In desperate need of help for my dad's cat

jenn15 · Feb 18, 2016

Thank you so much. I will share this with my dad. He appreciates your help, as do I.

jmarkitell · Feb 18, 2016

I wish you the best in the outcome of Squeaky's diagnosis. A lot of the symptoms sound like dehydration related problems, with the dry stool, constipation, and kidney issues. I had a long hair cat years ago that constantly was licking his fur, and as a consequence developed issues with hairballs that wouldn't pass easily. A vet can usually see any blockages in the bowels, but they aren't always visible. With liver and kidney tests coming back OK, it is difficult to determine what the problem could be. My vet is still working and he is 75...still the best vet I know of (I'm also in Pa, near Pittsburgh)...there isn't much he hasn't seen over the years and it would be great if he could possibly confer with your vet...is your vet older or younger? Sometimes younger vets don't have the experience to make a tricky diagnosis.

I wish you, your Dad, and Squeaky come thru this ordeal OK...everyone is wishing you the best!

Jim

jenn15 · Feb 18, 2016

Thanks, Jim. Squeaky is long-haired, so I'll definitely mention this to my dad. I'm not sure if the vet is younger or older, because my dad is the one taking her, but I'll mention that to him, too. (He's in the Irwin area, and I'm in Pittsburgh.)

catwoman707 · Feb 18, 2016

I'm seriously hoping she has been put on antibiotics as well as fluids, fever means she is trying hard to fight something off.

Is her pee output good? The dehydration was likely from not drinking enough prior to going to the vet.

There has got to be something hidden going on. How old is she?

jenn15 · Feb 18, 2016

Squeaky is 11 years old. She's been 100% healthy up until this point -- never even been to the vet for anything other than being fixed and getting her shots. She is on antibiotics, and she has peed a little bit, but not much. The vet told my dad that she did get up and took a few steps to drink some water, which is VERY encouraging, since she hasn't gotten up at all in the past couple days.

The vet is taking Squeaky home with her again tonight, and then she's going home with my dad tomorrow. He's already gone out and gotten the goat's milk and Pedialyte for her, and the vet will provide him with syringes to administer it. My dad is still terrified that she's not going to make it another night, because of how she looked and acted today when he went to see her.

Again, thank you all for your help. I told my dad that you're all pulling for Squeaks, and he appreciates it.

zed xyzed · Feb 18, 2016

I hope she is ok, it sounds like your dad and the vet are doing everything they can. Can you post the test results here for the blood work and urinalysis ?

ginny · Feb 19, 2016

I'm so glad to hear she got up! But she still has a long way to go [emoji]128530[/emoji]

what about a feeding tube? ? Fluids aren't enough.

jenn15 · Feb 19, 2016

I can't really get the test results to post, because I don't live with my dad, and he's the one dealing with the vets. Although I may be heading to his place tonight if he brings Squeaky home today. I haven't heard from him this morning, so I'm hoping no news is good news. And I'll ask him about a feeding tube.

Thanks again, you guys.

jmarkitell · Feb 19, 2016

I hope Squeaky keeps drinking water, and the news that the fever has diminished is good. The vet I use, Beam Animal Hospital in Greensburg, have two of the nicest vets that I have seen. The ollder of the two gentlemen probably has at least 40 years experience and is also a farm vet (I believe but not positive). He doesn't sugar coat things, but they also don't make you spend a fortune for un-needed tests or procedures. I nearly gave up 3 times with my oldest cat, Pete. He lived to be 23, but when he broke his leg and we couldn't afford surgery, he wouldn't consider putting Pete down and somehow fixed his leg without using a cast or surgery...in 3 weeks Pete was running around again! These are the last of the real vets, IMHO. Big box vets, like the local Banfields, would cost you over $500 before they would consider talking to you.

I hope Squeaky keeps making progress. My 18 year old girl is sitting next to me as I write this, so hopefully she will add some good mojo for both you and Squeaky!

Jim

jenn15 · Feb 19, 2016

My dad goes to Norwin Veterinary Care. I do think the docs there have the animals' best interests in mind. He really appreciates the doctor taking Squeaky home with her overnight, because one of his cats actually died at a vet's office overnight many years ago, and he couldn't get a straight answer out of them whether someone was there with her or not. He's never gotten over that.

My husband and I went through hell with one of our cats years ago with VCA -- unnecessary procedures, not being forthright with us, which ended up costing us a ridiculous amount of money. There were some individuals there that we felt really cared about our cat, but the overall feeling we had was that they wanted to do as much as they could, just to get as much money out of us as possible. It was pretty terrible, because we felt like we were taken advantage of in such a vulnerable state.

