Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

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

Original poster

Would you investigate (Old boy)

57 replies

Bubblepanda · 23/07/2023 14:03

Hi, just after other opinions. Our gorgeous boy is 19 years old and suddenly has lost so much weight. He is still asking for food, possibly drinking more than usual and has started peeing outside/next his litter tray. If I thought for a second he was in any pain I would take him to the vets draught away, however the journey stresses him out so much. I have spoken to the vets who have said they can do some bloods and investigations but I think he is just reaching the end of the road. How much would you have them poked and prodded at 19 or would you just keep them comfortable until the time came to make a decision. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 23/07/2023 23:10

I'm
Having a similar dilemma with my cat. I haves thread on here as well. I'm
Beginning to suspect it's cancer though as she's just to well in her self and not behaving at all like her sister was when she went into kidney failure. She's 13ish though. She looks terrible.

Original poster
Bubblepanda · 24/07/2023 00:08

So sorry to hear so many are going through the same worries. My DM cat was diagnosed with cancer at 16 the vet offered chemo but DM decided to let her go instead as there was no guarantee after all the treatment she would recover. Such harder decisions

OP posts:
Original poster
Bubblepanda · 24/07/2023 00:08

Will also look into the powder thank you for that

OP posts:
caringcarer · 24/07/2023 01:44

My old cat was 18 and he started to lose weight but was still eating his food and jumping up to my son for a cuddle. I took him to vet and he had blood test. It was his thyroid. He went on to thyroid meds and lived until he was 22. During the bonus 4 years he was happy, jumping up on the sofa with son, eating all his food and treats and he slowly regained the weight he had lost. His thyroid med was about £200 per year and he took it with no problems. I'd get his bloods done as it could be thyroid and that is very treatable. If he's happy, eating and jumping up I'd just change his litter to Fuller's earth which is not hard on his paws. She if that helps him.

ece123 · 24/07/2023 06:40

I wouldn’t investigate a 19 year old cat. I am so sorry.

Original poster
Bubblepanda · 25/07/2023 20:02

An update for you all. Took him to the vets today after he seemed really wobbly, of course he perked up an hour before going. The vet could feel a mass in his stomach, fairly small at this stage. He can have steroids to try to manage it but depends on kidney function. He has had bloods taken and we will have the results back tomorrow. It's now a matter of managing mass or kidneys with diet so we can make sure he is comfortable for as long as he is able. He was pissed at us in the car but happily had his treats

OP posts:
TruthThatsHardAsSteel · 25/07/2023 20:35

Glad you got him seen to. I had an old dear lady cat who lived to 23. She had stroke, seizures, and so many times I lay down to sleep with her thinking it's bound to be her last night but she kept bouncing back. When she did finally go, one day she just couldn't get down the step as her back legs went. Very sudden.

I hope your boy is OK. I give poached chicken to sick kitties. 😻 Sending a big cuddle his way. Are you going to pay your cat tax?

Original poster
Bubblepanda · 25/07/2023 21:25

Hopefully that's me fully paid up. My scrappy old man. Thank you I will try poached chicken for him tomorrow

Would you investigate (Old boy)
OP posts:
RosesAndHellebores · 25/07/2023 21:30

I'm so sorry it wasn't a simple fix. I was praying fir something like his thyroid, not that I would wish it on him.

Original poster
Bubblepanda · 25/07/2023 21:40

It was worth checking just in case. It means we can work at keeping him as comfortable as we can. I have a feeling he won't stay around for much longer but he has been such a good boy for 19 year I feel very thankful for him

OP posts:
GoldLacewingOrpington · 25/07/2023 22:11

Aww what a gorgeous boy he is.

TruthThatsHardAsSteel · 25/07/2023 23:53

He's a beauty 😻. My older cat likes to drink the water the chicken was poached in, dirtbird.

Praying for Good things for you. Spoil him rotten. ❤️

Defiantlynot41 · 26/07/2023 10:23

He is lovely, glad you went to the vet. Our oldies also stand in the tray and pee outwards - putting a small empty litter tray outside the entrance to the actual litter tray has helped. (So the pee goes into the empty tray). It's important the second tray has no litter in it as if there is they will just stand in that one and pee over the edge! And puppy pads for any wayward sprays.

Original poster
Bubblepanda · 26/07/2023 11:31

He is gorgeous. Ahhh I put a small tray but with litter in and he just went on the pad will try an empty one. Thanks for all of the tips I really appreciate it

OP posts:
Seasideanticscanleadtosandybuckets · 26/07/2023 11:34

I know it's not always pound dependant but vet pressured my dm to have tests done. Literally pennies under 1k...then decided pts was best. Another £250.

But apparently dm was fine because she got a card from the surgery. I was quite annoyed tbh.
Hope your dcat is OK op...

Original poster
Bubblepanda · 26/07/2023 11:47

I have read some horror stories. Thankfully I didn't feel any pressure yesterday and it was more DP pushing for blood tests to know which way to manage him. I think it was about £170 for consultation and bloods. I am going to ask today the price of prescription only, as I am sure they will prescribe something. We paid about £40 for pain meds when he hurt his leg a few months just looked online and it's £5.50. Will be more clued up this time.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bubblepanda · 27/07/2023 14:09

Got the news yesterday it's his later stage Kidney failure. They have said diet won't make any difference at this stage. He wasn't great yesterday and didn't go to the toilet at all. Today he is perkier. Every time I think right we need to PTS he springs back into action, of sorts. Vet said it could be weeks but no longer than 3 months however with urination slowing down massively he was more concerned.

OP posts:
Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 27/07/2023 14:36

Sorry to hear this @Bubblepanda.
My first cat went in this way with all the same symptoms, and I still think we kept him alive for too long. The vet told us that one of the problems with advanced kidney disease is that because it gives the cat really bad breath, they sometimes won't eat because the food tastes bad to them.
I now tend the view that a day too early is much better than a day too late.
You have my sympathy 💐

Wolfiefan · 27/07/2023 14:48

I’m so very sorry OP. Our vet advised it was about dignity. We decided old girl didn’t have any. We didn’t want to wait until she was actually suffering. Heartbreaking but best for her.

rosewatergin · 27/07/2023 14:55

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

NoSquirrels · 27/07/2023 14:59

I was in the same dilemma with my old girl last year, just before we went on holiday. She also had a mass in her stomach and we tried steroids but it didn’t help. I wouldn’t put her through anything else. I don’t want to worry you but I massively regret not taking her myself to PTS before we went on holiday - my DH took her to her last appointment and took the vets advice to wait and see, but I wish I’d been the one to go instead and insisted. Deep down I knew leaving her wasn’t right. Our cat sitter had to do it as she went downhill dramatically almost overnight. Very upsetting for everyone. I wish I’d given her a better end and been the person there for her.

Original poster
Bubblepanda · 27/07/2023 16:00

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. We have another couple of weeks before we go and I absolutely wouldn't put someone else in that difficult position or him without someone he loves. He will need to be with DP it's him he takes the most comfort from. DP has said for a week or so about his breath smelling. To be me he smells really strongly of smokey bacon. Still no toilet visits today so think he is on the wind down. Although he has happily been eating cod today

OP posts:
Original poster
Bubblepanda · 27/07/2023 16:09

He also has a mass in his stomach

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 27/07/2023 17:01

Honestly if he isn’t able to wee then I wouldn’t be waiting a week. So sorry.

Original poster
Bubblepanda · 27/07/2023 18:04

That's my thoughts too we have gone from having to change the puppy pads 5 times a date plus to him going just once today. Thanks for everyone's kindness

OP posts: