WTF is going on with my cat?

[PencilsInSpace]

11 years old, suddenly in lots of pain Friday evening - crying if I picked her up, couldn't climb up or down the slightest height, hobbling when walking, couldn't even get comfortable lying down, seeking out dark corners.

Took her to the vet Saturday morning who couldn't find anything specifically wrong. I don't think the vet really got how much pain she was in as she's a bit of an odd cat - her reaction to stress is to go very quiet and a bit floppy so she would have come across as simply a very cooperative cat.

She has a chronic allergic skin condition and is on a maintenance dose of steroids. Earlier this year she had a tummy upset which was causing her a lot of pain and at that time the vet said the steroids might be affecting her liver function so when I went on Friday I requested bloods because I thought we might be looking at a repeat of the same problem. She was also prescribed 3 days worth of buprenorphine for the pain.

We've had a really difficult weekend with her, the painkillers have taken the edge off but she's still been in obvious pain and unable to do any of her normal activities or get really comfortable. Also she has seemed quite disorientated at times, I think anything ending in 'orphine' is probably a hefty drug.

Her blood results came back this evening and are all normal - liver and kidneys functioning well, so I've been thinking maybe she has arthritis or something like that. I've booked another vet appointment for tomorrow morning and I told them there had been no improvement since Saturday.

Suddenly, within half an hour of booking the appointment she has perked right up. She jumped down from the sofa, which she has not been able to manage for the past three days, she's had a play wrestle, including kicking with her back legs, asked to go out (we didn't let her) and is now properly sprawled out, properly asleep and properly snoring on our bed. Bless her, she must be so tired, she's been shifting around unable to get comfortable all weekend so I don't think she's had much sleep at all.

I am so relieved but also worried this is a temporary reprieve. Does anyone have any idea what might be going on with her? I'm worried about getting fobbed off by the vet tomorrow. On Saturday she seemed willing to just prescribe the painkillers with no further investigation if I had not pushed for it.

Pees and poos have been normal but not in her tray as she couldn't manage it - we have puppy pads all over the place.

Eating and drinking have been normal but only if we brought her dishes to wherever she has been hunkering down.

Generally healthy except for the skin condition.

I'd be grateful for any ideas of what we might be dealing with.

i’d want her tested for a uti. it could have been a bladder crystal that got stuck somewhere. or some other type crystal like a stone lodged somewhere. agonising and fine once it moves. but it could come back again. i hope she’s ok. that sounds sore.

Thanks, that's something I hadn't considered. Although she has been peeing normally and she hadn't peed for a while when she suddenly perked up. I'll definitely ask the vet about it though.

Another (probably bleeding obvious) thing that just occurred to me is that perhaps she had an injury (she's quite an outdoorsy girl) and it's just taken a few days for her to heal. The vet did feel her over quite thoroughly on Saturday but she never says a peep to strangers if she's feeling nervous so it would be easy to miss.

they do hide injuries really well. they dont like admitting to being in pain.
the fur hides a lot of bites and things too.

Our cat’s problems have been bladder crystals, which are apparently very common in cats. He had blood in his urine and major “zoomies” though.
Given how common these apparently are it could be worth asking the vet about them? They found them on ultrasound and by testing urine.

apparently bladder crystals in boy cats are worse than girls. perhaps due to the anatomy. it can be very serious.

Just a quick update - I cancelled yesterday's vet appointment because she does still seem to be improving and I thought she could do without being messed around.

She can now reliably jump down from beds and chairs and can go down stairs. I changed her tray for a really shallow one and she can now use that OK. Sometimes she can jump up onto a low chair and go upstairs but that's more hit and miss. She had a little wander round the garden yesterday. She's much more relaxed and can properly sprawl out and sleep now.

I'm keeping a very close eye and I'm ready to take her back to the vet if she doesn't continue to improve. They've said I can just call and they'll fit her in on the day if necessary.

I don't think she has bladder crystals as she's peeing normally but I will ask about it if I need to take her back.

can you get a urine sample from her if you need to? it would help the vet if you can if she’s unwell again. itherwise they will put a needle into her bladder and charge you lots for the pleasure. all unnecessary if you can get a sample prior and take with her when you go.

Ive used a baking scoop measuring spoon. Sneakily mid flow under the stream of urine to catch it and decant it into a urine sample bottle. i’d dig one out in case you need it and get a sample bottle from the vet. just in case.

if you think she won’t let you be anywhere near her back end at such a vulnerable time i’d order some of those specially designed plastic beads you put into an empty clean litter tray and the scrape about and do their pee. but the beads are not absorbent so you tip the fluid into a sample bottle. (i used the baking scoop measure for the decanting too). you could put a towel down to catch her wet paws before she treads pee round the house.

if you order these things now from ebay or whatever it will be cheaper. if you buy from petsmart or whatever it’s well dear.

i hope she’s ok now though. just handy to have stuff when you need it.