Recognizing your cats health issues

12 Days ago my 11.5 yr old cat Franny passed away at home with the help of my Vet.  I have posted on many threads here but yesterday I came to a revelation.   Franny and her brother Lemmy both adopted by me at 3 months old.  At about 2 yrs I could see they were not going to be great friends, sleeping together.  But they would chase each other around and many times the bigger cat Lemmy would lay down on his back  and Franny would play with him.  Some times it would get rough and I would have to stop them.  Franny was a tough little girl and kind of bullied Lemmy.  As soon as Lemmy jumped on my bed at night, Franny would chase him off the bed so only she would sleep with me.   

Ok...yesterday I started to look back and think about all I read here.  12 Days ago I decided it was not fair to let my cat die naturally.  Franny was hiding, would not eat/drink or sleep with me.  Someone explained to me how when cats are dying they hide  and do not show any pain to protect themselves from predators.   I looked back to about  1 1/2 yrs ago.  Franny would hid under the bed more often and not sleep with me as much.  Also about 4 times a month Lemmy would start with Franny and they would end up in a growling match, it was horrible.  They never did this to each other.  I would have to separate them far apart.  And Franny was starting to throw up a little more than usual.  I changed to better food and things got better.  Mid May 2014 she would not eat the dry food.  I went to pet store and bought a big variety.  Some she liked but  not much.  She ate treats, not good.  Then May 30 21014 I really noticed  her weight dropping.  She was about 8 lbs but when weighed in early July she was 5 lbs.  Mid June I got the vet over for blood work, then xray and sono.  Vet felt without biopsy it was probably lymphoma 85%.  Chemo could extend her life maybe 6 months, she was very very sick by now.  I started the waiting process, got a 2nd opinion and for 8 days the new vet tried a different route.  But the bottom line she still had a mass in her tummy(what it was??? no biopsy).  I tried so hard, giving her predsonlone  blending a feeding with a syringe,  sub q fluids everyday.  2nd vet said you have to get her weight up and just maybe we can get her back on track(not sure if that meant surgery for tumor).  I was only with 2nd vet for about  8 days when I knew Franny could go on no longer.  

In conclusion when I look back 1 1/2 years ago the issues had started and the tiny tumor was starting to grow.  The hiding the fighting the vomit.  Just like people things take time to grow.  And then May 2014 everything hit the fan and it was too late.  I hope when you look at your pets make a mental note once in a while of any kind of behavior changes even if slightly and maybe make a note of the date.   I will be more aware with Lemmy going forward.  Right now...he could care less that Franny is gone...so odd to me.  But I hear cats are loners.     Ok friends I wish you all long long lives with your pets and just maybe if we stay a little more aware they will be with us longer.

PS.  At 4 yrs Franny ate a toxic plant in the house.  I had no idea how sick she was till she turned into Cujo.  It took me 1 hour to get her in a cage to take to the Vet, 3,000.00 to bring her back from almost kidney failure.  For the first 2 days I just thought she was sleeping more than usual. Day 3 she was like a rabid animal.   She finally became herself again and we had 7 more beautiful years together.  

So sorry you lost your Franny.

Your post can be helpful to others in that behavior, physical/personality, etc changes noticed can be a sure sign of something going on.

Cats do hide when they believe it's their time, and also hide when they are unwell, almost as though they are unable to differentiate the diff.

Very likely because, infact if it weren't for human intervention and med/vet care, they may have died at that time they were sick.

This reminds me of an old cat I had, Kidd. Mostly an outdoor kinda guy, but free to do as he pleased, at around 14 yrs old he suddenly got thinner, then before I could get him seen, disappeared.

I called and called, searched around, nothing.

3 days later my neighbor found him under a large bush in his backyard. I went and got him and took him to the vet. When I saw him, he was clearly looking like he was waiting to die.

Vet said he likely had a virus or some bug, but was by then extremely emaciated/dehydrated.

We got him all better and I had a little chat with him about assuming it was time to check out, and we had Kidd for another 4 years until he simply died of old age.

(silly cat!)

So they will hide when they don't feel well for some reason even if it doesn't mean it's their time.

I completely agree with you, be aware of your cats and notice any changes. It might very well save your kitty from a premature death later, or treatment given at early onset of a problem before it's too late.

Cats are incredibly secretive and use their 'poker face' so it's hard to know when they are in need of help.