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- Aug 4, 2021
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I don't know that my cat, Puchi, is nearing the end of his life. But he's gone downhill very rapidly over the past month. Maybe I'm looking for solutions for his condition, but maybe I'm just looking for support.
We don't know how old Puchi is. We suspected he was close to our other cat -- nearly 13. A week ago, I took him to the vet and he was diagnosed with diabetes, and the vet thought he was likely older than what we'd assumed. We started insulin on Thursday, and they said it may be a week before he starts to seem more energetic and gets his appetite back. He was eating and drinking, though not very much, and throughout the weekend his interest in food seems to have gone away entirely.
Last night, he slept right beside my pillow all night. It's not uncommon for him to sleep there, but it is uncommon for him to stay in that one spot all night. This morning, he took a few bites of food (just the treats I sprinkled on top of his other food) and a few drinks of water. I carried him to his favorite chair in the living room, and he hasn't gotten up all day. I took him some treats and a bit of mashed up food this afternoon; he ate the treats, took a few bites of the other food, and refused water.
He's lost considerable muscle mass in his hindquarters and now is very stiff when he walks. We've never really been able to feel his backbone before, but over this past month, it now shows pretty prominently. I'm worried about hurting him if I move him too much or make him get up to try to eat. I've seen him cleaning himself a few times today, which I think might be a good sign.
We're hoping the insulin does the trick and his appetite comes back within a few more days. But I can't help but feel like he's at the end of his life. I'm home alone and it just breaks my heart to look at him, laying in his chair and looking back at me. Any support or recommendations or advice would be appreciated.
We don't know how old Puchi is. We suspected he was close to our other cat -- nearly 13. A week ago, I took him to the vet and he was diagnosed with diabetes, and the vet thought he was likely older than what we'd assumed. We started insulin on Thursday, and they said it may be a week before he starts to seem more energetic and gets his appetite back. He was eating and drinking, though not very much, and throughout the weekend his interest in food seems to have gone away entirely.
Last night, he slept right beside my pillow all night. It's not uncommon for him to sleep there, but it is uncommon for him to stay in that one spot all night. This morning, he took a few bites of food (just the treats I sprinkled on top of his other food) and a few drinks of water. I carried him to his favorite chair in the living room, and he hasn't gotten up all day. I took him some treats and a bit of mashed up food this afternoon; he ate the treats, took a few bites of the other food, and refused water.
He's lost considerable muscle mass in his hindquarters and now is very stiff when he walks. We've never really been able to feel his backbone before, but over this past month, it now shows pretty prominently. I'm worried about hurting him if I move him too much or make him get up to try to eat. I've seen him cleaning himself a few times today, which I think might be a good sign.
We're hoping the insulin does the trick and his appetite comes back within a few more days. But I can't help but feel like he's at the end of his life. I'm home alone and it just breaks my heart to look at him, laying in his chair and looking back at me. Any support or recommendations or advice would be appreciated.
