[NatalieJastrow]

Ok, so I tried all day to get into see a vet, ANY vet. Even to get blood drawn for my cat (just a vet tech) And every vet place said they didn't have any availability for three weeks.

The problem is that my cat seems to be getting worse and worse... and I can't be waiting 3 weeks for this test and that test. Honestly I am seriously considering not getting a pet again. Because I have found the vets to be absolutely uncooperative and almost passive aggressive the entire time with my cat. They don't want me to put him down but they also don't' want to help him.

And of course the only dates they had available were dates where I was busy. Of course.

So I got frustrated and called the at home "Lap of Love". At this point I just called them and they called me right back but I was on the phone with someone else. I have to find the strength to make the appointment. I want to do it next week.

What has happened is that my cat has been throwing up for 6 months about every 72 hours. But this week he did it most every day. And he is also starting to have diarrhea. This of course are symptoms of lymphoma. And I think that is what it is. My vet says the only way to be sure is to get a biopsy -- which would be invasive for my cat and very expensive. And even then it might not 100% tell us definitively.

I have returned to work and I just don't want to be trapped at work, and I am trapped, for 12 hours while my cat is sick at home.

My cat looks miserable every day when he isn't sleeping and he isn't really doing that much anymore.

I just don't see this getting any better and I even agreed with my vet that we would follow a plan. I was going to see if my cat's asthma was causing it... if not we would try a steroid pill, if not we would get blood tests. But I decided to go for the blood tests this week.. silly me to find out I didn't have that option for thee more weeks.

I have to do this.. I have to do this.

[downandlonely]

I think you are making the right decision. Sounds like your cat is unhappy and in pain. My heart goes out to you.

[divine1966]

Hang in there. You are doing the right thing. Your cat lived nice life and now is struggling. No need to make him suffer

[*Beth*]

It sounds like your cat could have a food allergy. Last summer one of mine was vomiting horrifically for 2 days, etc., all sorts of tests, vet finally suggested a hydrolyzed protein prescription diet (easy to get). Bang, he's been fine. Is that a possibility? Food allergies are pretty common and can cause the cat to appear to be very sick.

I'm so sorry, Natalie

you are doing the right thing

[NatalieJastrow]

Originally Posted by *Beth*

It sounds like your cat could have a food allergy. Last summer one of mine was vomiting horrifically for 2 days, etc., all sorts of tests, vet finally suggested a hydrolyzed protein prescription diet (easy to get). Bang, he's been fine. Is that a possibility? Food allergies are pretty common and can cause the cat to appear to be very sick.

I doubt it. He has been eating the same food for 8 years and only sick for 6 months. And the vet didn't suggest it so I am guessing the vet didn't think so.

I weighed him this morning and he has lost another lb even though he eats more than ever.

It has been torture today. I tried calling the place back to get an appointment and no one is there (but weirdly they have a recording on like someone is) and today my cat hasn't thrown up and seems pretty spry...

But in my gut, I know this is a serious illness and it is just a matter of time until he has a crisis.. which could be in the middle of a blizzard, thunderstorm, or when I am at work...

But because it was suggested I have ordered the food. I was reading the reviews and they talked about frequent scratching and my cat does scratch himself a lot.

[NatalieJastrow]

So I know I am jinxing myself on this but I pulled chicken out of my cat's diet on Friday and it has been two days of no throw up.

He also hasn't been scratching.

I ordered the hyrdrolyzed diet but it will take a while to get. So I went to the store yesterday and purchased limited ingredient foods.

This is my last best hope.

One thing that caught my eye was snoring as a symptom of allergy. And my cat snores. I thought it was because he was fat but he has lost weight and still snores.

Also, they said the scratching was around the neck and face / ears, that is where my cat has been scractching.

I will be Seriously furious if this turns out to be an allergy and my vet never even brought it up.

[NatalieJastrow]

Ok it has been five days since my cat's last throw up. That is a long time. Especially since last week he threw up every day.

He also is scratching much less. I am very hopeful.

My vet did approve the hydrolyzed food.

But I am going to hold off a little and see if I can get my cat to go a long time by keeping him away from Chicken.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by NatalieJastrow

So I know I am jinxing myself on this but I pulled chicken out of my cat's diet on Friday and it has been two days of no throw up.

He also hasn't been scratching.

I ordered the hyrdrolyzed diet but it will take a while to get. So I went to the store yesterday and purchased limited ingredient foods.

This is my last best hope.

One thing that caught my eye was snoring as a symptom of allergy. And my cat snores. I thought it was because he was fat but he has lost weight and still snores.

Also, they said the scratching was around the neck and face / ears, that is where my cat has been scractching.

I will be Seriously furious if this turns out to be an allergy and my vet never even brought it up.

I hope and pray that it is a food allergy. They really can make a cat extremely ill. Sometimes the same diet the cat has been eating for years suddenly causes a problem. I always wonder about suppliers, and many times cat food companies make changes to the food and don't tell customers.

I've owned cats for about 30 years and have learned that vets are not always on the ball with cats. Dogs are so different; their behaviors and illnesses are much more predictable. Not so with cats. There's a saying, "ECID" - every cat is different. They are mysterious little beings.

Do you know about chewy.com? If you order food from them it arrives in 2 days.

[NatalieJastrow]

Originally Posted by *Beth*

Do you know about chewy.com? If you order food from them it arrives in 2 days.[/B][/SIZE][/FONT]

Yes long time chewy customer.

One time I wanted to return a gate and they said, never mind - will will just refund you.

Customer for life.

