17 year old male cat, sudden weight loss, won't eat or drink

[BeccaO]

Hello,
My 17 year old cat has always been thin but has very suddenly lost a lot of weight this week, we noticed on Thursday night and as recently as last weekend he seemed fine other than being a bit stiff in his hips and sleeping a lot but he has been like that for a long time which we assumed was his age (we also have an 11 week old baby, a toddler and 2 other cats so we likely missed early symptoms ). We bought some Royal Canin 12+ biscuits on friday which he nibbled at but didn't really eat, then, thinking it was maybe teeth we got some soft kitten food on saturday which he was initially enthusiastic about eating yesterday morning and afternoon (just a few tsp ) but won't eat today. All he has had today is a little watered down milk this morning and refuses even that and water now (we are in Norway and all shops are closed sunday and all vets all weekend). If offered food now he just does a licky lip thing but recoils away from it. On friday he was still energetic enough to get on our 70cm high bed and up the stairs, but as far as I am aware he hasn't moved off our sofa today and is only interested in sleeping.

Does anyone know what might be wrong? If it is something that can be treated (without the treatment itself being more distressing than his current situation) I would want to but I fear that taking him to the vets will just be traumatic and they will say that there is nothing they can do but put him down, if the end is near anyway I don't want to put him through the upset of the vets trip and for this to be the last thing he knows but if there is something that can be done I don't want to not get him treatment. Can anyone advise me please?

Many thanks in advance,
Becca

[Ruth B]

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear your old boy isn't doing too well.

I do think a trip to the vets would be the best thing if he hasn't improved by the morning. If he is trying to eat and then recoiling it does sound like a tooth problem, even soft food can hurt when a bad tooth knocks against the one below it. It could also be he has some type of infection which a course of antibiotics could cure.

However to face the worse case scenario, it could be his time has come. Taking him in tomorrow would mean blood tests could be done, he could then go back home while you wait for the result and if it is anything like in the UK you could get the results over the phone, or go into the vets with out him to discuss options. If the blood tests show something that is incurable and just mean that he is going to go down hill fast, such as most of his organs giving out, which is what happened with one of our old cats, then you might be able to get the vet to do a home visit, so the last thing he knows is falling to sleep in his bed.

In the mean time, do you have anything like Chicken Soup in, or anything else meaty that he could just lap up. He might be willing to try it, or if he is feeling ill, it could be he just doesn't feel like eating.

I really hope it is something simple and easily cured, and I know what a worrying time it must be for you.

[BeccaO]

Thank you. We have found some homemade turkey stock in the freezer so we will try to tempt him with that. I originally assumed it was teeth (they have always been on dry food) and eating the very soft food yesterday seemed to confirm that then when he hasn't wanted anything today I began to get less hopeful again. Hopefully we can tempt him, he is so thin now that I would imagine he would need to gains some weight before he could be operated on for teeth

[Kay]

licking his lips and not eating could well mean he is feeling nauseous, and the main reason for that in an elderly cat is failing kidneys

has he been drinking more than usual lately?

[booktigger]

I think he definitely needs a vet visit. I know you don't want to in case it isnt a good outcome, but not doing could make him suffer, and I'm sure that isn't what you would want for him

[BeccaO]

to be honest, I am not sure if he has been drinking more I feel terrible as I have been so busy with the new baby that the cats have been getting their needs met but not much extra attention and we have a water fountain thing for them so we are not refilling bowls. Thinking back, there were some fairly large pees in the litter a while back, but with 3 in the house, one being easily twice his size (I suspect Puck was the runt of his litter, when I got him nearly 17 years ago he fitted in the palm of my hand and he has always been small and wiry) so we didn't assume it was him. Assuming kidney failure, is there anything that can be done? is he suffering? I am a bit nervous of this vets as just before I moved over with Puck my then boyfriend, now husband, took his 4 in for check ups and came home with 2 both his older cats were diagnosed with kidney problems (they have a blood analysis machine there so you know in 5 mins) and he was pushed to euthanise even though only one was showing symptoms so I have always had the feeling they were a bit trigger happy with the lethal injections

We just tried him with some homemade turkey stock and he recoiled and licked his lips so it looks like he is nauseous. Assuming it is kidney disease, is there no hope now? If he is to go soon and isn't in pain I would rather not put him through the vets trip, but at the same time I don't want him to linger as he is or to not treat him if he can be treated

[TheCatsMum]

He definitely needs to see the vet, whatever the diagnosis your vet can keep him more comfortable. Licking lips is a sign of nausea, so for some reason he's not feeling great. It might be worth gently squeezing the skin between his shoulders, does it stay up or go straight back down. If it stays up a little, he could be dehydrated and the vet would need to assess if they can help by giving him fluids. My boy had kidney failure, the vet told me he wasn't in pain but would have been feeling pretty rough and as it was the in the late stages that he was a very poorly cat. Kidney disease often doesn't show until the late stages, so it might be if the other cats were put down quite quickly they were in the late stages as well.

