Is This Just Normal Aging Or Something Else?

I just signed up to post this question so I'm hoping someone can help.

I have an older cat, around 13 years old, who is usually agile and affectionate to the point of being annoying! He loves attention and purrs non-stop. Normally. Over the past week he's had a complete personality change. These are the main symptoms/changes:

• Initially, a reduction in appetite - then I discovered he is ravenous for wet (smelly) food, but won't eat his usual kibble.
• Isolation - usually, whenever I'm sitting down, he's beside me or on me. Now, he's isolating himself on a chair in the bedroom.
• Pacing - every couple of hours or so, he will come out and pace relentlessly around the apartment. He's like a zombie, or a roomba. He will go right up to the wall to the point of pressing his nose against it, before turning and going in another direction. He seems to want to go around the edges of every room, no matter what's in the way. He's walked right through his water bowl several times without really noticing, and struggles to get over simple obstacles - like a mobile phone cable blocking his path.
• Disorientation and lack of jumping - usually, if I'm in the kitchen, he's on the counter. He normally likes to drink from the tap and one of his favourite places to sleep is on top of the microwave. Now he won't jump at all. He has clambered up on to some lower pieces of furniture - and fallen off them. At one point, he stepped straight off a stool into thin air as though he thought he was just on the floor. Climbing onto furniture is an effort - and he's only doing that if it's in the way of his pacing.
• No purring at all
• Accidents - He's peed on the floor a couple of times, and pooped on the carpet once - so far!

In short, he is a completely different cat! All of this happened very suddenly, over the course of a couple of days.

I called the vet, who suggested it was just due to aging. He came and gave him two injections - a painkiller and a vitamin supplement. Within an hour, there was immediate improvement. He accepted company, stopped pacing and started purring, although he still seemed unsteady and wouldn't jump at all. However, the improvement only lasted a day then he was back to the same disturbing behaviours as before.

What does everyone think? Is this just aging? Is this his life now? He didn't just get old overnight, but these changes have happened pretty much overnight, so I'm concerned there's something else going on. I'd love your comments and insights.

I don't know what could be causing this, but I do not think it is old age. The sudden onset of symptoms is worrying. When did you last have bloodwork done? I would definitely get a second opinion from a vet that is not affiliated with the first vet.

Most of his symptoms can be attributed to old age, but not the sudden onset, they come on gradually. He has something wrong. My cat who was acting klike this was given a steroid and an antibiotic injection and it definitely helped long term. You might ask your vet. Most of his symptoms sound liek they are from pain. You might look into arthritis supplements/meds or have some bloodwork done to eliminate diseases such as thyroid problems and even a UTI. All the luck!

I can't stress enough that at his age, he needs a full senior work up (including a senior blood panel) - and, your vet should have suggested that. It is nice that you have an in-home vet, but nonetheless, you might want to consider another vet who will actually DO something to find the problem. A painkiller and a vitamin shot are only temporarily masking the problem, not treating it to resolve it.

I guess he is in pain (since the painkiller helped) and you need to find the cause of it. Apart from bloodwork I’d do X-ray since he’s having problems jumping/climbing. It’s a shame the vet did not suggest it, personally I’d find a different, cat only vet. Good luck!

The sudden onset is worrying. But just describing it, I wonder if he lost his sight. That might explain why he doesn't seem to notice obstacles and prefers to hug the ground and the walls, prefers isolation, and is having accidents. The change in appetite, the restlessness, has he been tested for hyperthyroid? A quick Google search says diabetes, kidney disease, or hyperthyroid can all cause hypertension which can cause blindness in cats "literally overnight."
Why cats go blind. - Vet Help Direct

Even he didn't go blind overnight, his cluster of symptoms are worrying. Go see a vet and have a full senior screen done, bloodwork, urine, and blood pressure.

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Hi SelinaG and welcome to the forum !

SelenaG said:

I called the vet, who suggested it was just due to aging.....

Click to expand...

WHAT???????? NO, NO, NO.............This ain't right! MAJOR red flag alert !


These are textbook symptoms of 'sudden onset blindness'.....most often caused by high blood pressure ('Hypertension' - here you are: Sudden Blindness). You'll read in there that it is possible for vision to return IF treatment is started promptly.

Time for a competent feline Veterinarian......here's a post I just made for someone else on the 'how-to' part: Strange Neurological Issue

And, SelenaG.....don't walk, RUN!
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SelenaG said:

I just signed up to post this question so I'm hoping someone can help.

