My poor kitty....

I posted many months ago about my cat Genie's sudden change in behaviour last Christmas. She changed overnight from being the most loving, playful, affectionate, funny, sweet little girl into attacking me, hissing and generally being really aggressive. She has been diagnosed with arthritis in her hind leg, and heart disease, although this shouldn't affect her behaviour. After much work and medication (both medical and natural), and the help of a behaviourist our trust has been regained and she no longer attacks me.

However, she hasn't purred since Christmas, no longer scent marks or plays and seems to be going downhill rapidly. I've tried her with and without painkiller (Meloxicam - this is regulated in the UK and the dosage and side effects closely monitored) and with and without Cosequin. She needs them both to help with her leg pain.  

She has had full spectrum blood tests a few weeks ago and they came back all normal. She is not using her litter tray and seems to go wherever she is at the time, not even in the same place. I have a litter tray upstairs and downstairs. She has weepy eyes all the time, and I bathe them every day to prevent crustiness. She is no longer grooming as much, and I'm having to shower and shampoo her back end regularly as she gets covered in urine and sometimes faeces (she doesn't seem to mind being showered).

She is pacing a lot, or just standing, hunched over with her eyes half closed, looking miserable. She's not swaying or shaking as such, but looks unsteady. And when she walks around, she doesn't want to go around things but walks through things, no matter the obstacle and she's frequently getting stuck. But now she seems to be actively seeking tight spaces. The other morning I got up and couldn't find her - she was trapped behind the washing machine after she must have forced herself down the gap behind it. Then she did the same behind a stone bench against a wall outside. And this morning she had squeezed herself under a cabinet.

She is still eating normally (a mixture of wet and dry food), and I think she is still drinking, but its hard to tell sometimes with cats. The only time she seems settled is when I sit on the floor and she curls up on my knee. She can't jump up anymore to do this, so I go to her level.

She's seems so unhappy and confused I just don't know know what to do anymore. I know that there are numerous tests she can have, but she gets so so stressed going to the vets - urinates, defecates, vomits and pants all the way there (10 minute journey), I feel bad putting her through it all. And the technicality of the money involved is also an issue, although this makes me feel very guilty. I just don't know what can be done to help her anymore, and I adore her, but the thought of euthanasia is starting to become a reality.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions, or similar experiences. I love my cat so much, but I wlll know when its time to be kind to her and not let her suffer any more.  

If she has bad arthritis that will affect her behavior. Pain is the only cause for any of my cats ever growling or hissing at me. I have a cat with arthritis now and her behavior has changed because she is limited in coming to me, but when I go to her she is affectionate to me. Also If yours is getting really older she may be looking for a quiet place of her own for her to be. I have had 2 cats in the past, die of just old age and the last 6 month of their lives, both became more quiet and secluded finding their own private spot where they spent a lot of their day. One had his own cubbie hole in the garage and the other a closet. They would come out and eat a socalize a bit with me but not like it used to be. It was not a coincidence that I found both of the cats had passed away in their sleep curled up in the same cozy spot they picked for themselves. I would continue to be on the floor with her and get more down to her level because of her mobility issues and let her be affectionate with you on her level. If she is really getting advanced in age I would allow her her secluded area. You may want to visit the vet to aid her in pain relief she doesn't have to be on
Meloxicam. Older cats with arthritis also have a hard time getting into the litter box so you may want to find a lower smaller one or lay newspaper or wee wee pads around the one you already have. It sounds like she needs more pain relief but old age alone can bring on some behavior changes by themselves namely the lack of playfulness and wanting more alone time.

How old is your girl?

All the signs tell me she is suffering from feline dementia. I am not a vet, so don't pin me down on it, but I recognize it. One of my old cats, Spoekie, did all the things you described here. The change in behavior, forgetting her litter training, being confused, not purring, little grooming (Spoekie stoped grooming altogether in the end). It's nothing physical that's causing it, which is why her tests come back negative. It's her. She is no longer herself..

In the end we had to have her euthanized. Among other things it is not healthy, for you or her, to have pee and faeces everywhere and hoping you even find all of it. Mine stopped eating by herself, she'd just forget it until you literally carried her to the bowl and she smelled the food. Eventually she got scared of everything because nothing was familiar to her.

I really hope I am wrong, because it is terrible to watch your beautiful girl go downhill so fast.

Please ask the vet about it. And no matter how hard it is, don't wait too long if he is in fact suffering from dementia.

I will always regret not finding out sooner, because I would have wanted to spare her all the fear and confusion she went through in the final stages of her life.. Imagine how scary it must have been for her, a strange place, strange people, everything..

My heart goes out to you.

Hi and thanks for your replies.

She was 11 in July I think - I say I think as I found her/she found me when she looked like an 8 week old kitten, but she came into season a few weeks after I had her, so the vet and I estimated when she was born.

I have been speaking with the behaviourist who also thinks it could be dementia. I forgot to say that I am having to point her food bowl out to her and she often treads in it now like she can't see it or smell it. Her eyes don't seem cloudy but I have considered blindness, but this doesn't explain her other odd behaviour. She still knows me, and still wants to be with me, so if it is dementia then it hasn't evolved to the stage where she doesn't anymore.

Hexiesfriend - she doesn't seem to be seeking a secluded place as such, but rather trying to force her way into tiny spaces where she is getting stuck - she was trying to get behind a radiator last night. I will talk to the vet about other pain relief for her though. I can't bear the thought that it could be something she can be helped with, and therefore improve her life and bring her back to herself a little more, but I also can't bear the thought that she's suffering with something not physical that can be helped.

I'm heartbroken.

I see. Yeah, I know exactly what you're going through. It's that feeling of being helpless. It's not something that can be fixed, if it is indeed dementia. It'll only get worse and worse, and it will be very hard to know when to stop her from suffering. 

