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The litter tray

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

Original poster

AIBU to want the cat put down?

112 replies

NagooingForGold · 04/08/2012 09:28

:(

he is 18.

He has started to leave nuggets of poo about the place.He did do this about 18 months ago but I changed their diet and it stopped. It's started again.

I did a 'big clean' yesterday and but the baby found one and put it in her mouth this morning. :(
This has been my worst fear about him :(

We had to take him to the vet yesterday as he has something wrong with his mouth.

Today I want to take him back there and not let him come back. In general he has stopped grooming himself, I have to brush him. Also he seems a bit vacant. I know I am reacting to the poo thing but it was IN HER MOUTH.

OP posts:
Original poster
NagooingForGold · 04/08/2012 10:05

DH took him. And DH loves this cat so much that he will not bring up the issues with him.

He gives me the fear look everytime I mention taking the cat to the vet.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 04/08/2012 10:08

nagooing

Try to get a prescription for arthritis etc as I did. Vomiting could be many things but the combination of symptoms you describe sounds very like arthritis. At his age (more or less the same as mine) it would be amazing if he didn't have some.

Original poster
NagooingForGold · 04/08/2012 10:09

yellow what is giving you that impression?

OP posts:
Original poster
NagooingForGold · 04/08/2012 10:10

there's no vomiting. that's laurie's pets.

OP posts:
yellowraincoat · 04/08/2012 10:11

Just putting it out there OP, you don't seem to be very open to suggestions. Take him to the vet yourself if your husband is too emotionally involved to discuss the options you have.

DumSpiroSpero · 04/08/2012 10:13

I think in fairness you need to get the situation looked into properly before making a decision, but can totally understand your gut reaction after what happened yesterday.

Take him to the vet yourself (as you've already mentioned) and find out exactly what the issues are and if it is realistic to work around them. If not then sadly of course you will want and need to put your child's health and safety first, whether that means rehoming, which I would have thought would be difficult for you and distressing for the cat - but I'm willing to be contradicted, or being pts.

DukeHumfrey · 04/08/2012 10:14

YABU to "want the cat put down", but of course YANBU to not want your baby to have cat poo where it can be eaten.

Agree about the vet's. Also, is there no way you can rearrange so that the cat can be in just one room, or at least in a separate "half" of the house to the baby? Then you could love and look after both.

4LoathesomeBrats · 04/08/2012 10:16

What risk does toxoplasmosis pose to a baby?

cozietoesie · 04/08/2012 10:16

nagooing

No - I realize that there's no vomiting with your cat. I'm thinking about the pooing off-tray, difficulty grooming himself and even, just possibly, the 'vacant look'. (In pain.)

It's worth a try surely?

yellowraincoat · 04/08/2012 10:19

4LoathsomeBrats are you kidding? Toxoplasmosis is a deadly infection, it could easily kill a newborn. I thought everyone knew about this.

Original poster
NagooingForGold · 04/08/2012 10:20

DH says that the vet was concerning himself with the chin thing. He's got a swollen mouth, so is on ABs and anti-inflammatories. The cat is fairly well groomed by us, so his problems will not be immediately obvious.

I will go to the follow up, get him a painkiller and see if it helps him.

I know I am U in the OP.

OP posts:
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 04/08/2012 10:20

I would speak to the vet but if he is feacaly incontinent then that is going to be extremely stressful and upsetting for your cat they are very clean animals. It could be that he needs a change in diet again but if he has other things wrong with him and requires enough medication to sink a battle ship then at 18 I really Sony think it's fair to ruin what up til now has been a happy life :(

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 04/08/2012 10:22

Sony? Don't Blush dam phone

cozietoesie · 04/08/2012 10:26

Oh dear. If he's got a swollen mouth, he may have dental problems. I had to have my own old boy given a big dental procedure last year because his teeth were so horrible. (I only got him at 13 and he'd had neglected teeth before.) It was a judgment call on my part given the stresses that a GA puts on an old cat but it worked out fine due to assiduous care by the vet practice.

Your call, on the vet's advice, I'm afraid. I wouldn't be undertaking any heroic procedures on an 18 year old.

4LoathesomeBrats · 04/08/2012 10:35

I can't find anything about toxomplasmosis being dangerous to babies OUTSIDE the womb. Only to fetuses inside pregnant women.
Please supply a link that shows that toxoplasmosis is dangerous to people outside the womb.

diddl · 04/08/2012 10:35

But if your husband isn´t telling the vet what´s going on, that´s not kind to the cat is it?

Original poster
NagooingForGold · 04/08/2012 10:38

The vet said he thought he might have bitten something sharp, I'm hoping it's an injury rather than needing horrific dentistry.

When we first got him (he came to live with us about 8 years ago) he had to have a few teeth out. It's not about the money for treatment. I feel the need to make that clear.

OP posts:
Original poster
NagooingForGold · 04/08/2012 10:41

I don't really want to start an argument about the risks of cat shit. I am hoping that baby Goo will be ok, but I am quite sure that there are a million bacterial resaons why we don't serve up cat poo to our DC.

OP posts:
yellowraincoat · 04/08/2012 10:44

4LoathsomeBrats first link on google

droves · 04/08/2012 10:44

If the cat is suffering a painful / death causing illness , then it would be kinder to put him to sleep , rather than continuing his suffering by trying to treat it.

If he's just being old and too much for you to cope with and you think he's a risk to your baby , then I would try to find him a loving home to adopt him that have the extra time for care he needs .

droves · 04/08/2012 10:47

Nagooing , I'd also take your baby to the doctors , and tell the doc what happened . There might be preventative measures they can do to stop your baby getting toxo ( or other cat to human transferable disease )

Sad

I hope your baby is ok.

hawaiiWave · 04/08/2012 10:59

Yabu, I have two elderly house cats in a small house and a baby. Cats not allowed in baby room and I put playmats and rugs out for the baby when were downstairs, cats are shut in the kitchen whilst baby plays on the floor. When baby is in bed in the evening I give cats lots of strokes and attention. It can be a juggling act but it is possible. Hope your baby and cat are ok.

cozietoesie · 04/08/2012 11:00

nagooing

Forgive me for saying but I'm not feeling a whole load of confidence in your vet. It should be pretty apparent (as long as your old boy is not a wildcat in the surgery) what is wrong with his mouth. Bad teeth or a slicing/puncture wound should be quickly found out.

Fluffycloudland77 · 04/08/2012 11:06

You can actually buy nappies for cats, I've seen them in the past.

They have a hole for the tail to go through.

Original poster
NagooingForGold · 04/08/2012 11:08

the vet said puncture. Sorry I am just whittling because he has an infection. Based on nothing I am worrying that it is more than it is.

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