I'm at a loss :(

I have a cat that is less than a year old. He is having abnormal swelling all over his body. It is soft I have not noticed any hard lumps at all. Took him to the vet and the did a fip/fiv check and it was negative. They also discovered extreme shaking in his knees when set on his back for X-rays so they believe he has lesions in his spine of brain. With the X-rays they didn't see any abnormalities other than a smaller bladder but everything looked fine. The prescribe us steroids and a infection medicine and said to be prepared for him to go downhill but she would like to see him next week. I cannot find anything about abnormal all over body swelling and I forgot to mention this all happened within two weeks. He doesn't seem like he is in pain, more discomfort, he gets spurts of being happy lovey kitty and then he just wants to sleep. He is eating and drinking still as well. When I call Monday I'm going to request for a cbc and a urinalysis, has anyone had this issue with their kitty before? I feel so lost

lolowiththeblue said:

I have a cat that is less than a year old. He is having abnormal swelling all over his body. It is soft I have not noticed any hard lumps at all. Took him to the vet and the did a fip/fiv check and it was negative. They also discovered extreme shaking in his knees when set on his back for X-rays so they believe he has lesions in his spine of brain. With the X-rays they didn't see any abnormalities other than a smaller bladder but everything looked fine. The prescribe us steroids and a infection medicine and said to be prepared for him to go downhill but she would like to see him next week. I cannot find anything about abnormal all over body swelling and I forgot to mention this all happened within two weeks. He doesn't seem like he is in pain, more discomfort, he gets spurts of being happy lovey kitty and then he just wants to sleep. He is eating and drinking still as well. When I call Monday I'm going to request for a cbc and a urinalysis, has anyone had this issue with their kitty before? I feel so lost

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The first thing that comes to my mind is an allergic reaction to something, might ask the vet about trying benedryl, if it helps then it may be allergy related.

catwoman707 said:

The first thing that comes to my mind is an allergic reaction to something, might ask the vet about trying benedryl, if it helps then it may be allergy related.

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Yeah I was thinking about that as well while looking up information. Is it normal for he vet to jump to the worst possible conclusion? We've already spent well over $300 in one visit and then she was saying we may have to take him to a neurologist if we want to take it that far as well as getting a mri or spinal tap. So far he hasn't really gotten worse or better since his medication, but he is more awake today but a little more swollen. My parents dog actually has lesions in his brain(we have the best of luck I tell you, also my four year old daughter just had surgery the same week we found out Earl had all these problems, luck is not on our side) he is living well and does great she does suffer from personality changes from time to time but has gotten better at managing his anger. So I'm hoping my kitty will be okay just being a loopy lovey space cadet as long as he isn't suffering. I may call today to ask about allergies being a possibility. Thank you Catwoman707, I never really do these type of posts but I figured it is worth a shot and I love my baby Earl Grey so much and not being able to figure out what's wrong with him breaks my heart. We rescued him from the animal shelter just before Christmas and he has been my baby ever since, he is so sweet and helps me with my anxiety (although now causing some lol) I've only had one other animal in my life that has touched my heart like he has and I lost him a few years ago after he jump the fence and my neighbor hit him. After that it has been so long since I could open my heart back up to another animal. Wow sorry about that emotional baggage story. I'm just exhausted this month has just started and we've already had to endure so much.

Here is a picture of my babies [emoji]9786[/emoji]️

Honestly, I would try to find a place for a second opinion, even if it's an ER vet.  Trembling happens when there are toxins in the body that the kidneys can't filter out.  He needs to be on something to flush the fluids from his body like a diuretic.  I wouldn't wait.  I'd go today.

I agree with the diuretic, to get rid of the fluid in his body, this is what the squishy swelling is, fluid/edema.

The shaking sounded like it only was his back legs when he was laid on his back, not in his head or tremor type shakes.

This may be simply due to the swelling, if it's all over it's in his spine area too which would cause a nerve reaction like shaking legs.

There is also the chance of it being fip, which can attack and affect any organ as well as neurologically.

I sure hope that is not the case......

No fever though huh?

BTW darling daughter and kitty!

Yeah his shaking is only in his hind quarters and only when he was on his back. He doesn't shake at all now. I called to ask about the allergen and they said it would only be in a local spot if that was the case but I don't think it would, I think it'd depend on the allergen and the reaction to it.

