| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Naked on a Mountain Top |
Posted - Nov 25 2011 : 2:32:58 PM
We have an tiny 18 1/2 year old 3 1/2 pound calico kitty.(she never was big, about 8 1/2 lbs in her prime - now we call her "fur bag of bones".) She has been on Thyroid meds for about 3 years and we recently started an arthrisis shot. The shot seems to help help get around more fluidly (a good thing for the bone stiffening winter).
Here's the issue... she no longer cares about the dogs sniffing her as she passes by, screams for us in the hall in the middle in the night, goes in her litter box and hangs her bottom outside (messing on the floor), sometimes just messes on the floor in the same room, screams to lead us to her food even though it's full, often steps in her own waste and wanders the house with a "poop foot" unknowingly. She gave up on hygene over a year ago and we brush and clean her. Sometimes she wanders around like she's lost in the house she's lived in for over 12 years. But pop open a can of tuna and she's like a young kitten. (We still catch her up on the counter trying to eat the butter at times!)
Is it possible for cats to get Dementia? And have moments of clarity? Kind of fade in and out?
www.durangodream.blogspot.com |
| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| queenmushroom |
Posted - Mar 18 2012 : 10:06:17 AM
It's hard, but you may want to get her thyroid double checked as well as a kidney panel run before you make any rash descisions. In the mean time, if canned food is what she wants, then feed it. You can also try meat babyfood as well. Put some newspaper down under the cat box to collect accidents.
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
| crittergranny |
Posted - Mar 18 2012 : 08:40:34 AM
Sorry Sweetie, hugs.
Horse poor in the boonies. |
| pnickols |
Posted - Mar 18 2012 : 07:14:55 AM
Our first cat when we got married lived to be 17 and I eventually had her put down due to what I think was dementia. She stopped eating, using her box, socializing and spent her time hiding in wierd places and acting like she didn't know what was going on. after a bit her fur started falling out and she pooed everywhere. I felt horrible for putting her down and horrible for waitlng so long because I couldn't bear the thought of doing it but she was miserable. |
| FARMALLChick |
Posted - Mar 06 2012 : 10:06:06 AM
My Salem was only 8 when he told me he'd had enough. I adopted him when I was pregnant with my son. He had attitude from day 1, but I loved him. He'd always had tummy troubles no matter what we fed him. We had to put towels everywhere he napped because he would leave little "poo puddles". Several vets could never figure out why. Towards the end he growled all the time and woefully meowed. I knew it was time. That was 4 years ago and I still miss him! We buried him back by the creek because he loved running water.
Lora
If it ain't red, leave it in the shed.
www.CountryFriedAcres.etsy.com
www.farmallchick.blogspot.com
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| Bear5 |
Posted - Mar 06 2012 : 07:32:48 AM
I am so sorry for your loss. Hugs.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
| Naked on a Mountain Top |
Posted - Mar 06 2012 : 06:48:43 AM
Gosh! I can't believe it's been a couple months, it seems like only yesterday.
Thank you everyone for the suggestions and advice.
Our Dear sweet Dinah passed on to the next life on 27th of December. She let us know it was time when on the night of the 26th she stood up and fell over. No longer able to walk, I wrapped her in a blanket and took her to bed with me. I awoke a couple times and held her in her litter box so she could relive herself. My husband was out of town, I called him the next morning. Dinah waited patiently in my arms in the rocking chair until he came home. She couldn't bear to leave him on her own, so we took her to the vet for a little medical help. She died in his arms. I sewed a burial bag out of one of his old work shirts that she loved to rub on everyday before he got dressed. I made a small pillow and filled it with dried catnip blossoms from our garden and strand of my husands hair - which she loved to bite and chew. We cut a small piece from her scratching post and placed it betwwen her paws. Dinah is currently in a deep freezer awaiting her final resting place this spring when the ground thaws.
We still find a toy here or there, long lost behind a piece of furnature, and our hearts still ache.
www.durangodream.blogspot.com |
| StrawHouseRanch |
Posted - Dec 03 2011 : 08:33:51 AM
Good advice camlanngrl. That is exactly what I would do too. It almost sounds like it is time to treat the situation something like kitty hospice. Keep her comfortable and well monitored and she will be grateful to you for allowing her to be more at peace and not have to make tough decisions anymore about getting to the litterbox or finding her way around.
Hugs to you Seana, and lots of scritchin's for your kitty.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a Gift.
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| sweettea |
Posted - Dec 02 2011 : 9:33:27 PM
I agree with the comment that Pennywise made about her vision possibly being bad. As cats age, their vision sometimes gets bad. It sounds like it would fit with her behavior; getting into the litterbox but not seeing her position, pooping on the floor and not seeing it and stepping in it. Also, her crying for you in the hallway seems to fit. She can't see where she is in relation to you, she hears your voice when you answer her and she comes to you. Her hearing and smell are probably good yet which is why she comes running when she hears the can opener. Taurine is essential to a cats diet in order to help with their vision. I don't know much about it but would taurine supplements help?
