7 year old cat with possible obstruction - I am devastated

I have two cats, mostly indoor, but do go outside in warmer weather. They have never been hunters, but one of them discovered a chipmunk hole in the yard late summer. Scampers was bringing back a chipmunk every few days, but didn't eat them -- just the typical torment of batting them around, etc. I noticed that he had begun to lose weight (he was 14 1/2 pounds), and thought it likely he had a parasite. I gave him a homeopathic treatment, but he continued to lose weight. By then, wracked with guilt, I took him to the vet for a battery of tests and stool sample, all of which were normal. To be on the safe side, he was given a dewormer treatment. At his next visit, his weight had increased by one ounce. Although Scampers did vomit occasionally, I didn't see anything excessive. And he was hungry! Never a 'scrap kitty,' he now craved scraps of ham, steak, etc. In other words, his appetite was good. We thought he may be improving until a couple of days ago when my husband noticed how strangely he was behaving and not eating or drinking. I took him to the vet again yesterday for the same tests - again, 'normal' - and x-rays which revealed a 'gas track,' meaning some sort of obstruction. I told the vet how awful I know this sounds, but there is a limit money-wise (already $600-plus) and especially when the prognosis is poor: she said that most of the time the surgery for this is very expensive and outcomes are generally not good. Am I wrong to consider euthanasia at this point? The way things are going, I would be very surprised if he lasts until this weekend. He had a pain killer yesterday and was also hydrated and given an appetite stimulant which doesn't appear to be working very well; cat seems to want to eat, but doesn't. I don't know what to do. Thoughts?

I'm curious why they would give an appetite stimulant if they think there is a blockage. My logical mind tells me that doesn't make sense, but I could be wrong. The wanting to eat but not eating sounds like nausea - was he given any anti-nausea meds by chance? If he is nauseous, the appetite stimulants will not work very well.

I think it's good of you actually to consider euthanasia if he's suffering, and you can't afford the surgery to fix it (that may not work anyway). To me that means you are a responsible owner. Are they absolutely sure that it's a blockage though? Has he been going to the litter box?

And btw, I'm so very sorry you and your kitty are having to go through this.

I would get another opinion first before putting to sleep.

KarenH said:

I would get another opinion first before putting to sleep.

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I think my brain must not be working, I meant to ask about that.

He does go to the litter box - I've not noticed anything unusual. Should mention that his weight is 6.9 pounds, meaning that he lost a pound between 12/26 and January 12. No, I don't think they are absolutely sure that it's a blockage and talked about ultrasound, but all that means is more stress, more money, and the same outcome as another cat of mine - they never figured it out and gladly offered more tests even after I had him put to sleep which still has me steaming mad 7 years later. Trust me: I don't want to feel that I am resorting to euthanasia because it's 'easy' as it certainly isn't (I spend most of my days crying over this), but I just wonder if 'enough is enough' instead of putting him through more useless tests. 

I don't know anything about "gas track" and what it means regarding obstruction, but your vet may be giving you advice indirectly by saying "outcomes are generally not good."  I think the best way to make decisions like this is to try to pretend that money is NOT an object.  Is this something you should do in terms of how much he might suffer trying to recover from it?  Learn as much as you can as fast as you can. Why are the outcomes generally not good?   What does the recovery involve? Will he have to be caged and wear a cone for a long time?  Will he have to stay in the hospital?  Ask your vet and maybe other vets.  The only other clarifying test I might advise is to get an ultrasound, which might reveal a lot more about the problem, i.e. what kind of obstruction is it, a tumor?  A rupture with scarring?  A piece of chipmunk? 

In the meantime, you are doing everything you can to keep him comfortable one day at a time.  I know whatever decision you make will be concerned with what is best for the cat, and once you are sure, the choice will be clearer.

A friend of mine went through a similar thing with her beloved dog not long ago, and they opted to try surgery.  Unfortunately, it turned out that the dog had an inoperable cancer, so they closed him up and told her to enjoy the rest of the time she had with him, and they would keep him comfortable.  They predicted six weeks, but he made it six months before it was time to let him go.  After the surgery, one of her friends started a Go Fund Me for her and they raised enough to pay off the vet bill in three days  Anyhow, she made her decision at first as if money was no object, and sadly the surgery proved there was no way to save his life in the long run, but she made his last six months excellent and spoiled him rotten. 

I'm really sorry you are faced with this decision.  Just find out all you can, and then do what you think is best for your cat in the long run. 

I'm going through pretty much the same thing, but my cat is elderly, almost 15 and is just slowly wasting away. I know the pain of standing by and feeling so useless, you want to do every thing you can, but you don't want them to suffer needlessly. No matter what decision is made, it always brings on the soul searching and the guilt.  I'll pray for both our babies, miracles DO happen. For now just love him all you can, it's what he wants most in this world, and what would help him the most too, to feel loved and cared for is the most potent medicine there is. Bless you for loving so much, you have a loving heart.

My kitty would have these symptoms with an IBD flare.  He was constipated along with the nausea so nothing in and nothing out.  Is your kitty having bowel movements?  I understand what they are doing with the gas patterns.  My kitties xrays also looked like an obstruction with the first flare.  He was hospitalized and had numerous xrays and the gas pattern didn't change so they thought it was a foreign body.  Some foreign bodies don't show up on an xray so they go by the gas pattern and it's not changing.  In my kitties case his digestive system had completely shut down from the IBD which is what caused the suspicious gas patterns.