection & pain killer.

It was a locum who didn't want to make any big decision till his Tuesday bloods came back.

Now he's not eaten in 36 hrs, he's drinking little bits. He's unsettled unless he's next to me. I went to the loo earlier and he tried to follow me even though OH was with him, cuddling him.

So vets again as soon as they open…

I haven't slept all weekend.

At least he doesn't appear to be in pain.

Poor boy

[TheSpottedZebra]

Oh no, you poor things.
Will you see your normal vet tomorrow do you think?

He is taking comfort from you, he knows he is loved.

[cozietoesie]

Poor lad. Poor you all as well.

[cozietoesie]

Remind me - how old is he now?

[iloveeverykindofcat]

I'm sorry. It's so hard when they're ill

[BogusCatAndThePunk]

15, nearly 16.

Back to vet this am.
Worst is my back is buggered so I can't carry him but he wants to be with me all the time so if I even go to the loo he's fighting to follow me

[cozietoesie]

Can you take to your bed - eg with a pile of cushions and a throw - and read or watch a movie? That way he could be with you as he wishes; and a PP was right. He's taking comfort from you.

[BogusCatAndThePunk]

Well we've been.

He of course did the typical thing of improving 10 minutes before we left the house. Finally had a wee without been in pain, but it was full of ketones.
We're in that cycle where his sugars are so high he's breaking down body fats, so he's not eating, so he can't have his insulin so his sugars stay high.............

Long chat with vet; 3 options.
(1) NG tube; hourly bloods; IV fluids multiple investigations.
(2) IV rehydration, try to get him to eat something minimal investigations
(3) PTS

Agreed that as he's now not in pain we'll try IV fluids and insulins at the vets for 12 hours, so we've had to leave him there.

Have just had to have long chat with OH, he was pushing for option 1, but who are we doing it for?

My thoughts are that when he was first diagnosed he also had a UTI I'm wondering even though he had anti-bs then if maybe its still been lingering and this is why we've never got his sugars under control. Getting a urine sample from him has always been a big issue and as he'd perked up we kind of let it go.

He having full bloods done anyway, so if there is still infection and nothing else underlying I think we should give him a chance, but I'm worried that I'm doing this for me/us rather than him.

But then if he's not in pain..............

Oh bugger

[Wolfiefan]

I'm sorry you are going through this. I think that at that age I wouldn't be doing huge or invasive intervention unless it was a definite cure. (Our girl had a massive abdo mass at a similar age. We removed it. It wasn't cancer but she wouldn't have lived if we hadn't removed it.)
But if you don't give him every chance then you would feel awful guilt after pts.
I think you are doing the right thing. Giving him every chance but not putting him through lots of horrid procedures.
Good luck.

[Wolfiefan]

Oh and our girl was very poorly about 15. She wouldn't eat and lost weight. Really wasn't herself. Took her in. IV abs and fluids. Miraculous recovery.
Wishing you the same.

[cozietoesie]

...but who are we doing it for...

That's a true thought. You have to be very clear-headed in these matters.

[BogusCatAndThePunk]

Well the fluids etc did nothing and he got worse…

Vet called us to come in and felt in his opinion that even though we weren't 100% sure of what was going on his feeling was there was a malignancy somewhere. And that his heart wouldn't cope with more interventions.

So we did the kindest thing. In all truth the spark that made him the PIA that he was had already gone. [brave smile]

So lots of cuddles and

Am sitting crying in a pub loo

Neither of us can face Girl Cat yet

[cozietoesie]

I'm so sorry - it's a hard hard thing even though it's a kind and loving action.

I've felt better about making that decision in the longer term though. (Immediately, most of what you feel is just the raw loss.)

[Moonax]

Awful for you - I'm so sorry. I'm equally sure you've made the right choice because that's what allowing animals into your lives means - you have to give them the ending they need, not the one you might want for them. It is always, always, incredibly hard. Sending virtual hugs.

[TheSpottedZebra]

Bogus that's so sad. I agree with Cosie- that the loss is paramount now, but later you will be reassured that you did what you could, and did the right thing.

It's a horrid responsibility (of pet 'ownership') to have to bear, isn't it?

So sorry for your loss.

[Pipestheghost]

I'm very sorry

[Vinorosso74]

Sorry for your loss but seems like the right decision. RIP kitty

[JennaRoss]

I'm so sorry

[iloveeverykindofcat]

I'm very sorry too. Sounds like the right thing though. x

[BogusCatAndThePunk]

Thanks Guys, having finally got some sleep (between human and feline illness I hadn't slept properly in 5 days) and been able to think about it logically, there had to be something else other than the Diabetes and a UTI going on.

I wonder if whatever it was, was the reason we couldn't get his sugars under control.

But yes we did the right thing, hard on us, kindest for him.

[cozietoesie]

I would suspect that as well - when the body is under pressure from one thing, others often take the opportunity to raise their heads.

You did the right and loving thing.

How is girlcat today?

[BogusCatAndThePunk]

Thanks for asking.

They were never best buddies, she tolerated him , never played together etc but every so often you'd find them cuddled up together.

She's had a bit of a personality change in the last few years, she used to run and hide when anyone came in to the house even people she knew. She was 7 before my oldest friend even saw her.....

Last 2-3 years she's suddenly become very friendly, we got her checked out at the time as it was such a sudden change (over a series of days; a week or two), but all was fine.

I wonder sometimes if she's a little confused and become akin to the older person who suddenly shares their life story with you. But she's a happy little thing normally once she has food and the right to lie on top of me when I sit on the sofa all's good.

Saying that she's been out of sorts yesterday and today. Fair enough yesterday, she'll have picked up we were both upset, she didn't sleep in her normal place last night, on the bed taking up 1/2 of it. And she's a bit unsettled today, but that could be both of us being at home (OH poorly too)

So we'll see.

[cozietoesie]

She might need a few days to adjust - it will be a big change for her. (For everyone, indeed.)

Best to try and keep her to a routine, even if you can only manage fairly fixed mealtimes for her at the moment. You're right, though. In general, see how it goes.

[ifcatscouldtalk]

Hi bogus, my 1st ever post! So sorry about your lovely cat. I had my own feline companion pts just before xmas. It was the right call but v sad. Hopefully each day will feel better & your girl cat will adjust. Early days for you all. X