We are now coming close to one week without a throw up. The hydrolyzed food arrived last night. He loves the dry hydrolyzed food but not the wet. He has been by and large off the chicken since your post but, he did get into regular dry food once or twice this week and that is made with chicken products. But I think it wasn't enough to cause a throw up.

At the moment I am having problems getting him to eat wet limited ingredient foods. He just doesn't like it.

Another thing that seems to be happening... before, he seemed to need food all the time, wet food, and he wouldn't eat dry. This week he is really not that interested in food. For instance I set up a wet food dish to keep him from crying at 2 AM but he isn't eating all of it. I am hoping that means he is getting more nutrition out of the food he is eating.

[downandlonely]

I hope it is a food allergy and your cat recovers.

[NatalieJastrow]

Well he threw up today.

Still that is 6 days. But still can't be sure if it was because he threw up so much last week. I suppose we will have to see.

ETA:
So I called a new vet and made a new appointment.

I will see how the month goes and see what they have to say and go from there.

[NatalieJastrow]

Well I think the hydrolyzed protien was an error. He has been getting the dry food (which he loves) for exactly one full day and this morning I woke up and he has two massive losses of hair on his neck. He never rips the hair out. He must have some allergy to this food.

This morning at least he is scratching left and right.

It seemed like we were on a good track when we stopped the chicken and gave him rabbit and duck so I think I will do that.

[NatalieJastrow]

So things have gotten remarkably bad. Perhaps my cat is / was allergic to fish (rather than chicken). In any event... this afternoon he ripped two big wounds on his neck, even after I cut his nails to nubs. I just couldn't get him to stop. I had to put the elizabethen collar on.

He is quite miserable. I don't know what happened but he is clearly having some sort of bad reaction.

In addition he threw up last night. It was weird it was all white. Like I noticed it in the morning because it was white on the carpet. I do think it had something to do with the hydrolyzed protein dry food (which had a yellow color)

I can't do anything until Monday but I think the decision was made for me. I had to put my last cat down when he opened up a large lump / cut on his side that just wasn't getting better and he had to walk around with the collar for a long time. They said it was cancer but the cut made it urgent. I am going to call and see what they have available. If they have something available on a day I am supposed to work I will call out sick.

I really feel like I have done a lot. I am not being lazy.

- I have tried every sort of supplement in the book.
- I have tried every sort of food in the book.
- I have gone to the vet, got blood tests, urine tests, and an ultrasound.
- I have searched high and low on cat message boards.

After all that the vet is like, we don't know. But worse I don't feel like the vet has done anything to help. I mean he his throwing up.. surely they are pills to help stomach feel better... / anti nausia but none are offered.

I actually made an appointment with another vet on Friday (their first available was May 25th) and my current vet -- within seconds - emailed me that it was great working with me and she would send the records over to the new vet. She couldn't wait to get rid of me.

My cat does have some findings that evidence sickness to come.

- CRF stage 2.
- Gray area hyperthyroidism.

For months now, he has gotten sick on Friday and Saturday but seemed to be doing better on Sunday, Monday, etc. I always think ok he is turning a corner and then, he has another crisis, usually on the weekend.

I just have to rip the bandaid off. I am over 50 and I have my own health problems and this is keeping my attention off of me and on him.

[NatalieJastrow]

So I made the appointment. It is Friday at 9:00 am.

It wasn't my first choice but glad that I can get it done this week.

I was still hesitating. As a final thing I tried my cat on digestive enzymes.

But today, my cat threw up... a lot. And then, he started going number two outside the box.

It was a pitiful sight.

After all that was over ... and thank god I was home today, I was like this is it. This is the sign. No it isn't getting better... and I have tried at least 50 things.

Right now, I feel a little happy, happy that the decision has been made. They will come to my home and said that the vet will discuss everything with me and then proceed if I would like them too.

I am the type that doesn't like to see it. So I will leave the house and let her proceed.

I hope I can stay distracted until it is done.

Last time I had to put a cat down I took him to the vet in the morning and dropped him off and then left for work, so I was distracted for a while. This time I will be home -all day - and then have the weekend.

[rechu]

I'm sorry. It's never an easy decision, but it sounds like you have tried so much and nothing works long term.

[downandlonely]

I will be thinking of you on Friday.

I'm sorry natalie

[NatalieJastrow]

I put down a towel on my rug (due to a soda spill) and last night he threw up again on it... but it was more easily seen on the towel. It is starting to be two throw ups in a row all the time, followed by a short break and then two more throw ups. This helps keep my backbone strong.

[NatalieJastrow]

Less than 24 hours. His last full day was a spectacular day. I was home all day.. it was warm and sunny but he slept all day so...

I just hope I can do this... I hope I don't freak out on the vet that is coming and I hope that I don't have to see anything I don't want to see.

A friend kept me distracted yesterday but today she had to go someplace and couldn't... annoyingly my workplace was dead, probably due to the sunny day.

*sits with natalie tomorrow* my thoughts will be with you while i'm at work tomorrows

[NatalieJastrow]

It is over. My baby is gone.

It didn't go as well as I thought. I gave him gabapentin but as usual, it didn't work. Me and the vet had to hold him down so she could give him the sedative injection. But once that was done he collapsed pretty quickly. I had previously told the vet that I would leave as I didn't want to see it. My cat doesn't really recognize me - especially when they are scared. So my being around would not have comforted him.

So I left and walked around outside. About 20 minutes later it was all done. The vet left and I was alone in the house.

Yes I cried. I probably will all day.

But next week I have to go to work for a week so that probably will help.

And not to be crass but a lot of good things have opened up for me right now so I hope I can soon think about that.

[SybilMarie]

[SlumberKitty]

I'm so sorry! HUGS

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. I know how hard it is. I hope things are just a tiny bit better today.