Cat on her last legs

I'm a very big pet lover and it hurts me to hear this story. I took my cat to the vets last year, she had a good innings. Broke my heart.

I've never shown any emotion at funerals for family, friends or mates killed in the Army. But, when it comes to animals, I'm totally different.
 
Well I've just had a call from the vet and she has a severe kindey infection which *may* respond to antibiotics. She's on a drip and will stay in overnight and I'll get an update tomorrow.
So at least she has a chance of recovery rather than the none I was bracing myself for.

18 years is a good run, and it's been a fantastic 18 years. She's been the most human like cat I've ever encountered. She can convey any thought or emotion by facial expression or body stance and is known as 'that psycho cat' to all of my friends - some of whom haven't even met her!
I hope that I get even just a little longer with her.

I'm the same as you =VTA=MANFACE, totally stonefaced at funerals or when exposed to human interest events, but as soon as it's cats of dogs I'm a mess.
I can't actually speak about this as I get all blubbery, and I'm even updating my wife by email as I lose the ability to talk.
 
My cat was recently unwell. He is 19 years old and suddenly lost a lot of weight, was constantly eating and was messing in the house. I took him to the vets assuming the worst but was told he had an enlarged thyroid gland. One simple op later and he is practically back to normal. I was absolutely convinced they were going to say there was nothing they could do for him.

With regards to what we do with our pets once they have passed away... we had our cat cremated. It isn't to expensive if you don't go for all the urns/containers for the ashes. They gave the ashes back to us in a nice little box anyway. He's now sat in the sideboard. Didn't like the idea of burying him then moving away at some point.

I hope you get some good news when you take your cat to the vets. xx
 
Our 20 year old Perry was in a very similar situation to your cat. He was put on a drip and given antibiotics and is now on a medication called Fortekor which is for chronic feline renal failure. He seems to be doing quite well.
I'll keep my fingers crossed for a similar outcome for your cat, she is obviously so well loved.
 
Tombstone said:
I remember when my old cat died very well, her kidneys gave way eventually. It was 5 years ago now, one thing which will stick in my mind was the "miaow" she did one morning. My wife said, is she hungry? and I answered, "no...she will go tonight, I can tell from that miaow"

It was something in her "voice", I just knew that day was going to be her last. That evening she had some food and then sat with me for a bit. Her eyes kept going to a distant stare and her head would droop, then she would snap her head back up and her eyes would light up again. It was like someone turning a switch on and off over and over in her head.

The wife and I went to bed as normal that night, I carried our cat up to bed with us and she lay next to me. After a few hours she gave a miaow, then laid down and just went. That was it. I think it was quite a nice way to go, together in bed.

We buried her the next morning in a pet coffin in our garden, along with her favourite toy, blanket, bowl and a photo of us :)
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That was a very nice read, thanks.
 
Tombstone said:
I remember when my old cat died very well, her kidneys gave way eventually. It was 5 years ago now, one thing which will stick in my mind was the "miaow" she did one morning. My wife said, is she hungry? and I answered, "no...she will go tonight, I can tell from that miaow"

It was something in her "voice", I just knew that day was going to be her last. That evening she had some food and then sat with me for a bit. Her eyes kept going to a distant stare and her head would droop, then she would snap her head back up and her eyes would light up again. It was like someone turning a switch on and off over and over in her head.

The wife and I went to bed as normal that night, I carried our cat up to bed with us and she lay next to me. After a few hours she gave a miaow, then laid down and just went. That was it. I think it was quite a nice way to go, together in bed.

We buried her the next morning in a pet coffin in our garden, along with her favourite toy, blanket, bowl and a photo of us :)
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:(

I almost shed a tear!
 
We’ve been in this situation and I know how you feel. I hope she comes back home and you have some more time with her. :)
 
Tombstone said:
I remember when my old cat died very well, her kidneys gave way eventually. It was 5 years ago now, one thing which will stick in my mind was the "miaow" she did one morning. My wife said, is she hungry? and I answered, "no...she will go tonight, I can tell from that miaow"

It was something in her "voice", I just knew that day was going to be her last. That evening she had some food and then sat with me for a bit. Her eyes kept going to a distant stare and her head would droop, then she would snap her head back up and her eyes would light up again. It was like someone turning a switch on and off over and over in her head.

The wife and I went to bed as normal that night, I carried our cat up to bed with us and she lay next to me. After a few hours she gave a miaow, then laid down and just went. That was it. I think it was quite a nice way to go, together in bed.

We buried her the next morning in a pet coffin in our garden, along with her favourite toy, blanket, bowl and a photo of us :)
Click to expand...


When my sisters kitten died I shoved it in a Tescos carrier bag then burried it in a shallow grave in her side garden

I suspect my story isn't quite as moving :o
 
Same thing happened to my cat, he was about 13-14 years old, full of life bouncing about the place then similar things, sleeping loads, not moving around as much then off his food.

Took him to the vets and he'd had a couple of strokes and was paralysed down one side and also found a large tumor in the back of him...we jsut thought he'd ate something from the bins he'd shouldn't have. He was even purring away when we took him to the vets, simply couldn't believe we had to return without him.

It's a devestating feeling, i've had loads of cats, probably about 10 or so but he and the last one were our best, his personality you couldn't buy, and why he was never replaced.

No more cats or animals after him.
 
