Any Vets In? - Cat losing weight - Not eating...

[FWDRacer]

....and appears to be licking his lips/lots of saliva. Breath that could stop a train. His purr sounds a bit wonky too

He is getting on a bit and well into his teens, don't know eactly how old - I'm gutted as he's a good companion and dearly loved by my daughter. I really want to help the poor lad back to full health and vitality - but at the moment he won't even eat Tuna out of a can. Before I head to the vets - any ideas. Anybody had anything similar with their mog?



Any help anyone can give will be very greatly appreciated...

...edited before the grammar vultures descend...

Edited by FWDRacer on Wednesday 26th May 11:52

[pacey_sot]

Worth taking it in, my ex's cat did the same but they left it too long, it was kidneys calling it a day, apparently common in older cats

[mattdaniels]

Might be tooth absess. They don't tend to be bothered by them until it gets really bad. Happened to my cat and was treated with antibiotics, vet said if it had have got much worse it would have meant tooth extraction.

[mrsxllifts]

Sounds like a tooth problem, my 18 year old cat had the same, dribbling and skin and bones, and I dreaded taking him to the vets and not bringing him home but it was a simple abcess, drained and antibiotics, all sorted. Cat was eating fine within a few days and is still basking in the sunshine. They did do blod tests at the time which also picked up a slight kidney problem but that is under control with tablets so glad I got him checked sooner rather than later.

[FWDRacer]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

No Missus hence no lillies - (she left and I got the Cat )

[IainT]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Some kidney failures can be recivered from. Some can be managed long-term with diet and meds.

Had to have one of ours put down recently because of anti-freeze poisoning. Fatal and nothign we could so about it.

OP - get kitty to the vet asap. Not right letting it suffer and putting it of might render the treatable untreatable.

[Jasandjules]

Get the cat to the vets - get blood tests done. Ideally also check blood pressure.

You can help the kidneys with diet and certain tablets, IF it is a kidney issue.

If the cat has all teeth still then there may be a dental problem which can be solved by removal of the teeth.

[ukwill]

FWDRacer said:

....and appears to be licking his lips/lots of saliva. Breath that could stop a train. His purr sounds a bit wonky too

He is getting on a bit and well into his teens, don't know eactly how old - I'm gutted as he's a good companion and dearly loved by my daughter. I really want to help the poor lad back to full health and vitality - but at the moment he won't even eat Tuna out of a can. Before I head to the vets - any ideas. Anybody had anything similar with their mog?



Any help anyone can give will be very greatly appreciated...

...edited before the grammar vultures descend...

Edited by FWDRacer on Wednesday 26th May 11:52

All those symptons point to Chronic Renal Failure. We lost our's from it two weeks ago - it was diagnosed last Summer.

Blood tests will no doubt show a high BUN level (Blood Urea Nitrogen), which is one the key indicators vets look for. Other things to check include PCV / Creatinine levels.

Get him to a vet asap. Cats can live for quite some time with CRF, (the condition only becomes apparent when their kidneys have lost around 75% function). Your vet will no doubt prescribe Fortekor & a Renal Diet, plus maybe some Famotidine to get rid of the nausea (its why he's licking his lips). Depending on his BUN level, he might have to stay at the vets for a course if IV (usually around 3-4days), just to get him rehydrated. I hope you have insurance.

Kidney disease accounts for a large number of older cats. There is no cure.

Edited by ukwill on Wednesday 26th May 12:50

[El Guapo]

Agree with everything said, get to the vet ASAP. Even if it´s just a bad tooth it needs fixing.
Kidneys certainly seem to be a common problem with older cats. Not useful to the OP, but once a cat gets to about 5 years of age it is a good idea to reduce the protein in its diet to give the kidneys an easier time..

[FWDRacer]

Ex cancelled the pet insurance when she split last year so it could be a right old financial seeing too. He's worth it (what am I saying? ).

As for the protein related diet - All he has eaten since I took him on is Tuna (Likes it spring water the bugger ) and IAMs.

I usually add a bit of water making up a tuna-esque soup but he isn't even touching or drinking it.

Vet is booked for tomorrow night - Wish me luck

[Jasandjules]

FWDRacer said:

As for the protein related diet - All he has eaten since I took him on is Tuna (Likes it spring water the bugger ) and IAMs.

You can get special renal cat food - I have three boxes of it sat in the utility room.... And as above, fortekor to help as well.

[Superficial]

Good luck for tomorrow night, shame they couldn't see you sooner. With regards to cancelling the insurance, bad move, especially with older cats.

[ali_kat]

Hope all goes well at the Vet tomorrow

[amir_j]

Jasandjules said:

FWDRacer said:

As for the protein related diet - All he has eaten since I took him on is Tuna (Likes it spring water the bugger ) and IAMs.

You can get special renal cat food - I have three boxes of it sat in the utility room.... And as above, fortekor to help as well.

I always thought too much tuna was bad for a cat?

[El Guapo]

amir_j said:

I always thought too much tuna was bad for a cat?

Some truth in that. They shouldn´t have it too often and may get addicted to it.

[Jasandjules]

amir_j said:

I always thought too much tuna was bad for a cat?

Yes, too much chicken or tuna can be bad as there is a lot of protein there which is certainly not ideal with dodgy kidneys. The Renal food however is Tuna flavoured (well, one of the ones we have is - we also have chicken flavour and I think beef flavour) - and so far both cats love it.

[CobolMan]

Sounds similar to what our much-missed Oscar had and he lasted over 3 years after being diagnosed. It would be worth having a thyroid test done at the same time as that can mask kidney problems. Good luck tomorrow.

[becksW]

Teeth or kidneys, tumours high possibilities

Only answer is a trip too vets asap.

Will prob adv blood test to ck kidneys, if is teeth and nothing else may advise dental. Age is a concern but most animals that need dentals are elderly and do very well (they sholud have i/v fluids for the ga) we regularly do 15,16,17 yr old cats, as long as there are not any other serious probs it is worth it. A bad mouth can cause bad kidneys, your vet should let you know best options.

Get him to a vets tonorrow.

ETA sorry just read appt booked.

If kidneys lots may help, low protein but high biological value but more importantly low phosphorous diet needed. if cat won't eat special diet (though most are quite tasty these days) than can a powder that is a phosphate binder than csn be added to normal food. Drugs can help kidney profusion and regular blood tests and blood pressure strongly advised, antibiotics maybe suggested initislly.

Edited by becksW on Wednesday 26th May 23:44

[FWDRacer]

Ahhh Boll*xs. What a Crap nights sleep...

Well, the Vet diagnosed a mass (lump) in his gut, suggested at his tender age (Est 15+), that they may well be other complications but wouldn't know until she opened him up. £800-900 to do so.

I'm emotionally attached to the cat but justifying that sort of cash to maybe only prolong seemed foolish. He has had some palliative care by way of injections. Vit B and a steroid to try and encourage him back onto his grub and to keep him going at least until we get back from a short weekend break (they never go wrong at a convenient time - do they?). Tried to contact Ex but she basically isn't interested.

I'm totally gutted.

[FWDRacer]

Cheers...

He is going to go in a box, under his favourite sunny spot next to a Clematis - after trying to destroy it with Pee for years maybe he can use the afterlife to put something back...

Every cloud and all that...