Symptoms of a stroke or Seizure in elderly cat?

[mrsgreenjeens]

I wish I would get a response I feel so alone in this. Fuzz is still alive but like a rag doll. She can move her head some, but mostly follows me with her eyes,her hearing is intact. She had another laser 10th I think and my husband chose to do more steroids even though the vet warned him if it is cancer it with give more blood flow to the area. I see her deteriorating in spite of her strength to hang on.

You are not alone, but we can only do so much

.  We don't know what's wrong with Fuzz, and if your husband is doing things that even the Vet advises against (laser in case it's cancer) , then I honestly don't know what we can tell you.  You are between a rock and a hard place, that's for sure.  Have YOU spoken to the Vet, maybe over the phone?  Or do you go with Fuzz and your husband to the Vet so you have a clear picture of what the Vet is saying?  Is your Vet advising euthanasia?  Is your husband (or you) against that?  At this point, it doesn't sound like Fuzz has any quality of life, really...

I'm so sorry...I wish I had some words of wisdom for you, or even some advise

 

[lsr71751]

I am sorry I did not get back to you. I have been taking fuzz to the vet and doing her care it has become overwhelming. He expects me to take her 3 times a week
We were not in agreement he wants to quarterback from the sidelines. He is in denial (understatement) about her true condition. He comes home from work after I have been home with her all day. Imagine taking care of a quadriplegic all day (if you have any medical experience) which I do that is what it's like. Plus as I stated I have my own life altering health issues.
I cannot euthanize her, her mind is intact her body is damaged.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I cannot euthanize her, her mind is intact her body is damaged.

Animals do not fear death.  Death is not the same to an animal as it is to most humans.  For your dear little one, she does not understand what is happening to her, and even though her mind may be intact, she very well may not want to be trapped in this damaged body

.  She is a cat....think of what cats like to do, run, jump, climb.  They don't typically just use their minds like people who might by totally paralyzed could do to pass away the time (read, write using various means, etc.)    If there is HOPE, that is one thing, but if this is her condition from here on out, that is what I'm asking....what does the Vet say on her future?

Maybe this Quality of Life scale will help both you and your husband:  http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/November-2009/Quality-Of-Life-Scale/

 

[jmarkitell]

I think that many of our members have had to deal with the most difficult of all decisions to make, which is whether or not  to say goodbye to your best friend. I know of many people who won't get another cat because of the trauma they went thru when their previous cat became ill and passed. I think everyone understands your situation and, unfortunately, there isn't an easy answer. My previous little girl, Cleo, came to us as a feral and ended up being the best cat in the world. About six years after coming into our lives, we noticed Cleo was breathing faster than normal...a trip to the Vet showed a large mass in her chest which was pushing on her organs, making it difficult to eat and breathe. The vet said that she would continue to decline, but still had some quality time left. Cleo started to get skinny and started to go downhill. I couldn't begin to think about putting Cleo to sleep without driving myself crazy. Cleo was having trouble walking more than about 10 ft without having to stop and catch her breath. I couldn't stand to see her suffer any more and finally decided that I was being selfish with Cleo. She still meowed at me when she saw me, but I couldn't stand to see her suffer any more. On the way to the Vets, Cleo passed away in my arms...six years later I still get teared up talking about it. I ended up being upset with myself for letting Cleo suffer for as long as she did. The bottom line was that I knew when it was time to say goodbye, even though I would have traded my life for hers...something that I know many members feel the same about. There is no easy way out of this and it is difficult to be objective about things when your best little friend is in bad health.    I wish you the best of luck with your kitty and commend you for the hard work that you are putting in to keep your kitty feeling comfortable. I wish I had some good advice to give you that wouldn't cause you any more grief than you are already feeling. Your Kitty loves you and I'm certain that they appreciate when you do things for them. Sometimes the best you can do for them is to free them from additional suffering, other times you just keep plugging along as long as they have a decent quality of life, but that is a decision that only you can decide. I wish you the best in your plight and hope for the best with your kitty...you love her as much as is humanly possible, which is as much as she could ever wish for as well...except maybe a bit of catnip.

