I just spoke to the vet again because Sunny doesn’t seem to be getting any better. He still only has a BM every three days or so, which is not good. His fur is looking all matted and it’s like he’s wasting away before my eyes. Hard to believe that back in July he was so chubby. Anyhow, the vet says that the only other thing they can do is arrange for an ultrasound to see the blockage more clearly, as well as do more blood tests. And I am stuck, not knowing what to do. First of all I don’t have the money (about 200 euros) that an ultrasound, blood tests and a vet consultation will cost. But even if I did, at what point does one keep testing a 16-year-old animal who may simply be “shutting down” due to old age? I mean, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t agree to an operation at this stage. Though if it is feline megacolon, the information I’ve read says that sometimes surgery is needed to remove the blockage and the success rate is very high. It also says that ultrasounds are only done if cancer is suspected. So I don’t know. What should I do? What would you do? This is really breaking my heart.
casa azahar 
Oh that is really sad, your poor little cat. Once again I’m lost for words, I have nothing to say that will help you feel better, except that someone is listening and thinking of you.
What I would do in a situation like this is ask the vet to confirm what you’ve read online. Specifically ask him/her if they believe this is age, or a treatable condition, and specifically ask if he/she suspects cancer.
Ultimately your cats happiness and your own peace of mind must come first, and it seems from your post that you’ve been researching information your vet hasn’t given you. I hate to be blunt, but you really need to know the odds. How likely is it that at 16 this is just age? How likely is cancer, and what will it do to your cat? How likely is it that an ultrasound will give hope that things can be treated? If the answers to these questions can be found before you embark on expensive tests and procedures then you and your cat together can find the answer.
I’m a strong believer that animals fight to survive as well, it isn’t something that only humans do. And I strongly believe that your cat’s actions, and the way he interacts with you will be giving you clear ideas of what the cat is feeling. They are more primal than us, so they know their bodies better than us, and I believe they also know (evidenced by signs of still wanting to play or be affectionate) if they can make it through this. On the other hand a cat that loses interest in everything is probably settling themselves for the inevitable. So, what is your cat telling you? His input is needed bacause I suspect the thought of putting him to sleep has crossed you mind.
I hope like hell I haven’t upset you, but I really don’t think you have enough information from reading your post, and if you and your cat can have another few years of quality time together then you’ll both know it.
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Maybe it’s time to let Sunny go. He has had a long and good cat life, and we all wish him a good end of it. You have done a lot to make his days better, Az, but there always is a limit of what and how much you can do.
I’m struggling with a dying cat at the moment. Tiny Cat, who moved in here from the cat shelter just over three years ago is in an almost final stage of a congestive heart condition and he has had several pneumonias the last year and a half. In July he was in a similar condition and we struggled with “home ICU” over a month before he was in somewhat good shape. This time he has not responded to the meds given and I’m grateful for everyday he is with me. He sleeps most of the day, but as long as I can make him play and he can be tempted with extra treats he will be with me. However I know that in a not so distant future it will be time to take him to the vet and let him be free from his ailments.
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These are the hardest decisions to make and my heart aches for you. We lost our dog to cancer this year and spent a lot of money on tests but he was still a relatively young dog and apart from appetite loss seemed fairly healthy. The vet told us he only had weeks to go and took the decision out of our hands by telling us that euthanasia was the only option. I can’t tell you what to do, wish I could, but I will be thinking of you.
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Az, I agree that these times are the hard decision times. Madison was sick last week; Casey picked it up over the weekend – and watching my nearly 15yo dog feel awful makes me feel helpless, even though I know what to do and how to bring him around. I do know that, for me, there are no operations in Casey’s future – my job at this point is to get him comfortably to the end that old age has for him. The trauma of being hospitalized would be as bad for him as any disease, and if it’s a choice between surgery and making the humane decision, then it will be time for me to step up and be humane.
I can’t tell you what is the right choice for Sunny, but he does seem to be declining…and at 16, the decline may be something that is inevitable, even if you had the money for tests and surgery.
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Thanks for all the input, guys.
I took your advice and spoke to the vet again, Andy. I understand that she can’t really diagnose over the phone, and her previous suggestion to get the ultrasound and blood tests done was an attempt to discover/rule out any other sort of blockage … so I asked her if, in the case of megacolon, we’ve actually tried all the treatments possible. And apparently there is a laxative I can try called Dufolax, instead of the paraffin, which is a bit stronger. Also, I could bring Sunny in for another enema. And so, I’m going to try the new laxative for a couple of days, and then take it from there.
