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

How do I know if my elderly cat is ok?

5 replies

Saltandvinegarsquares30 · 01/08/2024 13:06

I've been on Mumsnet for years but never knew there was a page for cats so hello 👋🏼
I know no one can give me the correct answer here but I want to ask some advice on my lovely old girl. She is just over 19 (got her as a rescue at 4 yrs). She's never given me any bother apart from being quite a noisy cat.

Three years ago she was quite unwell, it was early 2021 and there were still alot of restrictions. She had bloods that she was end stage organ failure and we're advised to PTS but I couldn't be with her. I wanted another day with her and she perked up to vet said let's do a urine test. She had a urine infection!! Antibiotics and she was fine and is still here. She doesn't go out much, sleeps alot, can't jump much anymore but seems happy enough. But she's on and off her food alot. Drinks and pees alot (kidney disease obviously). She's recently put on a fair bit of weight as I tried her on some Sheeba and she loved it. But she's off that now. She just circles her bowl and cries for food but when I give her something she just sniffs and walks off and meows at me until she wonders off to sleep. I've not been to the vets since they nearly put her down. I know her teeth are probably awful and her breath stinks but she grooms herself still. The one thing she doesn't do anymore is purr or it's very very quiet.
So there's no specific concerns, just general but should I get her looked at? What would a vet do? Is this just normal old cat behaviour? I just don't want her to be suffering.

Thankyou for reading xx

OP posts:
MarthaJonesPhone · 01/08/2024 13:20

I had my lovely old girl pts last night. She was getting more and more fussy over food until the past week when she really wasn't eating at all. Other than that not really anything.

Bloods showed nothing, ultrasound showed nothing. Xray showed some light spots in lungs. Vet took a sample of her lung with a needle (I really regret this). I went to visit her last night and she looked awful.

If I knew then what I know now I would have had my darling girl pts the day before. I bitterly regret putting her through any pain but you feel so helpless and you don't want them to go.

You do need to take her to the vet. It could be that her teeth are causing her too much pain to eat.

Frenchfemme · 01/08/2024 13:27

I’ve just had my 18yr old Siamese pts this morning. She also sniffed food and turned her head away. She'd had some decrease in kidney function about a month ago and the vet says it had got worse and was one of the reasons why she wouldn’t eat. She was sleeping more and more. I recommend you take her to the vet (I got the vet to come here and she was able to pts in her own home). Paws crossed for you.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 01/08/2024 13:44

Just so you know - terrible breath can be a result of kidney failure as well.
At 19 with these symptoms I'm afraid I'd tend to assume her time has come. Definitely a vet visit.

And my sympathy @Frenchfemme & @MarthaJonesPhone for your recent losses. 💐

Saltandvinegarsquares30 · 01/08/2024 18:58

I'm very sorry for your losses 😔

Thankyou all for your replies.

I managed to get her into the vets this avo. Vet was very impressed at how 'bright' she seems for her age but with her low weight and the symptoms I'd described she took some bloods. Of course as soon as we got home and I'd parted with £215 she ate a bowl of food!!

I guess we will see what the blood work shows up and ill follow whatever advice given. Xx

OP posts:
Frenchfemme · 02/08/2024 10:37

Paws crossed for her - glad she’s eating!

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