I hate the thought of losing my Frank, it haunts me. :(
I hope your cat dies peacefully, When Frank goes I am paying the extra to get him cremated & His ashes put in a little box, The box will stay with me until I go & then he can come down with me. :cool:
 
Tombstone said:
I remember when my old cat died very well, her kidneys gave way eventually. It was 5 years ago now, one thing which will stick in my mind was the "miaow" she did one morning. My wife said, is she hungry? and I answered, "no...she will go tonight, I can tell from that miaow"

It was something in her "voice", I just knew that day was going to be her last. That evening she had some food and then sat with me for a bit. Her eyes kept going to a distant stare and her head would droop, then she would snap her head back up and her eyes would light up again. It was like someone turning a switch on and off over and over in her head.

The wife and I went to bed as normal that night, I carried our cat up to bed with us and she lay next to me. After a few hours she gave a miaow, then laid down and just went. That was it. I think it was quite a nice way to go, together in bed.

We buried her the next morning in a pet coffin in our garden, along with her favourite toy, blanket, bowl and a photo of us :)
Click to expand...

:(.
 
Just burry her in the garden and keep her collar mate. Burial is the best way to be put to rest in my eyes.

You never know, she might make it another 6 months anyway.
 
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I had a gecko and one day i was feeding him some crickets and i came back an hour later to find a hole in him where you could actually see right through the other side . He managed to hold out for a day poor fella.
 
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I dread how my wife/I will feel when our respective cat pegs it (we've one each).

I like to think I'll be 'YEAHZ, UPGRADE TIME!' and go buy a Maine ****, but I know I'll be in a right state really.

I've never had a cat put to sleep, they just wandered off or were pinched by evil neighbours soI'm not sure how it feels.

All the best with your situation emailiscrap. 18 is a good innings, not that that helps matters.
 
Dr.EM said:
I'm afraid the symptoms sound exactly like our cat shortly before she passed :(

Ours just about made it to 22, but her last month and a bit she was thin (used to be a big cat too so was sad to see) and quite a while before that it seemed her hearing failed. She did purr when fussed near the end too, which was odd as we thought she couldn't purr anymore for many years.

On her last day, she kept moving about the house. It was sad because she was being told off for not staying still as we were worried she was going to pee in the house as she had done a few times recently so wanted to know where she was. Really, she was probably trying to avoid us as cats like to go away from thier home when they think they will pass. In the evening she looked at me and my brother and we both commented on how we'd never seen her look like that before, she was looking right into us with a strange solemn expression, but somehow we didn't pick up on what it was. We found her in her bed in the garage the next morning :(

We decided to bury her in our garden. Spent a few hours digging a deep enough hole through our clay soil, but you don't want to dig a shallow grave or other animals may dig at it.

I reccomend you spend lots of time with her and comfort her. I still feel bad about the last few days we had ours, but you have a chance to make the most of them. Hopefully it might be something cureable, but expect the worst :(
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Our Nina did the same thing. She was 16 and losing weight fast. I was laying on the couch reading the night and she jumped up on my chest, sat on me and stared into my eyes for about a minute. Don't ask me why, but her eyes appeared human then, full of love. She gave me a lick on the nose, jumped off and jumped on my mum's lap, stared in her eyes and licked her too.

Next morning we found her dead on her favourite chair.

It's been 9 years. I still miss her.
 
Thanks everyone. Nice that there is still plenty of humanity to go round.
I know some people just don't get the cat thing but I'm thankful they've stayed out of the thread.

I'm dreading the call to the vets tomorrow just in case its bad news. What makes it worse is that I'm away on business until Saturday so if anything happens it's up to my wife to deal with it. I've dug the grave today before going away but am still torn as to whether or not to use it when the time comes.
 
emailiscrap said:
Well I've just had a call from the vet and she has a severe kindey infection which *may* respond to antibiotics. She's on a drip and will stay in overnight and I'll get an update tomorrow.
So at least she has a chance of recovery rather than the none I was bracing myself for.

18 years is a good run, and it's been a fantastic 18 years. She's been the most human like cat I've ever encountered. She can convey any thought or emotion by facial expression or body stance and is known as 'that psycho cat' to all of my friends - some of whom haven't even met her!
I hope that I get even just a little longer with her.

I'm the same as you =VTA=MANFACE, totally stonefaced at funerals or when exposed to human interest events, but as soon as it's cats of dogs I'm a mess.
I can't actually speak about this as I get all blubbery, and I'm even updating my wife by email as I lose the ability to talk.
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I have my fingers crossed for you emailiscrap.
 
Tombstone said:
I remember when my old cat died very well, her kidneys gave way eventually. It was 5 years ago now, one thing which will stick in my mind was the "miaow" she did one morning. My wife said, is she hungry? and I answered, "no...she will go tonight, I can tell from that miaow"

It was something in her "voice", I just knew that day was going to be her last. That evening she had some food and then sat with me for a bit. Her eyes kept going to a distant stare and her head would droop, then she would snap her head back up and her eyes would light up again. It was like someone turning a switch on and off over and over in her head.

The wife and I went to bed as normal that night, I carried our cat up to bed with us and she lay next to me. After a few hours she gave a miaow, then laid down and just went. That was it. I think it was quite a nice way to go, together in bed.

We buried her the next morning in a pet coffin in our garden, along with her favourite toy, blanket, bowl and a photo of us :)
Click to expand...

:(:(:(

Really hope your cat does get better emailiscrap and you can give her a few more happy years. :)
 
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