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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Handhold please: Sodding is very poorly

53 replies

soddingkitten · 21/07/2023 22:18

Our beautiful boy is only 3. He became quiet and withdrawn and stopped eating/drinking on Tuesday. He was admitted with a high fever and put on IV fluids overnight. He brightened up enough to be discharged home on Wednesday, only to deteriorate rapidly within a few hours and be readmitted early on Thursday morning with new neuro symptoms on top of the fever.

We’re lucky he’s well insured, so everything has been painstakingly investigated. He’s had bloods, head/neck/abdo/chest CTs and a battery of other tests, including bloods and aspiration of a swollen lymph node in his neck. Middle ear infection and brain lesions have been ruled out. He’s been on IV antibiotics which treat toxoplasmosis for for >24hrs. He’s not improving but he’s not getting worse. The vets are gradually, through a process of elimination, narrowing down their areas for focus.

Current differential diagnosis is toxoplasmosis or FIP, though the FIP test they’ve taken may not give us a definitive answer. It’s also possible none of the tests will be positive & a clear diagnosis remains elusive. FIP sounds incredibly bleak. We were quoted £6-10k for specialist FIP referral, investigation and treatment, if we want to pursue this. It would take us way, way beyond our insurance limit and the new wonder drug would be an incredibly expensive, uninsured ongoing commitment with uncertain benefit. We can’t entertain it.

I am trying to stay hopeful that it’s toxoplasmosis or something else altogether and he might come good, but it’s really hard right now. All of us are broken-hearted. He’s such a wonderful cat and has brought us so much joy.

I’m not really sure what I’m looking for here. Mainly a handhold, but if anyone has experience of FIP I’d be interested to know what we are up against. How will we know when we’ve done enough for him?

OP posts:
blondieminx · 21/07/2023 22:23

Sending you an unmumsnetty hug because it’s so hard seeing our fur babies poorly. I hope Sodding turns a bit of a corner overnight for you x

Mommasgotabrandnewbag · 21/07/2023 22:26

You called your cat Sodding?

Original poster
soddingkitten · 21/07/2023 22:29

Mommasgotabrandnewbag · 21/07/2023 22:26

You called your cat Sodding?

Obviously not. That’s his MN nickname. He has a very unusual real life name that would be outing. I gave him his MN nickname when he was 5 months only and destroying all our soft furnishings and swinging from the Roman blinds. But sure, if that’s the one thing you want to pick at in this thread, pat yourself on the back for being a righteous keyboard warrior…

OP posts:
Original poster
soddingkitten · 21/07/2023 22:31

blondieminx · 21/07/2023 22:23

Sending you an unmumsnetty hug because it’s so hard seeing our fur babies poorly. I hope Sodding turns a bit of a corner overnight for you x

Thank you for your understanding.

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pointythings · 21/07/2023 22:34

Oh your poor furbaby, sending recovery vibes to you. I have 4 (to be 5 come Sunday and one of mine has all kinds of congenital issues. He's 2. I don't think he's going to make old bones and I dread it, but I love him and give him the best life. I am 100% sure you have done the same for yours, no matter what.

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 21/07/2023 22:36

I’m so sorry, I hope it’s good news soon.

@Mommasgotabrandnewbag Was there any need for that?

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 21/07/2023 22:49

Handhold

No experience of FIP but I can only imagine you are feeling frantic and waiting for news while going through the scenarios in your head if it is xyz what then

Theres a post I just read on another topic regarding a dog at the Vets (I won't link ) the poor owner waiting while the vet did this test and that test . At the end they had to make the painful decision that being euthanised was the right choice for their beloved pet , she was deteriorating and not able to recognise them.Such a sad post .

If the prognosis for your lovely cat is poor then you will make the right choice for him. If you do need to say goodbye , its for him .
Us cat slaves pay the price for loving these little critters .

Crossing all the paws that the news will be good for him.

Original poster
soddingkitten · 21/07/2023 22:56

Thank you @70isaLimitNotaTarget . I think we are in the same place. The next 48 hours seem critical in terms of trajectory. He hasn’t eaten properly since Monday. We won’t make him suffer. Someone very close to me (a human, not pet) went to the ends of the Earth fighting cancer, with massive quality of life implications for their last 6-8 months of life. It’s led me to conclude just because you can do something (heroic medical measures) doesn’t always mean you should. It’s just so upsetting to be where we are. He’s an outdoor cat and very adventurous. I always thought if he didn’t make old bones, it would be his adventuring. This is horrible.

