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Original poster

Cat suddenly very unwell - vet doesn’t know why

81 replies

honeyandbutterontoast · 26/01/2023 14:38

Came downstairs this morning to our 15 year old cat in his bed, rather than his usual yowling for food. He wouldn’t get up or even lift his head. No interest in food or anything.

Took him to vets when they opened, he’s still there now. They have run blood tests and can find nothing significant. He’s too weak to stand, won’t eat. He was absolutely fine yesterday :( They have no idea what on Earth is wrong, he’s on a drip and they are trying antibiotics and anti inflammatories. Apparently it “could be viral” but they have no idea what or even if it is that. His temperature is slightly raised and he has been bleeding from his nose.

Now they are saying he will need to go to overnight vets to stay on drip and I’m panicking how much this is all going to cost. He only has accident and injury insurance. Obviously I will find the money but when they don’t even know what’s wrong or if he will get better, it’s a tough call.

What on Earth could have suddenly made him ill like this??

OP posts:
FannyFifer · 27/01/2023 12:37

How is he doing?

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 27/01/2023 12:47

Checked him in night, sleeping soundly
this morning he greeted me, purring and wanted breakfast. He ate almost all of it but then was very tired.

took him to vets, they took out iv said looks like bacterial infection and antibiotics are working. Temperature down. That he’s still dehydrated so get extra fluids down him and see how he is later.

he seems happy enough, BUT he won’t eat or drink anything at all. He will look at it and sit hunched over it.

seems to be wobbling a little on his back legs when he walks but has been jumping onto worktops etc to have a look round.

am utterly perplexed. My gut feeling is he is seriously ill with something but wanted to be home.

OP posts:
Motnight · 27/01/2023 13:28

Poor boy. Really hope he improves soon, Op. It is such a worry when a pet is ill.

Orange93 · 27/01/2023 16:15

Last week our cat turned ill, he wouldn't eat and miaowed if we picked him up. He just wanted to sit and sleep. We took him to the vet who wasn't 100% sure but thought it could have been something he'd eaten. He got an anti inflammatory injection and we took him home.
He wasn't well for a good few days, but we started seeing a small improvement. Now, 10 days on, he's back to normal. It did take a good 7-8 days for him to recover from whatever it was!
Hope your cat is better soon.

PennyToffee · 27/01/2023 16:21

Try the lick e lix yogurt treats. They are good for getting fluids into cats.

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 27/01/2023 16:26

I’ve syringed some water into him. He just wants to sleep. Letting him stay curled up with the dogs.

I think his ears are hot, so clearly it isn’t a bacterial infection.

OP posts:
Fifiellz · 27/01/2023 16:38

My cat was like this over Xmas a couple of years ago. Exactly the same, luckily the vets were shut and we all had Covid as I would have had her PTS she looked so poorly.

She was also 15. I made a vets appointment for as soon as they reopened/we tested negative and spent the 4 days thinking she would be gone in her sleep, giving her tiny amounts of lik e lix and syringing in water.

The morning I took her to the vets she had perked up, was eating small amounts and yowled her head off all the way. I walked into the vet and said I had changed my mind, she was dehydrated so they gave her fluids and appetite suppressant tablets.

She was fine, never had another reoccurrence and lived a good life until a couple of months ago when she died of old age (persian)

Fingers crossed your recovers as well

LeCarre · 27/01/2023 16:42

I’m glad he’s getting better OP!

Probably some infection but just in case, do keep an eye out for items around the home/garden that are toxic to cats - I once made my cat quite poorly by using lavender essential oil on my pillow!

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 28/01/2023 13:48

Just back from vets. Had to have him put to sleep. What a horrible decision to have to make. The house will be very quiet without him.

OP posts:
Motnight · 28/01/2023 13:49

I am very sorry, Op. You have made the kindest decision for your old boy.

Cussons · 28/01/2023 13:51

So sorry for your loss op, he's no longer in pain and that's the kindest decision you can make for your animal. Take it easy today.

Whenwillthewashingend · 28/01/2023 14:02

So sorry for your loss.

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 28/01/2023 14:09

I’m not sure it was the right decision. I’m wracked with guilt already. Maybe I should have fought more, tried more things :(

he went very very quickly which the vet said means it was totally the right thing. But I’m not sure if that’s just what they say.

OP posts:
whataboutsecondbreakfast · 28/01/2023 14:30

Oh, OP I am so sorry to read this.

If he was suffering, you did absolutely the right thing. Please don't feel guilty x

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 28/01/2023 14:44

I don’t know if he was suffering. He just wanted to sleep. It’s so hard to know when they can’t tell you.

OP posts:
Motnight · 28/01/2023 14:52

Please don't feel guilty, Op. I take it this was on the vet's advice?

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 28/01/2023 14:58

Well they don’t tell you what to choose.

she just said that they could try aggressive treatment but they didn’t know what they were dealing with. That it was possibly an underlying cancer or something so they would be prolonging his life in a way that he might not choose (catheter etc). And there was a chance he would die anyway. That he was very very sick and probably in pain.

OP posts:
Motnight · 28/01/2023 15:06

Everything you have written confirms that you did the kindest thing, Op.

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 28/01/2023 15:08

Everything you've said points to the fact that he was really quite unwell.

At fifteen you so have to start thinking about quantity of life vs quality unfortunately.

You did the right thing Flowers

Nsky62 · 28/01/2023 15:16

Sending lots of love, so awful for you xx

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 28/01/2023 15:16

I can honestly say that if I didn’t already have my dogs I would never get another pet again after having to do that. To have to make a decision on something living or not, I don’t know how to come to terms with that. I feel absolute guilt and horror.

He was a difficult cat, and drove me to distraction many times. And the noise, constantly!! Anyone with an oriental breed will know how they talk. The house is so silent now. I loved him as best as anyone could love a small creature who weed up walls and stole food, who once brought in 4 dead rats in one day, and killed a beautiful baby owl another day.

My big dog would sleep with him at night, even though they pretended not to like each other. Big dog stayed next to him on the sofa yesterday and today and refused to go on a walk this morning and be parted from him. My little dog adored him, they would spend all day cuddled up and he would groom her incessantly, they wrestled too and charged around the garden, they had been best friends since the day little dog arrived. Little dog tried to cuddle him this morning and he gave her a cursory lick and a big sigh. No purr. No real interest in the world. And that’s when I knew he had had enough.

OP posts:
Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 28/01/2023 15:18

The three of them were a little gang, always to be found together. And now there are two :(

I don’t know when the dogs will realise he isn’t coming home. The vet said they would need time to grieve too, and to keep an eye on them.

OP posts:
mumof2andstillsurviving · 28/01/2023 15:26

I'm so sorry OP. This is heartbreaking. You did what you felt was best. When my cat died I felt I would never want another cat again. It took me years. But I got there when the time was right xxx

WildCat86 · 28/01/2023 15:27

I'm so sorry for your loss; I went through something similar with my 15 yo cat over Christmas resulting in her being pts on New Year's Eve. It's a horrible decision to make, and I really feel for you just now. x

Blossomandbee · 28/01/2023 15:31

So sorry op. I don't have experience with cats but I have had other small animals and I really think you did the right thing. Whenever the vet hasn't known what to do and medicine or painkillers have perked them up, it usually turns out that they were masking an illness.
You gave him the best chance you could. It's such a horrible decision to make, be kind to yourself.
Sending hugs to you and the dogs, I hope they are ok too Flowers