Cat not eating. Mystery to me and the vets

[zoneout]

 This Sounds similar to what you're going through. If this is what it could be, the cat has to have a dental with full x rays of the mouth to detect.

Here is good info about FORL in cats:

http://www.felinecrf.org/dental_problems.htm

Here is thread on the ragdoll forum where she discusses her cats symptoms, which sound similar to yours:

http://www.ragdollcatguide.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=19253

I think you need to explore dental issues; you said his teeth have not been X-rayed, right?

I feel so bad for him! I hope you find the cause soon.

Good post... certainly could be dental related.   Especially the symptoms:

Common symptoms of dental problems include teeth grinding, not eating, pawing at the mouth or drooling. Some cats may approach food, then walk away. Your cat may also seem a little subdued.

 

[marcel]

This Sounds similar to what you're going through. If this is what it could be, the cat has to have a dental with full x rays of the mouth to detect.

Here is good info about FORL in cats:

http://www.felinecrf.org/dental_problems.htm

Here is thread on the ragdoll forum where she discusses her cats symptoms, which sound similar to yours:

http://www.ragdollcatguide.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=19253

I think you need to explore dental issues; you said his teeth have not been X-rayed, right?

I feel so bad for him! I hope you find the cause soon.

I agree and felt this may be the case a few weeks ago. At that time I had taken him to a different vet (closer to home and to get a second opinion on what may be the cause of the original symptoms, was also still eating at this time, but just started the mouth/tongue thing). I wasn't very happy with that vet so to him back to my normal vet (where he has been seen by 2 different doctors there). Ive brought up this twice, because symptoms seemed to match, but what was troubling was that he was choosing the harder/dry food over the soft/wet food. You would think he would want something he could just lap up with his tongue and not have to crunch on if it was hurting him, right? I wanted them to do the x-rays, I looked into but obviously not that much because I didn't realize he would need to be sedated to have the dental x-rays done, unfortunately the (for my sake and Marcel's) the doctor perhaps misunderstood (this is the same vet but not his normal doctor) and did x-rays but of his upper chest, neck/throat and jaw. I was pissed because x-rays aren't cheap and he had had chest x-rays recently so why do them again. Come to find out they don't do those types of dental x-rays there? but this was after the fact (and $110 later). That doctor gave him (looking at the receipt here for that visit): 300cc S/Q fluids, Cerenia injection 10mg/ml, Famotidine (the Pepcid) 10mg/ml injection, Mirtazapine 15mg and then the Famotidine to take home that was pre-cut.

Today he is definitely not as perky, very sleepy, but appears relaxed and comfortable in his bed. It has now been over 24hrs since he has eaten anything and only that small amount of water (about a teaspoon Id say).  I'll see how he does after I get home from work (if he has drank/eaten anything) otherwise tomorrow I think I'm going to go ahead and do the Sub-c fluids myself so he gets something at least. More than likely will be taking him in on either Monday or Tuesday to do some further testing. I'll be bringing my notes with me based off everyones suggestions and see where the vet thinks we should start with the tests and get him treated nutritionally, somehow?!

 

[marcel]

Marcel seems to have taken a turn for the worse. My mom came by and helped me administer the sub-c fluids, also gave him the Denamarin (took 5x's before he swallowed it). When I got home from work this morning he was hiding way in the back of my closet. Has not had any food or water (except for those few sips yesterday, he has not had any sort of food in over 48hrs basically)...why the fluids. His mood seemed to change shortly before I had to leave for work yesterday. The various foods I picked up (Trader Joe recommendations) just made him do the head/tongue (video) thing just at opening the bag/can (the smell). 2x's today it appears as if he is trying to vomit but nothing comes up/out. He did this once before the fluids and then about an hour after the fluids/Denamarin. At one point, when my mom was still here, he did attempt to eat one of the cat treats I offered (worth a try) he picked it up a few times but it kept dropping out of his mouth so he didn't ingest any of it and appeared to just give up after those few attempts even though he was initially interested.

I'm so lost. Ive been looking at emergency vets in the area and the one closest to me has received horrible reviews (Google/Yelp), the next closest ER vet has better reviews but they want payment up front and I only have a hundred dollars to my name at the moment. My mom thinks its not that serious and can wait (put in a call first thing tomorrow a.m. to his normal vet and see) but I'm getting scared and don't know what to do. He is currently hiding in the closet again and it seems like he just wants to be left alone. I'm glad he received the fluids and was hoping that would help (especially since we were able to do it here at my apartment).