But I'm hoping and praying that Squeaks had some kind of breakthrough overnight and that we'll get some good news from the vet this morning. I'll let you all know as soon as I find out.

ginny · Feb 19, 2016

I understand your frustration with the vets, and I'm so sorry what happened to your dad's cat years ago. That was awful. I'm old enough to remember when human docs made house calls, and I so wish we had the current technology/knowledge with the old-timey values. The ones at our ER are kinda heartless (most but not all). Two days before my mom died I begged them to give me advice over the phone what to do with Nat. He'd just come home from ICU 4 days before and then started having seizures again. The secretary said you'll have to bring him in again. I got in touch with my regular vet and she told me to increase his dose, which was all he needed. My mom died a day and a half later. The secretary was so cold and heartless. I know nurses that are that way too. But there is no cause for not acting like a human being when you are taking care of either people or animals.

jenn15 · Feb 19, 2016

I'm sorry, Ginny. I lost my mom one month before my first daughter was born, and then one month after that, one of my cats died suddenly. Talk about a roller coaster of emotions.

So here's the latest on Squeaky -- she's home with my dad. I just talked to him on the phone for two hours, and during that time, Squeaks got up and actually walked a few steps, and she also drank some water, which is very encouraging, because the vet this morning said she couldn't swallow. I think the docs think she's going home to just be comfortable at the end, but my dad is holding out hope that she can recover. My husband and I are going out to visit Dad and Squeaky tonight. I want to get an idea if my dad is just being optimistic, because he doesn't want to face the other possibility, or if it really seems like there's hope.

The one vet said she has a lot of symptoms of FIP, but not all, and some that are also contrary symptoms to the disease. (I guess it's not something that they can test for until after the cat i is gone.) If it is that, there's really not anything they can do for her, but we're really hoping it's not FIP.

I'll check back in after we visit with her tonight. Thanks for all of the support.

zed xyzed · Feb 19, 2016

I pray it is not FIP, It is really sweet how well you dad is looking after Squeaky. I also think you are being so thoughtful to go spend time with your father as he is going through this difficult time. We all are pulling for you Squeaky

catwoman707 · Feb 19, 2016

@Jenn15 do you happen to know what the 'contrary' symptoms are that do not fit fip?

jenn15 · Feb 19, 2016

I honestly don't offhand. She has a laundry list of symptoms, and there's been so much information to process. My dad is a bit overwhelmed with all of this, so I don't think he can even keep everything straight. Every time I talk to him, I ask him if he asked this or that, and he said he didn't think to, when it was something that I would have thought of as the first thing to ask. I'm going out there tonight, so I'll see if he knows what the vet meant by that.

catwoman707 · Feb 19, 2016

Jenn15 said:
I honestly don't offhand. She has a laundry list of symptoms, and there's been so much information to process. My dad is a bit overwhelmed with all of this, so I don't think he can even keep everything straight. Every time I talk to him, I ask him if he asked this or that, and he said he didn't think to, when it was something that I would have thought of as the first thing to ask. I'm going out there tonight, so I'll see if he knows what the vet meant by that.

I understand completely.

Just a thought too is perhaps if YOU were to speak with the vet about Squeaky you/we might have more detailed info too.

Hard for dad to remember everything when he is emotionally overwhelmed and so preoccupied, poor guy.

ginny · Feb 19, 2016

Jenn15 said:
I'm sorry, Ginny. I lost my mom one month before my first daughter was born, and then one month after that, one of my cats died suddenly. Talk about a roller coaster of emotions.

So here's the latest on Squeaky -- she's home with my dad. I just talked to him on the phone for two hours, and during that time, Squeaks got up and actually walked a few steps, and she also drank some water, which is very encouraging, because the vet this morning said she couldn't swallow. I think the docs think she's going home to just be comfortable at the end, but my dad is holding out hope that she can recover. My husband and I are going out to visit Dad and Squeaky tonight. I want to get an idea if my dad is just being optimistic, because he doesn't want to face the other possibility, or if it really seems like there's hope.

The one vet said she has a lot of symptoms of FIP, but not all, and some that are also contrary symptoms to the disease. (I guess it's not something that they can test for until after the cat i is gone.) If it is that, there's really not anything they can do for her, but we're really hoping it's not FIP.

I'll check back in after we visit with her tonight. Thanks for all of the support.

I'm so sorry for all your losses as well! That's too much. I don't know how you survived it.

I had actually thought of FIP as a possibility but dared not say it because I don't really know much about it. I hope it's not but it sounds like these docs will be honest with you and your dad. Thanks for keeping us updated. I feel for your dad. And let me add too that it's very kind of you to ask for support for him. What a good daughter you are!

ravynwriter · Feb 19, 2016

I was reading through this and thinking 'dry FIP' as well. I recently lost my young boy to wet FIP and since then I've read a LOT about it- though I am no expert.