Basically an ultrasound would tell me if he has a tumour or not. And I know that if he has cancer that I’m not going to opt for an operation. Not at his age. So do I really need to pay to find this out?
The fact that when he does have a BM he actually has a really big one, and it’s not overly hard and there’s no blood, says to me that there isn’t an obstruction as such. Well, other that whatever is trapped in the “megacolon” area. So maybe another enema would help flush that out.
I’m so not ready to let Sunny go. And I think he still wants to stick around. Well, I will try this new treatment out and see what happens.
Thanks again.
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Wow, I’m so glad there is something else you can try first. As you say, if you and Sunny aren’t ready to give up yet then fight for him, he’s been with you a long time, and I’m sure you’ll sleep better knowing you’ve both exhausted all the options.
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Oh, az, I’m so sorry that you are having to go through even more stress. The bond we have with our cats is deep and profound.
It amazes me that we are going through similar issues with our cats. I have been pondering the problem for over a month and struggling with the “end of life” thing. It is so complicated to deal with this when money is tight. We have very little extra money around here right now, and so the pragmatic thing is we can’t afford to do anything heroic for Smokey either, but apparently nothing heroic is needed.
Smokey is 18 years old, and he has the opposite problem from Sunny, he has incontinence issues. I have had to clean the hall carpet every morning this week. He is also fading away before my eyes, but he is 18 years old. He sleeps most of the time, and he definitely has “kitty Alzheimer’s”. His quality of life is not very good at this point. I have been praying for him to die in the night peacefully so I don’t have to make a decision. The vet says there is “nothing wrong” with him — no blockages, no cancer. He’s just very very old. So my dilemma is how to know when or what to do, as his quality of life is very poor now.
It sucks. Hope the new treatment for Sunny works.
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Oh, Az, I really feel for you. I honestly don’t know what I would do if I were you…
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I wish I had some wise words for you , az. Only you know when and if the time is right and how much you can afford vs. his quality of life.
If a laxative is something that provides relief and is a relatively noninvasive and he tolerates, it seems to me that that is the way to go, at least for the present.
I know that my niece’s cat was pretty sad and in pretty deplorable condition before she got her diet under control. Once she was managing on the strict diet/feeding timetable, she has been doing really well. She still doesn’t go every day (sometimes every few days). She is pretty happy, now.
Did I suggest talking to my niece? If you friend her on Facebook (Ange) she can give you some ideas about what worked for Robin.
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I can’t speak as a cat lover but as a dog person I know the pain of watching a friend pass. All I can suggest is that when Sunny is embarrassed by his condition, loses the joy of life, then it is time to let go.
{{{{{{Az and Sunny}}}}}}
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Thanks Mudhooks – I’ve just sent Ange a message.
Meanwhile, it looks like we’re going back to the vet’s today for an enema. The laxative I gave Sunny yesterday evening hasn’t done anything and he has gone way too long without a BM now – I am seriously worried about something rupturing.
Thanks for all the kind words everyone. And I’m sorry to hear that Smokey has got worse, hmh. It does sound like he’s near the end, poor thing. Sunny doesn’t look like he’s suffering and still likes hanging out with me and napping on the bed next to the open balcony doors, so I don’t feel it’s time to make that decision for him yet.
I guess that’s really the thing. When I look at him now I can’t imagine life without him and I want him to be with me for at least another couple of years. But if I ever saw him starting to seriously “shut down” and look like he was suffering I know that I love him way too much to ever let that continue. It’s just that every time I think about that happening I start to cry.
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What an ordeal that was! I mean, it’s always an ordeal, but this time was worse than usual. First of all the taxi was stuck in traffic forever and I just kept watching €€€s fly out the window … and then we finally got to the vet’s and the real fun began.
Turned out Sunny was dehydrated! I feel so stupid for not noticing. Anyhow, Elena the vet started saying how she couldn’t properly diagnose him without tests and she suggested an xray and blood tests before giving him any treatment. In the end we went with just the xray, as the first thing we needed to know was what sort of blockage he had. And there it was as clear as could be – his lower colon was blocked by large “poo balls”.
