The Little Cat...

[muninnhuginn]

Stopped eating middle of last week just after I stopped feeding her an NSAID a day. On Monday, she threw up rather bloody vomit. So yesterday, it was back to the vet and blood tests and an afternoon on intravenous fluids. Her weight, which we'd got back over the 3kg mark, was down to 2.87kg. There's nothing, apart from the early stages of kidney disease, and the weightloss, obviously wrong with her. It could be pancreatitis (shades of Mr Big last year).

Home, again with added pain-killers , she ate a little more and drank some catmilk, chased a moth... and threw up late in the evening. This morning, she's much the same. Including the puking.

I'm still feeding her antibiotics. She's still resisting them. Tonight she gets another painkiller on top.

I really don't know what we're going to do. Apart from a blood test for the pancreatitis, there's nothing specific for the vet to investigate. I don't really want her to spend her last days/weeks/months being carted to and from the vet, which she hates and stresses her, to be prodded and poked and made uncomfortable if there's nothing to be done. But she's not done with living yet: she wants food, just not any food we've managed to provide for her; she wants love and attention; she wants to kill moths... and possibly the cats upstairs.

Mr Socks, who's now downstairs quite a lot of the time (carefully staying on a different level--tabletop, fishtank top-- to avoid upsetting Little), missed her while she was off being rehydrated yesterday.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Best wishes to her.

[muninnhuginn]

Thank you.

[ms-cataclysm.livejournal.com]

Poor little cat (and poor you too) . Will we see you on Saturday ?

[muninnhuginn]

Thank for the kind thoughts.

And, yes, I've been meaning to reply, we'd love to pop in on Saturday.

[muuranker.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that.

Is treatment possible for the pancreatitis. if that's diagnosed? I am thinking along the lines of 'if it's just a case of adding another drug / special diet or something like that, and it enables her to enjoy moths, etc. then one more trip to the vet seems worth it'.

Or do vets do home visits?

[muninnhuginn]

Big was on pain killers--and possibly antibiotics--last year, I think. (Will have to consult past lj entries to confirm.)

We swapped Little from her long-term crystal-reducing food to kidney-support food about six months ago. Currently we're not following this strictly, as I'm feeding her whatever she'll eat.

I've not given her this morning's antibiotic and she's not been sick. So I'm wondering if the meds on an empty stomach aren't helping.

[muuranker.livejournal.com]

Broggy was on crystal-reducing food, and is now half c-r, and half kidney-support, and whatever he can cadge/kill.

Fortunately, he doesn't need to be on the painkillers all the time (Kiwi, on 100% kidney support, has more time on the painkillers).

The antibiotics-on-an-empty-stomach hypothesis is an interesting one (a quick google suggesting that a different antibiotic might be the answer).

I do think the interest in moths is very positive! Even if it does ruin the furniture.

[muninnhuginn]

I've never been one to bother about the furniture, fortunately.

We've had bits of three different flavours of cat food today and kept it all down. And we've had a very thorough wash. And life is quite a lot better.

[elfwhistletree.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing you've been round all the special diet options by now?

If the painkillers make Little feel better, then that is a good thing - Google suggests that in the USA they have a Fentanyl patch that dispenses a strong painkiller slowly via skin absorption. It might be worth asking the vet about that as easier and more effective than pills?

If she feels better, maybe she will drink and eat a little more - keeping her comfortable seems like the main goal IMHO

*hugs*

[muninnhuginn]

Patches could be interesting. It's not really the ease (I can pill Little with relative ease) or the effectiveness that's the problem, but the possibly kidney-damage long-term, that makes the pain-killers a problem.

She's very much herself, if a tad muted, and very cuddly. Definitely not like Big going off in a corner.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry. I know how difficult it is, to be so uncertain about what's wrong, and how you can help. If she's hungry, at least, that's a positive; I hope that the drugs will have some effect soon.

[muninnhuginn]

Thank you.

[ravenrigan.livejournal.com]

Hugs, it's a worry having cats unwell. I think all you can do is continue to treat her while she still has quality of life. When the quality of life goes the awful decision is somehow made for you. Not that that makes it any easier mind.

Chin scriches and moths to Little.

She can come down here and deal with some of mine if she likes!

[muninnhuginn]

Would an invasion of moth-hunting feline be an improvement, I wonder? She's no respecter of fabric or furniture.

Today, sans medicine, we've been quite happy.

[ravenrigan.livejournal.com]

Yay for happier kitty!