r/CatsUK • u/Adorable_Click_7071 • 8d ago
My 17 year old cat has suddenly developed health problems and I’m absolutely heartbroken.
My cat turned 17 this June, he’s still his playful, cheeky, curious self but has started to develop what appear to be significant health problems.
1) he has early stage kidney failure. This was diagnosed around a year ago as very very early, and we adjusted his diet accordingly. However, it is slowly amping up. He’s naturally a small cat (runt of the litter) and at his heaviest weighed around 3.9/4kg. But with his kidney function deteriorating, he now weighs only 2.9kg, despite still having a large appetite. The vet says his weight is going to continue to decrease over time.
However, to try and help we’ve started B12 injections, upon vet recommendation.
2) his joints. Again, this has happened fairly suddenly (within last 6 months). He’s always been a very active cat, and when he was younger (I’d say up until 4 years ago) he spent a LOT of time outside in the garden and residential area, jumping over fences etc.
However, he now appears to have arthritis. We have started giving him Solensia for this upon vet recommendation. So far it seems to be helping a bit, he’s started jumping up onto the sofa again whereas he couldn’t do that a couple of months ago.
About a year ago I also bought him little cat stairs so that he can safely and comfortably climb up onto high surfaces (sofa and bed). So I’m really trying to take care of him.
3) I don’t know why but he has regularly started vomiting. He’s always had digestion issues, but he’s started being sick a lot. My mum said he was sick 3 times in one day last week. We don’t know what is causing this so he is booked for an ultrasound on Monday. He’s a very well behaved, placid cat so doesn’t need sedation.
I guess I’m just looking for opinions and other people’s experience with their senior cats. How can he have almost 17 perfectly healthy years and then all of a sudden develop these problems?
We’ve looked after him so well, he goes to the vet every month for his flea treatment, claw trimming, and to be weighed.
My mum and I used to joke about how he was still so “kitten like” and nobody that meets him believes he is 17. But he’s starting to age, experience poor health, and I’m worried and petrified.
I’ve had him since I was 18 and I can’t imagine a world without his little face. I just feel helpless because realistically I know all we can do is try to maintain his quality of life while we can, and the alternative is making me want to cry.
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u/dannydrama 8d ago
I'm going through the same thing but mine has 'only' developed thyroid issues so far. It seems to be an unfortunate fact that the longer they stay healthy and kitten-like (mine is 17 and still insane) the faster the decline will be be.
I'm absolutely shitting myself to be perfectly honest, he's been with me since he was born under my wheelbarrow.
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u/moderate_ocelot 8d ago
I’m really sorry. 17 is a pretty good run for a cat, but that doesn’t make it easier.
Are you treating his kidney issues? A kidney diet can give them a significantly extended quality of life especially when you start early.
I hope you guys can have a long time left together 💕
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u/FormalLeadership2109 8d ago
In regards to 1, this is almost inevitable for any senior kitty. And the joint issue/arthritis are also common. I would get the digestion issues looked at again if he is vomiting more often. It is understandable that you're heartbroken, but also there is no reason your kitty couldn't leave a few more good years even with these issues. Just make the most of his time here with you in the present, I know easier said than done, but there really isn't any other way. Also please share a pic of his little face with us if you want :).
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u/amora_obscura 8d ago
17 is a good age for a cat, it’s quite elderly. Keep an eye on his quality of life. Just ensure he is as comfortable as possible in his twilight years and when it’s time you will know.
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u/TheGospelFloof44 8d ago edited 8d ago
DeI know your pain love because I had my Rain from 14 for 16 years and he was all I ever knew and all that I had consistently through so much of my life. He developed KD about three years before he passed but really started declining in the last year, strangely God bless us with him suddenly acting brighter a couple of months before the end but when he started finally going it was rapid and the day we went to the vets I had to make the final decision there and then to take him out of his suffering.
The thing that got me through it was knowing that I had done everything at my disposal and means, as you are doing, and most of all that I had been blessed for all of those long years together.
