Weak back legs, now front-Sugarpuff the Hufflepuff

[Alexandra]

I joined this site over 5 years ago when I lost Muffin and everyone was a great comfort, I then lost her brother Waffle and in January I lost Truffle suddenly. I think I am now losing Sugarpuff and I will do anything to save her.
I adopted her over 5 years ago, aged 12, even the vet could not believe as she seemed so young so is 17 now. She had had one vet visit in that time for a tooth then was the healthiest cat I had with the most energy, would climb on the wardrobe and outrun all the younger cats.
Then 3 weeks ago the tooth flared up again, A/B's and hoped to avoid an operation, she responded well on the checkup, then that night started sneezing lots and even more the next day, they said she had a cold, I assume they meant URI. So a top up A/B and some inhalation capsules to do a steam thing, these really helped clear hr nose. She rested a lot but was OK other than that. Still runny nose so vet said to take her in each day for three days of a breathing thing going into her carrier, smelt menthol etc after and again really dried it up. Then she started drinking even more, was drinking more due to cold but suddenly lots more. By the Sunday night she was still eating a bit but mostly just drinking every hour or so. Next days vets dreading blood test. Results showed the bloodwork of a young cat, all was right in the normal zone so no diabetes, kidneys perfect and liver great so not thyroid either. They said she had just got dehydrated from the cold so kept her over night on a drip.
She seemed really weak to me but they said she could come home and gave another long lasting A/B jab. But that evening she was walking really wobbly like drunk, I thought just tired but next day was worse and could hardly stand up. They said could be a neurological problem, she had never shown signs of anything before this so it seemed a massive coincidence but basically said this could be the end. They kept her in two more nights on a drip and by the Friday she was eating and holding herself up nd walking much better, still wobbly but a real improvement, they were pleased and it seemed the fluids really helped.
I came home with her and tablets to give each day to promote oxygen flow to the brain and Recovery food as well as a liquid food to give her if was not eating enough. At home she started nuzzling and purring and I sat a few feet away and called her, she got up and walked over, bit wobbly but so much better than before. She ate and drank well and used litter tray, by next day had pooped and had 6 pees, still drinking lots but seemed to be doing well. I popped into vets next day to say was doing well but drinking a lot still they said was fine. By Sunday was weaker, still eating but was crawling more than walking, then today could not stand up. Took her in and said still eating well, cleaning herself and purring when cuddled, he said we will try a shot of Cortisone for three days to confirm whether neuro or not.
So that is where we are, I realise this may be the end but wanted any thought and advice or experience. It just seems crazy that 3 weeks ago this was the healthiest kitty I had ever know, bloodwork confirmed that then all of this. Is it related to the cold? One thing, the kitty I brought in last October gave me and a couple of kitties Ringworm fungus, I only only noticed Sugarpuff has some during the cold and it spread but they said to hold off on the treatment until better as it involves getting wet with the dilution. I am so scared of losing my baby, especially after just losing Truffle, a few of you may remember I adopted them at the same time, not related though.

[Kay]

I am so sorry to hear off Sugarpuff's problems - it does sound as if your vets are at a bit of a loss, and I think you must go more by her general state than the blood test results - you are after all the world expert on her, and it seems she is not in any obvious distress

a couple of things occur to me - her sneezing seems to have coincided with the onset of the hayfever season - is it certain there is a need for abs, which in any case would not touch a cold virus

were her potassium levels checked, as low potassium is often the cause of back leg weakness? and how certain are you that she is 17? the age of rescue cats is often guesswork and she could be older than you think

[Crewella]

I'm so sorry your poor old girl is struggling, it's horrible when they are ill when they get to this age. (((hugs)))

The only thing of any use I can think of is that I remember a couple of years ago all my gang all went down with a virus and were all sneezing, and one of mine also got arthritic pains in his legs and was limping badly. Apparently that does happen, though usually to younger cats, but Merrick was 11. It lasted a few days and then he gradually improved and has had no issues since. I've no idea if this might be the case here, but I thought it worth mentioning. I do hope you manage to help her and she's better soon.

