Cat has poorly eye - sad news

sandy2_2

Big hugs to you both. Our old boy is 18 and still going at the moment. First of all
cats are very good at disguising pain and discomfort, but owners are very good at seeing how their cats are on a day to day basis, Cats in old age can decline rapidly and owners can and do recognize when it is time to make that ultimate kind decision for their friend. Do you feel that Shadow's quality of life is still OK, The vets don't keep the animals going just to add to the Practice income. Have you asked them what they think the prognosis is. Having gone thro several bouts of vets treatment with our old boy, if I were you at the moment I'd persevere a bit longer. You WILL know when it's time for the alternative.

hev_2

Thank you for your posts - it is really helping me.

Shadow, who has been a right so-and-so with medicine so far, is taking the eye drops okay. If it had been a battle then I would have wanted to decided whether it was worth it fighting and struggling to give her medicine. Her track record is not good. Shadow does not believe in passive protest - she plays war!

We have another appointment next Monday, but me and OH are watching the situation closely, so that if she seems to be suffering unnecessarily then we will go earlier.

At the moment she is snuggled next to a radiator (which is going to be left on ) and seems fine. At the moment the pendulum is swinging towards cautious optimism.

In the past we have been able to go to the vets really late at night on an emergency call out so I am not too worried if we need to get there out of hours.

I suspect that we will be able to get the eye infection under control but it still won't help the problem in her jaw. And of all things, the tin opener has broken so she had custard last night instead of tuna. She struggles to eat.

The people in reception told OH that she was a real sweetie, and his honest reply was that she was not normally and he got a right glare! She is actually a real sweetie, but in an elderly maiden aunt battleaxe sort of way. Seems she got loads of cuddles with the staff, and she is a beautiful cat.

Thank you for the posts. I really appreciate it.

tishywish

I think Sandy has written a lot of sense, as any decent vet (and it sounds like yours are) isn't going to prolong her life for the sake of it. The eye problem she's being seen for now does sound like a different one from the way you've described it, so let's hope that the drops etc clear that up. I love the idea that she believes in war when being treated - little monster

I do agree with Sandy that you'll know when it's time to stop the treatment, as long as you listen to Shadow. If you're in any doubt, you do need to ask the vet for his/her honest opinion no matter how hard it is - but reading your posts you know that anyway.

Sending hugs for Shadow and you, I hope she will get through this.

hev_2

Thank you for your post, tishywish.

We are both in a right mess about what to do for the best.

Shadow has always been a character. I remember when we first got her and treated her for fleas. We didn't know about drops, we were recommended a spray. It was first catch Shadow, then spray, then catch Shadow, try and get her again, get a plaster for where she'd nailed you...

She also used to have a recurring problem with ear mites and she really didn't like the ear drops. She used to struggle madly, grow at least two extra sets of claws, run, hide, fight and then afterwards sit there and glare at us malevolently - til she forgot about it :rolleyes:

She tried to blackmail us once. She sat on top of the scratching post and caught my eye. Then she quite deliberately looked at the vase of flowers, then at me, then at the treat cupboard, then at the flowers as if to say 'treats or the flowers get it!'. She didn't get the treats.

Her and the old tom cat used to work together. She was clever enough to open the door to the treat cupboard and he was strong enough to get the box out. Then they both ate until they were sick. And if you tried to stop her she'd look really irritated as if to say 'What!?'.

The vets aren't charging us much for the consultations - we've been going there for years. I once went there convinced that Smoke (the youngster) was losing weight. They very politely looked her over, weighed her, told me to bring her back, weighed her again and explained (very kindly) that I was imagining things. They did give her a vitamin injection because she had been run down, but they didn't get silly on the charging with that.

I am keeping a close eye on her. She is still sleeping next to the radiator. The painkillers may be making her drowsy.

I'll keep updating.

hev_2

She is drooling out of other side of mouth now - so fussed.

DS is bad with teeth - feel torn in two.

sandy2_2

Ahhh, keep her comfy and wipe her mouth every so often with a tissue, if she'll let you, just rub over her gums a bit too

tishywish

I love reading about Shadow, but perhaps "sweet" was the wrong word for her a few days ago when I posted! I love cats with strong characters (mine has one when he's not sleeping - which is about 23.9 hours a day )!

I've still got my fingers crossed that she'll get through the treatment for the eye, she deserves to come right again after all this.

hev_2

I have made an early appointment with the vet tomorrow. She was booked in anyway for next Monday but I am no longer willing to wait that long.

She is struggling to eat, she didn't manage to eat some cream cheese, one of her front paws was soaking wet and I think it is because of drool.

I think the other side of her mouth is being affected now.

The vet was concentrating on her eye last time, but it isn't fair. Today it seems that she has gone from discomfort to suffering, and I want some reassurance from the vet that she can get better, back to a decent quality of life, or we will do the right thing.

Ever since we got her she has ruled the house with an iron paw. I remember she was dozing by the fire once while Smoke and our old tom cat were having a wrestling match. They got that bit too close so she went from complete, 100% relaxed sleep to walloping them once each with strong effect then she was back to sleep again in just a blink.

The time she got at the brandy butter was hysterical - I managed to get her before she had too much but she was staggering about with her ears on sideways.

And the first dinner party I gave after we got her was like a buffet, with a cheese board and cold meat. She was begging from the vegetarian, because she preferred the cheese.

(and the vegetarian wouldn't let us put Shadow in another room, because she was 'lovely')

Or the time we had a party, before we had the other cats, so she boarded at my MIL's house. Not only did we nearly not get her back, but she stopped my neat freak MIL doing any housework because she insisted on sitting on (cat hating) MIL's lap all morning. Actually, MIL may have said she hated cats, but she loved Shadow. I remember her going on about cats not being good pets while unconsciously stroking Shadow who was mooching up to her like a right floozie.

Not dealing with this well.

I won't know what the vet says til tomorrow evening. OH drops Shadow off at vets @ 8am. Vet keeps an eye on her during day and examines her. In the evening OH will pick her up and have a consultation with vet.

I'll post when I know something.

Bagpuss741

"The time she got at the brandy butter was hysterical - I managed to get her before she had too much but she was staggering about with her ears on sideways" LOL at this story:D Shadow does sound like a very feisty cat:rotfl: Hope all goes well for tomorrow. (((Hev & Shadow)))

tanith

Hev I have been following your posts about Shadow but I haven't posted because I wanted to say don't you think the time has come and I didn't want to upset you....
I hope the vet is more positive but from your posts she has deteriorated considerably from you first post and as you say she may be suffering now... I hope I am wrong and that she rallies round .. but you will do the right thing by her I am sure...
Good luck tomorrow...