Cat hasn't slept in over 24 hours

My cat  Mocha hadn't been eating for 2-3 weeks, or barely eating, but she still drank water and could still groom herself. She looked nauseated when she smelled the food. For a few days up to last Saturday, I was able to feed her by hand, via a plastic putty knife., one day 1/2 a can, another maybe 1/4 a large can. She normally eats 2 large cans or more a day. She stopped even eating that,  but she was able to eat shredded Virginia ham and some bland Tiki Cat food, which I had bought years ago, but she never ate that because it didn't have much smell. Because she is an aggressive cat, she was scheduled for sedation and anaesthesia in order to get blood and urine and a chest xray, and to remove a large mass over her left eye which I had let grow for years because I was afraid of putting her under anaesthesia. She had CKD from before, so on an earlier visit to the vet 2 Wednesdays ago, the vet said she may have kidney failure or advanced kidney disease to cause the nausea. When putting her under,they found a lesion/tumor under her tongue and took a biopsy without contacting me 1st. I hadn't realized the tongue was necessary by cats for eating.

This was last Tuesday, and afterwards, she tried sleeping, but couldn't and it took her over 9 hours...I had to sleep. She was able to come to me on the bed and tried many times to sleep on the bed. I woke up last Wednesday to loud purring/groanings as she had finally slept. She had great difficulty drinking water. I'm certain the biopsy and stretching out the tongue injured it. And something else must have happened to her during her procedure that she was purring and groaning throughout the day both awake and asleep. And she couldn't eat anything, not even the new bland diet. Another visit to the vet , they gave me a syringe with Hill's A/D to feed her. They also gave her IV and injected her with Simbadol.  I was able to get at most 1TBSP of food into her that day, and maybe 1 tsp the next, but nothing afterwards. She labored to drink water with her tongue, and was able to drink water like a person by submerging her lower jaw into the water to sip.

Went again yesterday, more IV, simbadol and  the vet and assistant were able to get food into her by holding her, opening her jaw and using a syringe. Maybe 1/4-1/3 can..lots of spillage. She was also given cerenia. She barfed a little bit. In the car, I saw her do something I hadn't seen her do since before her procedure.....groom herself and make eye contact. She had been completely disengaged from me since the procedure and her tongue was useless. But that didn't last. She drank some water at home, then she tried to go to sleep, again and again, and again. Now it has been over 24 hours and she can't sleep. I wonder if it's the simbadol...I read one other thread where one side effect is hyperactivity. She was given on the day of the surgery and yesterday.50 Simbadol of 1.8mg/ml. The dosage in the middle of the week I don't have

My Mocha is listless but she fidgets and antsy trying to get to sleep. She has barely eaten the past month, has gone from 12 to 8 pounds and now can't sleep. The biopsy results come in Monday afternoon and I have another appointment for them to feed her again...but I feel it is her time. No water or food at all today...I will try food again when my sister arrives..I can't do this by myself. She did urinate tday when I carried her into the litter box room for the 2nd time this morning. She hasn't made a bowel movement since last weekend.

What infuriated me is that I wasn't consulted 1st about the biopsy, and I am very angry that my Mocha does not look at me or react to me the same way. Lots of crying the past 2 -3 days by me.

Aw, I am so sorry for what you and Mocha are going through right now.  I can't imagine why the vet didn't consult you about the biopsy - sure they should have let you know all the risks before hand.  I would be upset about that as well.  One thing you should know is that even though Mocha is not reacting to you the same way as before, she still loves you and knows you are her person.  She is simply dealing with too much else right now.   I would definitely have an honest talk with the vet tomorrow about further treatment and if it's in her best interest.   My heart goes out to you and Mocha right now.   

Margd,

Thank you so much for the very kind words. She finally did manage to eat  quite a lot of Virginia ham and Tiki cat food yesterday and the night before after a visit to the vet on Monday when she was given cerenia for nausea and an appetite stimulant,mitazapine. She got some of her energy back and was finally aware of me for the 1st time in a week, spending some time with me on the bed for the 1st time since last Monday. I even saw her sleep a bit for the 1st time since Saturday when I saw her dreaming, although very briefly...she stil only sleeps a few minutes at most.

Unfortunately, she has developed diarrhea and has stopped drinking water, and hasn't eaten much today. Her rectal/genital area is dirty and wet, and she is rying her best to clean it, but I don't want waste products in her mouth because of the state she's in. I have to wipe her backside, but I can't get it clean enough. Probably because of  all that ham she ate after barely eating for a week, but she can only eat non smelly , bland food.

And I found out Monday her biopsy came back SCC, so that's it for her. Quality of her remaining days is weighing heavily on my mind. I will go back to the vet for more IV. I just wanted one more time for her to engage with me. Not sure how much longer she has before she can no longer eat or drink.This may be her last weekend. 

I am so sorry to hear about Mocha. I work for a veterinary dental specialist and, unfortunately, scc in a cats mouth is so hard to detect until the symptoms Mocha experienced show themselves and then it is usually too late. It is an extremely aggressive cancer and it is commonly found under the tongue or the roof of the mouth in cats. Enjoy the time you have left and keep her comfortable. We give owners Buprenex oral syringes to keep their pets comfortable so they can eat. If she is difficult to medicate, your veterinarian may also place a Fentanyl pain patch to keep her comfortable. Pain medication is definitely going to make her feel a lot better. Also try feeding baby food, it is smooth and creamy and takes less effort to eat. My thoughts are with you and Mocha.

She hasn't eaten in 3 weeks, except maybe a dozen squirts of food from a syringe. She still drinks water a few ties a day, but she gets weaker everyday. Mocha still tries to make a dash out of the door when I come back home. Still agonizing whether to let her die a natural death or take he to the vets. She hates going there...last visit a week ago, she scratched the vet.  lol. She doesnt sleep as soundly and wheezes a lot. I was hoping by now she would have expired in her sleep, peacefully. Taking her to the vet seems like an execution.. I've been taking her outside to enjoy the outdoors. She is an indoors cat, but she grew up for the 1st 4 months of her life outdoors.Labor Day weekend...not sure if vet or crematory services are available. She's such a strong kitty....I can't let go...but I may have to this afternoon.

Unfortunately, if she is not eating, she is trying to tell you something and her organs are likely starting to shut down. Check her color around her ears for yellowing of skin, jaundice. I would rather see her taken to the vet and euthanized than watch what is going on. It is very quick, they can give her a sedative to calm her and she can be at peace. I know it is difficult, but you have to do what is right for her. Best of luck with this decision, very sorry.

I'm so sorry about your dear Mocha being so ill and for the terrible decision you are facing. If you decide to put her to rest, do you live an area with a vet that might be able to your home to lay her to rest? That would reduce the stress caused from having to make the journey to the vet.

You and Mocha are in my thoughts and prayers [emoji]128591[/emoji][emoji]127995[/emoji]

THank you all for all the kind words. I finally had her euthanized late this evening/early morning. She could barely walk, kept falling down, wasn't closing her eyes when trying to sleep, and had that death groan as my sister put it when her cat was deathly ill. I was very pleased that she didnt struggle or fight when the catheter was put into her leg for the sedation. And the lethal injection worked immediately. She is now at peace. Now deciding whether to cremate her or have her buried. Will have to check out the pet cemetary tomorrow..25-30 minute drive.