Support Topic for those with elderly or ill cats?

[QueenOfAccidentalDeathStares]

Is there any interest in a topic for those with elderly or ill cats?

GrumpyOldCat is 19.5y, and is currently fighting to get over suspected stress(christmas)-induced cystitis. (on top of his other acquired issues - hyperthyroidism, blindness, arthritis, bad teeth).

He is so skinny now, but now on pain-meds, he seems to be comfortable and back to being inquisitive (and happy?) again. His appetite has completely returned.

Every time he is ill, i start thinking "is this it?" "are we being cruel?", but then he starts to cat about like normal. And being his normal (albeit slower) inquisitive cheeky self. And now i feel mean for even considering it.

I suspect this is his last year (though I have said that for the last 4 years ......).

[Toddlerteaplease]

One if mine has been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. She's only 7z

[QueenOfAccidentalDeathStares]

so sorry toddler. they do make you worry so don't they ?

I don't know much about the implications... does it affect her day-to-day?

[Toddlerteaplease]

No, it's not affected her at all. She was and is completely symptom free. The prognosis isn't great but she wasn't actually in heart failure when she was diagnosed, and has improved very slightly on medication. She's turned into a total lap cat, which is lovely. The beta blockers have relaxed her. Her sister was screened as its hereditary and had a slight problem but not as serious as Fatty's. Snorg got pancreatitis last year and almost died on me. Then fattty had jaw problems and needed surgery. It's been one thing after another! £11k of insurance claims in 11 months!

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

I may be ducking in and out as Harry is doing his best to push me to an early grave (I think he wants the life insurance!)!

In the last 2 years he’s fractured his jaw that was weakened by a dental infection we didn’t know he had, had his jaw wired for 3 months instead of 6 weeks as it wouldn’t heal, lost 12 teeth in the process, been diagnosed with kidney disease and hurt his shoulder on Christmas Eve and been back twice between Christmas and New Year as he was poorly!

On a happier note we’ve been told his kidney readings are back to normal but I’m just waiting for the next episode!

[Toddlerteaplease]

I know the feeling! The slightest change in behaviour and I'm on the ceiling. And I'm not an anxious person as a rule.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Neither am I! Yesterday he was asleep under the table and I stroked him and he didn’t move so I ended up prodding him until he got up and glared at me indignantly!

[BulletFox]

I'm really frightened about this - she turned 13 on Xmas eve and I know she's conceivably getting towards the end of her life.

She's a lovely little thing and I want to see her through safely.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

13 really isn’t old these days BulletFox. Harry is 13 in March and, while he’s never exactly been a fast mover, he is still a big kitten at heart. That’s how he injured himself, skidding on the laminate floor while chasing his catnip sock monkey...

[summersgoneaway]

Our cat is 18 years and very skinny, he can't see or hear very well otherwise healthy

[Toddlerteaplease]

Pink, I didn't have to chase Fatty around the room to get her pills down her abs that worried me.

[Toddlerteaplease]

13 definitely not too old!

[BulletFox]

Oh you can't help but worry though, can't you

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

I worry about Harry all the time, probably because he’s so accident prone and/or unlucky, I can’t decide which.

I feel a bit of a fraud being on this thread as there’s technically nothing wrong with Harry at the moment (touches wood). I’ll hang around though if no one minds and hopefully offer some support.

[QueenOfAccidentalDeathStares]

You are welcome to stay pink!

I don't think they realise how much they stress us!!

As GrumpyOldCat is recovering from cystitis, we are still inspecting the litter tray after every visit for blood. It still seems to be improving.

He generally has coped really well with losing his eyesight, but we had visitors for Christmas-limbo which meant more people, moved furniture and worse.... 2 of the friendliest well behaved dogs. Think it was this stress that made him ill. So guess how guilty I felt....

[SagelyNodding]

Ooh I'm in! My poorly boy is about 13, so not really elderly but has inoperable cancer (lymphoma all over his intestines) - he was given 6 months max about 7 months ago... He's happy enough pottering at home but has started sharting (sorry) and pooing all over the place :(
It's hard to know if his time is coming soon or not...

[QueenOfAccidentalDeathStares]

So sorry to hear that sagely

[QueenOfAccidentalDeathStares]

If GrumpyOldCat could talk, I'm sure he would say "stop staring at me and stoking me. I'm fine! Now bog off so I can start my 10 hr sleep marathon."

[Toddlerteaplease]

My friend, who is new to Cat parenting, but completely besotted by his two girls said. "Having them is cheaper than a psychiatrist." I think the cats on here are the reason most of us willl need a shrink! Cats are supposed to be relaxing!

[BulletFox]

Toddler amen.

[Lleyr]

I’m really worried about my cat. He was diagnosed with kidney disease a few months back and he hasn’t been eating properly. We are going to take him back to the vet but I feel like there’s something really wrong with him. He’s only 8 so not even very old. I’d be totally lost without him, to be honest. And once upon a time I didn’t even like cats!

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

What are you feeding him @Lleyr? Harry was diagnosed with kidney disease last May and we tried to switch him to a renal diet but he wasn’t having any of it and refused to eat any of it. We had a strong suspicion that would happen so we now feed him his normal food with Ipakitine added twice a day. He had blood tests last week and his kidney readings have returned to normal since he’s been having it.

[Lleyr]

We are feeding him the renal diet that the vet prescribed. At first he had no problem on it but he doesn't seem interested in eating it anymore. He will go over and lick all the gravy up but leave the actual food pieces. He will sometimes eat dry food so I don't think it's a problem with his teeth.

My husband is calling the vet for an appointment so we will see if they have any advice.

I thought kidney disease was progressive and irreversible? My cat's readings were fairly low at the time but I wasn't sure if it's just progressed rapidly. We actually had taken him in because he lost a lot of weight. At the time I thought I had taken his diet too far (he used to be a slightly chubby kitty) but now I'm worried it's cancer or something.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Apparently the renal diet is very bland and that’s why some cats aren’t keen. The lovely nurse at our vets told us to feed him what he likes as, to use her words, ‘the poor boy’s got to eat’.

I thought it was irreversible as well! The vet is still classing him as having kidney disease, e.g. he could only have a half dose of loxicom when he hurt his leg. Harry’s was caught really early, the vet said it would have been a few years before we noticed any signs. We only found out as he had blood tests when he was sedated for an x ray. They were repeated a few months later and reading had got worse, but somehow he’s improved since.

If he really doesn’t like the renal food it might be worth talking to the vet about adding phosphate binders to his food. We were initially given Pronefra but Harry wouldn’t eat it, they then gave us an easy pill thing but he wouldn’t eat that either. The vet didn’t want to give him Ipakitine as the others are apparently better but I pointed out they are only better if he takes them!

[Lleyr]

Thanks Pink, I really appreciate the replies. I know this is Mumsnet but I don't actually have any kids so my cat is my baby! I'm glad to hear that Harry is doing better and I hope you have many happy years together.

[Toddlerteaplease]

Same here Llyer!