RIP my beloved boy Egon.

I am crying as I write this, and I really just want some opinions on what may have happened.

Last Saturday evening, my 16 yo male cat Egon starting acting a bit strange. He was shaking his head a lot, holding it at an angle, and he would scratch his ears often. He was also meowing, somewhat howling, every so often, which is strange because he never made noise. We even told my nephews and niece that Egon had lost his meow a long time ago. So to hear him make any noise was strange. He was also having a very very mild problem with balance. But, I really didn't even know anything was wrong until I looked at him as he was laying on the rug at the hearth and he was foaming at the mouth. It wasn't a great deal, but it was obviously very uncomfortable for him. I picked him up, he did not growl or anything, in fact he started purring (which yes I know can mean many things) but I was rubbing him and he seemed to be enjoying it. He seemed to calm and went to sleep on the sofa. I got back up around 1 a.m. and he was having trouble again. So I got online and began a session with an online vet. Because of the ear trouble, I had put some drops in his ears for fungus and mites. The vet told me not to put anything else in his ears in case he had a middle ear infection. He said that cats will often froth at the mouth for any reason, anything abnormal, because of the anxiety they are feeling. The next day, he seemed to be okay. He was eating and drinking. He went outside, as he is mostly an outdoor cat, but then did come come back in and slept inside that  night. He did keep up the meowing and the salivating/foaming did continue every so often. It was not a constant thing. I called the vet and got an appointment for 4 p.m. this afternoon. Egon was still meowing some today, but again he ate and was affectionate toward me. He then went outside at around 2 p.m.  I left briefly to go pick up my cat carrier at 3 pm and was back home by 319. On my way up the driveway, I saw Egon laying in the front yard. I out my car in park and ran to him. When I got to him, it looked almost like he was having a seizure. There was a lot of foam and saliva coming from his mouth, and he had lost control of his bowels. I picked him up and ran to the house, put him in a towel and was taking him to the car to go immediately to the vet. This was 321. I looked down at him and saw that he was already gone, that it was already too late.

He died while I was holding him.

I don't know what happened to him. A few days before he got sick, he had lost a tooth and now I am thinking that maybe that area got infected, but I was keeping an eye on it and it never looked infected.

His symptoms, in summary, were the meowing, the foaming/saliva, very minor balance problems, runny eyes, and itchy ears.

He never lost his appetite, last eating this afternoon.

He was moving very well this afternoon.

Last year, Egon's mother, Greta, died on 3/17. She had seizures and would howl and act like she was blind. the vet gave her too much seizure medication and she never woke up. She was peaceful. Then on 4/29/11, I lost another one of my cats. And now Egon. But his death seems so sudden to me. I don't know what happened. I am incredibly sad. He was such a gentle soul.

He is now buried beside his mother and my other kitties.

I guess I am just wondering if anyone has suggestions as to what could have happened..? A diagnosis.

Not that it will make anything any better...

RIP my baby Egon, d. 3/29/2012 at 3:21 pm, aged 16 years.

My baby boy Egon, aged 16 years, died this afternoon at 3:21 p.m.

He has gone to join his mama Greta, who died last year on 3/17/11, and Ms. Belle who died 4/29/11. I am sure he is not only frolicking with them, but with all of my other kitties that have crossed over. I know that he is not alone, but my sadness seems infinite.

RIP Egon, my gentle soul, you will always be loved.

My condolences. 16 years is considered a good long life for a cat. Just as some humans die younger and somer older, there isn't any particular reason. We give them the longest, most loving life we can and we are forced to accept their mortality.

thank you. i know egon had a good life. i guess it's that same old "what could i have done?" question. in reality, there is probably nothing i could have done. i just miss him terribly. my eyes are raw from the straight 9 hours of crying.

I'm very sorry. Sixteen years is a ripe age for a cat, but no matter how long they live, they always leave us too soon. RIP, Egon,

thank you jcat. i keep bursting in to tears randomly.

You have had a lot of losses in a year.  My deepest condolences to you on the losses of all of your cats.

Even if they'd live to be 36 years old, it is never long enough.  Just like Bogey, who passed away earlier this week at 21 after being with his family for only three years, it's painfully difficult when they leave us.

RIP to all of them.

May this precious, handsome boy live forever in your heart.

Beautiful Egon