Just found out my cat has arthritis. How long does he have to live?
Posted on | November 27, 2009 |
I took my cat to the Vet today. I thought he was poisoned but his blood test results were normal. The Vet said my cat has arthritis in the hips. My cat can’t even stand on his hind legs. It seems like out of the BLUE our cat can’t function. I’ve never had that happen to me with any of my cats. He has been sleeping and laying around all day and all yesterday. The vet gave him a steriod shot that might help his muscles and help him get back on his feet. I just don’t want our cat to suffer. Right now he seems okay relaxing, chilling out but he can’t even walk by himself. His hind legs seem useless. Is this the end? Do you think we need to put our 8 yr old cat to sleep? Does anyone know? I need some advice. It’s really sad right now to think of loosing our beloved cat!
Okay this is what I don’t understand: if our vet says our cat has arthritis, why can’t he use his back hind legs? Seriously, I mean really. I am so confused right now. I guess I’m in denial right now. If our cat can’t function, how is he going to go the bathroom? I can feed him and give him liquids but at some point you would think he needs to release himself(bathroom break) . Do we need to buy diapers? If it gets to that point is it time to put our cat to sleep. I think it’s wrong to make a cat suffer. Right this moment he’s not suffering but I don’t even want him to feel any pain. I’m so torn. My children and I have been crying on and off all day. I’m just trying to get some answers so I can make the right decision. I need to make the best decision for our cat! He’s our MAN. He’s truly the best cat. As I look into his eyes it’s like he’s telling me "Time is running out". Is it time to let him go into the light? It’s just so hard and so sad! Thanks for all your advice. It’s helpful.
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8 Responses to “Just found out my cat has arthritis. How long does he have to live?”
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November 27th, 2009 @ 7:03 am
Take your cat to another vet immediately!
That’s not arthritis, that’s a saddle embolism. A blood clot from his heart has traveled down the aorta to where it splits to supply blood to each hind leg, and it has lodged there, cutting off circulation to his hind legs.
A saddle embolism doesn’t seem to cause the cat pain at first, but later it will become agonizingly painful. I have seen cats brought in literally screaming from this condition.
Unfortunately, cats rarely recover from it, though at the vet hospital where I work we did have one who has apparently recovered completely.
The sooner you get him to a competent vet, not the one who saw him and missed the diagnosis (so obvious that I can make it from an email) the better chance he has, or at least the less he will suffer.
Don’t wait…this will become even more of an emergency during the weekend.
ADD It isn’t arthritis, Moongirl. You’ve figured that out yourself. Please take him to another vet.
ADD It isn’t arthritris
November 27th, 2009 @ 7:03 am
There are painkillers that the vet can give Kitty, but I would only do that if you are trying to give him a few last comfortable months. You could try glucosamine supplements (ask your vet about them first) or other vitamins, but depending on how much functionality he regains, yeah, you may have to say goodbye soon, if only so he doesn’t have to suffer.
as for the suddenness of the problem, more than likely it’s been coming on for a long time and you didn’t notice, cats are excellent at hiding pain.
I hope that he’ll regain some mobility and have a few more happy, pain free years with you.
Good luck! If you need to talk, please feel free to e-mail me.
November 27th, 2009 @ 7:03 am
No. Try to take care of him as long as you can or find him a specialty shelter that will give him a little cart with wheels to carry his back end around. I saw something like that in a recent issue of Cat Fancy.
November 27th, 2009 @ 7:03 am
arthritis doesn’t affect lifespan. TGhere are things you can do to make your cat more comfortable. The vet will prescribe metacam and you can get some heated blankets for your cat
How was the arthritus diagnosed btw. xrays would have had to be taken to diagnose that. If yo can, I think you should get some dine with a diffeent vet to be sure as 8 is pretty young for this.
November 27th, 2009 @ 7:03 am
that’s so sad, and i’m sorry to hear.
i hope there is something the vet can do.
thoughts of losing our pets are sad… sending hugs and hope.
November 27th, 2009 @ 7:03 am
no need to put it down, my cat was paralysed with arthritis, he got put on tablets, and is going better than ever, just get it some tablets, and it will be fine
November 27th, 2009 @ 7:03 am
Hi there,
First advice is to give it a day or two to work and see what happens. You might have a couple accidents before it kicks in, but it just might work.
It could be something other than arthritis though, something neurological. If you don’t have improvement tomorrow, I’d bring him to another vet for another opinion and treatment options. If he’s never going to be able to walk or move around again it may be time (just went through this myself out of the blue-unfortunately there wasn’t much they could do for my kitty but she was 14 and had a great life up until that point). But definitely get that other opinion first so you can make clear choices. Your kitty is cool and he isn’t old. If you have the patience, the money, and the time, then it could all work out ok. And yes it is a very sad situation, it’s terrible to be faced with these decisions with a beloved pet. Good luck.
November 27th, 2009 @ 7:03 am
it varies from every cat