Need some support with my pet.

My 15 year old boy has been super lame.. just lately. And it is getting worse. The weird part is that it seems like it can be really bad, and then just go away. It seems mostly to happen when he gets done sleeping and jumps off the couch.

Today was particularly bad because he couldn't walk really and finally after trying for a good 5 minutes just cried because he knew it wasn't working. Then one time he got done eating and almost fell over he was so wobbly.

I have a serious problem though. I can't take him to the vet. He is so bad at the vet he has hurt himself. And the vet techs. I know that a trip to the vet for an examination will result in him hurting himself and may or may not allow for proper examination. If I think he is bad now I don't want to see him after kettimine (which makes him very wobbly for hours). The vet agreed with me last year that it probably wouldn't make much sense to have him seen anymore. I have had the vet out to my house but that was pointless too. Even giving him a mass dose of Gabapentin, he ran from the vets and they weren't able to examine him.

So I am left with the decision to end his life. I always knew that I might not really know for sure and have to make a decision without knowing all the facts but it is very very very hard to make that decision.

I have two thoughts... I thought maybe I could have the vet out anyway and see if they had some medication he could try, like an anti inflammatory. Then I did order pet stairs and I thought if I could get him to use the stairs maybe he wouldn't keep injuring his leg jumping down.

But both of these things seem like denial and like I will just have to face this decision anyway and I should just man up and do it. He does have some other health problems (he has asthma) and 15 is old. It is not likely to be anything but a band aid. I have given him a great life..

So difficult.

I think what I most fear is making the decision to do it and feeling all the time afterwards like I jumped the gun?

Can anyone help me with wisdom and hold my hand?

It might be worth asking the vet for their opinion before you make a decision, but I think if it’s getting worse, his quality of life is going to be compromised. I am really sorry you’re facing this, though, it’s always hard! Keep his best interests in mind, but be kind to yourself, too.
As for whether it’s too soon, do you have an idea of how he could get worse, or what sort of deterioration in his health you’d find unacceptable? I’m not sure if that’s a useful question or not, but it might be something to consider.

Thanks for responding. I always thought the key would be if he wasn't able to poo or piddle in the box anymore or, if he wasn't eating. But he is doing all of that fine. That is the problem.. there is no "ah ha" moment. My last cat I put down because he formed this large lump on his side that eventually broke like a wound and it never was healing. The vet said it was cancer but wanted like $4000 to find out what kind and treat.. so that was sufficient... but nothing like that here.

Natalie, have you tried asking your furbaby if it's time to let go? I know it sounds weird, but my guys have let me know when I ask.

I agree with Roxanne about talking to the vet too. If it's not possible for the vet to examine him maybe he will at least discuss options by phone.

If I were to guess the answer is no. He seems to go back and forth with appearing fine and then having a serious issue with the leg.

After the serious issues last night, when I went to bed, he woke me up at 2 AM. So he got up... apparently could walk, and walked up a flight of stairs to come get me. He seemed, for the entire time this morning, to be walking fine. He generally seems to be walking fine in the middle of the night. Perhaps I just don't see him struggling with it. It is very confusing. He also seems to have issues with more than one leg. Sometimes he is limping on the right, sometimes the left.

I just don't want to come home some day and find him scared and unable to walk or him falling down the stairs.

I am giving him a Glucomine and chondroitin supplement but it really doesn't seem to be working. It is possible he hasn't been taking it enough yet. Someone suggested a heated cat bed and I got him one but he won't use it.

Very difficult... I suppose I have the entire weekend to keep trying to figure things out. I just feel like it has something to do with jumping down from the couch - like it pops his leg out of the socket or something.. if I could make it so he didn't have to jump off the couch, (he refuses to sleep elsewhere) maybe it could heal. I have ordered stairs but I have no idea if he will use them.

I am hesitant to talk to the vet because I don't know what vets you see but mine and the many ones I have visited over the years will not discuss anything without an examination. I did call for their home visit services but they are discontinued with covid. (yes still -- that annoyed me)

Well after about 6 hours asleep I decided to get up when my cat looked to be getting down and lift him down... and he seemed ok then, but then, he started having serious problems walking and jumping up. Starting to get a sinking feeling. I am feeding him the max dose of cosequin and it isn't working.

So I called the vet to see about an appointment. As I thought it would be... they insisted upon an "examination" -- I tried to explain to the girl but she couldn't help me. I tried to set up an euthanasia appointment and that too she said required an examination.

I tried to explain the issue with that -- it was in the notes -- she told me I should e-mail the vet and talk on Monday... so I did that.. and I will talk on Monday. They told me there was no appointment available for like 2 weeks. That is so horrible.

As I sent an e-mail to the vet. I think that means I have to do it this time. I just think it is so horrible that they make this decision so difficult on me by not having an appointment reasonably available and having to get the vets permission to even make an appointment. Fortunately I have prior e-mails from the vet explaining the situation and agreeing Euthanasia was an appropriate option.

So my vet wants to try an anti inflammatory drug. I told her I would try it but I feel like I probably won't.

