Not Long Now.

[Desley (booktigger)]

i am sorry things have turned out like this, but he has a wonderful end to his life, so few people are willing to take on older cats. RIP little one

[Millys Mum]

Sorry to hear your boy has gone to the bridge 

[Baggy]

Goodbye to a grand old pusscat. I'm sorry there was nothing more to be done.

[Christine (Blip)]

I am so sorry for your loss.  I hope it is some comfort that Thomas was peaceful and dignified to the last.

xC

[Jasmine]

So sorry to hear you've had to say goodbye to Thomas today.
 

He looks a lovely, contented chappie in the photo, you must have made his last few months very happy.

God Bless Thomas.

Jas
 X

[Wallace]

Goodbye little Fella (a picture of Thomas 18 months ago just before his eventual slow demise).



Unfortunately, nothing more could have been done, Thomas was pts at 11 oclock, it was something of a formality given his condition this morning. Time had taken its toll.

An old, very dignified cat to the end.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Sounds as though maybe he isn't as bad, fingers crossed the fluids and steroids help a lot, and he can have more time with you

[Millys Mum]

  to purrs and sorry its not on better reason 

Well done on giving a needy senior a lovely retirement home, thats something special people do 

When the time comes you have the option of the vet comming to your home if you dont want to go to the surgery. I chose this for both my bridge cats, ^taffy^ had a sedative first and it made him gag and it wasnt such a pleasant experience, ^george^ went on my lap without a sedative and it was very peaceful.
A thick towel is needed as the bladder is a muscle and they do relax.

I think its best to avoid waiting until the cat has gone flat as if they cant inject in the leg the other option is not as nice.

I hope all the info on this thread isnt needed for a long while 

[Baggy]

Fingers crossed for you.

There is some information here about blood results, but without knowing which levels were high are probably not much use - the whole site is very informative (you may well have already seen it) though it contains a lot of information to take in.

http://www.felinecrf.org/just_diagnosed.htm
 
I hope things improve over the weekend and that your vet gives you some constructive advice on what happens next.

[Wallace]

He's finally had the blood test. One line is showing very high (top one), one just above normal, the vet said there were two lines on the test that would indicate blood toxins/CRF. Not sure what he's talking about and which is which (which ones high or which ones above normal). I think the vet expected both to be high.

They're going to flush him for 24hrs, then give him a steriod jab, then he's having another blood test.

He's coming back tomorrow morning all being well. I principally went on the advice of the vet after specifically asking for a blood test.

Not sure where this leaves me or him. Thanks for your help.





 

[Maddiesmum]

I am sorry your first post is under difficult circumstances.  It does make me mad when vets just say "he/she is old".  I had an argument with one of mine about it.

However, if you feel it is time then it is the kindest and most unselfish deed for you to help your beloved cat to the Bridge.  When I had to have my Dragan put to sleep it was very difficult (having had him for 17 years) but the vet was lovely and wrapped him in a fleece and put him in my arms.  It was so quick and I didn't even feel him take his last breath.

[Wallace]

I realise the arthritis could be masking effects of CRF and the arthritis be an effect of CRF as opposed to a separate problem, unfortunately I learned this from the internet yesterday, not from the vets who i've been taking him to for the last year. I think they just wanted to let him be. Well again he is nearly 18 years old.

[Desley (booktigger)]

i am surprised they have never done a blood test on him, it shows how good/bad the kidneys are, and depending on what kind of tests, other organs. WEakness in the back leg can be from multiple things, a lack of potassium can cause it, arthritis, or diabetes. Things aren't sounding too good sadly, but 18 is a very good age for a cat, none of mie have got to that age yet, although i do have an 18yo foster (she came here at the age of 17), yet the cat I lost to CRF was 15.