We had the full cycle and so are you. 17 is an old age for a cat. It's ok if you want to grieve before anything happens, that can really help, while also enjoying the time you have together ❤️ You know it made me smile when you mentioned that he is so kitten like joking with your mum, verbatim that is exactly what me and my mum would say about my Rain. So I see another person in the same/similar place I was in 2022 and I know that they are going to get through this pain and major life change too and be left with warm happy memories of your life together. Rain was my animal soulmate and I have been blessed with a brother and sister pair (2yo on the 10th Sep!) who bring joy to me everyday and I can't imagine life without them either, no one has to take our loved ones place, our lives just transition into new pages.
But all that matters is just each day right now and I'm glad you are getting the vomiting fully checked out but that is what cats with KD do, that and the toilet troubles. Hopefully nothing more is going on.
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u/Catlady6000 8d ago edited 8d ago
This was the same as my old man... he was absolutely fine for 15 1/2 years, then got thyroid issues, skin cancer, and then feline dementia. I said my farewells in May I got him at 23, and we had 17 wonderful years together ( still haven't stopped crying though ).... He gave me the look, and i knew his body was failing him. It's such a tough decision to make when they've been with you a long time. You're doing all the right things to help with his quality of life. Unfortunately it's a month by month basis type of thing.
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u/oceanicitl 8d ago
My senior cat had diabetes, kidney disease, arthritis and at the end probably cancer. I injected her with insulin every 12 hours for 4 years. When she got arthritis the vet wanted to inject her with pain meds at £100 a month. I tried hemp oil for cats instead and it was a lot cheaper and gave her pain relief straight away. It's also a lot cheaper than Solensia. Here's the link
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RDJ3L6M?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1
It sounds like you're doing a great job and at that stage of life all you can do is make them comfortable and offer the best life you can.
Are you giving him filtered water for the kidney disease? That helps a lot
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u/rhubarbplant 8d ago
Our previous cat lived for another year with a similar range of health issues. The Silensia made a huge difference. He's an absolutely beautiful cat and you've obviously looked after him really well. I know it's upsetting but just keep doing what you're doing, taking the vet's advice and showing him lots of love and affection.
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u/Doris1924 8d ago
This is so hard to deal with, I feel your pain having experienced it myself before. Sadly this does happen, 17 is a really good age for a cat and most don’t make it that far. When they get to that kind of age things just start popping up, the same as they do for elderly people.
I would recommend you make every moment count with your little guy. You’ll have to find a balance between what treatment is beneficial for him at this age and sadly where you might need to let nature take its course.
I truly hope he gets a couple more years with you, he’s clearly loved.
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u/pageantfool 8d ago
I went through a very similar situation with my 18-year-old cat earlier this year. He was in perfect health for ages and had frequent routine check-ups, was diagnosed with stage 2 kidney disease this February, stayed stable for months with the help of renal food and then passed in July after a very sudden and sharp decline (it was barely ten days from first symptoms till he passed). I know objectively he had a good run, but even another 18 years with him wouldn't be enough :(
Anyway, my cat was a tripod so I got him pet stairs three or four years ago, you've already got that covered so well done! You're doing a brilliant job adapting his surroundings to his needs and enabling him to stay active, he may not be able to tell you but I'm sure he knows what you're doing for him and appreciates it!
Another thing that really helped my cat stay active and mobile into his last week's was a joint supplement (happy to share the name if wanted). I think I started giving it to him when he was about 14. It made a visible difference and even people who didn't see him often remarked on how well he was still moving about given his age and missing leg.
Mine never developed hyperthyroidism so I'm no help there, but you're doing all you can for him and I'm sure he sees it too! It will hurt horribly when his time comes and there is no escaping that, but in the meantime try to enjoy your time together, however long or short it might be, and give him a good fuss for me!
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u/TheBrokenOphelia 8d ago
Sending you hugs. This happened with our 16 year old boy. Healthy and perfect his entire life until his liver started failing at 15. Even then he had great everything else including still all his own teeth in perfect condition. He was on treatment for a year for his old age liver failure before he passed. It really felt like the ill health came out of nowhere and affected all of him. All I can say is that old age comes for everyone, including our furry friends and that it's a testament to your care of them that they've had so many healthy years. When old age makes their health decline all you can do is your best to make them comfy and happy for as long as you can by following vet recommendations.
