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Original poster

very very sick cat :-(

121 replies

iamapushymum · 09/12/2012 22:32

Our year old cat started looking ill on Friday night .Just sitting still with glazed eyes and overnight she vomited bile.Saturday she drunk a little cat milk and water and licked at a roast chicken breast.She managed to walk to the litter tray to wee(once) but didn't poo all day.She stayed in a hunched position and her body kept spasming
Today she has just lain on her side all day eyes open and had 2 tiny drinks of water.No wees no poos and this evening she can't even walk as one of her back legs doesn't seem able to support her weight.If she makes it through the night we'll take her to the vet tomorrow (not open weekends and there is £150 call out for home visit which I literally haven't got, having just had a huge car repair bill.)
At first we thought she had been poisoned because she loves drinking out of the shower tray and DH used a new cleaner and didn't rinse.But I'm wondering now wheter her back leg is fractured.
Anyone get any ideas

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 09/12/2012 22:40

No, but pets at home have companion care vets, I've used them at the weekends twice for our cat and been happy with the care recieved.

I think home cleaners usually have bitrex in them to make them unpalateable to animals.

I hope she makes it.

xkcdfangirl · 09/12/2012 22:41

I'm sorry but the callout fee is irrelevant - you are responsible for this cat's wellbeing, and if you put money ahead of that responsibility you should not have pets. That cat is seriously suffering and needs vetinary attention now, not in the morning. Either cough up the callout fee or if you won't do that then take her to the nearest RSPCA/PDSA.

Kormachameleon · 09/12/2012 22:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MNPdoesYULETIDE · 10/12/2012 00:50

:( poor cat

Original poster
iamapushymum · 10/12/2012 08:16

xkcdfangirl - the callout fee is irrelevant
kormachameleonYou left a sick and most likely in pain cat all weekend because you don't have £150 quid

what stupid posts.What do you suggest I did?
Call the vet out and then say sorry but I am not going to pay you!!i have been on the PDSA website and they don't fund emergency callouts and in any case only fund people who get council tax benefit!

OP posts:
glitch · 10/12/2012 08:18

If you can't afford emergency call out fees you really shouldn't have a pet IMO.

If the cat has survived perhaps you could see if it can be rehomed to someone who can look after it in a more humane way.

SecretSantaFix · 10/12/2012 08:20

Most vets are reasonable with regards to payments if there are difficulties.

When my my cats were unwell when we were young, we were allowed to pay in installments for any treatment needed.

I hope you get her to the vet immediately this morning- she sounds very unwell.

georgie22 · 10/12/2012 08:36

How can you suggest that the posts challenging you on not taking your sick cat to the vet are stupid? From your description of your cat she is clearly very unwell and you have made the decision to wait until today to take her to the vets. If you have a pet then there is a responsibility for you to care for that animal as needed so if you are unable to pay emergency vet bills I'd suggest you get the poor cat rehomed (that's if she survives). You actually sound quite heartless - how could you watch her like that?

georgie22 · 10/12/2012 08:41

Just re-read your OP and your cat was first unwell on Friday. Some vets have a normal clinic on Saturdays so why didn't you get her seen then? My cat is a pain in the bum but if I thought for one minute he was suffering he'd be at the vets.

stookiesackhouse · 10/12/2012 08:42

Does she go out? Could be poisoning. Or symptoms sound similar to a stroke. I am no expert though.

She should have been taken to the vet straight away.

Floralnomad · 10/12/2012 08:44

How do you propose to pay the vet today then , assuming she survived the night ? If the vet says it will cost £150+ are you having her PTS. If you can't afford to take an animal to a vet get insurance or don't have a pet . BTW having posted on here in quite a lot of detail how ill your cat is you could run the risk of prosecution from the RSPCA for causing unnecessary suffering.

Fluffycloudland77 · 10/12/2012 09:06

Good luck today with the vet op, just get her down there and see what they say.

Original poster
iamapushymum · 10/12/2012 10:30

I took her in first thing this morning and the vet said he thinks she has kidney failure and is unlikely to make it.He says it has most likely been caused by poisonous seed pods stuck to her fur.
He is going to give her fluids and a sedative and do some tests and we'll take it from there.
Fingers crossed

you could run the risk of prosecution from the RSPCA for causing unnecessary suffering. rubbish I haven't caused suffering.
If I took a service knowing I had no means of paying - now that would be illegal.Technically theft

OP posts:
Kormachameleon · 10/12/2012 10:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tabulahrasa · 10/12/2012 11:26

Most vets are open at least part of Saturday, some are open all weekend .

