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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.

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Original poster

Time to let go?

69 replies

Pranmasghost · 31/10/2015 20:52

My Tonkinese cats are now 17. The male is fit and healthy, eats well and is very alert, purring and happy. His sister is rapidly losing weight, a bit wobbly, not washing properly and hiding in corners though she will sit on my lap and be stroked. You can feel every bone, her coat is rough and staring and she isn't eating though she is drinking. She is not incontinent.. She seems totally uninterested in anything at all.
At what point should I take her to the vet? I love her.

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MrsJayy · 31/10/2015 20:55

Sounds like Renal failure bless her saying that my cat was diagnosed at 17 with it and lived till she was 19 but we took her to be Pts when she wasnt eating take her to the vet and see what they say. for you

MrsJayy · 31/10/2015 20:58

When jaycat got ill we thought it was the end i had this notion she would die in her sleep its heart breaking but do take her on Monday to see what they say.

Original poster

Pranmasghost · 31/10/2015 21:06

Yes I think I will

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MrsJayy · 31/10/2015 21:14

Aww she is lovely i ended up getting fancy pouch cat food she ate some but liked the jelly the best

Original poster

Pranmasghost · 31/10/2015 21:17

Sorry I just can't quite believe how she looks. The pics here are only a couple of weeks apart

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TheGreenNinja · 31/10/2015 21:18

Oh it's so tough. Not eating though can't go on for long, she looks skin and bone, poor thing.
My last cat stopped eating, drinking or using the litter tray and barely moved off a chair, I took her in after a couple of days. It's the kindest thing to do, although horrible for you.

MissMarpleCat · 31/10/2015 21:23

Oh dear, see what the vet says

Original poster

Pranmasghost · 31/10/2015 21:23

Thanks I just needed to tell someone. She will lap evaporated milk and lick but not eat food.

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MrsJayy · 31/10/2015 21:24

Poor thing.

cozietoesie · 31/10/2015 21:25

Poor lass. When did she last see her vet, Pranmas ?

Tiptops · 31/10/2015 21:36

Get her to the vet as a matter of urgency. It may be something that can be helped with treatment or management, or sadly it could be more serious, but she needs to be assessed.

Two of my cats went off their food and lost weight dramatically. One tragically turned out to be metastasized cancer, the other was diagnosed with IBD which is a treatable condition.

If cats do not eat they are at risk of a very serious condition called hepatic lipidosis, so it's crucial she has something. Warm smelly meat sometimes works, as does rubbing it onto their paws so they have to lick it off. I have also, at times, syringe fed my cats with Royal canin recovery food. You could probably get some from an emergency vet at any time tonight or tomorrow.

Original poster

Pranmasghost · 31/10/2015 22:01

She saw the vet last Tuesday as she had a bit of an eye infection. The vet did a flea treatment and gave her antibiotic drops for her eyes (which have cleared). The vet examined her and said she seemed fine for her age but since then she has stopped eating and become very wobbly on her legs. I'll go back Monday or if she is significantly worse I'll call the emergency number tomorrow.

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cozietoesie · 31/10/2015 22:32

I'm more than a little surprised that the vet didn't automatically do bloods etc as part of a rigorous senior health check. Do you have confidence in that practice ?

Original poster

Pranmasghost · 31/10/2015 22:40

Yes they have always been great and when the cats have been hurt or ill the treatment has been spot on. They have a senior health check every year in July. Tuesday's visit was because she had discharge from an eye so apart from the extra flea treatment and listening to her heart and feeling her abdomen the vet didn't do anything else.

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cozietoesie · 31/10/2015 22:58

Fair enough. I wouldn't be completely resigned to her situation though. I'm afraid that she does indeed seem like a sick girl from the photos and your description of her behaviour - but who knows? A Monday appointment sounds right to me. (Unless she worsens significantly as you said.)

Best of luck to you all.

snicks1977 · 01/11/2015 00:00

My lovely girl is 10, I took her to the vets this week as she has a very aggressive case of stomatitis which is the most awful disease, it has progressed and she is coping and with pain relief doing very well - my vet suggested she should be let go - but she is purring, eating, running up three flights of stairs, jumps up on my lap for cuddles and is under careful monitoring i decided to decline (much to my vets disgust) and she has now had four days of all of the above. And continues to fight her socks of for a chicken dinner!

I tell you this, as if my baby was not "comfortable" I would have let her go. She is with medication doing ok X

Talk to a vet, but ask for all the options the vet I saw was even laughing at her own little joke when my baby was grabbing my hand with her paw,? If your baby (that's what they are to people who really love their pets) is not eating, and not responding to any treatment and there really is no hope then maybe it is best to let her go as sad and awful as that is. But if there is something to help only a vet can help you with that.

I really feel for you, because I know in a few days or weeks this I will be in the same place as you xx it's a vey hard call indeed

isamonster · 01/11/2015 00:08

Had she been sick much before she stopped eating? My senior gent once needed the cat equivalent of Gaviscon to help after a bout of sickness. He's 16 with a heart murmur and kidney disease controlled by medication. Vets always listen to his heart and feel his tummy to check his kidneys. Don't assume the worst just yet... He's actually put on 500g in the last few months. He's happy, healthy for his age, vocal and a good friend to us. Good luck!

Original poster

Pranmasghost · 01/11/2015 01:49

No she hasn't been sick at all nor has she shown signs of incontinence. She isn't using the tray to poo in but she did go outside briefly earlier today.

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Original poster

Pranmasghost · 01/11/2015 07:35

Still alive and sleeping in a cardboard box with her brother. They are ignoring both cat beds.

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cozietoesie · 01/11/2015 09:27

Would she enjoy a Sunday afternoon snooze in bed?

Original poster

Pranmasghost · 01/11/2015 10:48

She is on the bed now. She feels cold to touch but she is awake and cuddled up to her brother. She has had more evaporated milk, won't touch other food and tottered outside to drink from a puddle. Yes she has fresh water indoors. She then sat in the puddle so we carried her indoors, dried her and put her on the bed.

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cozietoesie · 01/11/2015 11:07

She sat in the puddle?

Have you got an OOH or other vet nearby? (I think that Pets at Home do Sunday surgeries - other posters might be able to confirm.)

Original poster

Pranmasghost · 01/11/2015 15:42

Yes I am bracing myself for an emergency call out. She is wailing every few minutes and seems very disoriented . I don't know why I am dithering about this.

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Original poster

Pranmasghost · 01/11/2015 15:42

Our own vet does 24 hour call out.

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roseandgrey · 01/11/2015 16:01

Thinking of you have you called the vet?

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