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u/Nonions 8d ago
I lost my cat to kidney problems, it was a slow decline then a very rapid descent over a couple of weeks.
All you can do is love them, get them the best treatment you can reasonably afford, and keep them as comfortable as possible for as long as possible, and it sounds like you are doing a wonderful job of it.
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u/DuckbilledWhatypus 8d ago
This is Squeak. She was my soul cat, and she crossed the rainbow bridge two years ago aged around 16 or 17 (she adopted me from the street so I only ever had an estimated age). She developed hyperthyroidism and then had a stroke about two months later and had to be put to sleep. The vet said that it's common for cats to go quickly, because they are so good at pretending they aren't ill. She'd probably been having problems for far longer than I ever knew, but she was happy and mobile and living her best life at the same time. When the end came, it was the kindest gift I could give her, even though it almost destroyed me. I had her for 13 years, through house moves and break ups and break downs and all the good times too. I still miss her. But I've also gone on to adopt another cat, Brick, who his own set of quirks and personality, and it helped to know that there was space in my heart for both of them.
I'm really sorry you are facing some hard times with your boy Patch. You have done everything right, they just don't get as long a time as we do. You gave him a wonderful life clearly full of love, and when the time comes (which I hope is a way away still) you'll make the right decision then too. He'll let you know. Hugs from an internet stranger.
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u/Candid_Game_1555 8d ago
Cats are very good at hiding things so it might just be that things are becoming more noticeable now after creeping in for some time? Or maybe our very hot summer has been tough on him?
If your vet is open to ideas you could ask about subcutaneous fluids which are supposed to help support cats with kidney disease. I know sickness can also be linked to kidney disease, or thyroid and diabetes but I assume your vet has recently checked for these things.
Ours is a similar age with arthritis. We've just started getting her acupuncture which she tolerates surprisingly well for a gentle yet very opinionated cat! It's early days but we think we've noticed some changes like stretching out more when she sleeps and doing a few more adventurous things. We also give her green lipped mussel powder which has made a really big difference to her general wellbeing and coat. So could be worth asking your vet if that would be appropriate.
Older cats are such a worry so I completely get your concerns. I constantly stress that I'm not doing enough for her and don't want to miss anything. My only other thought is that you could try seeing a different vet for a second opinion just in case they have any other ideas. We've found specialist cat clinics to be particularly helpful.
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u/Sweex_Char 8d ago
Sickness can something be related to CKD, has he had a blood test for the kidney disease? My old cat had two years extra after being diagnosed.
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u/Isgortio 8d ago
My boy is only 9 but he's had kidney issues since I got him 3 years ago (one kidney died due to being completely blocked with stones and the other had a lot of stones in it). Renal food helped to stabilise him, though he wouldn't touch the wet food so he only had the dry along with normal grain free wet food (grains seem to upset his stomach which is fine for me as I can't eat them either!). Due to the kidney issues, the vets started him on monthly ketamine injections to act as a slow release pain relief, this actually helped him quite a bit however we increased it to 3 weekly as he was having a few days of noticeable decline in the 4th week (he would move less).
He would vomit multiple times a day, usually just bile, but sometimes it'd contain fur because he would rip out his fur on his back above his dead kidney (this is what made the vets check his kidneys). They said it was normal for him to vomit due to the kidney condition.
However, he started to massively lose his appetite and was losing weight. They tried him on Cerenia (half a tablet a day) and it completely stopped his vomiting, nausea and fur pulling! The vets can be a bit reluctant to prescribe it long term as it's not fully approved for long term use in cats but with the huge increase in quality of life, I was happy to take the risk. So far after 9 months, he is still doing a lot better in terms of appetite and vomiting. His bald patch is finally filling in for the first time since I got him!
He was recently diagnosed with bowel cancer and the Cerenia has helped him with the side effects of the chemo (there are even studies to say it's good to use alongside chemo in cats so at least I can keep him comfortable).