[Alexandra]

Thank you both. She is definitely 17 as was well looked after by a man who had to hand her in and all her paperwork was with her. She has never looked or acted anywhere near that age though and even the bloodwork showed perfect health. I live in France and the vet used the word for cold but my friend said was probably a URI.
They are now giving daily injections of Cortisone for a few days, had her second today. This morning in bed she was lying next to my pillow, I heard her moving and could hardly believe my eyes, she stood up turned around and lay back down to sleep again! She did it as if nothing was wrong at all, no extra effort, no wobbling or leg buckling. This evening I put her on her tray and she stood up on all four paws then sat bottom down with front legs still straight, I tried it again on the floor, same again. Then on the bed she struggled but managed to pull herself up from lying down into bunny position then bunny hopped half a foot up the bed to put her head on the towel. I am not imagining it, she is a bit stronger, I wonder if it is the steroids?
They have stimulated her appetite so she is eating even more and still drinking loads of water. I still keep thinking the water drinking is something. My cats all have meat diets and hardly ever drink a thing as they get enough from the meat. I give them grain free biccies occasionally, maybe twice a month, for their teeth and I really notice them all drinking water. Sugarpuff is only having the Royal Canin Recovery pate which is quite liquidy in the bottom yet she is still drinking more than if she were on biccies. Her pees are normal size (had experience with diabetes pees with Truffle years ago which were huge) but lots of them as drinking so much and no sign in bloodwork of diabetes, kidney or thyroid problems. It just does not make sense to me, the cold seems to have almost dried up, I keep telling them she is guzzling water and they do not seem concerned but surely that is a sign of something not right. When she got weaker each day further away from the IV fluids but was still drinking it really feels like she is dehydrating. It feels like she has the opposite of water retention, no idea what can cause that but maybe as it is all going through her system so fast she keeps losing the other stuff we need to stay hydrated, and maybe losing potassium? I am just guessing but if it was neurological I don't see why she would have done so much better after the IV drip and then so much worse each day after.

[Crewella]

Sadly she's retired now, but we used to have a vet at my surgery who had a special interest in geriatric cats and I can't tell you how useful her insights were over the years. I wonder if seeing another, completely different, vet might help .... preferably one who takes a particular interest in cats? Sending best wishes and healing vibes. xx

[Alexandra]

Thank you. Yes I am thinking of seeing another vet. I have been with this one with many cats over 13 years but maybe they are writing her off for being old and fresh eyes are needed.

[bobbys girl]

Just caught up on this post and am sending all best wishes your way.

[Alexandra]

Thank you, they still do not know the problem. However last night I put her in her tray and she stayed there a while, let her have time to do stuff, was watching her then she stood up, peed, walked out the tray and settled about two feet away, no wobble, no falling over just gently lay down and slept. In the night she was weaker but then she woke up today on my bed, just got up normally, walked over my pillow like she always did and even tried to put front paws onto headboard as though going to jump up like she normally would. I could not believe it, I put her on the floor and she walked normally across the room, used her tray, walked over to eat and drink lots then walked back again looking well chuffed! It was amazing and after not being able to even stand up the day before it felt like a miracle. Does that rule out neurological problem?

Then she was asleep before vets visit, I had to wake her and putting her in the box she was all floppy and weak again, getting her out the box and her legs were trembling like mad and her legs splayed out when he tried to get her to stand. I had just told him how much she had been walking. He said maybe tired herself out, was fear of vets again or side effect. I have read since that weakness and tremors can be a side effect of steroids as well as grumpiness. The trembling had stopped by the time I got her out the box 5 minutes later and she would stay standing if I held her but could not get up herself again. I let her sleep and then I put her in tray when she woke and left her again, she wobbled but managed to get up, then fell over so I put her on the blanket on the floor. After a sleep she got up and walked a few feet then sat down, then a few more feet towards me then lay down and is now asleep there.

Does anyone know what all this is about? I thought it was up up and away after all the walking today then is a massive set back. Perhaps the steroids are righting the problem but their side effects are similar to what they are trying to cure?

[Crewella]

Just a thought, but I wonder if, when stressed, the higher blood pressure is making whatever is wrong worse .... and then when she's calm at home the pressure lowers and she's stronger? Would that make sense?

