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OT-Very sick cat...what would you guys do?

Started by nearmint,

103 posts in this topic

nearmint

nearmint

Posted
Posted

This is way off-topic, but I'm wondering if any of you have any advice.

 

My wife and I have a 10-year-old cat who stopped eating a few weeks ago. We brought her to the vet, who's done several tests, but can't figure out what's wrong. All together, we've spent about $700 over the last two weeks on visits to the vet and these tests.

 

Now she wants us to take the cat to a specialist first thing tomorrow morning, and says it will cost us at least $1200. We had a similar experience with another cat two years ago. We spent $2,000 and finally had to put her to sleep.

 

Any advice? What would you guys do?

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skybolt

skybolt

Posted
Posted
This is way off-topic, but I'm wondering if any of you have any advice.

 

My wife and I have a 10-year-old cat who stopped eating a few weeks ago. We brought her to the vet, who's done several tests, but can't figure out what's wrong. All together, we've spent about $700 over the last two weeks on visits to the vet and these tests.

 

Now she wants us to take the cat to a specialist first thing tomorrow morning, and says it will cost us at least $1200. We had a similar experience with another cat two years ago. We spent $2,000 and finally had to put her to sleep.

 

Any advice? What would you guys do?

 

I've had several cats, but never faced a problem to this extent. My oldest one was 15 years old and towards the end would only eat Fancy Feast and nothing else. Was she vomiting or using the litter box before hand? She may have a stomach virus and eating is just too painful or something.

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Alex DeLarge-migration

Alex DeLarge-migration

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Sorry to hear this, but it sounds like the onset of Old Age.

Brutal but kindest advice is have her put down.

It's humane for her and will stop you basically throwing money away.

No amount of treatment will reverse the ageing process in your pet.

 

Best of Luck!

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skybolt

skybolt

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One other thing I wanted to mention. I've had about 4 or 5 cats die on me due to old age, and every single one would have constant tears flowing down their eyes. I just felt like they were in pain. Does your cat have this symptom?

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BassGMan

BassGMan

Posted
Posted
This is way off-topic, but I'm wondering if any of you have any advice.

 

My wife and I have a 10-year-old cat who stopped eating a few weeks ago. We brought her to the vet, who's done several tests, but can't figure out what's wrong. All together, we've spent about $700 over the last two weeks on visits to the vet and these tests.

 

Now she wants us to take the cat to a specialist first thing tomorrow morning, and says it will cost us at least $1200. We had a similar experience with another cat two years ago. We spent $2,000 and finally had to put her to sleep.

 

Any advice? What would you guys do?

 

I have four cats now, and have had cats all my life. Never actually experienced this problem though, or at least one like this that a vet could not diagnose. Has anyone thought about teeth problems? Sometimes due to a gum problem, tooth problem or sore in the mouth it may literally be too painful to eat. Does she still drink water? Is there ANYTHING the cat will eat? How is she acting now? Sleeping? Acting like normal? Whining? I'm not so sure I'd take her to a specialist for $1,200, maybe another regular vet like someone already mentioned. BUT, I WOULD NOT put her to sleep unless she appeared to be in some kind of constant pain or agony. If she has decided to "shut down", then let her shut down on her own. In my personal opinion one should NEVER put an animal to sleep unless under these conditions. To just put her down "because she is gettin' up there" or just "acts old" I think is extremely inhumane. Let nature take it's course but do everything you can do to help. Good luck to the cat. 893crossfingers-thumb.gif

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divad

divad

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I'm a cat guy, so I feel sorry for you. sorry.gif

 

10 years is still pretty young for a cat. I don't think I'd spend the money on a specialist, no matter how much I loved them. I have three: 2 years and (2) 9 years.

 

I think you've done it pretty well so far, and given your past record . . . 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

I've always told my ginger tabby that he'd make a nice pair of slippers some day grin.gif

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nearmint

nearmint

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This is way off-topic, but I'm wondering if any of you have any advice.

