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Original poster

I am worrying about my cat again [sad].

684 replies

TheOriginalFAB · 19/04/2011 12:27

She just took ages to get half up to then settle down and didn't seem to know what to do with her front right paw. Then after a minute she got down off the sofa and went out of the room.

She is 16. Her kidneys are failing, she has arthritis and has hypoestesias. She is on 4 tablets a day and special food. I am taking her for an extra check up this evening as she wasn't very well at all last week and had lost weight. She looks like she might have lost more Sad.

The vet said we are not at that point yet but part of me worries we are but he doesn't want to say as he knows how potty I am about her. She did play a bit yesterday though and is eating the new food we had to buy her after refusing to eat anything else.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 05/05/2011 14:29

I am not allowed anyway so when you have some, have my share too Grin.

OP posts:
PinotGrigiosKittens · 05/05/2011 14:33

Well OK then, just to be polite

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 05/05/2011 14:35

LOL.

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buggerlugs82 · 05/05/2011 18:34

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Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 05/05/2011 18:38

It is good she is eating but she really has to eat the renal food 90% of the time.

Lovely, lovely cats. Sorry for your losses Sad.

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Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 05/05/2011 20:14

She is making funny noises asleep next to me Grin.

I have been reading about what happens when the time has come and I can't help thinking that saying goodbye before they get in such a sad state would be better??

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buggerlugs82 · 05/05/2011 20:28

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Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 05/05/2011 20:40

SadSadSad.

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buggerlugs82 · 05/05/2011 21:06

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Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 06/05/2011 08:26

I am worried again this morning. DH gave her normal food without her medicinal powder as he forgot and she hasn't eaten very much. I will be back in a couple of hours and hopefully she will have eaten more.

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PinotGrigiosKittens · 06/05/2011 08:27

FAB - re your post of 20:14. Yes. Agree - before they become a shadow of themselves is the kindest thing to do. So very very sad but you have to put their needs as the priority xx

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 06/05/2011 12:39

I have just got home and there is nothing like the guilt trip of her being on the drive and coming inside as soon as I open the door. She has full access to her room where there is a lovely cosy bed but clearly that is just for bedtime and she has to have the sofa every other time. She has eaten all her breakfast though Smile but the test will be teatime which is normal food with powder.

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Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 06/05/2011 16:10

My cat is playing me. I am certain of it.

I went and got some food yesterday and have given her 1/2 a small tin of new stuff she hasn't had before. Not impressed.

I can't make her eat and there is a limit to how long I can leave her without eating anything.

OP posts:
PinotGrigiosKittens · 06/05/2011 16:12

:( {hugs}

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 09/05/2011 17:31

Flipping heck .

She ate her breakfast, normal food with medicinal powder.
Has refused her tea which is renal food.

She is playing me, I knew she would but she needs her renal food to keep her illness under control. What do I do?

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PinotGrigiosKittens · 09/05/2011 19:27

Buggerations FAB, does the renal meds have to be a food? Can't it be a tablet you can wrestle down her neck feed her? Or a liquid to squirt down her throat. Seems mad for a poorly cat to have to eat weird tasting food :(

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 09/05/2011 20:37

The food is part of the treatment. She has 4 tablets in the morning, 1 for her arthritis, 1 for her hypoestesia, 1 to encourage her appetite and1 for the kidney failure. She has 1/2 at tea time for her hypoestesia.

One vet has said the renal food is not very tasty and was very impressed FabCat was eating it. She is doing what she has always done. She will eat certain food and then decide she doesn't like it any more when you have bought loads of it. It seems very cruel to starve her (even though she is doing it to herself) when she is so poorly.

I love my cat. I was with someone else when I got her and it was his idea to get her. I left him and he threatened to take the cat. He didn't really want her, he just didn't want me to have her as I had dared to leave him.