She won't completely forget about you in an instant, it will be short periods where her confusion gets so bad she will be scared. But it'll be gone in an instant. The progression is not much different from human dementia. But the periods will be longer and longer, and you need to make sure you don't let it go on too long.

By the time we were actually sure it was dementia it was basically too late. Spoekie didn't recognize us anymore, which resulted in us having to trap her in her own home and her being scared (wide eyes, tail between her legs, hissing, the works) until her last moment. I have never cried so much in my life, because she was always healthy (she lived until 18 years without any health issues) and happy.. and to have her last moments be such a hell, I still feel guilty about it.

Of course pain doesn't improve the situation either, but since Spoekie had no health issues I'm not sure how it affects Genie. Only you can decide when enough is enough - and this is what is the hardest thing about it. I'm so sad for you..

Thankyou so much. I completely understand about what you're saying about the last moments. If it comes to euthanasia i'll see if theres the option the my vet coming to my house so avoid her stress going to the vets.

The behaviourist says there is medication that improves blood flow to the brain to help dementia, but I feel dubious about it. If it doesn't work then its more suffering for Genie.

She's been my little girl, constant companion and rock for 12 years this December. When she came to me I had been ill for months with bad anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia, and had taken a leave of absence from work to recover. I had been in the supermarket the day she arrived, getting pet broody in the pet food isle, and my boyfriend at the time, for some reason, mentioned a name - Genie - which I thought could be a lovely name for a small animal. Later that evening, there appeared in my garden this tiny black and white kitten, with an unusual black smudge on her nose, all big eyes and big ears, purring away and more than a bit smelly. I took her in as she had been bullied by bigger cats apparently, and there were urban foxes in the area. We bonded almost immediately. Here was Genie!! My boyfriend said we couldn't keep her as we were in a rented house. Non of the rescue centres could take her (they must have known I was a soft touch), and after 3 days of her being shut in the kitchen at night she realised I was going elsewhere. For that night, she slept on my head, and I slept soundly for the first time in months. And I started to recover. Until recently she's slept with me every night.  After 2 weeks of advertising a 'found kitten' all over the place, no one claimed her. I took her to the vets, had her inoculated and microchipped, and went home elated and so happy. And then the worst happened - her original owners called after seeing the advert in the local shop. Genie (formerly known as Sooty) had run away from them. They were on benefits and couldn't afford to pay me back. They asked that I think about what to do for a few hours. As you can imagine I was beside myself, calling anyone I could for advice. But in the end I knew I couldn't part with her. The original owners agreed that if she was happy, I could keep her. The landlord gave me a choice of her or new carpets. You can guess what I chose! And we've been partners in crime ever since, until now.

So I owe it to her to do what I can, and if it means letting her go peacefully, then I will.

i wish i had something of use to say...

but even if i did, i'm crying too hard to speak..... i do hope that you are taking at least half as good care of yourself as you are your furbaby.

Oh Qatmama, thankyou...it makes me feel a little better to know there are so many pet parents who understand. Its so hard to know what to do for the best.xxx

it is..... it's so hard

and infuriating

and humbling

and

..... real

I'm so sorry[emoji]128542[/emoji][emoji]128542[/emoji] you do everything you can for your kitty but when it's time you will know because they always have a way of telling you to let them go. I hope there are answer for you soon because I know it is heartbreaking not knowing is.

One thing I forgot to mention is having her evaluated for a stroke. I had a cat that lost bodily functions and had issues walking well. My regular vet assumed the body function issue had to do with the severe arthritis in her back and would resolve, I had to take her to a cat specialist who took one look at her and so how knew right away she had a stroke. That may be an explanation for her starting to be like this overnight.

I've just spoken to the behaviourist and I have Genie booked in at the vets tomorrow evening, this time with a different vet that usual, which could give me a second opinion. She said that it could be that she is feeling ill or in more pain and is hiding away from it. Anyway, we'll see what happens tomorrow. Off home from work now to give her some cuddles.

An explanation is there I hope you find answers !!!

Please keep us updated? 

I will xx

aww I hope you get some answers. If you do feel she's in pain with arthritis... would something like glucosamine be helpful? Our 10 yr old Mikki sometimes looks as if she's walking rather "gingerly" with her front legs sometimes and I always wonder if she has a bit of arthritis. I might buy this and give it a try after reading the reviews...
http://www.amazon.com/Nutramax-Cose...s/B000F4W02M/ref=dpx_acr_txt?showViewpoints=1

I have absolutely nothing useful to say practically to you except my heart hurts so deeply for you and for her and all the pain you are both going through. It's so sad. It's illness and harder without bring able to talk to common language. She's your beautiful light that brought you back from some of your own darkness and you have been a world and a half to her. All I wanted to say is that your story brought tears to my eyes and I wanted to reach out to you. When the time to put yourself and the kitten out of this level iof misery comes get a beautiful new baby. All of which you know so just saying hello and empathising....take care. She has been loved and treated like the princess. Such brilliant love and attention.

Hi there, yes, I've been giving Cosequin to her. I couldn't get any last time I needed it so she's been having another version called Seraquin, but I have to say I prefer the Cosequin. I am wondering if she's gone downhill because of that, so I'm ordering the Cosequin today. I can highly recommend it.

Thankyou so much Sharyn. I've been feeling so guilty that I'm not doing enough for her so your words really help. Watching her closely last night it does seem like pain that she's trying to hide from. I picked her up and she fell asleep on my chest straight away. Maybe the extra warmth helps her? And when I sat on my floor she settled on me straight away. The vet will hopefully shed some light on it all. I feel a bit more positive today that its not dementia, so we'll see what he says. x