I appreciate you don't want the stress of a vet's visit, but that's the only way you'll know if you can help him with whatever is wrong, it could be something the vet can help with. However, if he is just about at the end of his life, it would be better to have him PTS rather than have him really suffer during his last few days which he certainly would do.

[BeccaO]

He is definitely dehydrated. I squeezed the skin and it stayed there I will call the vets tomorrow morning, hopefully they can see me tomorrow

[TheCatsMum]

I don't want to worry you, but does your vet do an out of hours service? If so, I think I'd give them a call, it might well be they say to wait until tomorrow, but at the same time it might be better if he has an early assessment and see if they can get liquids in him. If not, I'm sure they'll see you tomorrow, especially as he's an old cat. Let us know how you get on whether he sees a vet tonight or tomorrow.

[BeccaO]

It doesn't look like it they do an out of hours service, nothing on their website or Facebook page. We are in Norway and out of hours anything is pretty uncommon (the whole country closes on Sundays...). I wish I had taken him on Friday rather than just getting different food ☹ but at the time he was behaving normally so I thought he just needed feeding up.

[TheCatsMum]

If you phone the vet's regular number, they might give you an out of hours contact number. If not, then sit tight and phone first thing tomorrow morning. It might be worth leaving a bowl of water where he can see it in the room he is resting as he might be tempted to have a little over night. My vet advised cooked chicken or white fish for my lad with CKD and it's gentle on their tummies. You might not have any, but it might be worth getting some tomorrow.

[Kay]

if you have a syringe you could try giving him some water that way

[Ruth B]

You could also try using a pipette or syringe to get some rehydration solution into him rather than just water. The standard recipe is 1 litre of water, 6 teaspoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Even a teaspoon can be used to drip it into his mouth if he will let you open it. Keep it in a bottle or something similar and just give him a bit as often as you can.

[BeccaO]

Thank you everybody for your advice and support. I took him to the vets first thing this morning and the vet confirmed that his kidneys were failing and I made the painful decision to have him put to sleep. I cried buckets but I know it was the right decision as since yesterday he wasn't even interested in a cuddle and couldn't even raise a purr (something that has never happened even when he has been very ill before). Puck was an amazing, friendly cat who never raised a paw to anyone (even our toddler who was fascinated by his tail and would definitely have been due a swipe by most cats on occasion) and he will always be missed. thank you again, Becca

[TheCatsMum]

So sorry to hear this, sending you a hug as I'm sure you need it. I know it's hard making the decision to let your little cat go as I've been in this exact position due to kidney disease in the last two weeks and had to have my little man pts. It's not easy at the time, but you'll be able to think of all those lovely memories soon and treasure them. Puck lived right up to the last moment he could knowing he was a cared and loved for cat, so hold onto that.

Puck r.i.p

[Ruth B]

So sorry to hear that was the outcome, but while it was hard for you it was the best decision for Puck. When the light has gone from their eyes, and they have no interest in life then at least we can give them peace. I have been through it several times and it never gets any easier, but however hard it might be the memories of so many happy times eventually out weigh the sorrow.

Hugs to you and your family, and remember, if you need to talk and other don't understand there will always be people here that do, and are more than will to listen (well, read) about him and how you are feeling, and to give what support we can. Some non pet owners never understand just how much a part of the family our animals are.

[BeccaO]

Thank you x It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, I cried buckets before and throughout and stroked his fur and told him how sorry I was and that I loved him, I still feel terrible for not seeing earlier signs when maybe something could have been done, I feel sure I would have in the old days when it was just us, but now with our 2 young children and my husband's 2 cats in the household I was not as attentive as I should have been

[booktigger]

I'm so sorry to hear that you had to let him go, hindsight is a wonderful thing but 17 is a fantastic age and you can't cure kidney disease sadly, so you probably couldn't have changed much, and you were strong enough to put him first when he needed it, and that is the most important thing. RiP little one

[alanc]

Very sad to hear you had to let him go. I know it is very difficult not to, but don't beat yourself up about not spotting his kidney trouble. Cats are all to good at masking ill health. As Booktigger says, you can't cure kidney disease. At 17 it is very unlikely anything you could have done would have made any difference.

[TheCatsMum]

Becca, don't kick yourself. I knew for seven weeks my boy had CKD, he eat renal food (as recommended by the vet) for one week and then went off it. I think I could have had a more supportive vet (hence my reason for a second opinion), but two weeks on the outcome would have been the same with either vet.

[BeccaO]

Thank you all.. I still feel bad he didn't get the attention he used to in his final weeks but with a new baby and a needy toddler getting to grips with being a big brother I don't know that I would have managed anything different as my lap is basically always occupied. he has a nice spot in the garden now and twe are taking the toddler to choose a plant for it tonight so hopefully he will live on through that...