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Thisweeksname · 21/07/2023 22:59

Fingers crossed that he improves and recovers ❤pets are family members and it’s horrible when they’re poorly. Sending good wishes

Whiskeypowers · 21/07/2023 23:05

Fingers and paws crossed
sorry it is just horrible when they are poorly. Even when they are unwell cats are so dignified and beautiful ❤️

Wapping123 · 21/07/2023 23:21

I’m so sorry, it’s awful to see them so poorly and really worrying when all the treatment is so expensive. If you are on FB it would be worth looking up FIP warriors 5.0 or similar groups. They can talk you through treating your cat for FIP by getting the medication and administering it yourself which is a lot cheaper than doing it via specialist vet treatment. I haven’t gone through this myself but those who have have had success through this route when their insurance wouldn’t cover the vet’s treatment. I hope poor Sodding is feeling better soon, fingers crossed it’s not FIP and the antibiotics will sort him out.

Meifly · 21/07/2023 23:26

Lots of experience with FIP here. The drug that can treat it was licenced in China before it was licensed in the UK and my animal charity mainly operates there so we have been using it for a few years on our FIP rescues.

A couple of things I would say is that while your description sounds like it could be FIP it could also be several other things. Their are 2 types of FIP , wet FIP which is more common, more easy to diagnose and generally slower progressing and Dry FIP which is rarer, presents more as neuro symptoms, is faster progressing and is very hard to diagnose definitely as you do not have a typical abdominal fluid build as with the wet form (it is often made as a diagnosis of elimination and I have seen it misdiagnosed) .

It is extremely rare , though not totally impossible for adult cats to develop FIP, most develop it as kittens or teens , I've only heard of one cat (not one of my own rescues) getting it aged 3+.

From my experience (around 70 or so cats over the last few years) FIP is always fatal if not treated with the new drug. The time until death is usually months with wet form , days or weeks with dry . Of those we've had treated since the drug became available almost all have survived with only 2 wet FIP cases not responding . These have all been total recoveries with no lasting effects or ongoing treatment.

The treatment course is a pretty lengthy process and it is expensive but it does work.

If it does turn out to be FIP I think you either need to decide quickly to go for the treatment plan or PTS ASAP as FIP is a very hard way for them to go unfortunately

P.s I'm trying to write this in a factual way so I'm very sorry if it comes off as insensitive, my first ever adopted kitten died of FIP before their was a cure and before I knew all of this and I wish I had known everything to make the right decision for her 😢

Original poster
soddingkitten · 21/07/2023 23:33

Meifly · 21/07/2023 23:26

Lots of experience with FIP here. The drug that can treat it was licenced in China before it was licensed in the UK and my animal charity mainly operates there so we have been using it for a few years on our FIP rescues.

A couple of things I would say is that while your description sounds like it could be FIP it could also be several other things. Their are 2 types of FIP , wet FIP which is more common, more easy to diagnose and generally slower progressing and Dry FIP which is rarer, presents more as neuro symptoms, is faster progressing and is very hard to diagnose definitely as you do not have a typical abdominal fluid build as with the wet form (it is often made as a diagnosis of elimination and I have seen it misdiagnosed) .

It is extremely rare , though not totally impossible for adult cats to develop FIP, most develop it as kittens or teens , I've only heard of one cat (not one of my own rescues) getting it aged 3+.

From my experience (around 70 or so cats over the last few years) FIP is always fatal if not treated with the new drug. The time until death is usually months with wet form , days or weeks with dry . Of those we've had treated since the drug became available almost all have survived with only 2 wet FIP cases not responding . These have all been total recoveries with no lasting effects or ongoing treatment.

The treatment course is a pretty lengthy process and it is expensive but it does work.