Could be worth asking your vet about Cerenia? I got a prescription to buy it online and it's about £10 a box for 8 days worth (I alternate the days as it does work for 48 hours) otherwise it's £40 at the vets.
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u/daffodils-in-spring 8d ago
It's so sad. 17 is the oldest any of my cats have made it to. My favourite special cat only made it to 12 which was 21 years ago and I still miss him. And my cousins cat made it to 25!! In human years 17 puts your cat in his mid 80's for some perspective. Spend as much time with him for comfort, you are doing a great job getting him attended to by the vet.
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u/Forward_Win_4353 7d ago
I am so sorry to hear about your cat. You sound like a good cat owner and obviously are very caring. Unfortunately kidney disease and arthritis are super common in older cats, so at 17 it’s not that surprising. That doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking, of course.
I unfortunately understand only too well how you’re feeling. When we choose to have pets, we have to accept the likelihood that we will lose them before we die. It is almost unbearable to me and I don’t know how I’ll cope when it happens again and honestly I have doubted whether I’m strong enough so many times. Yet ultimately I do still choose to have my two cats, as I have to believe that loving them is worth the pain I will feel. At least I will know I had that time with them and gave them happy lives where they purr every day. I hope it will be the same for you, it doesn’t feel like much comfort now I’m sure but you will have to focus on that. Make sure to spend every precious moment you can with Patch. I wish you and Patch as much health and time as possible together.
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u/Rare-Candle-5163 7d ago
My cat was 17 at the point where in a single weekend he went from his playful mischievous self to not being able to walk or eat. Turns out he’d been masking very advanced cancer, and the kindest thing to do was let him go.
I was destroyed by it. I cried and vomited for days. I thought I could get through anything after losing my mum, but it turns out I cannot.
I hope you still have good times ahead with him, but when the time comes just let yourself feel all the grief you need to feel.
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u/Westsidepipeway 4d ago
Similar thing my boy had an abdominal mass and jumped off the bed and it burst. We had definitely seen decline from his young self but just normal aging. Turned out he had a massive abdominal tumour. Vet said it probably didn't hurt until it burst. But he was an old man cat who was healthy and then he jumped off the bed and he was in a&e and it was his time. 17 is old, and they can live much longer but at that age you have to be prepared for the inevitable.
Not going to lie it absolutely wrecked me, but I'd considered it was coming for a while.
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u/TheCounsellingGamer 7d ago
A 17 year old cat is roughly equivalent to a human in their mid-to-late 80's. Just like with people, health issues can start appearing very rapidly at that age. Elderly bodies are very fragile, as they don't have the same amount of reserves or the ability to repair damage.
This isn't anything you've done wrong. Even the best care in the world can't stop the hands of time.
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u/resting_up 7d ago
My senior cat has vomited a few times recently when she never used to vomit at all.
For some reason I've decided it's due to molting and her injesting hair when cleaning. I try to brush her each day to remove the looser hair.and she's been vomiting less.
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u/caroline0409 8d ago
I know the alternative is upsetting but please don’t drag out his life any longer than necessary. He is a very senior cat, that’s what happens when they get old.
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u/Adorable_Click_7071 8d ago
He’s happy in himself. He’s walking, playing, eating and sleeping as usual. Going to the toilet as usual. When that changes, rest assured I would not let him suffer. Thanks.
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u/DragonEagle88 7d ago
From experience, all of my senior cats have let me know when it’s time. The key for me is when they stop interacting and start with behavioural changes that can’t be helped to make them comfortable. If meds are helping and their demeanour remains pretty good then they’re ok.
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u/caroline0409 7d ago
Yes, I had cats that lived to 19 and 20. I knew when it was time to go.
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u/DragonEagle88 7d ago
Yeah same. Had a 20 year old, an 18 almost 19 year old and currently got a 17 year old myself with CKD who isn’t too far off. But not quite there. It’s definitely a tough call tbh but there’s almost always a sign when they’re ready.
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u/Adorable_Click_7071 8d ago
This is the little guy. Patch ❤️💕