I also don't even know what the vet will suggest, what to do next. Where to start. Dental radiographs? Biopsy? both of which I believe he would have to be referred out for. The ultrasound is also an option but as I stated in previous posts I'm nervous about doing that and after paying still not having a clear idea of the cause. I don't know what to do...

 

 

[denice]

This sounds like nausea to me. Patches would do this with IBD flares. He had flares for six years before he was diagnosed and put on a steroid. He would often end up hospitilizef on an IV the last major flare he went into hepatic lipidosis and was on a feeding tube for a month.

 

[zoneout]

Hi.  I know how confused and helpless you feel.   I had just gone thru the almost exact same circumstance with my 14 yo cat over the past year.   From what you are saying - he is absolutely getting into a critical stage.   When cats look to hide in closets and just sit there in the `meatloaf` position they are extremely ill.    There is no time for myriad tests - he needs to be stabilized - at this point he is probably severely dehydrated and needs nutrients.   This is done thru an IV.   You can tell a cat is dehydrated by pulling up the skin on the back of their neck - if it stays tented up they are very dehydrated.  

The cheapest way to do it is to get him to the vet or hospital early in the morning - as IVs take several hours.    If you go late and he has to stay overnight the extra charges are quite heavy.

Hopefully, once he is stabilized (they will also need to do a blood panel to see whatever they need to put into the IV - probably one before and after)

I felt very scared at these times when my cat would spiral downhill.   That I was was too scared to ask the questions that needed to be asked.

Once they have him on an IV he most likely will feel better.   At that point you can take a deep breath and discuss what the next steps should be and what they will cost.   It might help to write down everything you have observed - as in a panic I couldnt present the facts clearly which only helps to confuse the vet.    This thread might help jog your memory for the record.

My prayers are with you tonight.

 

[goholistic]

I'm trying to read through all the posts, but there is a lot of information. So Marcel had the NG tube taken out? Was he getting his daily caloric intake through the NG tube? If not, and now that he has gone another 48 hours without eating, I am concerned that the cumulative effect of not getting enough food is now seriously affecting his liver.  

  

 

[marcel]

Marcel passed away this morning. I don't know what happened. After my post yesterday he seemed to be feeling a little better, we hung out together the rest of the night and when I went to sleep he laid next to my bed on the rug, let me pet his stomach and seemed to enjoy it/happy. His cat bed is in clear view from my bed, when I woke up this morning he seemed comfortable in his bed. I got up, pet him, went to make some coffee, he came out in the kitchen then walked back to his bed and laid down again, a few seconds later he got up and collapsed in front of my bedroom door. He was moaning/howling, his front paws were shaking and his mouth was open and he was panting/gasping for breath. I didn't know what to do, drove him to the closet vet to my house which luckily was open at 8am. I think he had passed when I got there, I didn't want to check to see if he was still breathing, I just kept petting him and telling him I love him. I called his regular vet and they offered to do a necropsy to determine the cause free of charge. He said he would call later tonight but might not have an answer for a couple days.

Zoneout: I understood this, I gave him the sub-c fluids yesterday for the exact reasons you stated and plan was to take him to the vet as soon as they opened this morning, but we never had the chance. Last night he seemed better shortly after I posted here, nothing more unusual just that in the past when he received the fluids he always seemed to perk up right after and this time he just stayed the same as before, until later in the evening. Even those few minutes before it happened he seemed fine and then just out of nowhere.

GoHolistic: The feeding tube had been out for nearly a week, actually my original post was made the day after I brought him home and was worried because he was drinking water but would not eat any food. I hope I don't sound like a jerk but that's what this whole thread has been about. Different foods I could keep trying with, advice, thoughts, similar experience.

I know this is a lot to read through but I would like to think that anyone who has read through all of it would know/see that Ive been doing everything possible, what the vet has said/recommended, even taking suggestions for food from others on here. Of course I still feel like I could have, should have, possibly done more but with all the vets being closed on Sundays and the emergency vet getting horrible reviews (people claiming they killed their pets and were very insincere and not at all compassionate). Trust me, if I felt I needed to take him somewhere yesterday I would have, I had a place (a different ER vet) already planned out and discussed this with my mom if it (I guess the dry heaving, vomiting without throwing anything up and his change in mood) continued, but he seemed fine after a little while and as the night progressed he pretty much seemed his normal self again.