I have an older cat, around 13 years old, who is usually agile and affectionate to the point of being annoying! He loves attention and purrs non-stop. Normally. Over the past week he's had a complete personality change. These are the main symptoms/changes:

• Initially, a reduction in appetite - then I discovered he is ravenous for wet (smelly) food, but won't eat his usual kibble.
• Isolation - usually, whenever I'm sitting down, he's beside me or on me. Now, he's isolating himself on a chair in the bedroom.
• Pacing - every couple of hours or so, he will come out and pace relentlessly around the apartment. He's like a zombie, or a roomba. He will go right up to the wall to the point of pressing his nose against it, before turning and going in another direction. He seems to want to go around the edges of every room, no matter what's in the way. He's walked right through his water bowl several times without really noticing, and struggles to get over simple obstacles - like a mobile phone cable blocking his path.
• Disorientation and lack of jumping - usually, if I'm in the kitchen, he's on the counter. He normally likes to drink from the tap and one of his favourite places to sleep is on top of the microwave. Now he won't jump at all. He has clambered up on to some lower pieces of furniture - and fallen off them. At one point, he stepped straight off a stool into thin air as though he thought he was just on the floor. Climbing onto furniture is an effort - and he's only doing that if it's in the way of his pacing.
• No purring at all
• Accidents - He's peed on the floor a couple of times, and pooped on the carpet once - so far!

In short, he is a completely different cat! All of this happened very suddenly, over the course of a couple of days.

I called the vet, who suggested it was just due to aging. He came and gave him two injections - a painkiller and a vitamin supplement. Within an hour, there was immediate improvement. He accepted company, stopped pacing and started purring, although he still seemed unsteady and wouldn't jump at all. However, the improvement only lasted a day then he was back to the same disturbing behaviours as before.

What does everyone think? Is this just aging? Is this his life now? He didn't just get old overnight, but these changes have happened pretty much overnight, so I'm concerned there's something else going on. I'd love your comments and insights.

Click to expand...

I would definitely seek another vets opinion.Get senior profile of blood work done ASAP.Something is definitely wrong

white shadow said:

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Hi SelinaG and welcome to the forum !



WHAT???????? NO, NO, NO.............This ain't right! MAJOR red flag alert !

"He will go right up to the wall to the point of pressing his nose against it, before turning and going in another direction. He seems to want to go around the edges of every room, no matter what's in the way. He's walked right through his water bowl several times without really noticing, and struggles to get over simple obstacles...
He has clambered up on to some lower pieces of furniture - and fallen off them. At one point, he stepped straight off a stool into thin air as though he thought he was just on the floor.​

All of this happened very suddenly, over the course of a couple of days."​

These are textbook symptoms of 'sudden onset blindness'.....most often caused by high blood pressure ('Hypertension' - here you are: Sudden Blindness). You'll read in there that it is possible for vision to return IF treatment is started promptly.

Time for a competent feline Veterinarian......here's a post I just made for someone else on the 'how-to' part: Strange Neurological Issue

And, SelenaG.....don't walk, RUN!
.

Click to expand...

RED FLAG ALERT.I totally agree

white shadow said:

.
Hi SelinaG and welcome to the forum !



WHAT???????? NO, NO, NO.............This ain't right! MAJOR red flag alert !

"He will go right up to the wall to the point of pressing his nose against it, before turning and going in another direction. He seems to want to go around the edges of every room, no matter what's in the way. He's walked right through his water bowl several times without really noticing, and struggles to get over simple obstacles...
He has clambered up on to some lower pieces of furniture - and fallen off them. At one point, he stepped straight off a stool into thin air as though he thought he was just on the floor.​

All of this happened very suddenly, over the course of a couple of days."​

These are textbook symptoms of 'sudden onset blindness'.....most often caused by high blood pressure ('Hypertension' - here you are: Sudden Blindness). You'll read in there that it is possible for vision to return IF treatment is started promptly.

Time for a competent feline Veterinarian......here's a post I just made for someone else on the 'how-to' part: Strange Neurological Issue

And, SelenaG.....don't walk, RUN!
.

Click to expand...

EMERGENCY 4 REAL

Thanks for the link. Those symptoms do sound similar. I had wondered about his sight but he seemed to be looking at me earlier. I tried some of the tests, but I'm still not sure. But I'll definitely ask the vet to check his blood pressure.

Thanks for all the responses so far. It's reassuring that I'm not being crazy thinking that there's more to it than just getting old. I'll definitely get the vet to come back and do some more tests, especially the blood pressure and a full blood work up. I should mention that I live in Egypt, so finding an English-speaking vet is an added complication. The vet that came out looks after most of the expat pets around here, but this is a holiday weekend in Egypt so I haven't been able to get hold of him today.

And here's his picture. This is Duncan. I should probably also add that he's not technically my cat. His real mom took a year sabbatical overseas so I've been looking after him while she's away. But he's normally such a sweetheart that you can't help but fall in love with him.

I really don't think you should give this vet a second chance. there are few second chances with cats and this vet has already put your cat in danger. how? By not knowing some pretty basic vet knowledge. What has he missed in the past? You don't know.

the only reason to stay with this vet is because you can't get to another one, or the other ones you can get to are known to be rather awful.

