Old cat, not able to walk properly, what would you do?

[SeanyD]

Our cat is around 15 years old, always been fairly active although kept indoors due to main roads etc. Over the last few days her back legs seem to have almost packed in, meaning she can't jump, can barely walk, and will just sit in one spot forever if you let her. She also seems to be in pain if you try to move her or encourage her to get up and move.

What should we do, leave her and let nature sort it, take her to the vets for treatment, or take her to the vets for sleepy time?

She is much loved and will be hugely missed, but is treatment just prolonging the inevitable, and incurring huge fees whilst doing so.

Any advice?

Cheers

[y2blade]

Do you really need to ask???? You say she's clearly in pain...why have you not taken her to the vets yet?


I think you know as well as I do know what is best for the poor old cat

[y2blade]

Personally I'd not be able to sit by and watch any animal suffer...let alone a "beloved" pet.

[rehab71]

At 15 I think it's time to say goodbye. As painful as it is she really won't be having any quality of life if she isn't able to move properly.

Even if you decide to try and get her mended, this will be traumatic for the both of you.

I'm so sorry to hear of your woes, however you've had 15 years of love to look back on!

HTH

[SeanyD]

y2blade said:

I think you know as well as I do know what is best for the poor old cat

Deep down, sadly, I probably know you're right.

[y2blade]

SeanyD said:

y2blade said:

I think you know as well as I do know what is best for the poor old cat

Deep down, sadly, I probably know you're right.

Sorry for my harsh reply.
Struck a nerve as someone we know is keeping an old Jack Russel alive on meds, the poor old dog can't walk or do anything really it just lays in it's bed all day and shuffles about 4foot when it needs to toilet and sts on the floor.

Such a sad state to see it in the owners won't listen to reason.

[blueg33]

take her to the vets. The best outcome is that they can fix her and relieve the pain, the worst outcome is better than her suffering.

I know its hard, but you have to think of what is best for your cat.

[Emmapuma]

I think its time to say goodbye, as hard as it is, it is the kindest thing. We had a farm cat at the stables, who in the past couple of years became a house cat. about a month and a half ago, she developed a tumour underneath one of her front legs, sort of in her armpit if you will. She was taken to the vets and put on steroids but it gradually got bigger and her ability to walk around and jump up on stuff suffered immensely. She got put to sleep around 3 weeks ago

[otolith]

Take her to the vet and find out what your options are.

[8bit]

otolith said:

Take her to the vet and find out what your options are.

This. Why are people assuming it's the end of the road because this condition has just come on in the past few days? Get her to a vet for diagnosis - quite possible this could be treated and she could have good quality of life for some time yet.

[mrmaggit]

8bit said:

otolith said:

Take her to the vet and find out what your options are.

This. Why are people assuming it's the end of the road because this condition has just come on in the past few days? Get her to a vet for diagnosis - quite possible this could be treated and she could have good quality of life for some time yet.

Yes, go to the vet and find out, don't leave her there, in pain.

[ali_kat]

mrmaggit said:

8bit said:

otolith said:

Take her to the vet and find out what your options are.

This. Why are people assuming it's the end of the road because this condition has just come on in the past few days? Get her to a vet for diagnosis - quite possible this could be treated and she could have good quality of life for some time yet.

Yes, go to the vet and find out, don't leave her there, in pain.

it maybe easily resolved!

[bexVN]

mrmaggit said:

8bit said:

otolith said:

Take her to the vet and find out what your options are.

This. Why are people assuming it's the end of the road because this condition has just come on in the past few days? Get her to a vet for diagnosis - quite possible this could be treated and she could have good quality of life for some time yet.

Yes, go to the vet and find out, don't leave her there, in pain.

Agree. I find it sad that as soon as an elderly pet gets ill some people assume nothing can be done and they are suffering. Lots of elderly pets cope well with help. They are only suffering if their needs are ignored.

Keeping my fingers crossed that your feline friend can be helped 15 is not always so old for a cat these days.

[ClaphamGT3]

Vets and if, alas, nothing can be done, let the old girl go with dignity.

One thought, if the worst comes to the worst, get the vet to come to you - then she can slip away in the home she's loved, not some impersonal vets surgery.

[BlackVanDyke]

Obvious starting point would be just to try her with some painkillers - even if the cause isn't treatable, if the symptoms are then that's as good a start as you can hope for.

It's a hell of a jump from 'hasn't even seen the vet yet' to 'might have to say goodbye'... 15 is ageing but not ancient, might just be struggling with arthritis or similar. Go and see them, make it clear you'd like to see if her quality of life can be picked up a bit.

I had a 'palliative care' cat with cancer who lasted almost a full year - I learnt to do subcutaneous injections into his scruff (the combination of not many nerve endings there and a laidback cat makes this REALLY easy) so we didn't even have to go into the vets much, and when he reached a point where they really couldn't treat the symptoms we all knew it was then time to say goodbye.