What is going on?

Originally Posted by cheylink

Hold on, are you saying your vet never suggested Prozac or having him neutered?

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He never suggested Prozac. And an update.... A neighbor found him, I guess he went off to die...RIP Mr Jinx 2004-2009

I am so sorry - bless his soul, and prayers for you.

I am so sorry, too. What a terrible terrible shock for you.

Mr. Jinx, you are in many people's thoughts tonight. RIP.

I'll be thinking of both of you. I'm so sorry.

Are you saying a neighbor found him dead, with no apparent injuries?

Originally Posted by mrblanche

Are you saying a neighbor found him dead, with no apparent injuries?

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It sounds like a sudden health event, either an undetected illness that became acute or just a sudden acute event, maybe something to do with his brain. In a way it makes more sense than anything else, considering he had a complete sudden and dramatic change of personality. I'm not a vet, just guessing.

My cat had eye cancer, which had probably started affecting his brain before anyone knew what was going on. In the year before he died, he would have these periodic episodes that I thought were early cat alzheimer's, where for an hour or so he would act and look like he didn't recognize me or his home. Then he'd be back to normal for a month or more.

Mr. Jinx

PS. I'm also asking for your safety: Was he up to date on his rabies shot?

Originally Posted by Brokenheart

PS. I'm also asking for your safety: Was he up to date on his rabies shot?

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Scary. I agree---if he was found dead with no obvious injuries, his body should be delivered to a vet, so they can send the head to the state lab for a rabies test. Even if he was UTD on rabies vaccination.....it doesn't always "take". Better safe than rabid.

He was outside for the first time, it's my understanding? It seems too sudden to me. By being outside, he was subject to so many different things - a common one: Poison. Maybe he ate rat's poison, or a poisoned mouse?

Ok, to answer all the questions,

1. He had his shots in January

2. He had been outside before, when he was about 9 months old, my door blew open while I was at work and he got out for two days, he came home and was happy to be back. The second time, he pushed a window screen out and since I had a delivery in my neighborhood, I saw him on the yard playing with a dandelion so I put him inside the house.

The thing is, the vets could find nothing wrong with him, except for the previously discussed urinary problems. His aggression toward other cats was never redirected towards me. I always had plenty of food for him, played with him all the time, he was never depressed and neither did I mistreat him. I loved that cat like I would a member of my family. It has been a rough few months, starting in September, when my great aunt May died. I was very close to her.

Do you or your neighbors use pesticides in the garden, rat poison, or any type of pest control outside of the house? Is there a rodent problem of any kind in the neighborhood, that could prompt homeowners to take actions?

The reason why I am saying this, is: This was a seemingly healthy cat, who goes outside for the night, and turns out dead the next day.
His erratic behavior can be explained by the fact that he wasn't neutered. So does his urge to go outside. He was checked by a vet, who found nothing was wrong. For me the only explanation for his death is something that he did outside - poison being my biggest suspicion...

Another update. I took his body into the vets, and they did an X-ray, and apparently there was something there along the lines of a brain tumor. HOW that could have been missed several times, I don't know

Originally Posted by carolinalima

The reason why I am saying this, is: This was a seemingly healthy cat, who goes outside for the night, and turns out dead the next day.
His erratic behavior can be explained by the fact that he wasn't neutered. So does his urge to go outside. He was checked by a vet, who found nothing was wrong. For me the only explanation for his death is something that he did outside - poison being my biggest suspicion...

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The thing about him not being neutered in my mind had nothing to do with anything. For four years, almost 5, he was always laid back and NEVER agressive to the point of wearing his claws down to bloody nubs. The worst I would get was maybe a play bite or something( never serious enough to break the skin). It would be as if he just changed into a whole other cat.

I am so sorry for your loss!!!!!!!! I don't think anyone here, including you expected something so tragic to happen. I hope that he went peacefully.....

Originally Posted by ScottF

Another update. I took his body into the vets, and they did an X-ray, and apparently there was something there along the lines of a brain tumor. HOW that could have been missed several times, I don't know

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Poor little thing. Now you know, at least, that he was never mad at you; the tumor was just making him act crazy. He loved you as much as you loved him.


Cats are very good at hiding early symptoms/discomfort. It seems like a lot of time with cats, the owner and vet don't know till it's near the end. Unless they did a brain xray on him earlier, there may not have been any symptoms suggesting that. The next time someone brings in a cat with sudden severe behavioral changes, your vet will know to consider the possibility of a brain tumor.