"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein |
| camlanngrl |
Posted - Dec 02 2011 : 12:22:29 PM
My 18 year old kitty suffered from the same ailments, she was long hair and could no longer take care of her fur so she spent the last year of her life shaved with all her boniness showing. She had kidney failure but would not tolerate us giving her subcutaneous fluids. She no longer would sit on our laps or sleep for any length of time. Instead she roamed the house screaming at all hours of the night. After a long hard look at her quality of life we decided she was not happy and in more and more pain so we decided to put her down. I definitly feel she had a sort of dementia, so I think my suggestions are:
Talk to your vet about comfort measures you can take.
Put a plastic floormat around her litter box (or use a rubbermaid...more room for your kitty)
Give her tons of love
Limit her access to rooms (less oppurtunity to become confused)
Good luck! |
| Naked on a Mountain Top |
Posted - Nov 29 2011 : 05:33:23 AM
Thank you so much for all the stories and support!
I will try kitty milk.
She eats constantly now because it seems to go right through her (or she vommits). She doesn't seem to be in pain and still loves sitting on a lap and being scratched.
There is no sign of a stroke. I am sure she has some intestinal issues (cancer or the likes) but the last time we were at the vet I denyed x-rays to find out (better not to know if your not going to do chemo), besides it's life right? Birth than death - as hard as it may be. Some days are better than others. I guess we can just do what it takes to keep her comfy. We have agreed that if she could no longer move, stopped eating/drinking or was on obvious pain we would call the vet (thankfully we know one who will come to our home).
The support is welcome, I will pass it on to my Hubby.
www.durangodream.blogspot.com |
| Bear5 |
Posted - Nov 26 2011 : 11:41:56 AM
Seana:
My Zoe cat was much like yours. In early January of this year, Zoe let me know she had had enough. She was 20 years old/young. Like Tina is doing with her cat, so did I. Hugs to you and your kitty. I would have done anything and everything for Zoe because she gave me such unconditional love and happiness and laughs, even if she was an aloof cat! LOL
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
| texdane |
Posted - Nov 26 2011 : 09:49:48 AM
It happens in animals, I have had plenty of experience with this. My cat lived to be twenty. For the last two years of her life she would wander into the shower, forget where she was, and meow until we got her out. If they live long enough, pets can get dementia. My old doberman used to bark at one spot on the wall for no reason, and then look confused as to why he was there. As for putting her down, only you can make that decision. Hugs to you.
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE
Chapter Leader, Connecticut Simpler Life Sisters
Suburban Farmgirl Blogger
http://sfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/ |
| Ingrid |
Posted - Nov 26 2011 : 08:11:33 AM
Our cat is 21 and she is old. She still jumps and goes up and down the stairs but she does make weird noises at nothing sometimes. I say she sees ghosts of fur buddys and talks to them. It makes the kids feel better about it. She sometimes steps in things in her litter box and I clean her feet. She washes all her parts she can reach so we brush and wash the rest. She's not in pain just old and loves to cuddle on my lap usually or my bed. A friend suggested buying her something called "kitten milk" same idea as baby food from what she says. She feeds it to her old cat and she says she is not so boney anymore. I'm going to try it because my old girl is skinny.
Give thanks to yourself everyday for all the wonderful things you do! |
| Penny Wise |
Posted - Nov 26 2011 : 07:47:56 AM
i feel badly about suggesting you put your baby down-but mine WAS in pain...and meds were only prolonging!
Farmgirl # 2139
proud member of the Farmgirls of the Southwest Henhouse
~*~ counting my pennies and biding my time; my dreams are adding up!~*~ |
| batznthebelfry |
Posted - Nov 26 2011 : 07:16:52 AM
I had a cat who lived to nearly 25 that by the time he was 23 got lost in the hallway & would meow til you called him....Did the same thing with the litter box or just went where he was cause he could no longer find the box.....if got too excited would fall over, didn't know how to clean himself anymore....but he died in his sleep with me in bed....remember they may be only 12 in cat years but in human years they are beyond old timers...I loved having him & didn't mind the extra work I had to do for him...as long as the vet said he was ok physically & not in pain I let him do his thing....Michele'
Chickens rule!
The Old Batz Farm
Hen #2622 |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Nov 25 2011 : 4:37:21 PM
she is loseing her sensces, i.e., hearing, eyesight and smell, probally has had a small stroke or two, and on top of all of that, she is like a 98 yr old women...as long as she is not in pain, and her meds are still working for her, as a cat mom, you just deal...I have one that is partially paralized in his rear legs, so I keep everything close to him, leak proof bed, change bedding as needed, which is several times aday, bath/wash him at least once aday, food and water is 2 steps away, so as long as he is able to get around, and is not misrable or in pain, he will stay...he was a orphan at birth, so I bottle fed him around the clock and hes 15 1/2 now...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| Penny Wise |
Posted - Nov 25 2011 : 2:40:17 PM
i dont know about that but i wonder if her eyesight has gone bad?
i had an 18 1/2 year old- who i had half my life!-that i put to sleep because she was having kidney failure and was getting dehydrated...it was probly the hardest thing that i ever did (there have been a few things that have vied for that honor since but none made it!).
i'm certain that you love her and want the best for her and i know that you didnt ask but i would consider sending her to the rainbow bridge. not easy to do but better than her getting hurt or you just waking up one day when she doesnt. just my thoughts.
Farmgirl # 2139
proud member of the Farmgirls of the Southwest Henhouse
~*~ counting my pennies and biding my time; my dreams are adding up!~*~ |
