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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.

Original poster

17 year old cat, falls over, just eats and sleeps

44 replies

Mxflamingnoravera · 02/02/2023 23:46

He's 17, not been out since his brother died 18mths ago. He eats, he sleeps, he falls over, he stumbles, his eye is half shut, but he purrs (and caterwauls) he uses his (new to him) litter tray, but has no quality of life apart from being cuddled. When do I decide he's had enough?

OP posts:
DianePemberley · 03/02/2023 00:00

I had a cat of similar age and condition. She used to spend ages staring at a wall of a kitchen cupboard door.

I did speak to the vet about how I'd know when the right time was, and was told I'd just know, that it was about quality of life.

As it turned out I never had to make the decision. She continued to love her cuddles, her food, and dipping her paw in the dregs of my brew to drink what was left. One morning we woke up, and she was mooching about. An hour later dd found her lying by the hall radiator, having passed away. It was such a shock because there was nothing to indicate she was any closer to passing than she had been 6 months earlier.
I don't think she suffered unnecessary but I do wish she was being cuddled as she passed, because she was a ridiculously affectionate cat and had brought great comfort to us over the years.

Is your cat long haired by any chance? Ours was, and when I took her to the vet they cut away matts that we hadn't noticed, which they said were pulling and causing her to fall over. I didn't believe it was the cause of the falling until I saw her walking around once home and noy falling. I honestly thought it was a sign of ageing and degeneration. Might be worth checking if long haired.

Enjoy those cuddles while you've got them.

Original poster
Mxflamingnoravera · 03/02/2023 10:02

@DianePemberley Thank you for this response. I think it's getting to the point where I do know, I certainly know it'll be soon, he is thin (despite eating like he's never been fed) and drinking loads of water. I think his balance and ears are going along with his kidneys. He's loved, but it's becoming so difficult as he is so demanding.

OP posts:
Cherry60 · 03/02/2023 10:07

I wouldn't think most cats that age go out much, ours is nearly 19 and only ever goes out to the toilet, eats and sleeps but still loves a cuddle. As long as she goes on like that I think she's got a decent quality of life, if she was stumbling I'd feel differently.

SirVixofVixHall · 03/02/2023 10:11

OP has his thyroid been checked? Thin while eating a lot can be an indicator, it is really common in older cats and can cause other issues.

FlipFlops4Me · 03/02/2023 10:13

Huge thirst and getting skinnier despite eating could indicate diabetes. It does in humans anyway - it was the thing that triggered my visit to the doc and I was diagnosed type 1 very quickly at the hospital.

CopperMaran · 03/02/2023 10:19

Cats mask their pain and suffering so you can’t go purely on behaviour. Your vet would be able to let you know if there is a risk they suffering.

My personal opinion with pets is once you get past the point they could survive on their own in the wild then you need to make sure you’re not accidentally prolonging their death rather than extending their life. It is, of course, a much harder decision to make when it’s your pet than a theoretical opinion but I’m in the camp of better a day early rather than a day late.

Good luck with it all. Take care.

Bosk · 03/02/2023 10:25

Purring doesn't mean 'I'm happy '.

Purring means 'I am not going to attack.'

I wish more cat owners appreciated this vital fact.

Cats purr when they're in pain. Often.

FlyMeToDunoon · 03/02/2023 10:30

Sounds very like my old cat who I had pts just before Christmas. It was a sad and difficult decision but what had changed was that she was missing the litter tray and messing herself up-poo all up the back of her tail and down legs. She staggered too and was getting more unsteady.
The vet did say that under 2kilos cats are really on their way out which helped me to come to terms with my decision.

Otterock · 03/02/2023 10:33

If you’d like a resource to help you assess quality of life look up the hhhhhmm scale. It can be useful to look at each thing and help you make a judgement.

BellatrixLestrangesHeatedCurlers · 03/02/2023 10:39

Could the caterwauling be because he's going deaf? My cat (17 this month) has got louder as his hearing has slowly deteriorated (he is an indoor cat so no risk from cars that he can't hear coming etc.). If your cat seems to be enjoying cuddles and attention then he's probably OK, more good days than bad, etc. The first cat in my family was pts after she couldn't jump up any more and wasn't able to move - suddenly it was obvious it was cruel to keep her alive and in distress. The switch was pretty sudden. You'll know when it's time.

Beamur · 03/02/2023 10:43

Being thin and thirsty could indicate an underlying issue.
Probably worth a vet check.
Purring can be a self soothing behaviour too.
Sleeping a lot and not going out much isn't unusual for an older cat.
Quality of life is what our vet told us to monitor - we used the index mentioned upthead.

Octopusmittens · 03/02/2023 10:46

Is he under the care of a vet? He should be, elderly cats can develop conditions which can easily managed with medication.

MrNook · 03/02/2023 10:53

Have you taken him to the vet about being thin and being really thirsty? I thought my cat was just a thirsty cat until I realised it was a sign of kidney problems and then it was too late and I had to put him to sleep, please get him seen ASAP if you haven't it could be treatable by

Original poster
Mxflamingnoravera · 03/02/2023 19:25

I have taken him to the vet, who said he's not suffering (this was in December), but also said I'd have to make the decision to PTS sooner rather than later.

