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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / May 2004OK, I Have to Know the Signs of an Old Cat Nearing Death
I read a lot of Google messages this morning and also searched some sites. Is "isolating" *always* a sign an old cat is preparing to die? I'm so sad I can't see straight. I can't catch this (former) feral even though she sleeps with me, so I can't get her to the vet. She'll fight like a wildcat if you try to pick her up. She's okay after dark, eats and eliminates normally, loves to be petted--although for the first time last week she scratched twice when I was brushing her. But then she went back to normal, sort of. I feel it's all my fault, because I spoiled her when I moved in with the family member that used to take care of her. I thought I was doing her good, and now all she does all day is sleep. She used to lie in the sun and go outside, and all she does now is stay in the closet until it's dark. She's up all night, and the minute the sun comes out, it's back in the closet again. Thank you for reading this and for any responses especially from people who have lived with a 10+ year-old cat. << Thank you for reading this and for any responses especially from people who have lived with a 10+ year-old cat. >> Is she just around 10? Becauae that's not all that old. My cat recently died at 18 and he was very good until a month or so prior to his death. I guess I'm a little unclear about your cat. It sounds as though she only hides in the day and acts normal at night? If that is the case, no, I don't think she is preparing to die. My cat hid all day and all night (or tried to) and quit eating altogether. It seems as though your cat still eats, even though it's only at night. Does your house have a lot of activity in the daytime? Maybe she just doesn't want to be bothered. Has she lost weight? It doesn't really sound as though she is dying to me. I guess only a vet can give you a definitive answer and I don't know how you will resolve your problem about getting her to the vet. Cats do sleep a lot, though, and older cats sleep even more and they are nocturnal so she may just be acting normal for her. Candace (take the litter out before replying by e-mail) See my cats: http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace "One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other than human." (Loren Eisely) > I read a lot of Google messages this morning and also searched some > sites. Is "isolating" *always* a sign an old cat is preparing to die? No, but it can be a sign that they don't feel well. > I'm so sad I can't see straight. I can't catch this (former) feral > even though she sleeps with me, so I can't get her to the vet. She'll > fight like a wildcat if you try to pick her up. So don't pick her up. While she's awake and alert, anyway. :) If she's really evil, the vet can give you a mild sedative to put in her food. After she eats and gets drowsy, put her in the carrier and off you go. > She's okay after dark, eats and eliminates normally, loves to be > petted--although for the first time last week she scratched twice when [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > until it's dark. She's up all night, and the minute the sun comes > out, it's back in the closet again. I'm reluctant to say this cat isn't well if she's active all night. Many cats (actually, most, IME) are nocturnal. I know mine sleep almost all day. Jeffrey's favorite place is also the closet. If she's just sleeping during the day and up and active and normal at night, there is probably nothing majorly wrong with her. She's getting older and may not like the heat of the sun. Or maybe another cat is out during the day and is harassing her. Any number of things. Small things can start to go wrong as they age and much of it is treatable. I'd get this kitty some kitty-tranqs or something and get her in to the vet. Some vets will come to the house. If you can find one, awesome. Do that. Don't give up so soon. So much is treatable that it would be a real loss if it's something minor/treatable like arthritis pain or diabetes. (as an aside, NEVER give aspirin/tylenol to a cat) I'd be a LOT more worried if she never came out of the closet. Or if she stopped eating and drinking, was not eliminating, etc. Your best bet is really to talk to your vet and see what options you have for treatment, if he can come to you or help you sedate her to get her there, and so on.  Signature-- ~kaeli~ A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace circa Wed, 28 Apr 2004 12:41:15 -0500, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, kaeli (tiny_one@NOSPAM.comcast.net) said, > NEVER give aspirin/tylenol to a cat) Unless it's prescribed by a vet- the aspirin, that is. Aspirin is commonly prescribed in very small doses every few days for things like cardiomyopathy. Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. >> NEVER give aspirin/tylenol to a cat) >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >Laura True. It's also prescribed as a blood thinner for cats who have had strokes, in a *very* small dose. Sherry circa 30 Apr 2004 00:32:47 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Sherry (sriddles@aol.comkitty) said, > >> NEVER give aspirin/tylenol to a cat) > >> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > True. It's also prescribed as a blood thinner for cats who have had strokes, in > a *very* small dose. Yup, and sometimes for arthritis, too. Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. > circa Wed, 28 Apr 2004 12:41:15 -0500, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, > kaeli (tiny_one@NOSPAM.comcast.net) said, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Laura Right. I meant OTC human aspirin in the normal human dosage. Giving a whole human-sized pill to a cat would be a Bad Thing (tm). Signature-- ~kaeli~ Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it. http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace circa Fri, 30 Apr 2004 08:31:02 -0500, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, kaeli (tiny_one@NOSPAM.comcast.net) said, > > Unless it's prescribed by a vet- the aspirin, that is. Aspirin is > > commonly prescribed in very small doses every few days for things [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Right. I meant OTC human aspirin in the normal human dosage. > Giving a whole human-sized pill to a cat would be a Bad Thing (tm). Definitely. :-) Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. >I read a lot of Google messages this morning and also searched some >sites. Is "isolating" *always* a sign an old cat is preparing to die? No. If a cat goes and hides ALL the time, that is a sign that something is wrong. Another sign is lack of appetite, they don't want to cuddle with you, don't want to be pet, they don't want to do things which they previously enjoyed, they lose weight, tail is droopy, eyes look sleep, maybe some drooling, eye tearing, runny nose, they move slowly, maybe moan or wait, and they sleep all the time. Cats normally sleep 18-20 hours a day. Your cat is awake when you're around which is night time which makes sense. If you really need to take him to the vet, get a hav-a-hart trap, put some tuna or mackeral in it, trap him, put a towel over the trap and take him to the vet. Call first. They may want you to give him a valium in the tuna to call him down a bit. Some vets don't care for ferals so make sure your vet does. Candace, Kaeli, and Mary: God Bless you for your thoughtful, informative, and sensitive responses. I mean it when I say God Bless you. You have no idea what a weight your realism and kindness took from my heart. Sincerely, Hil >Candace, Kaeli, and Mary: > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >Hil When my 16-year old was preparing to die, all she wanted to do was drink, sleep and get to the litter pan. Getting to the pan was hard for her so I put a large plastic over the floor and put everything close together. When it was hard for her to walk, I took her to the Vet for the final relief. Hard? Very. m. L. Briggs <mlbriggs@nospam.net> wrote in message > When my 16-year old was preparing to die, all she wanted to do was > drink, sleep and get to the litter pan. Getting to the pan was hard > for her so I put a large plastic over the floor and put everything > close together. When it was hard for her to walk, I took her to the > Vet for the final relief. Hard? Very. I'm so sorry she's gone, M.L. After the incredible responses on this thread, I honestly don't know if my "girlfriend" *is* preparing to die. From Mary's response, it seems as if the problem may be behavioral. She eats like a horse, drinks milk, and last night took a couple of tours of her old haunting grounds, our basement. She lets us pet her (oh, does she ever let us pet her!). But try to get her outside, where she used to roam for days on end, and she runs as if we were coming after her with a hot iron. Also, when the sun comes up, she's, like, "outta here." She hides ALL DAY somewhere in a small congested bedroom and no one can really truly ever know where she is. Now I'm wondering if animals somehow can mimic their owners' states of mind, and if she is just "depressed." I'm personally very active and almost professionally sunshine-y, if you know what I mean; but privately life has lost meaning for me...a lot because my little one isn't her old active self anymore. On a really helpful website whose name I can't remember, a British woman named Hartwell has an excellent "lifeline" of the typical cat. Ms. Hartwell warns people not to belittle or make light of cat owner grief especially if the owner is single and/or childless. My pet has filled a void for me in this respect, and her behavior has changed so markedly and dramatically in the space of one single year, I just am in a state of shock. If anyone knows of any good pet psychology websites or has has experiences where their cat's behavior somehow mirrors their "shadow" side, I would appreciate hearing about them here. It's like that old Edgar Winter album, They Only Come Out at Night. I just don't understand why my homegirl is doing this. Thanks