Pancreatitis pain aggression

[Noonenobody]

Hello all.

My cat was diagnosed with both chronic and acute pancreatitis a few months ago. She ended up in the emergency room and that's how they detected it. They gave me some prescription food and I was told she may have reoccurring episodes in the future.

Well, now's the future. I had a feeling something was going on Friday night. My cat was not as sociable as normal.

I called the ER vet and they said to watch for changes and take her to her primary vet on Monday.

Tonight, I called again about 9pm because my cat seemed stressed out, not quite abnormal, but she was playing and stuff. Just not normal.

Tonight about 1am, she turned feral on me. When she gets like this, she's just like a wild cat. It's happened 4 times in the past 2 years.

So I called up the ER again and they said to take her to her regular vet in the morning. If the regular vet didn't have a time to see her, then I could bring her into the ER. So, more vet visits again.

Also.... I hope nobody hates me for this... But I've seriously considered rehoming my cat. I feel bad because I don't know how to manage her disease and I have PTSD from when she goes feral.
This cat is my kitty and I've had her since she was 8 weeks old, she's now 4 years. But I'm honestly scared of her.

I live in an apartment and I think she's stressed out by what goes on outside. I have feliway, but she's having episodes more frequently and it's taking a toll on both of us.

Sorry, I'm just venting. I don't know what to do right now. Thanks for reading.

 

[Ashanti]

Venting is understood, and it's scary when a normally sweet and loving cat becomes aggressive. The best thing you can do is take her to the vet to get the pain resolved as once that happens your cat should get back to normal. Have a good discussion with your vet as well, if they leave you with more questions than answers make that known and if the vet doesn't seem to care/have time then you may want to try to find another vet that's more willing to assist you. Also people here and researching the disease may help you manage it as well.

Also, finding a good home for your cat where she'll be loved and cared for is okay. Thinking about rehoming to a good home is also fine. I've done it myself.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Many cats who experience bouts of pancreatitis have pain meds as part of the treatment plan. If she is not on pain meds, that might explain what you are describing a 'feral' behavior. If your vet is not interested in pursuing some treatment aspects other than a change in food, you probably need to seek out a second opinion from a vet in an entirely different practice (to avoid colleague bias).

I've included an article link below that discusses pancreatitis causes and treatment options, just in case that will help you any. While there are instances where there is no underlying cause found for the bouts, there are many other diagnostics that can be done to help identify a source, which then can also be treated and might end the flare ups from occurring.

Rehoming your cat can only be accomplished if you search long and hard for a cat lover who is willing to work to treat and care for a cat with pancreatitis flare ups. If you, along with a supportive vet, can manage to get it under control and treat when necessary, it would seem there would be no reason to rehome. I suspect that if the pancreatitis is treated appropriately, the stress would reduce and outside sources of irritation to her would be less inclined to set her off.
Pancreatitis in Cats: Diagnosis, Treatment, & Recovery | Bond Vet

 

[fionasmom]

I agree that you need another vet and further investigation into this, even if you do want to rehome her. She is probably suffering from pancreatic discomfort which is worsening the feral behavior (was she ever actually a feral?). This may be behavior related to pain.

I have a dog with recurrent pancreatitis (although there are some variants in the dog presentation) and his vet allows me to keep all his meds on hand and make the decision myself as to administer them when I see the onset. In fact, he is completely dependent on meds and does not eat any prescription food. It is concerning that the vet only gave you prescription food and no pain management.

https://www.idexx.com/files/spec-fpl-treatment-for-feline-pancreatitis.pdf

Rehoming her is your option and I understand that you may be able to find her a home with experience cat owners who are willing to treat her condition. However, handing a sick or aggressive cat over to someone will be difficult.