So fine. He was first hooked up to a saline IV, then put in a cage on a blanky (no way was he going in the litter box) and given an enema. And we waited. And waited. Well, mostly for the IV to finish, which took about half an hour. Meanwhile he had a couple of rather messy BMs and wouldn’t stop howling, poor thing. He seemed a lot less agitated with me there, so I pulled up a chair and sat with him until the drip was done.
Sunny waiting for the xray and saline IV.
Elena tidied him up a bit and prescribed the same thing as before: either daily paraffin or the laxative, along with a high fibre diet, and then call her in a week. And then we got a taxi home. I told Nog to put the carrier in the bathroom because Sunny had really soiled himself quite stupendously, poor darling, and was about to have his first shower! So I stuck him in the bathtub and rinsed off his underbelly, legs, paws and tail off (didn’t want to get him totally soaked and risk him getting a chill), and I was surprised at how complacent he was. Then I towel-dried him and he started walking away and looked like he was drunk or something. He kind of stumbled into the living room, then tried jumping up onto the sofa and “missed”! It was then I realised that Elena must have tranquilised him when she was prepping him for the IV. I’m a bit pissed off that she didn’t tell me, especially as I have to go out this afternoon and don’t like the idea of leaving him unattended.
Anyhow, I finally got Sunny set up and comfortable on the bed, all tucked up and warm under the duvet, and that’s where he still is now.
The good news is that it looks like it’s definitely megacolon and nothing more serious, like a tumour. I just have to decide whether to go with the paraffin or the laxative. Both are not good long-term solutions, but for the next week it should keep Sunny regular. And then I guess we figure out what sort of diet would be best, which I gather is a rather hit-and-miss venture.
Meanwhile, I’m going to do some more research on the internet, find out what I can. Last time I left it mostly up to the vet. As for the vet bill (100 euros), a very kind soul sent me a “Sunny donation” for half that amount yesterday and Nog has chipped in the other half. Sunny and I thank you both very very much.
And now it’s my turn. Gotta leave for my oncology appointment in one hour. What a day!
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Aww, it’s so good to see him tucked in his comforter. Does the vet think it would help him to get fluids every week or so? You can do that at home and they usually handle it pretty well.
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Fantastic news. I bet you’re feeling very relieved. Hope the rest of the week goes more smoothly. Andy
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Poor Sunny. I know he’s your family – and an important part of your life.
Just wondering … would abdominal massage help the passage of stuff round his diegestive system? Not sure if it’s appropriate for cats but it certainly works for hoomins.
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What an ordeal! I feel for both you and Sunny. Goos luck with your appointment and I’ll cross my fingers for Sunny.
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Thanks for all that update. Sunny does look rather comfy under the duvet. I think Teuchter may be right about the abdominal massage. That is what mommy cats do for their kittens, and it might be just the thing. Unless Sunny is like Smokey, who would just as soon take your hand off as allow you to take liberties with his belly.
Also, I don’t know how hard it is to get syringes in Spain, around here we just run off to the feed store and pick up any size we want. I use a 5 ml syringe (without needle) to augment Smokey’s water intake. Fill it with water, and dribble the liquid into the corner of his mouth. He drinks it well that way, and then I know he is getting enough. Although dehydration does not seem to be one of Smokey’s problems.
He does not have perfect control of his bowels, but there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with them. What is more strange is he will walk into a room and start to lie down and then stop half way through. It is like the switch got turned off or something, he just stays there, half standing, half sitting, eyes focused into the distance, like a VCR on pause. It is very odd. Last night he actually fell asleep in the half up half down position.
He started off having a rather bad morning, but by evening he was in pretty good shape. I took him out to the pond twice, it is a spot he has always loved. I made him walk back to the house both times, and I think the exercise and fresh air was good for him. Today the cat food is inedible for some reason. A variety that he loved last week today is So Yesterday. Cats.
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Ach, the kitties, the kitties…
Dragonprincess had to take Li’lkitty to the vet today due to a infected bite in the hindleg that Leopardess is the prime suspect of have given her a week or so ago. It wasn’t noticed by dragonprincess until yesterday, and when she called me yesterday evening I recommended her to go to the vets ASAP.
Li’lkitty was anaesthetized and the bite was drained for pus and cleaned. Currently Li’lkitty is in Cat ICU i.e. my bedroom until tomorrow and Leopardess has been exiled to dragonprincess in the meantime.
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