again, everybody. << But try to get her outside, where she used to roam for days on end, and she runs as if we were coming after her with a hot iron. >> Could something have scared her badly outside? Another cat? Sometimes younger cats pick on older cats because they sense their weakness. Or a dog, a car, a mean person? Maybe she is afraid. I don't know about your theory that she is mimicking your behavior since you say you are depressed about her condition but if you weren't acting that way until she started acting "differently," then that wouldn't follow logically. It really would be best if you could get her to a vet. Older cats can have so many different things that are diagnosable by bloodwork and can be easily treated. My late cat, Cory, who was 18, when he died last month, had hyperthyroidism and chronic renal failure for the 2 years prior to his death but he did very well until shortly before he died. Maybe she doesn't feel entirely well and that makes her hide to protect herself in the daytime when she feels vulnerable but it doesn't mean that what she has is terminal or an imminent cause of death. You should try to find a vet who makes housecalls or go the tranquilizer route or something, imho. Candace (take the litter out before replying by e-mail) See my cats: http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace "One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other than human." (Loren Eisely) maccandace@aol.comlitter (MacCandace) wrote in message > I don't know about your theory that she is mimicking your behavior since you > say you are depressed about her condition but if you weren't acting that way > until she started acting "differently," then that wouldn't follow logically. Yes, it wouldn't follow logically. Well, Candace, here she comes--up from the cellar and down the hall, at 9:30. I petted her like crazy, and now she's drinking some Half-and-Half and eating her chipped beef. (I looked at pictures of your Cory, and they're so cute and so much like pictures of my babe that I couldn't believe it, especially the one where he's splayed out on the top of the couch.) I love this animal so much, it hurts, and the fact of the matter is that my sadness and depression aren't completely related to her withdrawal. There's a family situation, a very bad situation, in fact, that is compelling me to leave the home I share with a family member. The only problem (!) is that I'm jobless now, and if I move, my little friend would possibly not be able to adjust. *That* is the whole story, and it's almost as if she knows she's "holding me back" from making a move that may literally save my life. I know this sounds melodramatic. I wish it were, but it's not, it's true. That's why I asked if it's possible she's reacting on some odd "psychological" level to the stress I'm experiencing about leaving the house because I'm not sure she could stand the stress. > It really would be best if you could get her to a vet. Older cats can have so > many different things that are diagnosable by bloodwork and can be easily [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > imminent cause of death. You should try to find a vet who makes housecalls or > go the tranquilizer route or something, imho. I'm going to try to see if I can afford something like this come Monday. If a vet would charge, like, $200. or so, I *might* be able to afford it. If it were considerably more expensive, there'd be no way. A vet assistant suggested along with someone on this thread that I "throw" a towel over her to prevent her from scratching me too badly, then put her in a carrier. I can't thank you enough for your two responses, and your Cory's in my thoughts and prayers. I'm praying like crazy my babe makes it to 18 and that her behavior and health return as much to normal as possible at her age. Your pictures cheered me up a lot. Thanks again for your kindness. > maccandace@aol.comlitter (MacCandace) wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > "psychological" level to the stress I'm experiencing about leaving the > house because I'm not sure she could stand the stress. Animals can respond to our stress. If you can calm down and concentrate on positive thoughts, it may help her too and it will help you. Maybe even try a yoga tape. No kidding, my cats love it when I do yoga and get down on the floor and stretch around like they do. I hope things come around for you. circa Fri, 30 Apr 2004 21:17:28 -0500, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Karen Chuplis (kchuplis@alltel.net) said, > No kidding, my cats love it when I do yoga and get down on the > floor and stretch around like they do. Mine just get in the way. I don't know *why* they think I want them to do yoga, too. ;-) Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. > << But try to get her outside, where she used to roam for > days on end, and she runs as if we were coming after her with a hot [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > cats pick on older cats because they sense their weakness. Or a dog, a car, a > mean person? Maybe she is afraid. She is