[Wallace]

Its been difficult with the vets because the cat had an operation just before we got him (minor and not CRF related) and its heart stopped and had to be restarted, hence I have not wanted to put the cat under-pressure or have much done to it. Any CRF related problems we've just rolled with, the vets have never seemed to wanted to push the issue and his problems never been serious enough until say the last 3 months to set warning lights going. They have mentioned blood tests but never seemed to want to do one or put them in context. The vets always look at me as though I have to tell them what I want them to do, not give me clear options and advice from which I can make a decision.

That said, the cat was 16 when we got him, and I don't think in great health (already probably showing signs of CRF ) and he's lasted 18 months since, hence there was probably not much that could have been done.

Its not that I want him to go naturally from CRF, I thought his heart (given problems above) would have given up in the last eighteen months before this problem (CRF - which we have never been sure has been a significant problem) would have 'kicked in'.

[Desley (booktigger)]

i am sorry you have joined us in such sad circumstances, I have lost a cat this year to CRF, she also had arthritis, which made things tricky, as her legs seemed to bother her more, but the traditional arthritis treatments can't be used with CRF, and she got worse while on the supplements. We didn't go down the medication route for her CRF, I don't feel we caught it early enough, as her owners hadn't picked up on it before she came here. Even with things like Fortekor, CRF isn't curable, only manageable. I can understand you wanting him to go naturally, but I have seen a cat go naturally with CRF, and it isn't quick or pleasant. i have been there at the end with quite a few cats (3 this year), and it is normally very quick and peaceful - it is up to your vet whether they sedate or not, mine normally does, but not all do. STeroid injections can increase the appetite, but they can also just buy a short amount of time. Good luck for tomorrow.

[Baggy]

Obviously it does sound very, very advanced, but have the vets taken any blood tests?

[Baggy]

Hi Wallace, sorry you're having such a difficult time with such a poorly puss.  It sounds as if he has had a wonderful retirement with you  .  I hope nobody finds this too distressing, but as you've asked I'll also tell you about when our first cat, the Proot was put to sleep, so if anyone will be too upset please don't read on.

But first - a friend of mine had a cat who was in what she thought were the last stages of CRF, the vet flushed her kidneys through for her and she lived (with a good quality of life) for another 18 months...obviously every cat is different, but if he still has some appetite there may be a chance the vet can do something for him, you could ask about a kidney flush on a drip? Steroids can have the effect of really perking them up, helping them to eat and alleviating their symptoms which is what may happen over the weekend.  I fthe cause isn't treated they will probably crash back down as they wear off though.  If the vet really can't do anything more then it sounds as if it would be kindest to let him go at the vet.

Now, when it was time for our first cat, the Proot, to have his last injection we stayed with him at the vet. We couldn't hold him as he had to be on the table, the vet clipped his leg and gave him an injection, he gave a very small miaow and went to sleep very, very quickly.  Our vet was very good, and warned us that he might quiver for a while afterwards as his muscles contracted - and this did happen, so I'm very glad they told us this as otherwise we might have thought it hadn't worked properly. 

As an aside, we adopted an 18 year old cat (Dinah) who was diagnosed with CRF 18 months ago (just after we got her), and our vet put her on Fortekor, which has worked really well for her.  She wasn't as poorly as your cat sounds to be though, we caught it fairly early on. Our vet said that she was obviously old, but it didn't matter to them if we were happy to things out and see how she went, I'm glad they did.  Am sure your vet has their reasons for not really investigating the CRF, but giving "the cat is old" as a reason that makes me a bit cross (edited to say in general I don't like vets giving age as a reason not to try treatment, but it's not uncommon).

[Wallace]

I have to agree lilynmitz, just not sure of the timings of his pts and whether now is the time, his CRF has been discussed over the past year but because of his age the vets have never properly investigated it (principally because of his age), we've taken him three times in the last year to see three vets (the three vets was by accident as we went to the same surgery and just happened to end up with three different vets) and hence its always been difficult to know the extent of the problem, as he has arthritis we've concentrated on that through having him clipped etc.

Obviously the last month has brought the problem to the fore without knowing the real extent of the problem, just knowing there is a problem.

