Cat suddenly changed behaviour...won't come in the house

[Mammabear31]

I don't usually post here but I'm worried about my old lady

She's 14 and has always been extremely affectionate, soppy and cuddly....she wouldn't hurt a fly and would rub around anyone. However in the last few weeks she just hasn't been herself. She won't even come inside the house some days, just whimpers outside the back door....yesterday I found her sheltering under a table in the garden from the rain.

She won't settle anywhere in the house, or even go to you....she ducks away from our hands when we try to stroke her, and goes back outside not long after coming in....this from a cat who would only over go outside to toilet and come back in straight away.

She has gotten very skinny and is on edge a lot of the time, I have no idea what is stressing her out as we have no other cats around us, and nothing has changed. I'm tempted to call the bet in the morning and get her checks because she is just not herself at all :(

She definitely needs to see a vet. It sounds as if she is feeling ill and this is her response to it. Get her to a vet tommorrow if at all possible and shut her in the house until then.

I'd get her to the vet. If she goes to the toilet outside, I'm wondering whether she has a problem peeing or pooing and wants to stay out there because she feels as if she constantly wants to go.

Maybe, in the interim, get a tray inside for her as well? (Near the door if you can so that she can find it fast.)

PS - I'd have been taking her anyway. A marked and unexplained loss of weight in a cat merits a visit and the behavioural changes just emphasise the need in my book.

Thanks for your replies. I'm definately taking her in the morning.

It sounds like hyperthyroidism to me. Classic symptoms. Don't worry, the vet will prescribe medication which will get her back to normal.

Ah yes, i'd missed the implication that you don't have a tray for her inside. Definitely get a tray for her.

Thanks to everyone for their lovely advice. I have an update.

We took her to the vets, who suspected an overactive thyroid and reduced kidney function. They want to do all manner of tests on her which would have cost £150+, which unfortunately we just didnt have so we took her home and were saving £20 a week from DH's wages to pay for it. She didnt get any better or any worse during this time.

Last night it all changed. She was having snuggles with us all evenings, and when we went to bed DH took her through to the kitchen (where she sleeps overnight) and put her in her litter tray. He said she did a huge wee, wobbled about, threw up a massive hairball and collapsed.

She tried to move/run away but her legs just wouldn't work. She started panting with her tongue hanging out, breathing rapidly then very shallow, and every now again would try to move but just couldn't. This all happened very quickly, within seconds she just went downhill. We called the emergency vet who thought she'd had a stroke and recommened we make her comfortable - so we did. We sat with her for nearly 2 hours while she laid like a ragdoll, panting, mewing and crying every few minutes. We stroked and talked to her, kept her hydrated by syringing water into her mouth and made sure she was comfortable.

We left her for 20 minutes as our DS woke up....when we came back, she had gone.

It was one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever witnessed. She was lucky to have only suffered for a very short period of time, and we are glad she is finally at peace. But now my house feels very strange and empty...I keep thinking I'm hearing her meowing. I'm struggling with this more than I thought I would do and DH has been fantastic in supporting me, despite being devastated himself.

I know she was only a cat, and that she's at peace now. But she was OUR cat, our silly, soppy loving cat who would headbutt our hands and rub around us til we'd nearly fall over her. She was one of a kind and I miss her.

As I said above. Thank you for all your messages and advice a week or two ago.

No such thing as 'only a cat' here, Mammabear. So very sorry for your loss.

I agree with Cozie, no such thing as only a cat or any animal for that matter when it's a pet. I'm so very sorry. I hope you can take comfort in knowing how much she was loved and cared for. At least now you know she is at peace and no longer suffering.

Mama we lost our lovely cat in the summer. It was awful. You have my sympathies. UnMN xxx

I'm so sorry
It's so hard to lose a pet
At least she is at peace now

Yes that's the one thing I keep thinking - she's not suffering anymore. The poor girl had been through the ringer a bit this past year - adjusting to a new baby in the house (and therefore being shut out of a room or two she was usually allowed to roam into), she had a bad case of fleas in the summer and the behavioural changes to name a few. We will miss her forever, she was like a hot water bottle, warm, cosy and cuddly.

Thank you for all the kind messages. We've only seen PIL today and they don't "get" it...I'm glad DH and all of you do.

Mamma I had to have my old girl cat put to sleep a few months ago, she was 18, and I still fill up with tears when I think about her

They are part of the family and leave cat-shaped holes in our lives when they've gone...

Take care

and

I'm sorry for your loss
After reading that my heart is pounding with fear because my cat is only 11 and she is doing everything your cat used to do.
We can't afford to take her to the vets, so I dont know what to do
Also I know that im replying to you 6 years later but still I just want 1 thing, how long did it take before your beloved feline passed away?