Hi:
I have a very sick cat, and this site was recommended to me as being supportive. Sorry this is so long. I'm not sure what I'm looking for - except maybe some hopeful words.
Dexter is 13 years old and has been healthy up until a few months ago. He's been a mostly outdoor cat. He'd come in for a mouthful or two of food then head out again immediately. A few months ago I noticed he was going out less and less until he was staying inside all the time. I just figured he's getting older, and it's cold outside. No biggie.
He's always been very standoffish. Doesn't want to be petted much and absolutely refuses to be picked up. So, the fact that he was making himself scarce around the house wasn't concerning to me.
I noticed he vomited a few times, but it wasn't frequent. Maybe once every other week. And he was still eager to eat.
Then last Friday morning I got up to make coffee. When I got back to my bed, Dexter was lying in my spot. This was so totally uncharacteristic of him that I was alarmed. It was like he was planting himself in my path and saying, "Pay attention! I'm sick!" And when I picked him up, I was scared. He was so thin.
I took him to the vet that day. The vet said he was anemic, anorexic, and dehydrated. The vet didn't look like he held out much hope, and we talked about several hopeless possibilities of what might be wrong with him. So, we were surprised when his urine and blood tests came back looking good.
The vet diagnosed him with hemobartonella. He kept him over night to get him better hydrated and give him some medicine. Then he prescribed an antibiotic and sent him home. After a few false starts in getting the medicine into him, I think I've worked out a system.
He's eating very little, though. Very little.
And tonight when I got home, he'd pulled a patch of hair out on his lower back, near his tail. He looks so fragile and weak. He staggers when he walks. And I don't think he has the strength to jump up on the furniture. It's hard to believe this is the same cat who was so vigorous only a few months ago. To me it looks like he'll die soon.
Any thoughts?
I have a very sick cat, and this site was recommended to me as being supportive. Sorry this is so long. I'm not sure what I'm looking for - except maybe some hopeful words.
Dexter is 13 years old and has been healthy up until a few months ago. He's been a mostly outdoor cat. He'd come in for a mouthful or two of food then head out again immediately. A few months ago I noticed he was going out less and less until he was staying inside all the time. I just figured he's getting older, and it's cold outside. No biggie.
He's always been very standoffish. Doesn't want to be petted much and absolutely refuses to be picked up. So, the fact that he was making himself scarce around the house wasn't concerning to me.
I noticed he vomited a few times, but it wasn't frequent. Maybe once every other week. And he was still eager to eat.
Then last Friday morning I got up to make coffee. When I got back to my bed, Dexter was lying in my spot. This was so totally uncharacteristic of him that I was alarmed. It was like he was planting himself in my path and saying, "Pay attention! I'm sick!" And when I picked him up, I was scared. He was so thin.
I took him to the vet that day. The vet said he was anemic, anorexic, and dehydrated. The vet didn't look like he held out much hope, and we talked about several hopeless possibilities of what might be wrong with him. So, we were surprised when his urine and blood tests came back looking good.
The vet diagnosed him with hemobartonella. He kept him over night to get him better hydrated and give him some medicine. Then he prescribed an antibiotic and sent him home. After a few false starts in getting the medicine into him, I think I've worked out a system.
He's eating very little, though. Very little.
And tonight when I got home, he'd pulled a patch of hair out on his lower back, near his tail. He looks so fragile and weak. He staggers when he walks. And I don't think he has the strength to jump up on the furniture. It's hard to believe this is the same cat who was so vigorous only a few months ago. To me it looks like he'll die soon.
Any thoughts?