Help, very old cat need advice....?

Question

hi

My cat is 18years old and in the past 2months or so has started a steady decline.
She used to be quite, fat and fluffy. She is now more vocal, but has not got any lazier. She still atempts high jumps and things. But struggles down stairs.
She doesnt seem to extend her back legs fully. and her fur is slightly greasier and more matted. But she does not seem to be in any pain that i know of.

I want to know if i should have her put down or let her go naturally?

She seems just as active and not avoiding things she used to do like i would expect, she only does them slower.

However, she is eating nearly 3-4 times what she used to and she is using the litter tray more than 4 times a day. It smells awful! even though she is eating the same as a younger cat. She drinks loads of water and goes out regularly. and her stools sometimes have blood in them, more often than not, and she does not sit down fully after going

overall she seems happy tho

questions n suggestions?

forgot to add that she has lost loads of weight, really fast. Im only 19 so shes bin around all my life. So im reluctant to put her down.
But when i pick her up i can feel all her bones and its almost like my fingers fit her ribcage?! and i dont want to brush her becuase i know how sensitive her skin is. I used to brush her everyday, and i couldnt get away cus she loved it so much.

she always cets lots of attention but i dont have the money i used to, to pay for vets fees as her friend died last year and i spent over £1200 trying to keep him alive, as his lungs had to be drained regularly, and eventually had to put him down as i could not afford £250 a fortnight to pay for the operation and drugs.

we have already changed her diet to include less salt and also have her eating senior food.

I think she may have worms. She is very wel behaved and there is logic in everything she does and yet she will go to the loo next to her tray and trag her bottom along the floor.

Answer 1

Nothing you said gives any reason why she would need to be put down. She's just getting older. Take her to the vet if you're worried about her. I wouldn't put her down unless she was in real pain or had a serious illness.

Answer 2

Euthanizing or to let her go naturally is a very personal decision you have to make. No one else can do that for you. However I know what you are going through.

My cat had the same look as yours did with the greasy looking fur and more mats. She was still eating most of her food and was drinking lots and lots of water. The only difference there was no blood.

She kept her daily routine by getting us at 5:00 AM for her breakfast and 3:00 PM for dinner. No "ifs" or "buts" about it.
She was our alarm clock. A little early, but an alarm clock just the same.

She was still jumping up to high places until the very end. She wasn't in any pain or we would have known about it.

The day our cat stopped drinking water, was to me, a "tell tale" sign we didn't really want to admit. Husband and I both knew her body was shutting down simply because of her age. She never once missing her little box. After all she was a "lady."

Our beautiful long hair "beauty" let us go just about three weeks ago at the age of 25 years old.

It was one hell of a decision, but we decided to euthanize our "beauty" to make it just a little more easy on her so we all could say our good bye's. She was waiting to let us go and and we would not let her wait any longer.

The memories will always be there. How did 25 years go by so fast.

It's and sad situation, but we all have to make that decision we just don't want to make. We had each other for 25 years and you for 18 years. What more could be possibly ask for.

My thoughts are with you all the way.

Answer 3

First, your kitty is 18 - good for you, and your folks, average age for cats is 10-12. Second, all of her symptoms could just be age, but I don't like the fact that she is eating more and losing weight with a bloody stool. Which leads to the inevitable - take her to your vet. It would be tragic for her to die if what is wrong is treatable - if she goes outside, worms would be something I would want checked. What I consider in the "put her down or let her go naturally" question is whether or not the cat is in pain and whether or not her quality of life is acceptable to her. From what you have described, it sounds like she isn't there yet. It is never an easy decision and it is one only you, your family and vet can make. purrs

Answer 4

Hi, I don't think it's life threatening but the blood in the stool indicates a problem. Also she shouldn't be eating so much and still be maintaining or losing wieght. Have her looked at. I suspect tape worm, but I am not a vet. The stiffness, not sitting completely, the unkempt furr all say something is wrong. I don't think you will have to put her down though. If it's just worms a simple treatment will get her back to normal and extend her life. My friends Siamese lived to be 26. With proper care yours possibly could too. Good luck and best wishes.

Answer 5

OK, your cat needs a vet. Bloody stool is a MAJOR sign of health issues. Drinking large amounts of water can be also, particularly diabetes. The problems with her fur can be caused by several of the health problems these are symptoms of. She may be in some pain, although that may be arthritis due to her age or stomach pain caused by the internal bleeding. While she is quite elderly, that doesn't mean that she needs to be put down. She may simply need some basic elder care.

Take her to the vet and change her food to one designed for older cats.

