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Advise - 15 year old cat off to vet tomorrow for follow up

2 replies

longtompot · 03/09/2025 22:25

Our cat, Gizmo, is just over 15 years old and has arthritis which is (was) being treated with Gabapentin.
About 10 days or so ago, she seemed not herself, loafing a lot in the garden under chairs and in the border. We then noticed she wasn't using her litter tray at all at night, and no sign of going anywhere in the house. She is shut in from around 10pm every night so this is a long time not to be going. We also hadn't seen her drink from her water fountain any where near as much as usual.
A few days later she jumped off my dds bed and had a bit of wee seepage, not a wee as such, just from the jump down. It was quite dark and smelt quite strong, so we thought UTI. She was also off her food and she was quite round. Went to the vets, who gave her an antibiotic injection and a steroid injection and sent away with some Metacam. As she has such a fear of the vets, she wee'd in the crate we use to take her, and the roundness went, so we think it was just a very full bladder.
Since then she has still not really eaten much. My dd can get a licky lick or two on her over night, sometimes she will eat some of her usual kibble, the odd slurp of cat milk, but really not interested in her wet food. Annoying for another reason as this was her food she would reliably eat with her Gabapentin in, so she hasn't had that for just over a week now.
So she is now an unhappy cat for whatever the original issue is, and she has come off Gabapentin too quickly so is cross about that, and then the arthritis pain on top of that. She has hissed at my dd and there has been much angry tail wagging.

Having not got on top of my dogs illness earlier this year, who I then had to say goodbye to, I don't want to be missing something that could be helped and again have to make the decision to say goodbye to our cat. My dd has a downstairs bedroom so the cat is with her a lot, and feels very much like her cat. She has struggled with losing our dog, and this is stressing her out.

So, anything that we can ask the vet, or suggestions on how to get her to eat, would be really appreciated. She is feeling skinny as she hasn't really eaten properly for over a week and when she was weighed last week she was 300g lighter than the previous time she was weighed at 4kg and now pretty sure she is closer to 3.5kg if not lighter.

OP posts:
imfae · 04/09/2025 00:01

I am sorry that your cat isn’t well at the moment . I would concentrate on trying to find some food that she will eat . Can you change the food - go to the supermarket and get some different individual tins / flavours ?
My cats definitely love tuna or plain chicken as a treat . If she does love tuna , I would try and give her some of that and if she will eat it , try and get the medication in that way .
It is important that she keeps hydrated , so I would try also and get some water into her - even with a syringe .
If she continues not to eat much and toilet , you will need to go back to the vet and discuss the symptoms with them .They may be able to discuss other medications /,treatment eg liquid rather than pills etc .
I have one very compliant cat who is really easy to give pills / medicine to now . But it was a struggle at first and I think we got quicker giving him meds and he realised we weren’t trying to hurt him . I know my other cat would be a nightmare and full body armour would be required !
I try and keep a note on my phone to remind myself each day , feeding , toileting any behaviour .Then I can summarise these to the vet
It may well be that she is feeling miserable as you say , because of the arthritis but she needs to eat and drink .
It is a worrying time when they are elderly . I am a regular at the vet and I have had “ the quality of life “ talk from them a few times . He does seem to be enjoying life at the moment ,but I do know now that every time I take him , it may be his last .
It is also really hard that you have lost a dog this year as well and how hard that has been for you all . One of my DC was having a really hard time this week and I was praying at the vet visit this week , that I would get my cat home - which I did .
I have tried to very gently prepare my DC for saying goodbye - which I appreciate that you probably couldn’t do for your dog . I will still be an emotional wreck , as will the kids regardless .
I think we sadly have to prepare our kids for this , due to the lifespan of pets .
I hope that you see an improvement . If your cat hates going to the vets , if you are a regular customer I find that the reception staff / nurses will often pass on queries I have about medication etc to the vet . I don’t get an immediate response , but they will usually get back to me later in the day .

longtompot · 04/09/2025 11:15

Thank you @imfae I probably should have said my dd is an adult. Her world is quite small due to disability so the cat is a big part of her day.
She, Gizmo, actually ate her medicine food last night which is good news, and is desperate to get outside now but the appointment is soon so there would be stress trying to get her back in. I think today will just be a weight check and maybe a pain relieving injection if possible.

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