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Out of tests and options

35 replies

EddieVeddersfoxymop · 05/07/2025 21:58

Anyone on here that can help? My DCat is very sick and we have nowhere left to go. Sorry this is long.

She's 9, was a stray and is the loveliest wee thing. Nothing of significance in her medical history until this point.

A month ago she went off her food. Totally uninterested, sitting hunched and looking mighty uncomfortable. Bloods, ultrasound and xray all utterly normal on first inspection. 2nd specialist opinion was sought, which noted a slight enlargement of one lymph node and a slight suspicion of a grumpy pancreas. She was treated as it it were her pancreas - pain killers. She rallied somewhat but was never totally back to normal - slight behaviour changes.

3 weeks later, her behaviour totally changed. Sleeping in her litter tray, trying to climb into weird and wonderful places. Whisked her back to vet, suspect urine infection, treated with antibiotics. Again, rallied but still not herself.

She was slightly improved for 3 days, before we took her back again as she was uncontrollably salivating and was mighty pissed off. Aggressive (not like her at all) and dribbling everywhere. Bloods and xrays repeated. All normal, no change from previous results. Given steroids. Rallied again, but still not her usual self. Lasted a week.

Found her in the morning a bit disoriented and vocal. Deteriorated over 4 hours to then be unable to place feet and walk - she was very wobbly, disoriented and shaky. Immediately took her to vet who performed neurological exam and observed her gait etc. Dulled reflex when presented to a table edge ie she didn't try and place a foot on the surface. She did correct a knuckled over foot however and blink reflex OK. Discovered she was immensely painful down her spine but previous xrays x2 were totally normal. Sent home on massive painkillers, steroids and gabapentin.

Overnight she is a bit more balanced but tail is uncontrolled and she's moving her head very jerky. Her ears are twitching and shes unable to control her head and general movement- momentum carries her on and she bumps things harder than she means to. Shes staring off into space and seems so dead behind the eyes. Shes pacing and restless- we feel like she has no idea where she is and what shes supposed to be doing.

We are utterly heartbroken as we dont think she will recover. Can anyone think of anything we have missed? Clinically all her tests and imaging show not one thing out of whack and yet she's so poorly.

OP posts:
TemporaryCatSlave · 12/07/2025 20:30

I'm so sorry. Nothing you can do but let the grief come as & when it does, and remember all the good, funny, silly times for her.

Words · 12/07/2025 20:36

So very very sorry xxx

Frenchfemme · 12/07/2025 20:40

I’m so sorry you lost your lovely girl 🌈💔

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 12/07/2025 23:46

I'm very sorry to hear your update. She was clearly a much loved cat. 💐

BrentfordForever · 13/07/2025 08:15

Oh I am so very sorry 😥

your beautiful girl will be so much missed even by us 💔

ChompandaGrazia · 13/07/2025 08:35

So sorry. What a beautiful girl.

EddieVeddersfoxymop · 13/07/2025 16:37

Thank you all - she was our heart cat and we threw everything we had at this to make it go away. Sadly it appears that a brain growth or lesion was behind all of her symptoms and there was nothing else we could do for her. We could have tried even stronger painkillers but we decided that she had suffered enough and it was time to take the pain for her.

For anyone on the fence about pet insurance- please take it. We spent over £1500 trying to save her and were so glad we could just tell the vets to do what was needed and not worry about the costs. The costs ran up quickly - very quickly. But we were glad we could try and focus all our attention on her and not the financial side.

Goodnight girl, you were so loved

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Kattovitpanic · 13/07/2025 16:43

I’m so sorry. Brain tumour was my first thought when I read the symptom list. It’s devastating but it sounds like there was nothing you or the vet could have done to save her. You clearly loved her so much and did everything you possibly could, I wish every little rescue cat could know this level of love and care in their lives. Thank you for taking such good care of her, and I am so very sorry for your loss - it really does rip your heart out when they go, doesn’t it.

MadKittenWoman · 13/07/2025 17:31
Flowers
EddieVeddersfoxymop · 13/07/2025 17:54

Kattovitpanic · 13/07/2025 16:43

I’m so sorry. Brain tumour was my first thought when I read the symptom list. It’s devastating but it sounds like there was nothing you or the vet could have done to save her. You clearly loved her so much and did everything you possibly could, I wish every little rescue cat could know this level of love and care in their lives. Thank you for taking such good care of her, and I am so very sorry for your loss - it really does rip your heart out when they go, doesn’t it.

Thank you - we loved that furry little weirdo with all our hearts. She lived a treasured life, wanted for nothing and was loved to the absolute max. Rescue cats break my heart - i suspect we will find another furry friend in need to add to our family again when the time is right.
She mended our hearts when our previous cat passed at the age of 19 - she was meant to be with us and by God, she healed us. I hope we find another one to repair the hole left in our hearts by her passing.
I am comforted that we threw everything at this - and I mean everything. We went £1500 financially into this, but more importantly my husband slept on the sofa with her when she was disoriented and frightened to come up to bed. We left our security cameras on her when we had to go to work. Family called in through the day for welfare checks. We monitored her carefully and exhausted ourselves trying to juggle her care, her medicine regime and daily family life. She was worth every sleepless night and every single penny.

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