Yeah no fever, it's crazy they even mentioned this is a rare symptom for the swelling. First it started about two weeks ago his abdomen started to appear larger, we just thought maybe over feeding/eating. Then it kept growing more like sagging I should mention and he started to walk bow legged and slower, sleeping more. We were worried it was a bladder problem but that wasn't it. Then I took him in Thurday and they asked about the swelling on his front leg and i never noticed it till that day and then they took him back to see how he walked and check his stomach. They brought him back said he is swollen in him abdomen, both back thighs and just his one front paw. Now it is all four legs and his stomach appears better maybe from the steroid medication but he is still swollen everywhere. He is still eating and drinking and going potty. He has always been a pretty quiet kitty so that hasn't changed much but his sleeping more and he walk fairly slow and not for too long. But he does go faster when playing laser but I'm scared it'll make him swell more if he plays for too long. Also his coat is a lot different, you know how you can tell they aren't feeling well or somethings not right by the coat that was on other indication I NEEDED to take him in.

Not front paw, sorry the upper leg. Although now I've noticed his pads seem a little more padded than usual too.

catwoman707 said:

BTW darling daughter and kitty!

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Thank you [emoji]9786[/emoji]️

Also about FIP they tested him and it came out negative. And the tremor/shakes was mainly his flexors that were abnormally sensitive. It's so hard to describe word for word what his vet said.

The tests they did would have been for FIV and FELV, which are negative, so that's good.

FIP does not have a definitive test. They base it on analysis of the fluid and blood results as well as symptoms.

Having general edema as he does can be caused by an allergy, congestive heart failure or heart defect, kidney failure or FIP.

I would have the fluid tested under a microscope, etc they can check for content and might find the cause, or hopefully rule out it being fip as a possibility.

He's got something going on though, it's starting to sound like his heart is possible. It still may be an allergy too though.

Can you ask for the vet to do a fluid aspiration from his tummy?

catwoman707 said:

The tests they did would have been for FIV and FELV, which are negative, so that's good.
FIP does not have a definitive test. They base it on analysis of the fluid and blood results as well as symptoms.

Having general edema as he does can be caused by an allergy, congestive heart failure or heart defect, kidney failure or FIP.

I would have the fluid tested under a microscope, etc they can check for content and might find the cause, or hopefully rule out it being fip as a possibility.

He's got something going on though, it's starting to sound like his heart is possible. It still may be an allergy too though.

Can you ask for the vet to do a fluid aspiration from his tummy?

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Oh you're right they hadn't done the fip test, I looked at the receipt. She checked his heart and she said it sounds really good and strong. Monday I'm going to try to get him in for all these tests cbc and urine, they should have done that already and I'm not sure why they hadn't honestly. I was a little hysterical there ha so maybe they just wanted to give me time and see if those medicines work for him first.

After reading - http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/health_information/CW_FIP.cfm

The vet is pretty much treating him as if this is his diagnosis, although not telling me that is the diagnosis...

So our check up was today, he hadn't gotten worse or better visually since taken medication. I requested a CBC ($200 man) to be done to rule out anything possible and check his levels of calcium because he had a couple deposits in his X-rays. The results were horrifying...I will include a picture of his levels but we are pretty sure it is FIP and if it was from cancer or mass there isn't anything we can do now even if she takes him and tries to get his levels under control his outcome no matter what is fatal. She has given him about a month to live and we now face the choice of putting him to sleep or letting it run its course but if we do that it will be eventually painful because he is going to continue to swell and soon his stomach will become so big and it will start to hit his chest causing his breathing to be abnormal. Right now his quality of life is still there but once I see signs of it being no longer there it will be time.

My heart hurts so much.

I am so sorry, he is such a beautiful little guy. 

Zed Xyzed said:

I am so sorry, he is such a beautiful little guy. 

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Thank you zed xyzed , he really is. I just wish I would have found him sooner, but at least he isn't dying alone at the shelter.

My little love bug, I'm going to miss your cuddles so much [emoji]128557[/emoji]

I am thankful that he will be surrounded by love when he passes. I am certain it will comfort him when that sad time comes. Give the sweet boy a kiss from me

Zed Xyzed said:

I am thankful that he will be surrounded by love when he passes. I am certain it will comfort him when that sad time comes. Give the sweet boy a kiss from me

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Will do, thank you. [emoji]10084[/emoji]️

What terrible news!  I'm so very sorry.

He's a handsome kitty. I'm so sorry for the news.

I'm so terribly sorry you're going through this. He is an adorable little guy.