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Selena, pardon my language and being quite blunt.....the person who came and did to this cat what you described is a nincompoop/dunce/dolt/ignoramus/imbecile ...your choice of descriptive, but, it is demonstrably clear that he has no competency in veterinary medicine to assess and treat the cat.

Is it possible, I wonder, that this was a very junior staff from the clinic/hospital?

Can you contact the cat's owner and ask if she has a name of a Vet that has seen Duncan? I surely hope it wasn't this clod.

With apologies for any repetition, please understand that this is a medical emergency where it applies to his loss of vision. If the cause is HBP and if the appropriate treatment is not initiated, then Duncan will have no chance whatsoever of, will loose any opportunity for regaining his sight and will be permanently blind. This is time-sensitive, so every hour/day without treatment diminishes any hope for recovery. His owner should understand this as well.

In North America, the accredited veterinary schools at the major universities also have "small animal hospitals" where late-term students practice hands-on medicine under the direction of highly skilled instructors and where board certified specialists are available to consult and teach. I have no idea if a similar model exists in Egypt. However, here is a piece from US News & World Report that identifies the top-rated veterinary schools in the region: U.S.News - Education - Best Arab Region Universities for Veterinary Sciences. I realize there are language challenges - is it possible your Embassy might provide some consular assistance, I wonder? If the question is not asked, the answer will remain unknown.

Another problem-solving technique: is there someone who may know someone who might know.... ?

That's the best/most I can offer.


So you know, the picture didn't get through.
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Whatever vet you decide to take him to again, DEMAND bloodwork. I can't believe a vet would have the nerve to say it is old age. That is just horrible.

OK I took Duncan to a different vet this morning. He reassured me that Duncan can still see and said that blood pressure wasn't an issue. He took some blood so now we have to wait for the results.

An update on Duncan for anyone who is interested...

The blood results didn't come back by last night and since today and tomorrow are official holidays we won't get them until Tuesday. However, Duncan was worse today, and despite what the vet said yesterday, I was 99% certain that Duncan couldn't see. His third eyelids were also showing this morning. The vet clinic I went to yesterday was closed today, so I took Duncan back to the first vet. I'd also sent him some videos and photos of Duncan's odd behaviour, and he suspected a brain disorder. It's possibly a brain tumour, but there's no way to know for sure because there are apparently no veterinary MRIs in all of Egypt. Anyway, after seeing him he agreed that Duncan couldn't see, although he maybe has some sense of light and dark. This was a newer development though. I think he could still see when the vet saw him last week.

So, he repeated the two injections. And although he had described them as a painkiller and a vitamin supplement last time, they were actually a cortisone (steroid) shot and a 'nerve tonic' designed to support brain function. The fact that Duncan showed improvement after the first round of injections apparently supports the brain disorder diagnosis. I wish he'd told me that the first time, instead of suggesting they were normal signs of old age. We'll repeat the injections daily for 3 days, then switch to a weekly dose. The vet is hopeful that he will show improvement and regain some vision so we'll have to wait and see. He's been sleeping ever since we got back. He really does NOT like going in a car!

cortisone is a pain killer. I've had two cats on it, one for her teeth, she took it for over a year. She took one injection a month. Another because he was 18 and had bad arthritis. He got 6 pills a day and seemed to make the connection that they helped his pain. I put them on the floor in front of him and he carefully ate each one. The cortisone really helped with pain control and relief. It doesn't cure the cause of the pain, but it stops/reduces the pain, which is a great deal. The lack of pain will let Duncan's body concentrate on getting better and will just make him more comfortable.

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Will you AT LEAST ASK if they can measure/test his BLOOD PRESSURE ?

While I suppose it's progress that this veterinarian has acknowledged the cat is blind, if he is unaware that the #1 cause of sudden blindness in older cats is high blood pressure....then he is unlikely to OFFER to measure it !

I'd demand that it be done. If that hospital doesn't have a BP machine, I'd have him find out who can do it. I'd ask specifically if the Veterinary University can do it.

A shot of cortisone and some 'nerve tonic' will not restore the vision IF the cause is HBP.

A universally well-known cardiac drug might.....IF it's started soon after the vision loss.

Here's a reputable reference about this: All About Hypertension - Amlodipine and Blindness

And, if it is HBP and it goes untreated, Duncan could suffer a stroke and/or damage to other organs. (scroll to the top of that page for the list of other things that can happen with untreated/uncontrolled blood pressure)

Retinal detachment due to HBP occurs in humans as well - can you ask your own doctor to explain this to you, and how time is everything when it comes to starting treatment to reduce the HBP ?
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I did ask about blood pressure but neither vet thought that was the issue.

On the plus side, the injections have had a miraculous effect so far. Duncan's vision is restored, he's stopped pacing and started purring again.

We also got the blood test results back and they show elevated leukocytes so possibly there is some kind of infection. I'll ask the vet about it when he comes to give the repeat injections later today.