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Background: Jonas is a 10 year old male cat with a complex medical history and a compromised immune system. Lately he's has episodes that seemed to be pain-related where he had trouble moving around. Blood work, x-rays, and an MRI were done. They showed some arthritis changes in his lower spine and herniated discs in his back. We presumed his episodes were related to pain in his back and have been doing laser therapy/supplements/acupuncture.
We've been doing that for a bit now and he really hasn't improved. In fact, he seems to be getting worse. He's just so lethargic. Today I had to shake him to wake him up. He ate today, but without enthusiasm (which is so very unlike my JJ....) I'm just so terrified that we've been missing something this entire time. Something bad.
Alot of his behavior mirrors his behavior when he had a hidden infection in his eye socket many years ago. For three weeks he barely moved, but his blood work and temp. were normal. It turned out he was brewing an infection, but there was no way to detect it. As soon as we drained the abscess he was back to his normal self that night. So I'm worried it's an infection or something even worse like cancer. I just spoke his regular vet and she said to take him to internal med, so we'll do that ASAP.
But I'm scared. I'm really, really scared. Everything in me is telling me we're missing something. I can't lose this cat. Just look at him sleeping all day is ripping me apart. I can't look at him without crying.
Oh, God, any of us who have been in your shoes knows the pain you are feeling and the fear that you are not doing something to save them. It is one of the worst things in the world to see your little beloved buddy suffering and you can't do anything about it. I have sobbed many times when I saw one of my cats in the same state as Jonas is right now. They are more than pets.
It is the part of having pets that I always dread so much. Just know that all of us who love our animals, as you do, are right there with you, and we pray things turn around and that Jonas recovers.
It's such a helpless feeling. I hope you can find out what the problem is for better or worse, but of course I send many, many positive thoughts for better. You have poured so much love and worry into this very special boy and you've gotten him this far against all odds. Having seen his videos, and how much he's managed to do with all his problems (and what a little devil he can be!), I know he's a fighter, and I so hope this is something he can fight. Please keep us updated.
You can lose this cat and you will eventually lose this cat because that is how life and death revolve.
You won't lose this cat because it is your desire to keep him around for yourself and your emotions yet he is in pain, not eating as normal and not moving as he usually does.
Is it really the right thing to do and with the animals best interest to put him through all of what he is going through?
You can lose this cat and you will eventually lose this cat because that is how life and death revolve.
You won't lose this cat because it is your desire to keep him around for yourself and your emotions yet he is in pain, not eating as normal and not moving as he usually does.
Is it really the right thing to do and with the animals best interest to put him through all of what he is going through?
That is for the OP to decide, NO ONE ELSE, and the OP should not be bullied in to that decision.
Parallel, have you gone to any other vets for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th opinions? You know your cat better than anyone, so if you think something is being missed, you're probably right.
I can only imagine how miserable you are and have been - worrying about your sweet boy. You know him better than anyone - and you are intimately aware of the smallest changes in his day to day behavior. You must trust your instincts and follow through as much as humanly possible to provide whatever he needs - up to and including the possibility of having to let him go if you have to.
I don't know what internal med is - if that means they will hospitalize him and check him thoroughly for cancers or infections or what - but you absolutely must determine once and for all what is ailing your boy. We both know how hard losing one is - and I pray for nothing but good news and healing strength for him - but I want you to remember that if it comes down to it - you'll have some very hard decisions to make. I want you to enjoy him, and love him, and do whatever you can to make him well, comfortable, and to know how much he is loved. But, I also want you to understand his limits and not make him endure a situation that would be unfair to him, if it came down to that.
Please keep us updated on him - and you - if you care to share. I think we have all enjoyed meeting and hearing about Mr. Jonas over the years - and I certainly pray for you two to have many more good times together. I will be thinking about you both.
I'm so sorry Jonas is not doing well. I suppose getting all the labs done will be the next step and see what shows up. If everything comes back negative, then I should think the arthritis issue is the culprit.
It's so difficult.....they can't tell us what's wrong.........It turns the strongest of us into basketcases. I'm a basketcase waiting on Lily's new labs right now...
ParallelJJCat, maybe Jonas had an epileptic fit. The reason I say that is because a friend gave me my present cat, Angel in May 2010 after my other cat, Beauregard unexpectantly passed away from cardiac arrest and it sounds like the same thing Angel had.
I remember on April 2012 at 5am in the morning, I was looking at all the gifts and leis I received from a party thrown by my co-workers to celebrate the fact that I got another, better federal job. As I was sitting with Angel, suddenly his eyes glazed over and he became very lethargic, almost like a zombie! I panicked, but the clinic that I go to doesn't open in the morning until 8:30am.
To make a long story short, the vet told me Angel was having an epileptic fit and all I had to do was let him rest in a comfortable and quiet area. I didn't know it was an epileptic fit, as all the cat books I have described an epileptic fit in more dramatic scenarios, such as the cat flopping over, tongue hanging out, etc., etc..
The vet said he could give Angel some medicine, but didn't recommend it unless he was having several fits a week as the medicine will make him very lethargic. He had several more fits after that, then no more until 2013 when he had maybe 3 more episodes. In 2014 and 2015, thankfully he didn't have any. It would take him a day and a half to 2 days to fully recover. He would just lie and sleep in the closet of the guest bedroom. I knew the epileptic fit was over when he would finally come out to eat his food and he was his old self again.