Most vets will accept emergencies and bill you later if you explain or set up a payment plan.

You could have phoned the RSPCA claiming to have found her even, unethical maybe, but better than just leaving her like that!

aPirateInaPearTree · 10/12/2012 11:28

sound like my cat, she had feline leukemia. went downhill very quickly.

Cachaca · 10/12/2012 11:34

That poor creature. You seem to be making a lot of assumptions about what wasn't possible, without actually trying all that hard. If she vomited bile overnight on Friday, did you ringing a vet's emergency numbers, explaining the situation, asking for some arrangement to be made? And did they turn you down - so you rang all the other vets, and they turned you down as well?

Lonecatwithkitten · 10/12/2012 14:04

To clarify one point failure to seek veterinary attention for a sick animal is now a criminal offence as of the 2006 Animal Act. I am appearing as a professional witness in a very similar case in all likelihood a 10 year ban on keeping animals will be imposed by the courts in the case I am involved in.
The vast majority of independent (not corporate) practices will allow payment over time in exactly these circumstances.
It is illegal for a veterinary surgeon to refuse to see a seriously ill animal just because the owners can't pay. We must at least provide emergency treatment.
I know this can't change the course for this cat, but will hopefully give others the information they need.

CajaDeLaMemoria · 10/12/2012 14:11

I hope that she makes it. Did you tell your vet honestly when the symptoms began? If you haven't, please make sure that they are aware of how serious it was then. From a medical point of view, it is extremely important to know when the kidneys began to deteriorate, and how quick the deterioration has happened. There is nothing you can do about how long it took for her to be seen now, but you can make sure the vet has all the information.

I'm crossing my fingers that they can save her. They will do a payment plan if you need it. Most vets say they won't but they are legally obliged too, in most cases, provide medical treatment when it is needed. So they will, they just don't encourage it.

Keep us up to date. I really hope that today wasn't too late.

Original poster
iamapushymum · 10/12/2012 14:32

of course I told him when she began symptoms, although he said her kidneys would most likely have been failing for at least a couple of weeks, but she was full of beans til Friday so I dunno.

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 10/12/2012 15:22

I'm sorry but you have caused that cat unnecessary suffering over an entire weekend , it may not have changed the end result ,which hopefully be a positive one , but the cat has had at least 48 hours where it could have been on pain killers / sedation / fluids .

Samvet · 10/12/2012 15:32

Lonecat is right. You have committed a criminal offense as you were aware your cat was very unwell and failed to seek treatment. You should have told the vet on call and by law they have to attend and euthanase animals that are suffering even if they never get paid. With acute kidney problems the sooner the better so it is highly unlikely he/she will survive. If you cannot afford pets don't have them. Get insurance which would have covered this. Very upsetting that you do not realize what you did is wrong. No animal should be left to suffer when euthanasia is possible. Your bill I expect will be greater than 150 quid at the end of today.

Original poster
iamapushymum · 10/12/2012 16:03

The cat died.
The vet said the outcome would have nearly certainly been the same whenever I had called as once the kidneys have got to end stage renal failure, that's it.I wish I had not bothered taking her to the vet and let her die peacefully at home .

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 10/12/2012 16:06

That's a terrible thing to say ,I hope you don't have any other animals and don't intend to get any more as you are clearly not a suitable owner . Poor cat .

CajaDeLaMemoria · 10/12/2012 16:07

Don't wish you hadn't taken her.

The vet doesn't know. They guess, based on test results, and what you say.

It sounds to me like she entered kidney failure on Friday evening. There is a very small window where anything can be done. Even Saturday evening probably would have been too late.

Friday...well, nobody can say. But if she was fine before, then she likely would have made it had she had medical attention then. The facts can't be argued with. From a medical point of view, and a veterinary point of view, Friday would have given her a bloody good chance. But your vet has to worry about retaining you as a customer, and not making you feel too bad, so they say kind things.

I am very sorry. But you did the right thing taking her in the end. It was worth the chance that they could still treat her. It was also better for her to go having presumably had some pain relief, as kidney problems are immensely painful.

RIP, little one.