[Alexandra]

Yes could be, that would make sense, because it really was shocking at the vets. I thought we were going to go in and amaze them then all of that poor baby. It seems to be the same today, she slept 8 hours straight, got up and was walking everywhere, really seemed herself and even came over to sleep against me purring and content. I had to pop out to work for 2 hours, came back and she had obviously peed in her tray then fell over and could not get back up as bottom half on the tray. She was wriggling and I quickly grabbed her and cuddled. She is wobbly again, could have been wriggling trying to stand up for ages and worn herself out. I hate having to leave her at all but I have put cushions and duvets all over the floor so she can't hurt herself on anything. I wonder if it is that she is exhausted as been ill for 3 weeks and not moved much then her muscles are tired easily when walking around or if it is that the further away from the steroid jab the weaker she gets, though I think they mainly work on reducing inflammation, not sure, so perhaps not.

[Crewella]

I'm a bit nervous about saying this, as I am not in any way implying that what was wrong with Paddy is what's wrong with Sugarpuff - it's just that the stress might affect them in the same way.

Paddington is an elderly stray that I took in a few months ago after he turned up skinny and starving at a farm (eating the fat balls put out for the birds) and was handed into a vets. He tested FIV+ and narrowly avoided being PTS, but thankfully came to me and has settled in great with the rest of the gang. A few weeks ago he started shaking his head and then collapsed completely and lost all sense of balance. At first they thought it might be an inner ear infection, but the vet noticed his eyes were flickering, which denotes a brain issue, so they think he had some sort of lesion ... a bit like a stroke. They gave him two steroid injections (about a week apart) to try and reduce any swelling in the brain, which he responded to well, but weren't keen on using steroids (they can depress the immune system so aren't ideal for FIV+ cats) so moved him on to Metacam.

Why I'm mentioning all of this is the fact that I found that Paddy was reacting to stress in the same way as Sugarpuff, as though the medication was working to ease the inflammation and take the pressure off, but any stress seemed to increase the pressure again and make his symptoms worse. We just don't know what the root of the problem is or where the inflammation might be with your girl?

My old girl Minnie (sadly passed last year aged 19) was on steroids and I did find they gave her an energy and appetite boost as well as calming her gut issues (she had IBS).

Not sure if any of this is of any help, sorry for the essay! I do hope she's on the mend. xx

[Alexandra]

Yes you might be right. She is separate from the other kitties while poorly but she has always hated the vets as hates the box and motion which makes her pee and poop poor thing so that is stressful and get half stuck, sort of beached, on the litter tray must have been awful. It is the smallest tray and very low but if she is so tired is too much. It seems to be the same today, is walking a bit better again tonight but when she has to stop and gather herself she is getting annoyed and I know grumpiness can be a side effect too. Still purring with chin tickles though and coming over to lie next to me bless her. It is heart breaking, seeing my little crazy tornado baby who usually leaps over all the other cats to get past not being able but she is still herself in her head so I know there is still hope. I am praying to Bastet every day, my kitties are my world.

[Kris35]

Hi Alexandra,

My almost 18 year old cat had two teeth out last week and either the anaesthetic or the meds might have reacted with her because she became ataxic walking with her back legs splayed out and then flopping down. I realised about 5 months ago that she was deaf and am wondering if she had something wrong with her inner ears. She was ok though before the operation and after the op was diagnosed with kidney failure. Something happened to make her like that (now sadly pts after two days on an IV drip) and I think it was the anaesthetic or the antibiotics or Metacam. I'm not sure but it was all very strange and the vets didn't know why she was like that.

[thewayiseethings]

Has your vet referred you to a neuro or internal specialist yet? Traditional vets are like family doctors. All of the specialties that exist in traditional human medicine exist in pet medicine. If your regular doctor cannot solve a problem, they should refer you to a specialist and the same goes for vets. \

Now, you need to decide at age 17 how much you want to spend. I just finished with two specialists for my 16 year old Rowdy -- internal medicine and dental -- which cost me $1800 US and resulted in a diagnosis of untreatable (terminal) squamous cell carcinoma in his sinus. In the end, while the money I spent makes me squirm a bit, I'm glad I got a diagnosis. My regular vet would not have caught it as the tumor is entirely internal. Now I can provide the appropriate pain/neuro treatment to give him a few good weeks and have some space to process and say good-bye.