Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

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

Original poster

I think this might be FABCat's last thread

766 replies

JustFabulous · 03/08/2012 13:11

This morning she was coughing and has also had a sloppy bowel accident outside. She wasn't interested in breakfast even though I didn't come down until after 9 and she wasn't about when DH left at 7. He normally feeds her before he goes. I had to put the plate under her nose to get her to come and ear.

Her back legs are a bit wobbly and I will take her for a jab on Monday to hopefully get some relief. She didn't wee over night so that is postiive but when I was comforting her when she was coughing it really hit me that she is very old and isn't my baby anymore Sad.

She has lasted for DD's birthday but I am not sure she will make her own Sad.

I have just put a towel on the sofa for her to sit on, just in case, but she wasn't impressed and has jumped down on to the floor.

My cat is getting to the end of her life and I am not sure I will ever get over it Blush.

She means the world to me, is the only thing in the world that is 100% mine, and I will miss her so much.

OP posts:
Original poster
JustFabulous · 02/01/2013 10:43

She was ill overnight Sad.

Has eaten and is napping now so I am guessing it was a one off [hopeful].

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 02/01/2013 10:47

Ill how?

Original poster
JustFabulous · 02/01/2013 11:01

Diarrheoa I think. No grass so assuming not vomit.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 02/01/2013 11:49

Ah well. Has she been pigging over the festive season?

Original poster
JustFabulous · 02/01/2013 11:54

Not that i know of. She just seems to have been sleeping and weeing on the carpet!

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 02/01/2013 12:00

One diarrhoea isn't the end of the world, Just. Lightly cooked chicken and see how it goes. (Or fish - I only say chicken because Seniorboy despises fish so it doesn't really enter into my world view.)

Original poster
JustFabulous · 02/01/2013 12:04

It just gives me a moment of panic when I think it is the start of something bad. I will keep an eye on her. Have to go out in a couple of hours but she has been next to me all morning so I think she will be okay in her bed this afternoon.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 02/01/2013 12:39

If she's been next to you all morning that's a good sign. Diarrhoea if it's a real problem usually has them running every hour or so in my experience. (Even if not much results.)

Horsemad · 02/01/2013 16:00

Sorry to hear she's been under the weather, how has she been this afternoon?

Original poster
JustFabulous · 02/01/2013 20:25

I found the little madam, on my bed, hiding behind the washing basket Grin. Fast asleep.

I think she has forgiven me for getting back late with the kids and is asleep again now.

No mess anywhere [bonus].

OP posts:
Horsemad · 02/01/2013 20:35

Sounds like all is well again Smile

Original poster
JustFabulous · 03/01/2013 13:23

My little love was climbing up on my basket by the bed and looking up at the cabinet, trying to get on the bed. I picked her up and decided to have a feel of her cancer lump as the area looked quite a bit bigger than usual. The lump is the size of a golf ball Shock. The vet told me to keep an eye on it but tbh it is the first time I have had a good feel so I can't tell if it has grown. I thought it had before and the vet said no.

My instincts are telling me to do nothing other than keep an eye on her. We can't have it removed and I think even a biopsy would be too traumatic for her. I am not even sure there is chemo for cats and DH thinks that would be too much for her.

Oh dear. DH told me today she will die one day.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 03/01/2013 13:40

They'd have to do a biopsy under GA, I think? That would likely be a bit much for her in her current state of health. And chemo (there is chemo for cats although its overall efficacy is variable) would just be too much.

Probably best left alone as long as it doesn't appear to be causing her discomfort.

Sad
Original poster
JustFabulous · 03/01/2013 13:46

It was July when she was diagnosed and the sample wasn't sent to the lab for confirmation as the vet was confident it was cancer so maybe getting it confirmed means nothing really but even if she could have chemo I wouldn't without confirmation. So we have no choice but to sit tight and see how she goes. I want to google to prepare myself but if it is bad news I won't believe it anyway. I guess there is no way of knowing how long a cat can live with breast cancer for?

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 03/01/2013 13:57

She's 18, Just and in poor health anyway. I doubt it would affect the situation much either way.

Sad
Original poster
JustFabulous · 03/01/2013 14:08

I just don't believe I will lose her. She has done so well.

OP posts:
Sunnywithshowers · 03/01/2013 14:24

Hello Fab

My lovely ginger tom (aged 14) had palliative chemo in his last 8 months. It gave him a terrific quality of life - he had energy, ate loads and bullied other cats. He even put on a bit of weight.

Big hugs to you and Fabcat xxx

Original poster
JustFabulous · 03/01/2013 14:33

That sounds impressive. Did he have any other health issues? I think it would be too much for FABCat.

OP posts:
Sunnywithshowers · 03/01/2013 15:06

He'd had bladder problems previously, but they'd been sorted.

He started limping and we were told it was cancer (I can't remember which sort now) and had to have a leg amputated. He lived for a further 8 months and enjoyed himself because he wasn't in any pain. He used to make us laugh because he'd boss all the neighbourhood cats around, including our own.

The chemo medication was predisone / prednisone (can't remember which) which seemed to suit him, apart from a slightly bad tummy which was sorted by adding something else to his food.

Our surviving tom is 18, and I'm not sure what I would do if he got cancer. He's got heart disease and epilepsy and is on medication that works. However, I wouldn't want him to go through invasive treatment at his advanced age. I'd consider palliative chemo, simply because of how well our other boy responded to it.

Original poster
JustFabulous · 03/01/2013 16:04

FABCat has lived with hypoestesia for 7 years, has had kidney trouble for 2, arthritis for about a year and cancer for 7 months. She has a tough little thing and the vet is amazed at her still being with us tbh. We agonised over whether to have the cancer removed but the risk was too great tbh as there was a chance it would push her into kidney failure and we would have a week with her. Already we are up as we have had her 7 months and tbh the way she acts there is no change from before we knew she had it. though I am so obsessed with her I think she had had had it about a day before I noticed Her main issue is her arthritis and our main issue is not knowing why she wees on the carpet.

OP posts:
Sunnywithshowers · 03/01/2013 16:20

Fabcat sounds amazing, Fab. And she's so pretty - I've just looked at the photos :).

I can totally understand why you don't want to have her operated on - I don't think I'd let Oscar have a GA.

Are there are any cats nearby giving her any problems? That might make her wee indoors in funny places.

cynner · 03/01/2013 16:26

Fab, I am thinking about you and your kitty girl..

Horsemad · 03/01/2013 16:33

Hello!

Not sure about chemo on cats but worth a chat with the vet after what sunny posted?

I'm a Googler unfortunately, although I always advise people NOT to!

Original poster
JustFabulous · 03/01/2013 16:34

She doesn't go out the front now but there is a couple of new cats but I don't think she is that bothered by them and tbh the weeing has been going on so long I think it is almost habit now.

OP posts:
Original poster
JustFabulous · 03/01/2013 20:29

Poor FABCat. She is on the landing, guarding the kids, but they are at Nanny's Grin.

Or, maybe she was never guarding them and just liked being high up Shock.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread