Think this might be it

[TeWiSavesTheDay]

15yo cat with various health problems, not looking after his fur, sleeping in cold places, struggling with jumping.

Gutted.

sleeping in cold places ?

Now that would have me down to the vet, TeWi. (It suggests a fever of some sort.) When was he last seen by them?

(15 isn't too bad these days depending on many factors of course. My own view of age has changed a lot since Seniorboy has kept on going with some vet assistance and although it's certainly 'getting on', it's not necessarily the final word.)

PS - with regard to the not looking after his fur and struggling with jumping, does any of this ring any bells?

It could be, unfortunately he's in pretty poor health for 15, including a few probable tumours. He's come to us from a relative who doesn't want him to go through surgery again, so it was always going to be fairly soon.
Thinking it through he's not that keen on anything at the moment.

I'm hopeful that it will be a bug or an easy fix but otherwise I think it's the end. Which sucks.

Yes, it would suck. I'd at least consider the possibility of pain though. It occurred to me after I posted that his sleeping in cold places may not be so much because they're cold but because they're easier to get to than the places he might prefer so he just flops down and goes to sleep - are you talking floors for example?

You'll have to forgive me for the slight obsession with arthritis but having it myself, living with an older cat (Seniorboy is nearly 20) and seeing so many threads on here where cats have it, I'm almost of the view nowadays that every cat over a certain age might be a stiffy to one degree or another. As to the grooming, for example, I have to groom Seniorboy daily and help him regularly with nipping the tips of his claws because he can't manage to curl himself so well these days and since he had most of his teeth out at 16, he really can't chew his back claws anymore in any case.

I think I'd have a go at some of the environmental assists mentioned in that guidance and also have him to the vet for some pain relief to see if that improves his view of life. It's made a huge difference to my own boy who while fading a bit, still enjoys his life these days now that he's in much less pain than he was. (He's been on meloxicam for over two years and now has supplemental pain meds as required on top of that and as mentioned in the guidance. Almost like a different cat.)

Yes I will consider it absolutely - we do groom him, he is jumping but much smaller heights than usual. I found him stuck in the bath this morning, he must have used the step to get in but couldn't get out again. It's cold tucked away places he's going for, the bath and behind doors.

I'd be guessing that it's the 'tucked away' that is the pertinent issue - although it's just a guess, if he's feeling a bit sore/rough, he may also be feeling the need for some extra physical security when he sleeps. He hasn't been with you that long?

I'd vet him and maybe see if they would sanction a short trial of one of the recommended pain meds. The one that Seniorboy is on (as required - I make the decision when to give it to him) is a doddle to administer. He's a pill-phobic but the meds come in a liquid form which simply has to be applied to the soft tissues in his mouth.

I take it he's eating/drinking and using his tray OK? The vet might want to have a look at his teeth as well being of that age and if he's not had recent dental treatment.

Will the relative he came from be helping with care costs for him?

We've had him a few months they were looked after well.

Yes, he has had teeth issues before so that is a possible, he's eating quite slowly.

It's hard to be sure because he does go outside as well but I think his tray use hasn't been great. Possibly not as much so thinking about kidneys possibily too.

The vet should give him a good check over including his mouth - may want to take bloods etc as well in light of his possible issues - but I'd write it all down before you go so that you remember things. (It's very easy to just go 'Duuhhh' when you're actually in the surgery and asked that 'So how is he today?' or whatever.)

Thanks for chatting cozie - it was not as bad as I imagined, possibly a bit arthritic plus a few other things so trying steroids for now

That's better then. Let us know how he gets on.