Poorly cat - wierd symptoms

[lurchermummy]

Our 10 year old cat has been poorly on and off with wierd symptoms. This all dates from when she went missing for more than a week in the summer.

I've already spent more than £1500 on vets bills, none can offer any solutions or suggestions. Blood tests show no issues with kidneys etc and no infection. Possible neurological issue?

She's not insured sadly. If she was I'd ask for an MRI but I honestly can't afford it.

Her quality of life is declining but my two DDs are upset at the thought of us having to have her put down.

Do any of these symptoms seem familiar? WWYD?

Loss of appetite
"Collapsing legs" - appears weak, semi paralysed, but she can still walk/run if she wants to
Hiding under tables etc
Cold stiff body, hunched posture, never seems to relax.
Has weed/pooed in her bed a couple of times - assume because she finds it hard to get to her litter tray.

However despite all of this she is alert and she purrs when stroked, although she doesn't seem to want to be picked up.

She's on anti inflammatory but they don't seem to be helping this time.

Well poorly cat was miaowing for food this morning, ate a plate of chicken and was purring. But still very wobbly on her back legs. Does not seem like a cat that has lost the will to live but also dues not seem happy/relaxed. Very strange.

Cats will purr if they are stressed or in pain. She really doesn't sound very happy. I think I'd probably be making the decision fairly took to be honest.

All of those are common signs of arthritis. True fact. 90% of cats over the age of 11 suffer with arthritis. Anti inflammatories normally help. There are other pain meds though including a monthly injection called solensia that I've seen a lot of success with. Some cats may need more than one form of pain medication.
Of course there could be something else going on but you won't know without further investigations. Xrays would confirm arthritic changes.
As for weeing outside the tray, try a low sided one, like you get for kittens, and make sure there's more than one in easy to reach places.

Those are all symptoms of pretty significant levels of pain, sadly - probably arthritis.

Collapsing legs could be arthritis or Cushings Disease.

Oh the poor darling.

If the vet can do no more at this point then I think its time to release her from her suffering.

I have huge sympathy for not being able to afford the mri, vet fees are so expensive and the rise is living costs has hit so many people hard.

I gave to agree with pp it sounds like arthritis, aa hard as it sounds I would try to get a xray done and then decide the next step.
I had a childhood cat that seemed fine until he lost a tooth we put his change in mood down to tooth ache and generally feeling off until my DM took him to the vets and he poor little mite was riddled with arthritis. We had no idea he was so ill, cats are very good at hiding pain.

This was all about 30 years ago and painkillers and treatment for arthritis has improved a huge amount since then so it's worth you looking into it more most decent vets will allow you to set up a payment plan so this would be worth looking into as well

I cant post links on my phone but I posted under a different name, Newyearcalacinche ( spelling may not be right ) on 31/12/21 ' I have just taken my cat to the vets ' it will give you some of the ideas of the symptoms that my cat had and the prolonged treatment and cure total cost over about 8 months about £3.500 and whilst he seems to be cured at the moment another about a stress or whatever it is it triggered it means that the next time we go we will have to be surgary to shorten his urethra so that it can no longer get a blockage .

He ia a 3.5 Yr old unnutered male

Assume tested for thyroid?

It's tough not to get a clear diagnosis after so much expense. Have you considered changing the diet to include more oily fish and going for a gluten free kibble if she eats biscuits? Not a vet here but once had a good turnaround on changing a very arthritic dogs diet. Also a warming pad /heat pad could be helpful or a warm hot water bottle wrapped in a towel. Wishing you the best outcome Op.

It sounds very much like arthritis to me, my 20 year old kitty had the same symptoms. She's most likely having a flare up, it's worth waiting a month or two as the flare up can ease.

Make sure she has a bowl of water near her and a litter tray as they cannot walk far during a flare up and tend to get dehydrated which makes the flare up much worse. I have the same condition and have to use sticks when I get an episode of it.
They need to be warm, cosy and near all of the facilities - could you get a heat pad for her? That worked for my cat.

Hi all thank you, I absolutely don't want to prolong if she's suffering. However today she has been much brighter, miaowing for food, using the litter tray -and walking more, just a bit wobbly. I'm going to look into an X-ray but even that's £500 as they have to sedate her.