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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

Any ideas? Old cat won't eat!

46 replies

maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 29/01/2014 07:07

Right, I have a couple of old cats and one of them hasn't eaten since. Sunday! He is nearly 17 and I took him to the vet yesterday afternoon.

She examined him and said that he has lost weight since he was vaccinated two weeks ago. He didn't have a temperature, he wasn't constipated (he is usually sluggish), his stomach sounded fine, as did his heart and lungs, and his teeth seemed fine. So she gave him two injections, one an antibiotic in case he has a bug, and the other B12 to stimulate his appetite.

But he still won't eat. He is just laying around, looking at me with big sad eyes (sob!). I have tried everything and this cat will eat everything. He has drunk some water and a small saucer of cow's milk, he wouldn't touch his cat's milk. I haven't seen him use the litter tray, but I know he had a wee outside on Monday (I put him out, he went, then came back in) and he did wee himself going to the vet yesterday, but that is not unusual, he hates going in the car, but he hasn't done a poo.

This morning I have carried him downstairs and he had a couple of laps of milk and then he very slowly walked back upstairs and ambled into the ensuite to drink some water. At the moment I have bowls of water and little saucers of food all over the place but he isn't tempted at all.

Is it possible that he is just going to fade away? The vet said to bring him back in two days if he didn't start eating, even mentioned that when cats stop eating they sometimes go almost anorexic and won't start again!

So he will be going back tomorrow but has anyone any advice or has had this happen ?

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 29/01/2014 07:13

Oh Dear.

What other tests - eg blood tests - did the vet do and when are they due back if so?

(By the way, don't give him cow's milk. Not too good for them.)

If he hasn't eaten/barely drunk/pood in 4 days, I'd be having him in to the vet again soonish. I'm just not sure that it would be that vet.

Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 29/01/2014 07:29

Thank you for your reply cozie I had been hoping one of the cat regulars would see my message.

He had blood tests last September when I thought he had started drinking too much. Everything came back normal then, much to my amazement, I always adopt older cats so have had plenty of experience of renal failure etc. The vet didn't take any blood yesterday, said she'd do it if he had to come back.

He never usually has cow's milk but it was a last resort to get liquid in him, luckily he is lactose tolerant and it was watered down, (rapidly making excuses!)

I hadn't seen this vet before. We have a great surgery, you just turn up between 8am - 7pm and see whichever vet is on duty.

I am just perturbed that this might be him 'going', I will take him back this afternoon if he doesn't improve, thank you for your help.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 29/01/2014 07:35

I think I would also if I were you. As the shots were two weeks ago, I wouldn't necessarily be expecting an adverse reaction to them so I'd also be concerned about organ failure of some sort. (Or possibly an obstruction of some sort - you said his teeth were OK.)

I'd get him in and get some bloods done if he hasn't started eating in the interim. Maybe another vet at the surgery as well? (Even though you'd have to be real tactful because professional courtesy sort of demands that they don't bad-mouth colleagues, even by implication.)

Best of luck to him and let us know how you get on.

Lonecatwithkitten · 29/01/2014 07:45

I would be suggesting bloods I had a similar cat yesterday suggested bloods owner declinedSad. I suspect it will be back today.
Short trying really smelly food can help sometimes.

Squarepegina · 29/01/2014 07:53

I'm so sorry but it sounds just like what happened to our 20 year old cat last year. Vet checked her out and we had same anti biotic injections twice but she just stopped eating. We desperately hoped that she would just go to sleep but after weeks of trying to get her to eat and drink we put her to sleep. It was heartbreaking but although she was in no obvious distress she had lost so much weight and it felt cruel to let her die of starvation.
We have had two cats who both lived to very old age and the first was the classic kidney failure. Somehow the just not eating and going on for weeks was so much worse.
It was a sad time for us so I'm sorry you're going through it.
But despite vowing never to go through it again a year on we have two adorable brother and sister kittens.

Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 29/01/2014 07:58

Thank you both for your advice. Such a worry! I will update later when/if I have to go back to the vet Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 29/01/2014 08:06

Oh, have just seen your post Squarepegina thank you for telling me that although it is what I am fearing Sad. I would be the same regarding the starvation, I wouldn't be able to be as strong as you, just three days of it has taken over my life! My other cat is in heaven, food everywhere she looks, getting replaced by the hour, on the hour!

My last cats were 21 and 23 years old when they died, so I almost feel that 17 is too young to go, but I know he is an old boy really. Will see what the vet says later.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 29/01/2014 08:29

Well you don't stop loving them just because they're getting on a bit, do you?

I have to say that it doesn't look too good but I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for him.

Take care.

Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 29/01/2014 15:54

So I have just got back from seeing the vet. Jasper has still not eaten anything, but has had another wee and some water. A different vet today, weighed him, he's lost even more, and did all the vital signs, said that his temperature was a little low and he must be kept warm. And he did do bloods, I have to go back tomorrow for the results.

I felt that the way he spoke he was 'warning' me, spoke of organ function, renal failure, etc., but also said that it was not a 'normal presentation' hence the blood tests.

So no further on really, except for tomorrow's results. Jasper came in and went straight upstairs into his bed, wouldn't eat. So I will keep trying to tempt him and let you know what happens tomorrow, thank you all for your concern. I keep welling up and my stomach is in knots Sad

OP posts:
timtam23 · 29/01/2014 20:58

So sorry Sad
I have to say that when my old cat (18 yrs old) stopped eating it was the beginning of the end, we hung on for a few days but she then stoped drinking, was quite weak & wobbly and obviously no chance of recovery - she was put to sleep, I hated making the decision but it was the kindest thing to do (I had so hoped that she would die in her sleep but the vet had already said that was unusual)

It is very hard to watch them and be responsible for whatever the next decision might be, I am welling up just thinking about it and we are now a few months on from when my old girl died. I also still have a quite frail 17 yr old cat and we are likely to be facing similar decisions for him fairly soon I fear.

Fingers crossed that Jasper will perk up a bit [hopeful]

Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 29/01/2014 21:31

tintam23 thank you for taking the time to write. I do think that this is what will happen and I will make the decision, have had to do it several times over the years. The perils of adopting elderly cats!

He drank some cat milk earlier but just will not eat. He sniffs at things but just turns away. He's very cosy in his cat bed on a spare bed, nice and warm and I will carry him through to my bed when I go to up later. He usually sleeps on there at night anyway.

My last cat was ancient, 23 years old when he went, I wanted him to go in his sleep but he didn't just didn't move at all for days. But on the morning I was taking him to the vets, he decided to start trotting around but that only lasted an hour or so.

As you say, it is very hard to watch them, and like you I have another old one, she's nearly 18. She keeps going up to him and washing his forehead, she knows he isn't well, she usually whacks him one. And he is letting her, he normally whacks her back, of course, that just means that I burst into tears again. So sad, I'm not hopeful but you never know, thanks again.

OP posts:
timtam23 · 29/01/2014 22:18

I hope he does rally but sadly it sounds very much like my experience Sad. For mine, I knew she was nearing the end when she started to withdraw from us - she always slept on my bed at night but on her last 2 nights she didn't want to - she slept under a table. She was walking around all the places she usually sat in but it was as if she was going through the motions rather than getting any pleasure from it.

When they're really old they can have "off" days too, we've had our fair share of false alarms over the last few years as the cats became older and less well, there's always a chance things might change by tomorrow.

Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 30/01/2014 15:37

Update: Jasper still not eating, drinking a couple of teaspoons of water and although he did a wee this morning, he then settled down in the litter tray for a sleep Sad.

Had to go back to the Vet this afternoon for the blood results and it appears that everything is normal!

So this Vet (yet another) felt his tummy and decided that he is now constipated, and very dehydrated. So I have to take him to the Animal Hospital for 6pm so that he can have an enema and an IV fluid line put in. He will stay there overnight.