 

My wife and I have a 10-year-old cat who stopped eating a few weeks ago. We brought her to the vet, who's done several tests, but can't figure out what's wrong. All together, we've spent about $700 over the last two weeks on visits to the vet and these tests.

 

Now she wants us to take the cat to a specialist first thing tomorrow morning, and says it will cost us at least $1200. We had a similar experience with another cat two years ago. We spent $2,000 and finally had to put her to sleep.

 

Any advice? What would you guys do?

 

I have four cats now, and have had cats all my life. Never actually experienced this problem though, or at least one like this that a vet could not diagnose. Has anyone thought about teeth problems? Sometimes due to a gum problem, tooth problem or sore in the mouth it may literally be too painful to eat. Does she still drink water? Is there ANYTHING the cat will eat? How is she acting now? Sleeping? Acting like normal? Whining? I'm not so sure I'd take her to a specialist for $1,200, maybe another regular vet like someone already mentioned. BUT, I WOULD NOT put her to sleep unless she appeared to be in some kind of constant pain or agony. If she has decided to "shut down", then let her shut down on her own. In my personal opinion one should NEVER put an animal to sleep unless under these conditions. To just put her down "because she is gettin' up there" or just "acts old" I think is extremely inhumane. Let nature take it's course but do everything you can do to help. Good luck to the cat. 893crossfingers-thumb.gif

 

For the most part, she's acting normal. A little less energy because of the lack of food, but she still jumps up on the furniture, purrs when we pet her, and bats at a string if I wave it in front of her face.

 

As for food, she licks at cat food for the moisture, but doesn't actually eat the food. She would eat small amounts of baby food last week, but hasn't been interested even in that this week. She still walks to the food bowl, but sniffs at it and walks away.

 

She does seem to be meowing more, but I'm not sure it's because she's in pain. The vet did take a close look at her teeth, and ruled out a dental problem. Someone in an earlier post asked if she looks like she's crying, and the answer is no.

 

She has lost weight because of the lack of food. Twice the vet has syringe fed her, and re-hydrated her.

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Flaming_Telepath

Flaming_Telepath

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Agreeing with a couple of things here....

 

10 is still young for a cat (unless she's a pedigree, and then it's not too old) and if there aren't any outward symtoms, and the blood tests showed up nothing, gums/teeth could be an option.

 

At the start of the year, we lost our 6 year old Maine Coon (we have another four of the monsters!) and spent $1500 fighting a futile battle. Given the choice again...I personally still would spend the money on the slim chance.

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lotemo

lotemo

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If the vet can't diagnose anything, I would put the cat to sleep rather than dragging out any suffering. I had two cats with feline leukemia. It was painful for me when I had to have them put to sleep, but I just couldn't make them suffer just so I could have them around.

 

If you choose to do this, I would recommend staying with your cat when the vet gives him the injection. I sat on the floor and held my second cat in my lap (which is how she liked to be held) when she had to be put to sleep. The doctor got down on the floor with us and gave her the shot. To me, it just seems more humane to stay with an animal and not leave it alone with strangers during its final moments.

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The Less Blob

The Less Blob

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invariably people run up thousands in vet bills and have to put the cat to sleep

 

my wife spend $2-$3K on her childhood cat and that's what happened

 

it's usually pretty hopeless if the vet can't figure out what the problem is right away

 

and sometimes the vet is clueless anyway.

 

with my parents' dog the vet decided his wheezing in his nose was due to allergies and had my mother crush benadryl up in his food for three months, which did nothing then out of nowhere a tumor the size of a golf ball popped out of his nose near his eye. turns out there was a tumor in his nose that the vet "missed" with his allergy theory. the tumor spread to his brain and lungs in the meantime and it was hopeless (which my folks learned after spending $2K on a doggy oncologoist) if they had caught it when they first came in with the wheezing and removed the tumor then he probably would have survived. he was only 8 or 9.

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