I told the vet techs that Angel never had this before during the first 2 years I had him, why now? One of them said it's the same reason some humans all of a sudden have a heart attack, when before there wasn't any problem. I asked her what I could do, she said just give him lots of love.
I started giving Angel a spoonful of coconut oil every now and then and even though I don't have any proof, I believe this has helped Angel to not have those fits.
I hope Jonas gets better!!
Good Luck!!
Last edited by Honolulu21; 06-17-2015 at 11:49 PM..
You can lose this cat and you will eventually lose this cat because that is how life and death revolve.
You won't lose this cat because it is your desire to keep him around for yourself and your emotions yet he is in pain, not eating as normal and not moving as he usually does.
Is it really the right thing to do and with the animals best interest to put him through all of what he is going through?
The fact that I'm posting here about being afraid to lose him should be a rather large clue that I would not refuse to consider euthanasia if I felt it was warranted. But I'm dealing with a situation where I don't even know what is wrong, and that makes it incredibly difficult to make a decision. I can't even say if he's in pain or not. Should I euthanize a cat when I can't say for sure if he's suffering? Even if I could say for sure that he is, should I euthanize him when I don't know the chances for improvement? Wouldn't that also be more about me and my emotions than it is about him? No matter what I'm just guessing at this point, and that's what is making this so hard. I've always been a person who relies more on logic than instinct. I don't want to do something in haste that I obviously can't take back, but if he IS suffering I obviously don't want to prolong it. How can I make that call when I feel like I'm flying blind?
Years ago when he had that hidden infection, I went through very similar thoughts and feelings. It was horrible. He laid in one spot day and night. He didn't want to be touched. This is a cat who was bouncy and happy when his eyes were rotting out of his head...to see him so depressed was absolutely heartbreaking. And because we couldn't find the infection, I had the same issue with having no idea how to help him. This was after the surgery to remove his second eye, so I even had to consider if losing the limited vision he had made him too afraid to move. I cried every time I came home from work and saw him still laying in that same spot. And yes, I did consider if euthanizing him would be a kindness.
And then I came home from work one night and his eye socket looked like someone had shoved a golf ball under the skin. An emergency trip to Penn to drain the abscess later and he was back to his usual bouncy self the next day. If I had made the decision to euthanize him a day earlier, we would have missed out on three or four happy, healthy years. It's just not as simple as you're making it out to be. This could be the same type of thing, or it could be something entirely different and much worse. But right now I don't know, and I don't know how to find out...when you've already done bloodwork, x-rays, and an MRI, not too much is left. Hopefully the internal med specialist will have some ideas. We had discussed the possibility of doing a spinal tap in the past, but I was very reluctant to do it at that point. But if it does come down to a choice being euthanizing and doing it to try and find an answer if nothing else does, then I will.
I don't know what internal med is - if that means they will hospitalize him and check him thoroughly for cancers or infections or what - but you absolutely must determine once and for all what is ailing your boy.
Internal medicine is kind of like the catch-all of the specialty vet categories. Like if it doesn't fit cardiology, dermatology, neurology, dentistry, or any of the others, you go to see internal med. They're also the ones you go to when you have a case that is difficult to diagnosis, or when you have a pet with several problems and need someone to kind of put all the pieces together. So a good fit for Jonas. His regular vet suggested this internal med. specialist in particular and said she'll go over him with a fine-tooth comb.
On one hand, I'm terrified she'll find something really bad. On the other...I'm terrified she won't find anything at all. I'm honestly not sure which of the two is the worse option. As you said, I need to find out for sure what the hell is going on with him!
Even tonight he's been better than he was during the day. He ate twice more with his usual gimme attitude. He got down off the bed and played in his box for a bit (and now he's sleeping soundly in his box.) He can go hours without wanted to be touched or bothered, and then he'll be calling me to the bed every ten minutes for his usual head butting and biting of mommy's nose. So even within one day he's kind of all over the place (but even his good moments are rarely as energetic as he was a few months ago.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Honolulu21
ParallelJJCat, maybe Jonas had an epileptic fit. The reason I say that is because a friend gave me my present cat, Angel in May 2010 after my other cat, Beauregard unexpectantly passed away from cardiac arrest and it sounds like the same thing Angel had.
That's actually an interesting idea! Jonas doesn't have eyes, so I can't see if they get glassy or glazed over. But I have witnessed the lethargy that follows seizures in many animals. It could possibly explain when he seems to phase in and out of the lethargic phase throughout the day. I think this is probably a long shot as far as an explanation, but certainly something to bring up with his doctors!
Can you tell me if Angel had any other symptoms post-seizure other than the lethargy? Did she drool, perhaps, seem disorientated, urinate outside the box, etc? Most of the animals I witnessed post-seizure had grand mals (as that type of seizure will get most owners to rush them to the vet.) It would be interesting to hear about post-seizure behavior in an animal with an absence or petit mal seizure.
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It is one of the worst things in the world to see your little beloved buddy suffering and you can't do anything about it. I have sobbed many times when I saw one of my cats in the same state as Jonas is right now. They are more than pets.
ParallelJJCat...