More tomorrow, but a little more hopeful now, but still trying to being sensible.

OP posts:
Lonecatwithkitten · 30/01/2014 16:43

Fluids do help some of these cats to feel much better. Is he oriental by any chance?

Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 30/01/2014 16:50

No, Lonecatwithkitten he is a white and tabby moggy. I am hoping that when he's had fluids and a 'clear out', then he might want to eat. The vet said that the nurses at the Hospital know all the tricks of the trade to get cats to eat. Fingers crossed, will be leaving to go there soon.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 30/01/2014 19:24

Any news?

timtam23 · 30/01/2014 20:42

I hope everything goes ok this evening maybe

Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 30/01/2014 22:53

I took him in for 6pm, and the nurse who took him in was just lovely. Asked me lots of questions about how he was ordinarily, so that they would know which behaviour was different and which was 'just him'.

Told me to ring at anytime and I did about 10 minutes ago. He started the fluids at 7pm, and has had an enema. Then he passed two small hard pieces of poo TMI, first time since Sunday. He's still not interested in food Sad and his temperature is still low. So he is wrapped up warm in blankets and is on a heat pad.

She said he is really good and very placid, which to be fair he is anyway, not just because he is so under the weather.

So I will ring again after 8.30am tomorrow and hope that Jasper will be improving, thank you all for your concern, it's been a long old week.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 30/01/2014 23:00

Lets see how he in the morning. At least he's been to the litter tray.

Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 30/01/2014 23:23

I have put a photo of Jasper on my profile. He is so lovely, I miss him being here, hope he's home and healthy tomorrow.

I think I need Wine but luckily it's too late, so a cup of tea will have to do!

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 31/01/2014 08:00

He looks like a big boy. Lovely looking boy.

Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 31/01/2014 08:26

Thank you Fluffy, that his 'I'm going to sit on your chest until you put that iPad down and feed me' look!

OP posts:
BroomstickRider · 31/01/2014 09:51

Hope you get him home and he starts eating again. My eldest cat (she's atound 20, she turned up as a stray with a 15 year old chip and untraceable owner 5 years ago) stopped eating earlier this year when she had a cold so I know how worrying it is. The drip did perk her up but the nurses couldn't get any food down her. Back home she did start eating after a day though. I syringe fed her a little the first day and the second day she ate a little bit of mushed up smelly fish on her own and I was so happy! She isn't normally a fan of fish but I think the smellyness tempted her and think mushing it up makes it more smelly. Fingers crossed your boy gets back to his food too.

Original poster
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 31/01/2014 11:06

Thank you Broomstick, good to hear that your old girl started eating again.

I rang the hospital earlier and they said that he was still on the fluids, still not eating and hadn't passed any more poo. So they will be mildly sedating him, and will give him a proper soapy water enema, lovely!

Imagine his horror that other people were in on his lavatory habits, he is very private. You can't glance at him when he goes in the litter tray or he stops dead, I have perfected the art of looking sideways at him to check he is ok.

I have to ring back after 4pm, wish it was 3.58pm NOW!

OP posts:
silverfingersandtoes · 31/01/2014 11:38

Will be thinking of you this afternoon too maybe. I've lost both my elderly cats during the last few months. The first was right as rain until he suddenly stopped eating; I thought at first he was being his usual stubborn self and hanging on for something exciting. Over the next couple of days though I desperately offered him all his little occasional treats but he just wasn't interested. All I could get in to him was water by syringe. It was as though he had decided enough was enough, and he just quietly faded away cuddled on the settee with DS and me, one on each side. Not long later my old girl seemed to decide she had had enough too; perhaps she missed him as much as we did. We had an unexpected nice day, and she took herself out into the garden and had a last couple of hours lying in a favourite spot in the warmth, then I took her for her last trip to the vet.

As the vet said, as the one who loves and cares for them, it is our responsibility to make that last decision for them. It is so hard though.

Fingers crossed for four o'clock.