I'll look at the scale, thanks for that.

OP posts:
AllTheWatersTurnedToClouds · 03/02/2023 19:33

our 18 yr old puss doesn't go out much - she'll go for a quick bask on the garden furniture on a summer's morning, and then it's back to her sofa when it's too hot.

She's never liked being touched much, but looks happy as larry in front of the fire of an evening, and tells the younger cats to eff off with plenty of vigour still Grin

it's a worry when they get really old, i always go and find her to check she's still alive when i get up in the morning Sad

Octopusmittens · 04/02/2023 15:50

Mxflamingnoravera · 03/02/2023 19:25

I have taken him to the vet, who said he's not suffering (this was in December), but also said I'd have to make the decision to PTS sooner rather than later.

I'll look at the scale, thanks for that.

As long as he’s got quality of life why would the vet even suggest PTS?

MrNook · 04/02/2023 16:27

Mxflamingnoravera · 03/02/2023 19:25

I have taken him to the vet, who said he's not suffering (this was in December), but also said I'd have to make the decision to PTS sooner rather than later.

I'll look at the scale, thanks for that.

Why would he suggest PTS if he's not suffering?

Did he do blood tests?

Original poster
Mxflamingnoravera · 05/02/2023 15:43

The vet said he is just old and senile and bloods were unnecessary because he's so vet phobic.

OP posts:
TonTonMacoute · 05/02/2023 16:54

For me the question is 'what is his tomorrow going to be like?'

It's the decision we all dread, but don't leave it too long.

JackRosenberg · 05/02/2023 17:40

You should get him tested for diabetes. I thought my 16 year old was on the way out a couple of years ago with similar symptoms and now he's getting insulin he's fine, its very treatable. I understand not wanting to go down the route of invasive surgery at that age but its just a simple blood test.

JackRosenberg · 05/02/2023 17:41

I find your vet's approach a bit strange to be honest.

Allergictoironing · 05/02/2023 17:57

Sounds like you think the time may be right. Weight loss, thirst & yowling can also be signs of chronic kidney disease which isn't really curable, you can just extend their life. It can be hard for a vet to judge how to say things to a pet owner, I had to ask mine to be blunt and not sugar coat anything, but I think them saying you would need to make the decision sooner rather than later was them saying that your darling cat is on his way out.

I am facing this with my much younger cat (8), he is being PTS tomorrow due to CKD. I have had agonies trying to get the timing right, giving him (and me and his sister) as much time together without causing him any suffering, but the time is right now. I have seen too many pets being kept alive long after they should have been PTS - I see this as my last gify of love to him.

Remember that he won't know what's happening at the vets. The ones who suffer are those left behind, but I feel we all owe it to our pets - it's how I would want to go.

Original poster
Mxflamingnoravera · 06/02/2023 06:53

@Allergictoironing Yes, I suspect you are right about the vet telling me what I need to do in a bit of a veiled way.

I'll keep going with him a bit longer, I know he won't improve but it doesn't feel quite time yet, although I know it will be possibly weeks.

The idea of coming home to an empty house (I live alone) is awful- he usually still greets me when I get home from work, it's for food, but it's also for comfort as I've been at home for three years (pandemic then back surgery), he's desperate to sit on my lap as soon as he's eaten and used the litter tray.

The litter tray is getting to me though, I'm using the clumping clay stuff and there is a trial of paw prints down the hallway which has made wanting him on my lap less attractive (yes I know he was trailing in paw prints from the garden previously but they were invisible). I've just bought silica litter and am hoping it will stop the litter trail but not sure if he'll deal with the texture change. I have the tray in a low trug because he misses the tray frequently when he wees. I line the trug with a puppy pad which helps a bit.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. The vet is a bit of a cold fish, but I think he was realistic in his view.

OP posts:
Mylaferret · 06/02/2023 06:58

Going to be honest when he started falling over that would have been it for me. Something is wrong with him, cats just aren't good at showing pain. The vet was trying to tell you it's time. Keeping him alive so you don't have to come home to an empty house isn't in the cats best interests.

Catspyjamas17 · 06/02/2023 07:06

Bless you @Mxflamingnoravera , it can be difficult and upsetting when a beloved pet becomes elderly.

My first cat Cindy lived until she was 19. She was fine until the last year, when she had some health issues and was getting poo stuck to her bum. I had to gently bath her and dry her with a hairdryer almost every day- being quite deaf helped I think, she didn't like it much at first but then seemed to accept what I was doing and was all purry when I was drying her. I knew she was on her last legs but while she still seemed to still have some quality of life, enjoying her food and cuddles. We only had her PTS when she stopped eating and nothing could be done.

Re the litter tray, I've only recently discovered litter tray liners, which have made my life a lot easier.

The cats we have now are coming up to 15 and 14, and are very well just now, but at least I know of some of the issues they can face when they are older.

Good luck with it all, OP 💐