Jim

 

[lsr71751]

Thank you for your informative post. The vet made no comments except that my baby was uncomfortable. Finally the other day I became upset with her and said WHAT does uncomfortable mean-- my back is pout and having spasms, it is uncomfortable which as your scale indicates can go from not breathing to less severe issues. She never did give me a direct answer until I pressed her and while frustrated she finally blurted out, yes it be best to put her down.ly

 

[lsr71751]

My husband of course refuses to do it, I can't i already put the others down it was traumatic I passed out ( heart+ syncope).I was rushed by ambulance from the vets and my baby suffered terrible and my h came to the vets at the tail end as usual. They wanted me to stay overnight at the hospital for observastion put I refused so I could go home to bury my baby.
He denies everything, he wants someone else to take are of everything.
I told him when this started in July he would have too make the decision and carry out the process of euthanized fuzzy.
So he is dragging it out regardless of what Bush's Neurological hospital and numerous other vets have recommended to me. So legally my hands are tied since both our names are on the acct. Please note of this if you are in a bad marriage, there is nothing on the books legally to prevent this in Maryland. It's the worst thing I ever faced and I'm 64 and have been through many traumatic events in my life.

 

[florajane]

I have 2 geriatric fellas, Cheech and Chong . They are litter mates and are 20.5 years old now. Chongie can still get up on the island quite easily and loves to play fetch, but Cheechie is not as athletic. Cheechie had an "episode" a couple of evenings ago that have me very worried. He woke up and yelled, lurched to his feet, but couldn't walk. His right front leg crossed to the left and he couldn't seem to move it. I held him for several minutes, and he was then able to stand. Within 15 minutes it was as if it had never happened. He's able to use his stairs to get up on the bed, is eating, drinking and using the litter box normally. Stroke? Seizure ? Charlie horse ? Any thoughts ?

 

[jmarkitell]

It sounds like it could have been a temporary ischemic event...essentially a lack of oxygen to the brain for some reason or another, although if only her one leg seemed to be affected I would look at something less serious...possibly his leg fell asleep while he was resting? A stroke would usually affect both the front and hind legs, as well as possible behavior issues.

   I have had several geriatric cats, my last one was Pete who lived to reach 23. He never had any of the symptoms that you are describing, although he would sometimes sit facing the corner of a room, like they used to make misbehaving children do in public schools. Check to see if he seems equally strong on both sides of his body and that both eye pupils are the same and both get bigger/smaller the same. Cats are like people when they get older and all sorts of maladies can pop up overnight. Keep your eyes open for limping or changes in behavior and eating, although chances are that you will not find the cause for it. Pete caught his leg in an open drawer and then fell off of the counter. We found him hanging upside down and I thought his leg was snapped at the hip. At 21 (at the time), we prepared ourselves for the inevitable. The vet checked his leg, which just flopped and had no movement at all. When Pete tried to walk, his leg would drag, with the top of his paw now being dragged under his leg from the dragging.x X-Rays didn't show any breaks and Pete didn't seem to be in terrible pain. The vet convinced us that Pete wasn't suffering too badly, despite the appearance of the limp and dead looking leg. In the end, it turned out to be a nerve injury that slowly resolved itself.

   I apologize for the off topic detour about Pete and his nerve injury, although this sounds like the same sort of problem, just not as severe and quick to heal. I hope there is no brain problems and that everything works out well for your two best friends!

Jim

 

[anniebuddy]

