Hi, I used to lurk on these forums a long time ago, but can't remember my username or what email address I used to sign up on.
We had the scariest and saddest thing happen.
All of our cats are indoor cats. Occasionally over the years one or another would make a rush for the forbidden front door, but we were always able to get them back inside. Except for one.
We tried every trick there was. I left dirty litter and clothes by both doors. Went out every night late at night. Left food, a shelter box, you name it, we tried it. The cat that got out was a very very scared, fragile and timid little lady. She was the most sensitive of all our cats. She stayed with me in my office most of the day. She was lost almost a month ago.
Sometimes I would think I would hear her, outside a window, but my husband said I was hearing things. I still left food out every night and would get up very early in the morning before it got light to bring the food in. The food was gone in the morning but I never knew if it was her or one of the umpteen neighbor or stray cats. I had borrowed a cat trap from a local rescuer friend, but all it managed to trap was the next door neighbor's cat.
Early tuesday at 4:30 when I got up, there she was on the back porch.
Never in my life have I seen a skinnier cat. She was nothing but skin and bones. She was never a fat cat but she did have a bit of a belly before. She was all ratted, full of fleas, and just laying next to the food bowl with her head pressed up against the wall. I brought her in and fed her, gave her water, tried to clean her up. She just wasn't right, and I thought it was because she was so malnourished and dehydrated. I was planning on taking her to the vet when they opened. She was stumbling when she tried to walk. She was also walking in circles, and just acting odd, her behavior was bizarre. She wanted to curl up with the dog, who she usually hates.
Finally at about 6:30 I couldn't take it anymore and couldn't wait for my vet to open, so I drove her to an emergency 24 hour hospital. They admitted her and put her on a feeding tube and drip. They did bloodwork which all came back fine, and I was thrilled beyond words to hear her liver was OK, I was so afraid of that. I went to the hospital to spend some time with her after work, and stopped feeling so positive. I was sure she was blind. She didn't appear to see me at all, both pupils were dilated and not responding to light. They had noticed the pupils earlier in the day and had given her some medication but it didn't seem to fix it. I told them when I brought her in I was sure she could see because of some of her behaviors
She was in the hospital for 2.5 days there and they recommended a neurologist referral. I brought her to the neurologist today. I found him a bit rude but I'm also extremely upset and know I'm not thinking clearly. I did feel he was very knowledgeable. He did an extensive exam and felt that there is either a tumor or lesion somewhere between her optic nerve and the brain, or she had a stroke. He feels she is totally blind in one eye, but has partial sight in the other. The question he was unable to answer was, could she make sense of what she was seeing. He said without an MRI it would be hard to make a full diagnosis. I'm not sure what I'm going to do next. I brought her home and rearranged my office to make it a safe place for her. She's still circling but after a few hours has managed to learn where the food and water is so she doesn't step in it, and has learned where the litter box is so she doesn't step in that either. At first she would walk right through both of them as she was circling. She has had food and water but hasn't used the litter box yet.
She's terrified right now, just in abject misery. There was one other cat who was very attached to her, and watching him is hearbreaking too. I'm keeping the cats separated but he hasn't left the opposite side of the closed door.
She's so young, just short of her 6th birthday. I really expected to have this girl for many years to come. I can take her for the MRI next week but I'm not sure what that's going to do. I was dumb and didn't ask about the treatment for either condition, I wasn't thinking clearly.
Has anyone had a cat that either had a stroke or some type of tumor or lesion in the brain or on a path to the brain? Was there any treatment for this? Or a blind cat? I went out to YouTube and watched some videos there of cats that were blind and they seemed to have really adjusted well but my husband says I'm forcing her to suffer by all this and should have her humanely euthanized. He says if she can see but can't comprehend what it is she's seeing what quality of life is that. I don't know, I haven't really slept since I found her, or lost her for that matter, and I just can't stop crying. Anyway, sorry this is so long, and thanks for reading.
We had the scariest and saddest thing happen.
All of our cats are indoor cats. Occasionally over the years one or another would make a rush for the forbidden front door, but we were always able to get them back inside. Except for one.
We tried every trick there was. I left dirty litter and clothes by both doors. Went out every night late at night. Left food, a shelter box, you name it, we tried it. The cat that got out was a very very scared, fragile and timid little lady. She was the most sensitive of all our cats. She stayed with me in my office most of the day. She was lost almost a month ago.
Sometimes I would think I would hear her, outside a window, but my husband said I was hearing things. I still left food out every night and would get up very early in the morning before it got light to bring the food in. The food was gone in the morning but I never knew if it was her or one of the umpteen neighbor or stray cats. I had borrowed a cat trap from a local rescuer friend, but all it managed to trap was the next door neighbor's cat.
Early tuesday at 4:30 when I got up, there she was on the back porch.
Never in my life have I seen a skinnier cat. She was nothing but skin and bones. She was never a fat cat but she did have a bit of a belly before. She was all ratted, full of fleas, and just laying next to the food bowl with her head pressed up against the wall. I brought her in and fed her, gave her water, tried to clean her up. She just wasn't right, and I thought it was because she was so malnourished and dehydrated. I was planning on taking her to the vet when they opened. She was stumbling when she tried to walk. She was also walking in circles, and just acting odd, her behavior was bizarre. She wanted to curl up with the dog, who she usually hates.
Finally at about 6:30 I couldn't take it anymore and couldn't wait for my vet to open, so I drove her to an emergency 24 hour hospital. They admitted her and put her on a feeding tube and drip. They did bloodwork which all came back fine, and I was thrilled beyond words to hear her liver was OK, I was so afraid of that. I went to the hospital to spend some time with her after work, and stopped feeling so positive. I was sure she was blind. She didn't appear to see me at all, both pupils were dilated and not responding to light. They had noticed the pupils earlier in the day and had given her some medication but it didn't seem to fix it. I told them when I brought her in I was sure she could see because of some of her behaviors
She was in the hospital for 2.5 days there and they recommended a neurologist referral. I brought her to the neurologist today. I found him a bit rude but I'm also extremely upset and know I'm not thinking clearly. I did feel he was very knowledgeable. He did an extensive exam and felt that there is either a tumor or lesion somewhere between her optic nerve and the brain, or she had a stroke. He feels she is totally blind in one eye, but has partial sight in the other. The question he was unable to answer was, could she make sense of what she was seeing. He said without an MRI it would be hard to make a full diagnosis. I'm not sure what I'm going to do next. I brought her home and rearranged my office to make it a safe place for her. She's still circling but after a few hours has managed to learn where the food and water is so she doesn't step in it, and has learned where the litter box is so she doesn't step in that either. At first she would walk right through both of them as she was circling. She has had food and water but hasn't used the litter box yet.
She's terrified right now, just in abject misery. There was one other cat who was very attached to her, and watching him is hearbreaking too. I'm keeping the cats separated but he hasn't left the opposite side of the closed door.
She's so young, just short of her 6th birthday. I really expected to have this girl for many years to come. I can take her for the MRI next week but I'm not sure what that's going to do. I was dumb and didn't ask about the treatment for either condition, I wasn't thinking clearly.
Has anyone had a cat that either had a stroke or some type of tumor or lesion in the brain or on a path to the brain? Was there any treatment for this? Or a blind cat? I went out to YouTube and watched some videos there of cats that were blind and they seemed to have really adjusted well but my husband says I'm forcing her to suffer by all this and should have her humanely euthanized. He says if she can see but can't comprehend what it is she's seeing what quality of life is that. I don't know, I haven't really slept since I found her, or lost her for that matter, and I just can't stop crying. Anyway, sorry this is so long, and thanks for reading.