I'm really struggling with what to do about one of our cats. He's only 10 years old and over the last year has developed a slew of behaviour/health challenges. Through all this we've noticed some very unusual behaviours - jumping into the air for no reason, suddenly becoming very aggressive with random attacks on our other cat who there was never an issue with before. Peeing everywhere, every possible surface - beds, pillows, bedding, laundry, baskets, chairs. Staring at walls. Yowling for hour long episodes 2-3x a night. He's had to be separated from the other cat as he attacks her every opportunity he gets. We've tried everything. He's seen the vets 18x in the last year. When we found his blood sugar was low we were sure that was why, but we got that stabalised and he's worse not better. He's been tested for so many things, they can't find any reason. He's had 6 blood tests, two ultrasounds, an xray. Nothing is providing any answers. We've tried pain relief of two forms in case there's something tests don't show and he's in pain.
We've started wondering about dementia. Despite the fact he's only 10.
In the last 24 hours he's tried to attack the other cat multiple times (other cat now mostly stays in bedroom with door closed to stay safe), peed on two beds (if you close a door to the bedrooms he headbuts repeatedly until you let him in, no distraction works and he will head butt for an hour or more), and peed on all the lounge furniture and the floor, he had me up 4 x last night crying and nothing would settle him. He's tried to attack again and again, has vomited food once, has run after things that aren't there. Is now crying again. He woke my dc up last night and had me up several times. Non stop crying, scratching the floor, yowling.
Should add we have two litter boxes that are cleaned morning and night and washed out weekly. We had three until a week ago, it's made no difference.
We have one last medication to try from the vet. The vets were hopeful it was something physical so we could treat it, but they've also come to the conclusion it's emotional or something undiagnosable. There are no more tests to do.
He is such a lovely cat. So special to my dc. Very loving. Always snuggled up while we were in the worst of lockdown. But it's clear there's something very wrong that we can't fix and the behaviours are to the point now where it's clear he's struggling and will do things that are painful and can't stop. He's constantly agitated at night. Can't be alone.
How do you know when it isn't 'sickness' like cancer etc that the time is right? I can't even believe we are in this situation. He's a young cat and everything was normal until a year ago but every month it's getting worse, not better.