The drug can cause kidney failure and can cause upset stomach... I feel both are non starters for a cat that is limping.

The drug is meloxicam if anyone knows it.

If I were in your position I would definitely try the anti-inflammatory medication.

Yes I think I could have overacted -- I feel stupid now but... I googled cats with Arthritis and they were much worse than my cat.

But the drug could do harm. I am checking on some cat websites.

Get him situated so he doesn’t have to go up and down. Like stairs and stuff. Make it easier on him. If he is truly suffering then he’d not be eating and drinking. Cats don’t eat when sick. He might be hurting on and off but might not be severe enough.

Well my cat got sick last night. I knew something was up because he looked like he had a tummy ache but he did a gross poo outside his litter box ( clearly it was diahrrea) that isn't normal for him but in the past he has thrown up when he had stomach irritation and right after throwing up gone poo like he had the runs -- where ever he was.

So I think the glucomine is up setting his stomach.

Since it isn't working anyway I think I am taking him off it or reducing the dose. Lets hope that is the problem.

I am faced with another weekend ruined by this worry and I am going back a little.

He just doesn't look good. When I was a teenager I had a cat that I didn't know anything about cat health. The cat always had this look about him, like he was miserable and didn't want me around. That cat had kidney disease -- I had no idea. My cat has that look now. He is struggling to walk. And this lameness came on fast.

I feel it has to be catastrophic -- not just arthritis. I uploaded a video to you tube. I am sorry it is sideways but it shows how he almost trips walking.

IMG 0289 - YouTube

Knock on wood but I discontinued giving my cat Glucomine and Chondroin - it wasn't working anyway. I had been warned it could give my cat stomach upset but I hadn't seen any upset until the other night... when he threw up and went poo outside the box.

So I stopped it.. and knock on wood... to my surprise.. his walking has been SO MUCH BETTER. He is also more bright eyed and busy tailed.

I assume the Glucomine is still in his system but I thought, maybe the stomach irritation / inflammation was inflaming his joints -- absolutely the walking got a million times worse during the three weeks I was giving the Glucomine and Chondroin. Knock on wood.

That's good news! I would be cautious about giving a cat supplements. Their systems can be so delicate.

Continuing to knock on wood but things seem so much better. When he would walk before he would walk with a wide gait in the back legs and now his legs are closer together when he walks.

I have no idea what happened. I haven't seen a truly concerning moment in 3 days.

I am so glad that your cat is feeling much better. Has the cat started the anti-inflamatories.

Unfortunately the streak didn't last. But I am now focusing in on his weight. He weighs 16 lbs. That is overweight

So I am going to try to get him down 2 lbs and see if we can fix things.

So things got worse again. My vet suggested a medication. I was weary but decided to give it a try. It is called Meloxicam. I was very careful and only gave him a small dose and every other day. He has been taking it for about 20 days.

The good news.. I haven't seen a flair up of the leg since giving it to him. The bad news... he started having issues with his eyes. I kept seeing his eyes running. It was clear water.

I didn't put it together with the drug. But it did seem like it would get better than worse, then better than worse.

Well today I gave him the medication and things got very worse. I realized the eyes were watering because he was pawing at them. He was rubbing at his eyes.. and when he got done, his eyes were a watery mess. It was so bad I kept finding puddles of water round the house and not knowing where they came from. But today it became clear he was doing it. This might explain why they were so much worse after he woke up (I always paw at my eyes in the morning).

I ended up having to put the collar on him just to get him to stop.

It could be the medication this med has like 100 and 1 side effects and itchy burning eyes is one of them.

The medication has a 20 hour half life so if I am able to get him to 2 AM without him going at his eyes. -- some of it will wear off. If I can get him to 2 am the next day we will be doing even better.

I am SOOOO frustrated with the vet. I said to her that I wanted to put him down because I didn't want him (or me) to suffer. When he is only going to be doing worse (because he is elderly and has a few conditions). She talked me into trying this medication and I am pretty sure it is this medication that caused these issues. This is the exact kind of thing I went through with my last cat and vet they ran me though the ringer until my poor cat (and me) had been tortured for a year.

But that cat at least could go to the vet without a big production. Not so here.

I have a doctors appointment this week with a specialist and I cannot be dealing with a cat pawing his eyes out. Not to mention that I lost 1/2 a day work trying to get my cat to stop it.

Ok the plan, see if it is the medication / can I get it to stop... and if not, make an appointment to put him down.

I don't want to do that but honestly I feel some of these vets are just terrible and are immune to animals suffering.

I e-mailed the vet.. no answer. I bet she is on vacation.

i often gave meloxicam to my bunnies for arthritis pain. they loved it as it is sweet and they never had any bad side effects. and it could be used long-term usually, well at least for bunnies. (it's probably cheaper to buy it online) if your cat is reacting to it there are other pain meds that can be tried. as for him jumping off the couch, instead of stairs, you could try a plank of wood. you could even glue some cheap carpeting onto it for more traction. with his symptoms coming and going, it sounds like there is something specific that is amiss like in his joint maybe? were xrays taken? pet care is so expensive.