to owner of Mr. Mot....concerning his stroke last year.  I do not want to bring negativity to any animal lover...but I felt I must share and tell you something very important you need to know...as the vets, generally will not do so in this kind of case or cases......I have never been involved in  any blog, or posting boards,or any communication with social forums on net or elsewhere.  am old school, and only 50 and career woman....so that shows how much I do not like to get into forums and such.  but in my quest and unbelievable loss of my service animal only 2 days ago, of 20 years...part bobcat and bred for service while I had chemo and surgeries...in losing this amaizing animal so quickly, no answers, and only 2 months from first stroke to the last where was so bad it took him, all of him and he starved to death, despite my constant and relentless feeding and even forcing if ccould, despite my vet and his, 3 trips for I.V's and help.  his blood tests 2 months ago came back very good especially for a 20 yr. old cat, very strong, big, and courageous in every way....his x-rays as well showed only a small tear in the spine of a disc and arthritis for.  we treated the arthritis and it worked well with small steroids every 3 day.  in one month, he had what we could only assume was a stroke and no way to know what caused it....with great love, attention, and awareness constantly to him in that time...from his vet and me....he came back full force almost 89%.  he was back...for almost 10 days, and for no reason, no change to his diet, or environ.....I woke up one morning to an animal that from that moment on would not even sniff his food and took  not one bite for last several weeks till we were forced to put him to sleep as he had starved himself to death, as the big last stroke took all memory or recogniztion of what food was.  and he was an eater trust me...he was 3 ft. tall and almost 50 pounds of sheer muscle and strength...emotionally, physically, and internally.  I did all I could, but a cat will not allow food in his mouth if he does not recognize it as food at all, he spits it out immediately.  he drank only water and so much so and constantly, I think he believed it to be food. in one week he could not move his back legs ....he could not control where they went or how...and then his front paws did not cooperate with his will of movement.  his eyes begged me to let him go, and when a cat begs you to find away to let him go and out of his misery...he is fully aware he is dying....in hours.  I cannot believe such a thing, so fast can happen to a strong healthy animal and after first stroke, vets , nor I could not do anything but watch him die and love him.  the several times he bounced back from the first stroke and minimal times in those short days before second one hit.....he was my Buddy again.  but a vet will tell  you....a stroke for anyreason, be it diabetes, kidney, or in buddys case his back skeletal arthritis, just arthritis.....will cause a first stroke, and a short time of almost full recuperation....but, a second one that usually is fatal, will almost always follow and quickly.  the recuperation you are seeing in your cat is very likely a ruse....a false temporary time span for some reason an animals natural inclination after first stroke is to do....but it is false.  any vet of worth, will be honest and tell u they know very little about strokes, and there is no treatment for it..it is fatal...with onset of second or third one,...which is a given and is a surety due to the cat having one, he will have another and is always the worst and defining one that breaks his back and he cannot return.    I say this only that you do not hope, have beliefs about strokes and cats generally speaking, that this recuperation you see in him now, is just a very quiet lull, but is not the truth to his outcome shortly.  no matter what you do or not do, or how good your vet is.  its a horrible, horrible sight to watch your loved one, in my case he was my family, my best friend and companion who knew and was trained to know me so well, that to his last breath, for 20 years his eyes never once left my face....to know my needs, emotions, feelings, and his part in helping me.  that is something I have never seen before in any animal....all day, every day, even when I slept.  so many other things were unique and beyond what most would believe an animal would be like. being part bobcat and bred for service has some part in such a unique amazing soul...but he was the creator of most of his spirit and soul so much a gift to many on this earth.

I am only saying, be prepared now,...I wish someone had told me how fast this amazing, healthy,strong animal would leave this world in  just 2 short months, from 2 strokes and twice almost full recuperation in between.

be ready.

I will never be the same and I am a farm girl, born and raised with many, many aniimals all my life.  But Buddy was not an animal, he was truly, in every sense given to me from God, an angel with fur. I mean that literally.  so , do yourself a favor, and anyone else reading this, please, do not allow yourself to be naïve in the hopes your pet has recovered.....a cat does not recover from strokes, or live .......no matter what many will argue with you about...that they found some vet or vitamin, or what ever...do the research, and with the right people who know.

I had to say this, despite am sure the fear and pain it will cause, and does even with the truth, and hearing it.  be true to your pet and yourself, and truth is only way you can do so, no matter the heart shattering, perm. pain and loss it causes some of us.  it surely did and does me.  I had buddy cremated by most wonderful funeral home and specialist who was so kind, and caring, and honest with me, you'd think she had lost her own pet.  I bought a cross, stainless steele hollowed out cross a foot high and his remains were put in my cross, that I can hold to my chest each nite, and by my heart when ever he and I need to catch up. 

for all you lovers of pets out there, .....there is an amazing thing that happens during cremation that Janice the manager and operater of crematorium told me....that the actual process is so  peaceful, spiritual and you can feel God there the entire time.....but what science, morticians, experts, scientists cannot explain or be able to even begin to understand, is that after the skeleton is quickly burned to the ash_the bones is all that is really cremated, the hot fire moves the flesh, fur and tissues to the corner of the area and drains automatically so only the bones remain, and that is the ash that is in a urn. or buried by owner.....but what each animal, each one she cremated, ....after all had turned to ash and she went to gather all the ash for the urn...in the middle of each animals pile of ash , without fail, is a small, beautiful pile of sparkling turquoise stones right in center of the ash.....no one explain what it is or why every living animals ashes when burned to only that left, has a neat little sparkling turquoise pile of stones right in the middle of all that grey ash.  it is truly amazing, and says to me, each animal has something so profoundly amazing,beautiful, inside him or her...that no human being can explain or scientifically know as to its origin, or function.  but we do, don't we, all of us that know and love animals....we know what those beautiful sparkling turquoise stones are.

take good care, ok. stay strong always for your loved pets....for them.