Does your Cat (or any pet) misbehave since caregiving your loved one?
Have you been required to take care of your loved one's pet after they have passed? Does your pet have cute antics that entertain your loved one?
And finally, has the cat or dog transferred their loyalty to your Mother?
I know he may never come back from his weight loss. Aging goes only one direction but I can try what seems reasonable for him.
Just sounding off about my kitty. I am concerned about him. There have been a lot of changes with him recently.
Just a thought...but could Divo have diabetes? One of my MIL’s cats had this when he got older, and weight loss was a symptom.
>>>Clinical Signs
Cats afflicted with hyperthyroidism usually develop a variety of signs that may be subtle at first but that become more severe as the disease progresses. The most common clinical signs of hyperthyroidism are weight loss, increased appetite, and increased thirst and urination. Hyperthyroidism may also cause vomiting, diarrhea, and hyperactivity. The coat of affected cats may appear unkempt, matted, or greasy. -- https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hyperthyroidism-cats
I had no idea this condition could explain Divo's fur issues, too. He has all of these symptoms. And this is why I've been unaware about his weight loss because he eats well and is always happy to get his food. I wouldn't think he was losing weight with how much he eats.
I wondered sometimes if some of this is dementia related in very old animals, Mine never went outside the box but he seemed terribly confused, not seeing his food when it was right in front of him, licking up the gravy, wanting to wander the hallways of my apartment building.
Gold luck with Divo Ali and yes, this IS caregiving. :)
I know it will be his time "soon." It'd be nice if he can recover from the pressure sore and his tummy sick, though. Aaaand... cleaning his mess off the floors and carpets every day won't be missed. Hope he gets well soon. 💐🐱
OMC has been a trooper! So sorry that he has struggled so much in his senior years.
I found wrapping a cat in a towel or blanket helps too.
I gave him pain meds for first time today. I'll see how he does with it. I don't think he is suffering... not yet. His appetite is good and he wants rubs and follows me to the kitchen, like usual. But, he's getting weak and I expect that to continue.
I told his old mom that she should prepare herself for it being his time very soon. She was just here last Sunday, first time in more than a year, and will come back this Sunday.
He's got a cushy bed on the floor that he likes, a senior cat box he's using, and lots of yummy food he's enjoying.
It's a Day At A Time right now. Of course it's sad, I'm sad, and I hate to see him decline. I'll talk to D when she comes this Sunday and go from there.
Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate the support.
That's what I did when I was loosing Odom and it seemed to help him.
I'm really sorry about your dear baby...
I know he's glad your'e near~
When I came home from work today, I wasn't sure he would get up from his bed. But he did, walking slow. He didn't seem bothered by getting up and I haven't put his food and water near his bed just yet but I will as soon as it seems like he doesn't want to get up. He gets up sometimes just when I come into the room, or sit down to pet him. It's hard to tell if he would rather rest, or what. At the point that he doesn't seem to want to get up, I think that's time to take him to the vet for a humane option. It's wait-and-see right now. He ate well. He's still running out, still has diarrhea, despite a week's worth of medicine. That's got to be so hard on him. He was already skinny and... it's just very sad.
I gave him pain meds just a bit ago after he ate. I'm anxious to have his old mom here and see what she wants to do. If she wants to take him to nurse him in her home like she's said a few times, I might do that. I didn't want that last week but now I think it could be good for someone to be home with him all day. I don't think he'd like the change of environment, though. She has two kids who aren't good with cats (I've seen this a couple times and again last Sunday), a dog, and a husband who doesn't want Divo there. Knowing what to do is so hard right now. I'm glad he doesn't seem to be in pain and still enjoying his food and rubs so much.
This is so hard. He's had a good, long kitty life. He'll be a scrappy-doo kitty until the end, it seems.
I thought my other kitty might want to comfort him or be stressed by his decline but she's in her own world, like usual, hah! They are both very independent.
Thanks for asking and for letting me ramble on. I'm just watching and waiting, taking it a day at a time, and it's so hard.
I'm hanging in there. With work and school, it helps to be busy and keeps my mind on other things for much of the day.
I've been saying prayers for him and you.
I think you will know when the time is has come.. As you describe his old mum's home situation, I wonder if that is a good place for him. He is happy with you and your surroundings are familiar to him. That is important to him now. Take care of you too.
I'm taking Divo to the local vet tomorrow morning, they were able to get me in. He is very old, yes, but he is also in good spirits and eats well. I'm hoping the vet can recommend how to go forward. If the diarrhea can be stopped --e.g., if it's a bacterial infection that can be treated -- then Divo has a chance of getting better. The medication from ER vet didn't work at all. I think it was just like some cat Imodium.
I am concerned that he can't recover at his age but his old mom is not nearly ready to let go. Emotionally, my hands are tied until she is ready to cease treatments for him. I won't put him to sleep without her consent. It doesn't really matter what I think is best for Divo anymore, I need to give her a chance to take him to his previous vet in her city for testing and treatment. I've had waves of sadness and anxiety in the past couple weeks but I'm at peace right now, knowing I'm doing the very best I can for D's care.
I put him in his own room because I couldn't contain the mess anymore, but it was a good decision. The room is much warmer, I can monitor his food intake better (without his chunky sis eating everything when I'm not looking 😊), and it's just a better environment for a critically sick kitty.
His spirit is so much stronger than his frail body, that's for sure.
Small blessings: this vet visit and medication was a very reasonable cost. The ER vet was so expensive and didn't give the correct Dx. Local vet said the tumor is easy to feel through Divo's skinny body. It's good to have a Dx.
Pamz - wow - good for you and dh. What a great plan.
Our vet tried immunosupressant chemotherapy to see if it would shrink Merlin's tumor (and no, it wasn't expensive) but it didn't have the desired effect. Keep up the belly rubs! ((((Hugs)))))).
Talked with previous mom about the situation. After sending all vet reports and some videos to previous owner's vet, they thought that putting to sleep is the right choice for care. Old mom came and got him for an appointment tonight with them and I sent him off with lots of love. His remains mean more to her and I feel like this was all done the right way, with respect for her wishes as best I could.
He is and was a heck of a cat, with more character and spunk than most. His old mom tells me stories of him chasing dogs down the street when he was younger and I get it, that's totally who he is. 💛
Your cat sounds so special. I once had a fur baby like yours. I giggled as I read about your cat chasing dogs. My cat did that. She developed a reputation for being an ‘attack cat.’
She was sweet as could be, but let a dog step foot into the courtyard of my apartment and I felt sorry that dog! LOL 😆
I had her for 16 years, She moved into six residences with me and believe me when I say that she owned every one of them! You know what they say, “A cat doesn’t live with us. We live with them!” I loved that cat!