getting older and maybe she just feels safer inside. I'd try some new toys, like laser pointer or a feather on a string. Our vet suggested slipping our ferals in a pillowcase before attempting to put them in the cat carrier. They went calm immediately and were nice and quiet on the way to the vet. 2nd time didn't go as smoothly. It had been a year but they remembered! > I read a lot of Google messages this morning and also searched some > sites. Is "isolating" *always* a sign an old cat is preparing to die? Yes, and seeing my truck coming down the street is a sure sign that a cats death is imminent. Someone wrote privately to me and asked a question no one else here has asked, if someone could have injured my cat. Within the past six weeks, I was away from my home for ten days. This absence occurred very suddenly and unwillingly (not that my cat would have been aware of the suddenness of my departure). However, during that time, my cat--whose name I'm keeping private for personal reasons--was in the care of someone whose trustworthiness has become a matter of doubt. BUT I have *never* witnessed, ever, this person abusing my animal. (I would not have allowed my pet to remain in a dangerous situation if this were the case. I would have left permanently with the animal.) However, this person stayed away from the home quite often the same period I was away, and when I returned, I found my cat's food dishes in the cellar, where they had no reason to be. (The dishes were full when I returned to my home, and I believe my cat was never deprived food or water.) This family member is under the influence of one of my siblings with severe emotional problems. The sibling is the person who rescued my cat years ago when it was feral. At one time, this sibling loved the animal but now has decided the cat is "dangerous" to another pet, a spoiled but pitiful toy dog, a 20 year-old little Shi Tsu who is blind, deaf, has renal failure, should have been put to sleep months ago, and who is being kept alive only to flatter my sibling's unhealthy notions of "love." The only reason I'm posting this painful personal information is to ask if it's possible my cat suffered "separation anxiety" from me during the period I was gone from the house. I know separation anxiety is usually experienced by dogs, but is it possible my cat is reacting to something, some (mis)treatment or unkindness, that happened to her from my sibling or other family member while I was away? I don't want to be reassured or given false hope. It's just that people who've responded to my thread have been realistic as well as reassuring, and now I'm starting to wonder exactly what could have transpired at my home during the time I was away--even if it were just complete human absence when I begged that the cat be tended to with affection and some minor companionship as well as that she be fed and given water. I apologize for the long posts. I'll see if I can afford an in-home vet visit and if necessary move out (with my little friend). I just want to know if cats are sensitive to changes in attitude from human beings, particularly from former owners, and if this sensitivity could *possibly* explain my cat's extremely strange behavior changes. > Someone wrote privately to me and asked a question no one else here > has asked, if someone could have injured my cat. [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > beings, particularly from former owners, and if this sensitivity could > *possibly* explain my cat's extremely strange behavior changes. My cat Sugar stopped eating after I came back from a week long trip. She had daily care from a neighbor. The neighbor was loud where I am quiet. She spent two days at the vets with the vet force feeding her and I had to force feed her another 3 or 4 days before she got over it. It is thought to be that she was really stressed from me being gone. Since then, she has not been sick after I am gone, but I have always hired pet sitters or had my best friend, whom she knows, watch them, since then, when I am gone and I am not usually gone too long. Karen Karen Chuplis <kchuplis@alltel.net> wrote in message news:<BCB88988.2927C% > My cat Sugar stopped eating after I came back from a week long trip. She had > daily care from a neighbor. The neighbor was loud where I am quiet. She [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > best friend, whom she knows, watch them, since then, when I am gone and I am > not usually gone too long. It's occurred to me, since I began this thread (which has been cathartic as well as extremely informative), that my shock at whatever exactly is the problem--whether it's separation anxiety, suddenly acquired fear, or just plain age--that the problem is clearly more with *me* than with my pet. For some reason, I have a history of acquiring animals when they're cast off and no longer wanted, and then I think--I'm just being honest--well, God will make Rover or Kitty or Peeps live until he/she's fifty because He sees how much they mean to me. Of course this hasn't been the case and doesn't seem likely to be the case with my