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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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:
Jux · 13/05/2011 22:22

That's shocking. I hope they cart him off and give him a fright (and take the gun away).

Poor sweetie. Is she drinking? Are you anywhere near East Devon? I have some chicken stock I made this morning.....

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 14/05/2011 12:20

Not near Devon but thank you very much for the offer. She is drinking okay but not really eating. She is getting really fed up of having to take tablets as well Sad.

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Jux · 14/05/2011 15:49

Tablets are ghastly, I've had nightmares trying to get tablets into my cats over the years.

If she's drinking OK, then your best bet is to try to get a liquid that is as nourishing as poss. I did that with my mum, when she got to the point where she couldn't take solids anymore. DH used to make a fine beef tea which she loved.....

You could get some stewing steak, boil it for ages, and strain it or liquidise it and then she can lick that from a bowl, from a spoon or you can smear it round her mouth.

Actually, the beef is as tender as anything once it's done so you could just take some of hte liquid off and use the rest for a stew for humans. Thicken it with a bit of butter mashed with flour or something after you've taken some for your old lady.

Oh, the poor old thing. I do feel for you both.

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 14/05/2011 17:07

It is only this week that she is being difficult with the tablets, she never used to be. She has eaten her tea but we have to go back on to the renal food and she will be stamping her paw I am sure.

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Jux · 14/05/2011 19:36

I'm glad she's eaten. Fingers crossed.

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 14/05/2011 19:51

Thanks. She has been playing this afternoon Grin.

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Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 15/05/2011 11:21

My dh is now questioning if it is worth it to force 4 tablets down her every morning. He isn't suggesting we have her put down but to let her try without the meds. She bit me this morning which really hurt and she was really crying and trying to get away from us Sad.

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PinotGrigiosKittens · 15/05/2011 11:58

Hey Fab. I see what your DH means, it's a balance of whether the help they give her is worth the distress they cause her. Whatever you decide will be right - it's your instincts x

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 15/05/2011 12:17

I don't know what they are as I am scared of what will happen if she doesn't have the tablets.

Tablet 1 is for hypoestesia (can't spell it) - like fits.
Tablet 2 is for her arthritis.
Tablets 3 is to encourage her appetite.
Tablet 4 is for her kidney failure.

At tea time she has 1/2 of tablet 1.

OP posts:
Jux · 15/05/2011 12:23

How much do you think the meds are helping?

Maybe you could look at each separately and think about which are making a real difference to her quality of life.

What are the implications of hypoestesia? I've never heard of it until now, but if she didn't have that tablet how much difference would it make to her life?

Is the arthritis tab for pain or mobility?

Another to encourage her apetite. Is it worth giving it to her? She's hardly eating, and you may find that encouraging her to drink her food (as it were) would work better anyway; so balance the 'pain' of giving the tab with the 'pleasure' of its actual effects.

That leaves the kidney tab. Not much doubt over that one.

It's a difficult one, isn't it? I decided that my ancient old lady, who had hyperthyroidism, was suffering more from my giving her pills than she was from the condition itself. The vet then gave her regular injections instead which kept her going, but eventually that was too traumatic as well, so we stopped. She was OK for a couple of months and then her decline was swift. Our tom-kitten would look after her, she'd gone completely senile and would get lost in the corridor and yowl. He'd rush out and bring her into the sitting room and settle her before the fire..... [weep]

Jux · 15/05/2011 12:25

Ah x-posted. I take back the hypoestesia paragraph; fits aren't pleasant.

Do you know if they have flavour. Could you dissolve them in 'soup'?

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 15/05/2011 13:57

The appetite tablet could be missed as long as she eats as even though it is a 1/4 of a tablet she hates it.

The hypo one is really non negotiable as it is heart breaking - and scary tbh - to watch her fitting.

I am not sure the arthritis one is pain or mobility tbh but that one she will eat from my hand sometimes.

I need to know if the kidney tablet is enough with normal food she will eat or whether that will hasten her death.

OP posts:
Jux · 15/05/2011 16:55

Yes, hypoestasia non-neg.

All the others, I would talk to the vet about, particularly the appetite one.

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 15/05/2011 17:09

The appetite one we can decide ourselves. Tomorrow I will give it to her as we are trying her back on renal food tomorrow. I think we will only do it at tea time though as she has bedtime biscuits and if she doesn't eat the renal it won't be too long without anything. I will have to take it a day at a time I think.

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Jux · 15/05/2011 17:25

Sounds good.

Good luck.

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 15/05/2011 19:40

I have just realised she hasn't asked for her tea. Before she was ill FabCat would play heck if she wasn't fed on time, not that there was an exact time. It used to be 5pm then gradually got earlier until I was feeding her once I got back from school with the kids to get her out from under my feet. I said no when she was asking for food at 2.15 though. Now she hardly ever asks Sad.

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Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 15/05/2011 19:58

She is snoring now and it sounds so cute. Earlier she scared the life out of me as she wasn't breathing.

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Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 16/05/2011 08:01

This morning she really didn't want the tablets and it was horrible seeing her face as we tried to give them to her. She ate a lovely piece of chicken and managed to leave her tablet. She didn't touch her tea. I am checking if the 6 weeks are up for when the vet wanted to see her when I go downstairs. DS just shouted up to say she has eaten her breakfast (it is normal food though) and is drinking lots of water.

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Jux · 16/05/2011 10:04

Well, he may not need to see her before 6 weeks, but you need to see him - if only for reassurance. These things aren't written in stone.

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

True, especially as it is another 2 weeks before the 6 weeks are up and originally he had said 12 weeks.

I think I need to give her another day but might crack and ring in a few minutes. Purely because when I got home she was sat on the front garden and she didn't move when a dog started barking and took her time to come in. She didn't look well, she looked old. Sad[scared][worried]

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KittieCat · 16/05/2011 10:24

Hi Fab, what a lovely, caring person you are. How lucky fabcat is to live with you.

Apologies, I haven't read the whole thread so might have missed something and be suggesting something you've already tried, but my old lady cat has been having chemotherapy for gi lymphoma for the past two and a half years and has not only had to have one of her doses in tablet form but also had to have steroids daily.

We put her tablets in Tartex veggie pate, it comes in a tube and was the only way to get her to take them. It took a while to find her fave flavour and, like every good cat, she absolutely reserves the right to change her mind... With the smaller tabs is was easy enough to hide them in a ball of pate but the larger ones we cut and hid them bit by bit.

If you do try it, avoid pates which contain garlic or onion as both are bad for cats.

Sending good kitty vibes to fabcat.

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 16/05/2011 10:53

Thank you.

I must be mad or really love her as she has just bitten and scratched me and all I am thinking is is it because she is suffering or is it because she is cross as she has always been a biter and scratcher.

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KittieCat · 16/05/2011 11:13

I know that one well! I always settled on the fact it was because ours is a feisty tortie. The hardest bit for me is watching her and seeking 'symptoms' I can interpret. You know your cat best and familiarity and kindness mean a lot to these much loved feline friends. Really hope fabcat is comfortable and simply cross and telling you so!

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 16/05/2011 11:29

I think she is cross. She used to be fine with tablets so don't know why she has changed really.

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KittieCat · 16/05/2011 13:10

I think sometimes they simply get bored with them. My girl also takes glucosamine supplement for her joints and she used to 'happily' take those tabs, now they too have to be hidden in pate, pita as they're the size of Smarties. Their mercurial nature is in part why we love 'em though. Hope her mood improves!