Ive been doing everything I can and can afford. I loved him dearly, it was just me and him. Part of the reason I started this thread is for others who may be going through a similar thing too, I will post the results of the necropsy when I find out, the vet (his normal vet) after explaining what happened thinks it may have been an undetected cancer but couldn't say for sure. My plan today was to have them exam him again and to have them go ahead with the biopsy. Every time I had taken him there in the past after in had been close to 48 hrs (because that was the max I would do) they would give him the sub c fluids and eventually gave it to me to do at home so I didn't have to keep bringing him in. Part of me is relieved that he didn't have to go through the surgery and whatever else I may have had to do, and even though he was older (12) I still feel/hoped we could have had a few more years together.

This was the last picture I took of him, from last night, when I was petting him on my bed, later he put his paw over my hand. I will miss him so much! Thank you everyone for the support and suggestions over the past week!

IMG_20140629_192519_451 marcel.jpg

• marcel
• Jun 30, 2014

 

[goholistic]

Oh, no! I'm so sorry for your loss. I don't even know what to say. This is so heartbreaking and I can only imagine how hurt you are right now. 

  I know you were doing everything you could within your means. Please know that I didn't doubt this for one bit. 

  You took great care of Marcel and gave him so much love.

 

[lisahe]

I am so very sorry to read this news! I had been watching for updates on Marcel and hoping for the best. He was a very lucky cat to have you loving and taking care of him for all those years.

 

[zoneout]

I know exactly how you feel - I lost my 14 yo close friend a little over a week ago.    It hurts.   There is something missing now.... its a loss.  It was just me and her.   I still expect her to greet me at the door when I open it up and to hop up on my bed in the middle of the night.   I really wasn`t allowed to have her in my room either as my lease says no pets.    I used to pray she would stay quiet when the landlord was doing his rounds.   But when she got ravenously hungry she got very loud .... oy!

You did everything you could ... above and beyond.    I have very limited means as well...  I am still paying off $3,000 on the care-credit  account we opened at the vet when I had her in the emergency hospital overnight.

I thought about having mine autopsied and I think it might help ease your mind - thank you for doing it.... certainly it might lend to our education and benefit other cats in similar situations in the future.

It does sound like one of his organs just suddenly went into failure.   If he was strong enough to be walking steady before that then his strength was still ok.     My cat was very weak the last few days... she kind of wobbled when she walked.    She died on the vets table from a heart attack.   But she was in alot of pain leading up to that.   It was a relief to know the suffering was over.

Marcel said his goodbye to you when he tapped your hand ....   in a way, he helped you by going quickly as he did.   Had he hung on any longer you probably would have run up large vet bills as I did and in the end - these cats are too sick to live a quality life much longer anyway.

I think you said Marcel was a rescue or a feral?   So you were indeed his angel for all those years.   Where would he have been without all you did for him.    In the end ....  this is life.    It goes on and we remember the good times.    Hopefully we can be angels to others in need.

God bless.   

 

[cocheezie]

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.

 

[peaches08]

I'm so sorry, RIP Marcel!

 

[marcel]

Diagnosis: Multiple Myeloma Cause of Death: ruptured/burst Spleen  What is Multiple Myeloma? http://www.vetinfo.com/multiple-myeloma-in-cats.html

First of all I just wanted to say THANK YOU to EVERYONE for your kind words and support, they mean SO much to me right now.

The vet called last night but then (if the day couldn't get any worse) there was a 10 hour power outage...

More details on what the doctor/vet said: When his doctor/vet called last night he said that when he opened up the stomach it was full of blood, that his spleen had ruptured/burst. He associated it to an Aortic Dissection in humans. He said the Multiple Myeloma is a very uncommon form of cancer and difficult to diagnosis. Since he was not showing more widespread/common signs and symptoms, x-rays all looked good (organs/bones) besides the first set that showed the fluid build up in the chest/lungs, 3 sets of blood work all looked good (only first time showed calcium levels were elevated (other vet he normally doesn't go to thought it was Hyperthyroidism, 2nd time everything came back perfect, and this last time only the liver enzymes were slightly elevated). He assured me that I was doing/did everything I could but it kills me to think having been able to do the ultrasound sooner it may have been prevented somehow. His doctor said the ultrasound may have helped but that with the Multiple Myeloma its a pretty tough cancer to treat and even with extensive chemotherapy he may have only been given an extra few days to a week, if found immediately life expectancy is only about a year to year and a half.

