are these symptoms familiar to another cat owner?
We are going back to the vet tomorrow, but here's what's been happening:
Kitty is about 19 years old. A week ago developed symptoms: going to the litter box often and only producing a trickle of urine. Then she lost her appetite gradually, until now is refusing to eat. Also to drink. Vet tested urine and found signs of infection (no crystals) and put her on antibiotic Orbax--after four days no improvement, only gradual decline. Another visit to vet to check for dehydration, which was okay (last Tues.) Then he put her on Clavamox. After two days on that she was vomiting so I was told to take her off, wait two days and call again--which will be tomorrow. She is also on anti-hyperthyroid medication--has been for about six months and is stable for that condition.
Meanwhile I'm forcing fluids; I have a small bulb syringe and am squirting an ounce water or milk into the back of her mouth every two hours or so. And she's now having trouble walking--is wobbling and stumbling. She goes in the litter box but produces nothing. She's lethargic but still enjoyed being carried out to enjoy the summer sunshine this morning and sit in the grass. (She's an indoor cat but allowed out on supervised walks near the house.)
So is this the end? She is actually my daughter's cat--she has moved overseas and I took the cat. She hasn't seen her kitty for a year and a half and is arriving Sunday afternoon for an extended visit. I'm especially interested in keeping kitty going until Sunday.
Has anyone gone through these symptoms? Does it sound like a kidney infection or failure, or what do you think? I think the vet is going to do some blood work tomorrow.
(she is the calico in my signature pic and her name is Camilla)
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But her symptoms were the opposite: drinking and peeing all the time. We put her on a special diet about 18 months ago, and now her kidneys show up as "high normal" so there was some improvement.
Just two weeks ago, she went about 4 days with no poo, and we had her receive an enema and subcutaneous fluids, plus a fiber supplement to soften stool, and that helped a lot. The vet said that constipation happens at that age due to dehydration caused by the kidney issue. I'm also not supposed to give her protein-rich foods like tuna anymore.
Some blood tests and a vet visit sound in order. I realize nothing I've said was likely helpful, but it's rare that I talk to anyone with a fellow feline of that age
was only functioning on part of one kidney. I wish I hadn't let her suffer through those last few months of her life.
RIP Stuca 1988-2007. BTW, besides the symptoms you described, she also stopped grooming herself and her fur developed horrible mats which I was constantly cutting out. The vet said this was not unusual with kidney failure.
You have a tough decision to make, ginny. My heart goes out to you. 
Poor old Mr. Flame was not only sad but very very sick.
He'd let himself go and was no longer grooming himself.
In the end he would not eat anymore and he did nothing but cry cry cry cry cry.
He was sick, sad and miserable.
We were told nothing could be done other than hospitalize him for infusions.
We decided not to do this to him as he was not the type of cat that you could do such a thing to easily (had the word CAREFUL stamped on his chart).
If I had thought for one second that he was not in pain and suffering horribly, I would have done more, believe me.
It will be a year this August 1rst since I had to put my 19 year old kitty to sleep, so I can totally sympathize w/you about the decision. These situations are so hard.
In my cat's case, it was a cancerous tumor on her leg. Very fast growing and aggressive. So for her, it was a much more clear decision. She remained fairly healthy w/very decent quality of life for the first month and a half after the tumor became visible. The tumor itself, while it looked terrible, didn't stop her from walking normally, and she didn't appear to be in pain from it.
Vet told me that she could go on like that ok, but warned of how fast moving that type of cancer was. Once it started affecting more then just her leg, it'd be time he told me, and explained what I needed to look for. Sure enough, as he predicted, other things began to happen and in about the timeframe he had given me.. (like vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite). I didn't let her go on very long after that.
As to your cat's symptoms, it sounds very similar to what my dog went through w/his kidney failure, which is harder sometimes to detect. I have to admit that I blew it when it came to recognizing all of the gradual things that were happening until it was too late. I felt a lot of guilt over that at the time. But rarely are these types of conditions as 'cut and dried' as something like my cat's cancer.
So sorry Ginny. I too hope that your daughter will get a chance to say goodbye.
Same symptoms, same story, same age almost (18).
I had to have her put down just before Xmas and I'm still heartbroken about it.
After that her pal, Mr. Flame who was so very sad about her being gone went into kidney failure and I had to have him put down about 2 mos. later.
It is awful.
We get so very attached and then the time comes to let go and let God I guess I'd say.
I'm sorry to read this and I hope you'll do the right thing soon.
In Old Kitty's case, she had a tumor it seems and I was told it was hyperthyroidism that was the cause which is sadly quite common in old cats.
Hang in there and please, take care of yourself.
The vet felt a tumor at the base of her bladder which was blocking passage of urine, which then backed up into her kidneys and then it was just like kidney failure. And nothing they could do because they couldn't flush it out with a lot of IV fluids like you usually can. Very high levels of toxins in the blood. He emptied the bladder so she'd be more comfortable. We took her home with some pain pills yesterday to try to keep her going for just one more day, until my daughter could get here (she is arriving this afternoon.) Gave her a bit of water with a syringe and kept her comfortable.
But Camilla died during the night. By evening she had lost the ability to move first her back legs and then her front legs. Could only move her head and look at us in a kind of daze. I'm glad she is out of her suffering, but sad for my daughter. We will have to tell her when we pick her up at the airport. She's a grown up (mid-30s) but single without kids and this cat was her link to earlier happier days.
In 2003
I'm so sorry your poor kitty couldn't make it until your daughter got home to see her one last time. What a gorgeous kitty she was and no doubt brought much love to your home. Such a very sad loss.
That's a great photo though. A perfect one to have blown up and framed.
We lost our Smokey 3 weeks ago, still can't think about it without tears. I know what you guys are going through.