I bought a flat and she would be on the kitchen windowsill when I came home waiting for me. She would sleep on the bed with me and was great company when I was feeling sad and would always listen to me. She used to sit in the bathroom while I was having a bath and occasionally escape out of the window and scare me silly while I looked for her.

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HazeltheMcWitch · 09/05/2011 22:14

Oh FAB, I really feel for you. You are in a horrid place, making sure that you are doing the right thing, when we can't know exactly what that right thing is.

Maybe what Lizcat said, that sometimes ensure that a cat eats at all, rather then focussing on what it is they are eating? But of course, this has a pay-off in the end.

I have been there too, with 2 old (cat) friends who died of kidney failure. One died at 22 - yes, human years! - when I was about 16. Fine, so he was not technically MINE, my mum claimed him. But I'd had him literally all my life. Seeing his decline was awful. Then a few years ago, MY first cat. It was just awful, wanting to do the best for him, and fearing that I was making things worse or prolonging them.

Do take care. Have a cuddle with your girl and listen to her purr.

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 10/05/2011 11:16

I have phoned the surgery to order more food for FabCat and asked the receptionist if normal food with powder was as good as the kd food. She said she could tell me it wasn't and then said ideally the cat would only have kd but she does have to eat. She then started to tell me about her cat and tbh I wasn't in the mood so listen so asked when I could get the food. I want to speak to a vet and can't unless she allows me too. I am scared I am doing the wrong thing but FabCat played with her toy twice yesterday (she has a toy made of pom poms which she carries around and cries with) and she likes lying out in the sun so surely that means he is having a good quality of life?

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Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 11/05/2011 08:15

Yesterday it looked like she had had a bit of diarrhoea but DH thought it was sick as there was a tiny bit of grass in it. This morning there was a little puddle of liquid with a froth on it. She has had both before, does anyone know what it is?

She didn't eat her tea last night, she hasn't asked for breakfast this morning though she did look up when she smelt fish as she walked to see if there was food in her dish that she liked. The fish is for the kids tea so is defrosting. I still feel she is just been her usual fussy self but she needs to eat.

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ravenousbugblatterbeast · 11/05/2011 09:17

The liquid with froth is sick - more like bile because their tummy's empty. My cat used to do that a lot, for years, (thanks... Hmm) so not necessarily a "bad thing".
Hope you get some more clarity soon - like you say, her quality of life seems ok, but you don't want to let it slip. I did with my cat, and feel awful about it, just watched him die, at 2:30am on morning, feeling so helpless. He'd only been really poorly for about 3 hours, but that was 3 hours too much for me.Sad

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 11/05/2011 09:50

Oh rbbb Sad. I am so sorry for your loss. Did you cat have kidney failure?

Do I need to take her back to the vet? She hasn't eaten yesterdays tea or todays breakfast and only had a few biscuits at bed time.

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Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 11/05/2011 10:00

I have googled and tbh only read a couple of points but it seems that vomiting means end stage. Can anyone tell me if this is true please?

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choirmum · 11/05/2011 10:19

I think you need to take her back to the vet. Our 17 year old cat was diagnosed with renal failure in May last year then an aggressive skin cancer in December. She actually enjoyed the renal diet (in fact was over-eating at times), and was raelly well for her age, but began to go off her food at Easter. She'd eat tuna, ham etc. initially but then stopped eating altogether. Vet gave her an antibiotic injection last wednesday (he said that's what he'd do if she was his cat) incase a water infection was the reason for loss of appetite, but she was no better and I took her back on monday. Vet offered IV fluids if I wanted but I believe she'd had enough. She was on borrowed time anyway due to her health and I didn't want her last few days (possibly) to be spent at the vets. She was put to sleep in my arms. We are all devastated at losing her but I know in my heart that it was the right decision. Any extra ime she'd had would have been for our benefit, not hers. It's really hard but her quality of life will deteriorate if she's not on her renal diet. Love and hugs XX

choirmum · 11/05/2011 10:20

Sorry, I meant extra time

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