[mummabear]

My elderly cat has been very thin for the last couple of years. She was happy and acting normal so I haven't worried too much. But in the last week she has dropped more weight and seems to be very slightly weak. Thin is an understatement. And last night I found a large lump on her jaw. she is still eating drinking and acting normal but just a little bit wobbly.

I'm torn. We live out of town a little and the car trip will be very hard on her. She hates the car. I want to take her to the vet but I won't be treating cancer or putting her down just yet. If it something else like an abscess will they treat her given her age and state? I'm very hesitant about treatment when she is happy at the moment. Especially if its incurable. Someone give me advice please. I'm so upset.

This post has been edited by mummabear: 03/01/2013, 04:57 PM

[ubermum]

If it is an abcess, it will be sore for her and warm to the touch. Could she have been in contact with another cat? Also, an abcess usually starts with some sort of wound. Can you see one? Could the wound be in her mouth and caused by a bone?

Can the vet come to you? Ours does house calls. I had a cat that died of cancer (well technically put to sleep due to it). By the time it was discovered, it was very well advanced, he was sleeping all the time and not eating.

This post has been edited by ubermum: 01/01/2013, 10:40 AM

[cardamom]

I have no idea about treatment, but could you see if the vet would come to you OP? I know ours does house calls.

You could also enquire about sedation if that's an option. I had to take our crotchety, elderly cat to the vet last week and asked if sedation was an option as she was very stressed the last time I took her. I gave her the tablet they prescribed half an hour before the appointment, and she was completely relaxed.

[mummabear]

She won't let me touch it übermum. I will try and get ac loser look. She is a bit old and cranky. she hasn't been fighting I don't think she spends most of the day on my bed. And the other times on my car lol.

[Holidayromp]

I will share what happened with my elderly cat before she passed. With the exception of the lump - she dropped weight and became very slim (she had already been a very slim cat) but she became nothing more than skin and bones despite having regular access to food and eating very regular meals. She became quite wobbly on her feet and I suspect she had a touch of dementia too. She ended up having a stroke at the age of 20 (not far from her 21st birthday) which paralysed the side of her - whilst having her faculties about her - she was clearly distressed and it was a no brainer for me - I had the vet come her to put her down with some dignity without having to drag the poor old bugger to the vets.
I certainly recommend that you get the vet out to see your old girl (that is what I used to call Anna) and just generally assess her. If she is not in any pain and it isn't bothering her chances are due to her advanced age it will be left.
I hope that you have your 'old girl' for awhile yet and by the sounds of it she is entering the final phase of her life but she could bumble along for a few years yet.

[mummabear]

Thank you holidayromp. She is definitely acting the same as your old girl. I will make some calls tomorrow and see what options there are to get someone out here. I don't think they service our area though. In fact I'm certain of it. Perhaps a sedative might be the way to go.

[Wild Strawberry]

We had our girl put down at the start of last year. On NYE she was seemingly fine. Less than 2 week later she was skin and bones, hardly eating or drinking, her fur looked like she was an unkept, feral cat and she had no interest in doing anything other than laying down and she just wasn't herself. Had a distant look in her eyes all the time.

We took her to the vet who said there was nothing that could be done. She was full of cancer so a few days later we had her put down It was horrible as it happened so fast and i didn't want her to go but i could see she was miserable and she wasn't herself anymore.

If she was still happy, eating, drinking, moving around i would have been fine to let her keep going.

Can you ring the vet and see what they say? Or like HR said can the vet come to you?

Hope you have your old girl for a bit longer yet. Good luck

[Unatheowl]

Hi op. what you describe could really be a whole host of things. The lump could be cancer, it could also,be an abscess from a tooth or injury for example. Whatever the reason, if she does have something terminal, it's probably not going to be a nice way to go. I would do the trip to the vet and prepare yourself to the possibility that she may not come home.

I am uncomfortable with people "leaving animals to die on their own". To you it may seem peaceful but you don't know how much pain they may be in as they die. Human Cancer patients for instance, we don't leave them at home to die without pain relief.

[mummabear]

She has no signs of pain. Other than a bit of a wobbly walk she is jumping up and cruising around like normal. Eating, drinking and pooping in her litterbox. There is nothing to suggest shes's hurting. Not sure how or why you made that assumption. I am not cruel to animals. I am trying to figure out what to do while respecting her age and not causing her undue stress.

She ate breakfast and drank a heap of water. She is now sleeping and purring when I come past hoping for a pat. Doesn't sound too painful does it? And yes ideally it would be nice if she just died now. Peacefully. With her family. But reality is it may not happen.

[Unatheowl]

Please get over any knee jerk reactions that you are being criticised. I am not implying anything.

With all due respect, you wouldn't know if she was in pain or not. You are simply making assumptions. If you had a tooth that was filled with pus would it hurt? If you had an abscess would it hurt? If it was an enlarged lymph node no, it probably wouldn't hurt.

Lambs who have their tails docked run to their mothers and suckle and everyone used to say, "see its not painful". She can be doing all those things you described and still be in discomfort. As a vet I have seen many many animals die from these end stage conditions and I would prefer that my animal was given the chance of euthanasia. Many humans would choose that too if they had the chance.

If she has cancer or diabetes or hyperthyroid which is causing damage to her organs you can bet your bottom dollar her final moments will be uncomfortable. My point is you really don't know what she has and no one but a vet can determine it. My personal opinion is that having a cat walk away somewhere and die is the ideal for the owner, not for the pet.

I am simply saying consider the possibility and that you may not know. Getting angry at my suggestion is really all about you. It should be about your pet.

This post has been edited by Unatheowl: 01/01/2013, 12:01 PM