Wet FIP kills very quickly. Dry FIP, cats hang on a lot longer and very, VERY rarely pull through (it seems), but they need a LOT of care to do so. I think there's only one or two cases where they have.

This link has some good info on the two kinds of FIP:

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/brochure_ftp.cfm

jenn15 · Feb 19, 2016

Thank you for the link. I was just actually reading that same article about FIP earlier today.

So I just got back from my dad's a little bit ago, and it was heart-breaking. Squeaky is like a shell of herself. The weird thing is, overall, she looks healthy -- fur looks good, her body doesn't feel frail -- but her eyes a constantly open, and she just stares off into nothing. She will occasionally react when you pet her. I was scratching the back of her neck, and she started kneading the floor. But she pretty much just lies there and does nothing, which is so not her. (She got the name Squeaky, because she was a neighbor's cat who would come over to "talk" to my dad all of the time, and her meow was a little squeak. The neighbor had too many cats, so I convinced my dad to let me go over and ask her if my dad could take Squeaky and her little sister, Catcher, in. And the neighbor agreed to give them up.)

Anyway, the strangest thing was happening with Squeaky. She would put her face in her water dish and then just sit there, not drinking, but with her mouth in the water. My dad dumped most of the water so she wouldn't get any up her nose. This went on for at least a couple of hours. And then out of nowhere, Squeaky sat up and started drinking water. She lapped up about 35 sips, which my dad was very excited about. But then she went back into that vegetative sort of state and didn't respond to much after that.

I got on the computer and Googled "lethargic cat, face in water," or something to that effect, and one of the things that came up was an article about kidney failure and how that's a major symptom. My dad said that the blood work on her kidneys came back fine, so they had ruled that out. But I told him, at this point, if she makes it through the night, to call the vet in the morning and insist on going back for more blood work on her kidneys. It may be too late at this point, but my dad is willing to try anything.

Again, thank you all for your advice and kind words. I'm still hoping for the best, but trying to prepare myself.

catwoman707 · Feb 19, 2016

Jenn15 said:
Thank you for the link. I was just actually reading that same article about FIP earlier today.

So I just got back from my dad's a little bit ago, and it was heart-breaking. Squeaky is like a shell of herself. The weird thing is, overall, she looks healthy -- fur looks good, her body doesn't feel frail -- but her eyes a constantly open, and she just stares off into nothing. She will occasionally react when you pet her. I was scratching the back of her neck, and she started kneading the floor. But she pretty much just lies there and does nothing, which is so not her. (She got the name Squeaky, because she was a neighbor's cat who would come over to "talk" to my dad all of the time, and her meow was a little squeak. The neighbor had too many cats, so I convinced my dad to let me go over and ask her if my dad could take Squeaky and her little sister, Catcher, in. And the neighbor agreed to give them up.)

Anyway, the strangest thing was happening with Squeaky. She would put her face in her water dish and then just sit there, not drinking, but with her mouth in the water. My dad dumped most of the water so she wouldn't get any up her nose. This went on for at least a couple of hours. And then out of nowhere, Squeaky sat up and started drinking water. She lapped up about 35 sips, which my dad was very excited about. But then she went back into that vegetative sort of state and didn't respond to much after that.

I got on the computer and Googled "lethargic cat, face in water," or something to that effect, and one of the things that came up was an article about kidney failure and how that's a major symptom. My dad said that the blood work on her kidneys came back fine, so they had ruled that out. But I told him, at this point, if she makes it through the night, to call the vet in the morning and insist on going back for more blood work on her kidneys. It may be too late at this point, but my dad is willing to try anything.

Again, thank you all for your advice and kind words. I'm still hoping for the best, but trying to prepare myself.

Yikes, that staring at nothing look.........

I don't think I need to tell you my thoughts from your description, she feels like crap.........

The water thing, I've seen that before but in kittens with parvo, hanging their head over the water dish but not drinking, and then my cat Krissy with IBD, but she doesn't stick her face in the water, but she lays down so close to the dish where she can conveniently move her head and drink at any time, and also so close that her chest fur gets wet. She's been doing that for more than a year now, and loves her water, I even put a non spillable dish right on my bed near where she sleeps so she can drink any time during the night conveniently.

Cats are funny/quirky. Go figure. Then my Simone who actually does have CKD drinks often too, but none of the funny/odd things with it.

How sad for your dad. It doesn't sound good.......

In desperate need of help for my dad's cat

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