present little friend. Getting metaphysical isn't a subject for rec.pets.cats.health+behav, I know, but in a way I feel as if I'm somehow guilty for these old animals getting ill and (in previous cases) dying. Rationally I know that's not the case, but I suppose it says something about my mental/emotional state that I acquire aged and/or sick animals and think God is going to miraculously make them better. The problem *is* with me. I just chose to overlook my "kitten's" age; I wasn't realistic. Never have been. I will take the kind and copious advice I've gotten from people on this group, bite the bullet and get my cat to a vet one way or another, and then move on from there. People who aren't realistic don't get exempt from reality just because they choose to ignore it. It's just that I've identified throughout my life with lonely or forgotten animals. That will never change. Again, thanks everyone. *Something* happened to my cat while I was away, perhaps a combination of all the theories people have offered. I'll do what I can to correct the problem or deal with the fact that nobody's life, human or feline, continues trouble-free forever. >Karen Chuplis <kchuplis@alltel.net> wrote in message news:<BCB88988.2927C% > [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] >I'll do what I can to correct the problem or deal with the fact that >nobody's life, human or feline, continues trouble-free forever. I notice in one of your posts that you give your cat "halfand half". Most cats are lactose intolerant. This could upset her system even though she loves it. Try omitting the milk. What else do you feed her? You know if your tummy hurts, you don't feel friendly. >For some reason, I have a history of acquiring animals when they're >cast off and no longer wanted, and then I think--I'm just being >honest--well, God will make Rover or Kitty or Peeps live until >he/she's fifty because He sees how much they mean to me. Well, I'm kind of the same way. All the cats I have except one were in horrid, emaciated condition when I got them. One apparently healthy one died suddenly last summer and I blamed myself becuase I thought *surely* there was some sign of illness I missed. I think I can feed them, vet them, love them and they'll be here for twenty years. The truth is, sometimes those cats have damaged health from prior starvation and neglect, underlying disease that remains hidden. That's a sad reality sometimes. But it's also a reality I choose to ignore. But on a happier note, the majority of them *do* recover from past neglect and go on to live long, healthy lives. Sherry sriddles@aol.comkitty (Sherry ) wrote in message > Well, I'm kind of the same way. All the cats I have except one were in horrid, > emaciated condition when I got them. One apparently healthy one died suddenly [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > But on a happier note, the majority of them *do* recover from past neglect and > go on to live long, healthy lives. Sorry to hear of your loss, Sherry. I was petless for fifteen years because by the time of my loss of deeply beloved birds at the age of 30, I could no longer bear suffering for helpless sentient creatures. I spent the intervening years volunteering with mentally-challenged adult women, two of whom were without any meaningful language. It was as if I wasn't meant to get away from the responsibility I previously had with one needy soul after another--and there's such a long list of cats, dogs, and a rabbit from my teens and twenties. That's why I'm taking "D's" age and her problems so hard... I actively *avoided* getting involved with animals. Then I moved in with an elderly family member and realized no one was paying attention to "that cat," who lived year round in the basement. The family member went away, and if I hadn't fed and watered D, she might have died (even though there were others in the home). Then last year around this time, I was painting the dining room and left the cellar door open to air the place out, and the next thing I knew, here's this grateful little beggar upstairs, licking my toes. I sobbed my heart out. I had hardly been affectionate to her. A year later, I'm nuts with premature grief. I apologize for writing endlessly on D, but you've no idea how badly I need to. By creed I'm a fundamentalist Christian and believe God doesn't "bruise a broken reed." By inclination, I'm a doubter and am asking Him to prove Himself to me with D. Not This One; Not Now-- I can tell by what you write that you know the feeling. circa 1 May 2004 04:24:36 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Cowa Bungie (cowabungie@yahoo.com) said, > The problem *is* with me. I just chose to overlook my "kitten's" age; > I wasn't realistic. Never have been. I will take the kind and [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > I'll do what I can to correct the problem or deal with the fact that > nobody's life, human or feline, continues trouble-free forever. Kudos to you. Truly. Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. |
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