If it does turn out to be FIP I think you either need to decide quickly to go for the treatment plan or PTS ASAP as FIP is a very hard way for them to go unfortunately

P.s I'm trying to write this in a factual way so I'm very sorry if it comes off as insensitive, my first ever adopted kitten died of FIP before their was a cure and before I knew all of this and I wish I had known everything to make the right decision for her 😢

Thank you Meifly. This is exactly the kind of experience and knowledge I was hoping for. The vet has been checking on USS and by palpating for fluid accumulating in his abdomen and can’t find any. They took a full range of CT scans so they only had to sedate him once and did a quick review locally, but are sending them for specialist reporting in tranches as we close off each avenue to keep costs down. If it is FIP, she thinks it will be the dry form - particularly because of his neuro symptoms. I will reflect on what you’ve said. Genuinely, thank you.

OP posts:
Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 22/07/2023 07:31

It’s led me to conclude just because you can do something (heroic medical measures) doesn’t always mean you should.

I don't have any experience of FIP I'm afraid (you've had great, informed advice above) but have come on to wish your cat well and hope he recovers. I'll also like to add that I think you are absolutely right in what you've said above and that will help you make the right decision if things don't go well.
My sympathies to you and Sodding-cat. 💐

Original poster
soddingkitten · 22/07/2023 14:06

He had a better night, has started eating again (with appetite stimulants) and was brighter this morning so they’ve sent him home for the weekend until his test results are back on Monday. He does seem more alert and doing more of his normal behaviours than he was when they discharged him earlier in the week. We have been asked to keep an eye on him for neuro symptoms. I can still spot a subtle twitch or jolt every few minutes that wasn’t there before this week, but the vet seems to think they are improving. We’ll have to wait and see. 🤞🤞🤞

As an aside, does anyone know what the max limit means for a condition? Is it for the insured year only & then is recalculated the following year as a declared condition, or is it for life? Our pet insurance is with Direct Line and we have Advanced cover for vet fees.

OP posts:
Pudmyboy · 22/07/2023 16:09

No advice just a handhold, wishing you and Sodding all the best, 💐

Original poster
soddingkitten · 22/07/2023 16:11

Thank you.

I forgot to thank @Wapping123 for the FB suggestion. I don’t have FB so I’ll ask DH to have a look.

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whirlyhead · 22/07/2023 21:35

I lost an 18 month old cat to FIP 20 years ago and it was heart breaking. There was no treatment back then. You do have to think of the cat - they have no concept of what is going on, and is it fair to put them through a tough treatment which may not work out. You may want to do it for you, but is it fair on your cat.

I lost a cat to lymphoma a few years ago and make a conscious decision not to put him through chemo as the outcome was so uncertain. As it happened he died the day after the surgery to remove the tumour so I didn’t need to make the decision.

losing them so young is dreadful.

Original poster
soddingkitten · 22/07/2023 21:47

I’m so sorry to hear about your losses @whirlyhead . 💐

I am feeling a tiny bit more hopeful now our boy is home with us. He does seem brighter, more ‘normal’ and is showing more interest in food, though he’s still not eating much.

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FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 23/07/2023 14:13

How is he today?

Original poster
soddingkitten · 23/07/2023 19:11

He seems brighter again today. We are still seeing a few tics and jolts, but fewer than yesterday. He is grazing with increasing interest, if not eating as much as usual. He’s using his litter tray, although very unhappy about having to do so. He is desperate to go out in the garden and tried scaling his way out of a sash window earlier, which is encouraging. I am really hoping the neuro symptoms were due to toxoplasmosis and their reduction is due to the antibiotics working. 🤞 Blood tests for FIP and toxoplasmosis are due back tomorrow, plus abdominal CT scan results. We are keeping everything crossed for positive news.

Thanks for asking after him @FormerlyPathologicallyHappy

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FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 24/07/2023 07:48

Ill be thinking of you & sodding kitten today.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 24/07/2023 21:41

How is SoddingKitten today , did you get any enlightenment from his results?

I was cleaning up grassy spit that our dear FemaleFeline hurled up on the carpet -I thought if this is all I have to worry about with my cats then I'm doing ok ,

Fingers crossed for some good news for your little chap .

Original poster
soddingkitten · 24/07/2023 21:47

No results yet but his appetite is picking up. He is very unhappy about being kept indoors. He seems much brighter. 🤞

OP posts:
Original poster
soddingkitten · 24/07/2023 21:50

It’s astonishing he could be so much better than 4 days ago. I wasn’t sure he’d make it through Thursday. Antibiotics are miraculous.

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