Answer 6

I like Kayty's answer. Take your kitty to the vet. I've had many elderly cats and the vet will probably be able to give you medicines that will make your cat more comfortable.
Also doing the blood test will inform you of what's going on with your cat, so you can make better decisions for her welfare. We always hoped that our cats would just go peacefully in their sleep, but it wasn't in the cards for them and we always had them euthanized because they seemed to be suffering too much from labored breathing. We were lucky enough to have our vet do home visits. You have to pay attention to how your cat's doing, and decide what's best for her, when the time comes. Congrats on giving your cat a good long life. Good luck. I hope you two have a few more years together.

Answer 7

Your cat most likely has diabetes. This is not a death sentence, no life span is lost if treated and your cat can have a quality life for a lot longer if you do what is needed.
Don't wait to go to the vets as ketones can develop in an untreated cat and they can kill.
I own and adopt diabetic cats and I can helkp you with this alot if you want. One problem with this is that many vets are not up to date with treating this and some can give dangerous treatments. You do NOT have to leave your cat at the vets (unless there are ketones) Have them teach you what they ned and bring the cat home.
You do NOT want to feed their prescription foods. Lower carbs can reduce insulin needs and is better/ Commercially available canned foods under 10% carbs are best.
Please contact me so i can help you have your cat live well into her 20's.

Answer 8

Let me tell you about Princess Yowie. She was an 18 year-old Sable Burmese -- she no longer had any teeth but got along fine just gumming her canned food. She moved very slowly (the vet said arthritis) but occasionally would "sprint" for a few feet when playing, so I knew her heart was still in a playful mood. Later on she got out of her kitty bed less frequently and started having more problems with her digestion, threw up more frequently than was normal, ate more than usual and kept getting skinnier and skinnier. She had previously been the cleanest of cats, and was now starting to look like an old alley cat. She obviously wasn't happy and was in pain. She walked sort of hunched over so we took her to the vet and were advised that she was in the final stages of her life. We chose to put her down so she would not have to suffer. At that point it wasn't feasible to try to keep her alive because it would only be a temporary solution. We couldn't see our beloved pet reduced to the feline equivalent of a bag lady. Letting her go "naturally" would mean she would spend her final days either in a great deal of pain or slowly sliding into a coma. We loved her very much, but felt we needed to do the unselfish thing and let her go. This way she just went to sleep in our arms. Sad, but for the best, we think. We like to believe there is a kitty heaven.

So you're the only one who can make this difficult decision.

Answer 9

Wow your cat has lived a long and, sounds like, happy life. You will know when its time to put her down. Most likely she will just pass when the time comes. If she is not acting like she's in pain don't do anything, just give her tons of love and cherish every moment you have left. Take lots of pictures and think about what you want to do with her when she passes. I cremated my baby when he died and I keep his ashes in an urn with his picture on it. You are obviously doing a great job with her, she is above the average life expectancy for cats. She may eat more and her poop will become more pungent, however blood is not so normal, you may want to have her checked out for that., you will also notice her drinking more and want to make sure that she always has fresh water.

Answer 10

Has she seen her vet lately?
By 18, she certainly could be in any stage of organ failure. She could have kidney or liver problems, she could be hyperthyroid, she could have heart problems, she could be diabetic. She more than likely has arthritis from the description.
Do her the favor of a vet checkup. You may not feel like spending a ton of money on her due to her age, and depending on your family's finances, but at least then you will have options. If nothing else, your vet can prescribe an analgesic or anti-inflammatory medication to ensure that she is pain-free. There is nothing wrong with wait-and-see, it is very difficult to make the decision to euthanize. It's so hard to purposely end the life of a loved one. But, if at any time she seems to be suffering, it is a loving, humane way to stop that suffering. I pray that goes on her own peacefully.

Answer 11

My baby (best companion) passed at 17 yrs 8 months. You are so fortunate to have her with you. If she is happy, keep her with you. She will tell you when it is time. Cedrick was using the litter box so much and it is stink :) He had lost a lot of weight, I brought him to the vet and he had a thyroid problem. He was healthy for another year. I am so happy that I had this year with him. It's been a couple months, we adopted a new kitty for his brother and us. I still cry and miss Cedrick so much. Keep your kitty around, if she can receive and give love, she will be happy. Take her to the vet. Cedrick had lost a lot of weight, he drank a lot of water and his fur was not as pretty. When he started feeling good, his fur was growing back and he started to jump on his brother :-) I knew he was better. Eventually, mother nature caught up with us and took him through seizures

If she is eating well, she is still happy. They sell supplements at the pet store to help keep weight on

Give her as much love as you can