Vic

[vilakins]

And now I'm up to date with cat photos, some bad news about Vic.

He's been off his food for the last few weeks and lost some weight, so we took him to the vet and they did tests on him. The vet was the one who first saw him when we found him and now he's saying he may have got his estimate wrong and Vic's older than he thought. Anyway, he's got kidney failure like Claudia had, but it can strike some cats younger, and Vic did have a bad start in life as a stray. The vet said he can still have a couple of good years (Claudia had three) on kidney diet food, but he's still not eating much and therefore not taking much of the antibiotic pills we're crushing into his food though he had an injection that was meant to stimulate his appetite.

If he doesn't start eating soon, he's just going to keep going downhill, making him the third cat we've lost in three years. Already his coat's losing its gloss and he's not moving round as much and preferring to stay outside when he used to come in for cuddles and to sleep on the bed. It really does look like Claudia in her last few days. but I suppose the good side is that it's been a sudden decline for him; he's been very healthy and active up till recently. He had a bad start as I said, but since then he's had an excellent life.

Comments

[toft]

I'm sorry :(

[vilakins]

Thanks.

[trixieleitz]

I'm sorry to hear that :( I hope his remaining time is comfortable.

[vilakins]

I'm ringing the vet tomorrow to see if there's anything they can do to get his appetite back. He wants to eat, but just doesn't.

[kerravonsen]

{hugs}

[vilakins]

Thanks. [hugs back]

[zoefruitcake]

oh that is terrible news about Vic :0( But as you say, he's been healthy and active until recently, and he's had a lovely life with you

[vilakins]

If he gets his appetite back, he'll be much better. We're going to see what the vet suggests.

[mab_browne]

Sad news, but at least it has been a sudden decline, as you say.

[vilakins]

He seems to have perked up a bit.

[usuallyhats]

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. *hugs*

[vilakins]

He's still not great but he seems better.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Oh that's sad... our Jassy went faily young from the same problem. Though, as you say, at least he's not been in pain for ages...

{hugs}

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

No, he was fine up to a couple of weeks ago. Then his behaviour slowly changed and we realised something was wrong.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Oh no, poor Vic! I'm so sorry. And I'm sorry for you, going through this pain for the third time, so soon after your other losses.

He's had a wonderful life with you, far better than he could possibly have expected given how it started off.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

In a way it's easier when you know they're ill. Tessa was so sudden it was an awful shock.

He's had a very happy life, and we'll know when he's no longer enjoying it.

[elmey.livejournal.com]

It's so hard to see one of your loved animals decline, but they always handle it in their own way. I hope it helps you a bit to think that he did find you, and how content he's been with you.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I found homes for several strays, but he was too wild at first, and he was also the first one Claudia and Tessa accepted, so it worked out very well. Jasmin and Ashley like him too, so he and we have been lucky.

[ultrapsychobrat.livejournal.com]

I'm very sorry about Vic. He precious. Of course, I've always been partial to my Chinese flower cats. I have lost all of my cats to the same problem, but no matter how old they are, it doesn't help. He's had an excellent home and life. Maybe he'll start eating better. Does your vet do fluid therapy? We used that on several of ours, and it did help for quite a while.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I keep hoping he'll start eating again as then he'll have a good chance of a year or two more. I know it's a common complaint in cats but he's been so healthy up till now. His tests were fine when he had his nose done not that long ago.

What's fluid therapy? I've always made sure they have bowls of fresh water, and now I'm putting one outside as well so he doesn't have to come in if he doesn't want to.

He's not even jumping up for cuddles when we're watching TV. I hope he'll bounce back but if he doesn't, then if he's no longer enjoying life, we'll know it's time. :-(

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so sorry. I know you will do what's best for Vic. I'm hoping he bounces back and can stay with you for a few more happy years.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

That's what we thought would happen, but he hasn't. It's odd when he was such a healthy cat up till now. But hey, it could still be.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Thomas and Kitty were both affected by damaged kidneys in their later years, though they still made it to seventeen and fourteen respectively. So it's not necessarily the end. But as you say, you'll know when he's had enough. Give him strokes from us.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I will.

I wasn't so worried when I first heard and I think he'd be fine if he started eating properly again, but he seems to have withdrawn. Claudia OTOH spend all her time with us when she started feeling unwell.

[snowgrouse.livejournal.com]

Oh noes! Give him big hugs from me:(

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks. [hugs] We're going to ring up tomorrow to see if they can give him anything for his appetite.

[samantha-vimes.livejournal.com]

Oh, no! I'm awfully fond of Vic. I hope he turns it around. I wonder if there's a liquid food Vic might find more tempting to start, because dehydration costs a lot of weight, and if he just gets some nutrition, it's likely to perk him up.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'm ringing the vet tomorrow morning to see what they advise. If he'd eat, he'd have a good chance of perking up.

[blencathra.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry to hear about Vic.

My old cat, the late Murphy Mew Cat, was fourteen when he was diagnosed with kidney problems. He wouldn't eat the prescribed kidney food from the vets so in the end I didn't give it to him. I fed him on his ordinary food or mixed with chicken and tuna depending on his appetite. With the drug from the vet which he took daily, he lived for another five years and was nineteen when he died. He was the vets longest living patient. I was really proud of him. :-) Could you perhaps get Vic to eat if you mix some of his favourite food,w whatever that might be, in with his meals? I remember at one time Murphy was eating mainly chicken liver pate, but it got him over a rough spot and I could get him to eat his pills. Then when he was feeling better, I weaned him off the pate and back on to his ordinary food. That cat had expensive tastes!!

Here he is. :-)



I really hope Vic starts to feel better soon.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

What a lovely cat!

We've offered favourite foods, and he goes to them but just gives them a lick and leaves. We think he feels nauseous. I'm ringing the vet tomorrow to see what they advise.

[pet-lunatic.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry :( I hope he makes it.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'll see if there's anything else we can do. If we can get him to eat, he'll have a good chance. Maybe there's a drug he can take.

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry about Vic, he looks such a majestic Tom and I know you love him as much as the girls. At least he had a good life with you and not an even shorter life as a stray.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'll ring the vet tomorrow to see if there's anything that will get him eating again. We'd like to give him a chance for a longer life if we can.

[sheenaghpugh]

Oh bugger. I'm so sorry. Ex-strays do have a shorter life expectancy but it's quality that matters and Vic has clearly been having a great time. Doesn't make things any easier on his humans though.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'll ring them to see if there's anything they can do to bring his appetite back. I thought he'd respond well like Claudia. If he ate, he might.

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

Oh, poor Vic. :-( I'm sorry. I hope he'll get his appetite back quickly.

[spacefall.livejournal.com]

Ack, poor Vic :(

[corvuscornix.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear that! I hope he recovers his appetite and stays with you for a good while yet. As you say though, even if it goes to worst case scenario, you've given him a good life for as long as you could. [hugs to both of you]

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Aww, poor guy. If you have to go, though -- and, sadly, we all do -- a quick decline after an excellent life is much better than most of the alterntives.

*hugs*

[kalinda001.livejournal.com]

Aw, poor Vic. Sorry to hear that. I'm glad he's had a good life, people who love him and has been fairly healthy until now. I hope it's quick and he doesn't suffer when it finally comes.

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

*HUGS*

awwww, *huggles you, huggles Vic*

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

Poor Vic! Fingers crossed that he picks up for now.