Had a call from the vet yesterday and we have a diagnosis and a prognosis.
The diagnosis is as River guessed it may be....kidney failure. She was on a saline drip all day and received an injection of anabolic steroids as well. That supposedly will make her more inclined to take food etc.
The prognosis is.....if she will accept the special diet (an expensive one too) there is a chance she could survive for some time. A lot will depend on whether she will actually eat the food prescribed.
We collected her at 6.15pm last night and after she had settled a little I opened a tin of food and she ate a couple of mouthfuls, drank a tiny bit of water and then settled down on Phil's footstool in the living room.
After an hour or so she went back to the kitchen, ate another mouthful of the food and settled on a chair in the kitchen and was still there when we got up this morning. She had not touched the food or had a drink all night.
She came into the bedroom while Phil was getting dressed and walked over to where there was a jumper and a couple of other items of his on the floor. Phil thought she was going to lie down but he suddenly realised she was peeing on his jumper!!! Something she has never done before. Not a large quantity but she peed. The back door was open so she could have gone outside but she chose not to.
I am wondering if she was paying him back for taking her to the vet. Was she very cross about it all or is she still in a confused state after being all day at the vet? I had of course gone to the vet as well but he is the one that put the carrier in and out of the car and I never had any clothes on the floor. She definitely made straight for his side of the bedroom obviously with intent!
Phil then took her into the back garden and he said she sat looking dazed for a few minutes and then climbed up the weeping peppermint, hopped onto the roof of the bird cage and she is now up on the pergola asleep. It is under an extended roof so she is safe from the wind or any rain (showers are forecast) and if she feels happy up there then I guess that is the best place for her right now.
I am hoping she will soon come down, come indoors and show sign of eating or drinking as that is imperative to her well being. If she chooses not to then I feel out little cat may not be with us too much longer so fingers crossed that we can encourage her to take care of herself as we can do no more than provide the necessary love and care to help her.
Oh Mimise.
ReplyDeleteI feared that was her problem - one we experienced with our much loved M'lady. Sadly, the peeing is a side effect of kidney issues. And I don't discount her punishing Phil either.
That she ate a little is a very good sign. Fingers and toes crossed for you all.
PS: M'lady didn't accept her new diet at all well. It took a while and some coaxing. I added some chicken mince to her food on days when she really, really wouldn't eat.
DeleteMy Harley accepted the new diet very well and thrived on it. my budget suffered severely though.
DeleteThanks for your good wishes EC.
DeletePrecious has not eaten at all today, either wet food or biscuits even with me holding it in my hand.
She wouldn't drink so I had Phil hold her and I managed to carefully get some water into her mouth with a spoon.
Have rung vet and made appt to take her at 9am tomorrow morning. Not sure what else they can do but I feel they need to look at her at least.
I've taken cats to the vet before (Precious herself in the past) and I've never had a reaction like she is having now. I am hoping it's not the steroids affecting her.
I'm so sorry about your kitty. I hope that she feels up to eating a little more tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your good wishes.
DeleteWe are having no luck with either food or any kind or water so becoming a little desperate so off to vet again in a.m.
EC mirrored my thoughts as well Mimsie, enjoy your sweet, sweet kitty and spoil her. My daughters cat was diagnosed with the same thing and the peeing thing happened to her kitty as well and her vet said that it can be that they are confused with the discomfort and so pee in places that they believe may offer some comfort.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rose. Not good news about the peeing though as we have just had new carpet put down. That sounds mean but it's difficult to watch her all the time. She has never had a tray for years and always asks to go out. This all came on so suddenly as she was fine about a month ago.
DeletePeeing on Phil's clothes is a sign of stress at being to the vet, as she isn't well, I'd forgive her, she probably won't do it again. Staying outside in a hidey spot is normal too, Precious needs to come to terms with what has happened. Her eating a little twice yesterday is good too, and she will continue to eat small amounts until her appetite returns. Just keep offering it at the usual regular times and make sure she is warm and comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI've never had a cat stressed after a visit to the vet before even after surgery so perhaps it's the kidney thing that is causing.
DeleteI think she seems almost in a daze and really wonder if the steroids have upset her in some way.
Not eating or drinking today is a real worry but glad I am able to get a tiny bit of water into her from a spoon and will keep doing that till I go to bed.
Thanks for your kind comments which are much appreciated.
I am hoping she feels better soon, it is hard to watch, and you can do only what you can x
ReplyDeleteThanks Rae. It's knowing just what to do when she won't eat or drink is the problem. I am taking her back tomorrow to see if I can get some good advice on how to handle the problem.
DeletePoor little soul. I hope she comes around for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Delores. She just seems sort of 'out of it' and doesn't even respond when we call her name at all which is strange. What I can't understand is how this came on so suddenly if it is so serious. I'd have thought there'd have been some signs over the past months but nothing I can remember, except a couple of weeks back when she got very thirsty for a day or two.
DeleteOur dear old Nick was the same...fine one day and not fine the next.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteA difficult time Mimsie... holding you in heart. YAM xx
Oh Yam thank you so much. We I think are going to have to really play it by ear and just keep hoping she will come good. xx
DeleteI'm so sorry to read that Precious is still not eating or drinking. I hope the vet can shed some light on this and help her. It's very sad when a family member is suddenly so ill.
ReplyDeleteThanks River. You will find the outcome on my next (sad) post.
ReplyDelete