In a sense (obviously I wish none of this had happened to begin with, yesterday still feels like a nightmare/unreal) I think this may have been a better (that sounds horrible but not what I mean) way for him to pass. His doctor said it happens very quickly, usually within 30 seconds and that he most likely lost consciousness seconds after it happened. Said even just bending/stretching could have caused the burst. Even if we had been able to catch it sooner there would be extensive vet bills and his doctor said it wouldn't have made much of a difference, only given us a little extra time, and surgery may have prevented the rupture but he would have still had to go through surgery, spend a few nights at the vet and even then might not have made it back home. It was very traumatic but at the same time glad i was here when it happened and not at the vet or while I was at work.  I'm glad it was rather quick and he did not have to suffer. Up until right when it happened he seemed in good spirits (except for those couple of hours the day before). I'm so thankful for the time/really good moments we had that night and few minutes we had before it happened.

Zoneout: Yes, Marcel was a rescue. I got him from a no kill shelter, they said they thought he was about 2-2.5 yrs old at the time. I remember the first time I visited the shelter, when I was getting ready to leave he laid down right in front of the door...so I couldn't leave. To me he was saying "take me"...and I did. He was one of the very best things to ever happen to me/come into my life. (The shelter said he was found in a cage, in a park, during a rain storm, they gave him the name Butterscotch, but a few days after I had him I changed his name to Marcel (like the mime Marcel Marceau) because he rarely ever meow (made up for it with purring You made me cry when you said " Marcel said his goodbye to you when he tapped your hand ....   in a way, he helped you by going quickly as he did". That meant a lot to me because I had kissed him on his cheek and forehead, told him repeatedly that I loved him so much and then he put his paw on top of my hand and it just meant so much, so happy we shared that, and he seemed so comfortable and content at that time...just hours before.

He was the greatest companion to me, my mom and my grandma. He was there with us when my grandma was dying and she loved him just as much, at her funeral I placed a photo of him in her casket and I would like to think that they are together again.

My mom and I are picking him up shortly to take him to the crematory. On Thursday we are doing an attended/private cremation for him (funeral).

Thank you all again!

I know I'm forgetting some things here so I will probably post again when I can think of the other things...in hopes that this thread can help others.

* Also, if anyone knows of any other experience/information on Multiple Myeloma or ruptured/burst spleen in cats. Ive checked out a few sites but am still somewhat confused by all of this.

 

[cocheezie]

Absolutely positive your grandma was waiting.  He went from your lap to hers.

 

[goholistic]

Thank you for posting this information. The grief is so new, so I'm sure it wasn't easy. I have heard of Multiple Myeloma. One vet thought my Caesar might have it because of his bouts of sickness and elevated calcium levels. 

  It IS very difficult, if not impossible, to treat. All the money in the world wouldn't have stopped the progression, so please don't doubt yourself for one second. You were doing everything you could.

It sounds like you have a lot of great memories of Marcel and I hope over time they turn your sadness into smiles. You've just lost a much loved member of the family. It'll be hard to move on without him, so just know that we're all here for you and understand the heartache you feel. 

 

[peaches08]

I agree with GoHolistic.  And for what it's worth, I doubt you could have prevented the ruptured spleen.  Especially if you'd tried heavy chemo to stop the MM.  I think Marcel was lucky to have found you, and he died in a loving home.  May we all be so lucky.

 

[zoneout]

It was his time.   There was nothing you could have done.  Would a life a on painful chemo for a few more months really benefitted him or you?   He was lucky to not have lingered in pain.  You had a great life together - as I said where would he have been without you?  Maybe still waiting in a cage in the shelter.....    Remember the good times.

Run free Marcel.... no pain...  in our hearts and memories forever.

God bless.

PS.   Thank you for posting back the autopsy info.   I know how difficult a week it has been.   It has helped bring closure for you and educated us about this ailment.

 

[jennyr]

I have been following this thread and I am so sorry to hear this sad news. But as others have said, you did all you could and more, in researching possible causes and treatments, and being as interactive as anyone could be in trying to make him better and more comfortable in his last days and hours. It must have been incredibly difficult for you being there at the last and not knowing what to do, but I am sure it made him feel better at the end to have you there. You also made the brave decision to have an autopsy done - not everyone feels they can do that, and I am glad it brought some relief to you to know that in fact there was nothing else you could have done that would have changed the outcome.

Out of respect for Marcel I am now closing this thread and offering our sincere condolences on behalf of the Moderating team. I hope that when you feel ready you will open a tribute thread for Marcel in the bridge Forum, where people can also pay their respects.