[lilynmitz]

I'm so sorry to hear about your puss.  It does sound like living is hard work for him, with not much pleasure.  It's our duty of love to decide when they've had enough and let them go with dignity, and end their suffering.  Going "naturally" with kidney failure is not pleasant or peaceful for a cat - they just feel horribly ill until the end.  But it's a dreadfullly hard and painful decision to make, particularly as we are conditioned to love and protect these wonderful creatures - it goes against the grain to bring about their end.  But better a week to early than a week too late.

You bravely asked what to expect at the end, and I respect that.  Forgive me if I sound dispassionate in my reply, but it may help you to know what is likely to happen.  (I have also seen round a crematorium for people, and found it vaguely reassuring to know what would happen to my body at the end) 

I had to have one of my pusses pts with kidney failure and bladder infections.  We were unable to relieve her pain or improve her medical condition at all, and life was getting just miserable for her.  She was quiet and listless, although still able to get about and eat a little, but if we kept her any longer it would only have been for my benefit, not hers.  Luckily my vet is also a friend and came to my house to save her the stress of the car journey.  He trimmed a little fur off her leg and gave her a sedative injection, which made her sick (he did warn me).  Then when she was drowsy he gave a second injection which slowly stopped her heart beating, and we laid her on a blanket while she very gently slipped away.  It was very peaceful for her, and only took a few minutes.  I was of course distraught for weeks, months even, and beset by misplaced guilt, but in retrospect I know we did the right thing, because I loved her so much.

I do hope you can buy your puss a little more quality time, but I know how difficult this is for you.  You are obviously an exceptionally kind person for taking on a puss as old as this, and you will get some comfort from knowing he spent his last days somewhere comfortable where he was loved and looked after. 

I hope this helps.  Take care.

[Christine (Blip)]

I am sorry to welcome you to Purrs at a time of worry, Wallace, but I am sure a number of our members will be able to give you advice about your little fella.  What is his name, by the way?

I have moved this, as you see, to the Health section 

[Wallace]

Hi new to the forum.

18 months ago we took on an old cat (16 years old) who was a somewhat helpless case having spent over a year in cat sanctuaries.

We give him a wash and brush up and on the first day he popped to the green house and stretched out in the March sun and seemed very content, the next door neighbour asking whether our cat was old, yes I said, then he commented something about kidney failure.

Of course this has set the scene for the next 18 months, our little cat is now appears in the later stages of CRF. Weight loss has been ongoing, his drinking (and weeing) has increased to the point where he can't leave the kitchen and his water bowel, he smells quite bad (his breath is terrible) and his fur has deteriorated (although I have since we had him regularly cleaned and brushed him, it is now a daily excercise), he lately is occasionally sick, add in his age (he is now nearly 18), he has arthritis and is weak to the point where he can only just walk.

The last month he's been on and off eating, tending to lick his food, he rests but doesn't sleep very well, he stopped eating completely in the last 2 days and he's very weak. The vets have been of the 'hes very old' opinion.

For the last eighteen months he's had a nice quiet life, eaten well, had plenty of love and was probably lucky to get this far. We knew the little fella was here to rest before dying and I was sort of hoping he would slip away in his own time (since arriving he has been sleeping very deeply - heaven knows how many times i've prodded him thinking he was dead).

Im taking him to the vets (again) tomorrow morning. A few questions?.

1. I've spoken to the vets on the phone today, they said they are going to give him a steroid shot (I think that is what it is?). Does anyone know what I can expect over the weekend, i'm not sure if he will get through the w/end if things don't improve soon.

2. If he has to be put down tomorrow, i'm thinking of staying with him during the injection (I assume they will put him to sleep by injection), has anyone been through this and can let me know what to expect.

3. Any other advice?. I've read loads of CRF stuff, I think hes at the end of the road but who knows?.
 
I think this was in the wrong forum section - if so please move. - Thanks