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Old October 11th, 2009, 03:57 PM
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16-year-old cat in serious pain?

My 16-year-old cat, Pumpkin (who I got when he was 6 weeks old), began losing weight a few months ago. He went from a big, healthy cat, to scrawny and very boney. He still acted like himself, catching rodents, bunnies and birds (a squirrel not long ago, even). Then the other day he began vomiting every 30 minutes for 2 hours, would get up, move a couple feet and flop down on the floor. When anyone tried offering him food or water, he'd get up, walk away and flop down again. Not long after that, he started howling/crying, especially when he moved, or when we moved him. He urinated where he laid, and just laid in it. His breathing became fast and shallow, he was cold. He wouldn't move, but he tried stretching out. We tried warming him up with hot water bottles and towels. His crying/howling got louder and more frequent. He tried sleeping. He was drooling consistently. Any ideas what might have been wrong with him? We ended up having him euthanized, because he seemed to be in horrible pain. He was my first baby, and a major part of our family.

My daughter Grace, mom's cat Ty, and Pumpkin
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Old October 11th, 2009, 04:02 PM
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Did you ask the vet when you had him euthed? It could have been a lot of things, poor dear. :sad:

Pumpkin

You're pain free and running at the bridge now!
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Old October 11th, 2009, 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by sweetgirl_214 View Post
My 16-year-old cat, Pumpkin (who I got when he was 6 weeks old), began losing weight a few months ago.
right then , when he started loosing weight , you didn't take him to your vet ???? you could have saved his life instead of letting him suffer for months !
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Old October 11th, 2009, 04:22 PM
Jim Hall Jim Hall is offline
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why didnt you get him to the vet when he started losing weight?
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Old October 11th, 2009, 04:47 PM
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I couldn't afford bringing him to the vet... between having a new baby, paying for my wedding... he lived at my mom's and that's why. Also, he was 16. He didn't act as if he was suffering those months he had lost the weight. I don't know, we thought it was normal, I guess? I didn't think to look here or anything...... no need in accusing me of letting him suffer. Geesh.
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Old October 11th, 2009, 04:49 PM
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Also, hazelrunpack, I asked, and she said it was most likely a heart or brain clot, but I thought I'd come here and see what others thought. Didn't realize I'd be accused of something like that!
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Old October 11th, 2009, 04:59 PM
Jim Hall Jim Hall is offline
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wellim sorry for your loss hopefully nexttime you willknow better that when a cat starts losing weight he needs a vet and wgen a cat is over 12 or so he needs a vet at least every year
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Old October 11th, 2009, 05:48 PM
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Does sound to me like a heart issue. Cats with congestive heart failure can have difficulty breathing and be extremely weak, and will often lose their appetite. They're also prone to getting something called a saddle thrombosis, which is when a blood clot lodges in the arteries to the hind legs. Very painful, and their hind legs will feel cold and stiff.

Pumpkin. You're in a better place now.
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Old October 11th, 2009, 05:50 PM
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Pumpkin
You can now run free of pain at the bridge.
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Old October 11th, 2009, 05:52 PM
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Sorry for your loss...
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Old October 11th, 2009, 07:43 PM
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Pumpkin You are now painfree.
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Old October 11th, 2009, 08:25 PM
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Regarding the earlier weight loss there are many issues that will result in weight loss in older pets ie HyperThyroidism, heart disease, kidney or liver disease. It does sound like saddle thrombosis was the likely cause at the end.

sweet Pumpkin He is playing at the Rainbow Bridge with those who've gone before
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Old October 11th, 2009, 08:31 PM
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could of been cancer--- poor kitty run to the bridge, brenda and the pins..
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Old October 11th, 2009, 08:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetgirl_214 View Post
Didn't realize I'd be accused of something like that!
What did you expect ? This is pure neglect , nobody took this cat to a vet , not even for an annual check up , nobody came here asking for advices , but now that the cat is dead , you ask what was wrong with him ? Don't you think this is "too little too late " ? I sure do.
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Old October 11th, 2009, 09:40 PM
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Thank you all very much for the help and words.

Frenchy, it was certainly NOT neglect. We had NO idea he had something wrong with him. This is the first time we've ever dealt with something like this. He went to yearly vet checkups and was diagnosed as fine every time. He didn't start losing weight until after his last appointment. He's had yearly appointments since the day I got him. So do NOT accuse me of neglecting my cat. And I didn't know this website existed. Sure it may be "too little too late", but I'm trying to get closure. And you're certainly not helping. Go eff yourself. I will definitely not be returning to this website.
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Old October 11th, 2009, 09:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetgirl_214 View Post
Thank you all very much for the help and words.

Frenchy, it was certainly NOT neglect. We had NO idea he had something wrong with him. This is the first time we've ever dealt with something like this. He went to yearly vet checkups and was diagnosed as fine every time. He didn't start losing weight until after his last appointment. He's had yearly appointments since the day I got him. So do NOT accuse me of neglecting my cat. And I didn't know this website existed. Sure it may be "too little too late", but I'm trying to get closure. And you're certainly not helping. Go eff yourself. I will definitely not be returning to this website.
sweetgirl, i understand that you are grieving for your cat, that is a given. I think the problem people are having is. If your baby (human) started rapidly losing weight wouldn't you rush her/him to the doctor..as for telling a member here to go eff themselves. that is totally rude and uncalled for. Not one person so far has used foul language and i'm sure there are some that have been thinkng it. As for not returning, that is your choice, but don't condemn a fabulous, generous group of people because the truth hurt.
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Old October 11th, 2009, 09:45 PM
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And I didn't know this website existed
you joined in 2004
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Old October 11th, 2009, 09:46 PM
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FYI - in case you decide to get another cat sometime. Cats are masters at hiding pain. They have had to learn how to do that over the years in order to defend themselves. If you notice something like a cat losing weight or the third eyelid or blood in urine/feces or anything that is "off" then it's time to round up some extra cash and take the cat to the vet.
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Old October 11th, 2009, 09:50 PM
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you joined in 2004
i'm more intrigued with this..

Names and type of pet(s)
3 cats (Morris, Sylvester and Buddie) and 3 rabbits (Nibbles, Brown Bunny and Flower)

i don't see a kitty named pumpkin...
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  #20  
Old October 11th, 2009, 09:56 PM
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Okay yes I have apparently been a member since 2004. I didn't realize that when I posted that I didn't know this forum existed. I was 17. That was 6 years ago. So I completely forgot.
As for the losing weight, yes I would bring my baby to the doctor. I never thought of it like that for my cat. Even though I think of him as family. I wish I'd known about them being able to hide pain before the fact. My mom has owned cats in the past and she was the one that said she didn't think about the weight loss as a major issue, considering his age. He was just acting completely normal, as I said previously. But again, I didn't know they could hide pain that way.
And as for the "eff yourself" comment, I'm not sorry for that. At all. I'm hurting, grieving, extremely upset, and these people are accusing me of neglecting my cat. I just didn't know better. But he was old. And I do realize we probably could have prolonged his life by having him checked out, but how much would it have costed, and how long would it have prolonged it for? We didn't have much money. Enough for a yearly checkup and food.
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  #21  
Old October 11th, 2009, 09:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aslan View Post
i'm more intrigued with this..

Names and type of pet(s)
3 cats (Morris, Sylvester and Buddie) and 3 rabbits (Nibbles, Brown Bunny and Flower)

i don't see a kitty named pumpkin...
That's because I JUST updated it. It used to have my 3 cats including Pumpkin, 5 rabbits, a gerbil and a guinea pig.
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