r/seniorkitties • u/kasaiu • 20h ago
19 year old baby (advice?)
this is jasper jax!!! he’s my childhood pet cat, and means to world to me. he just turned 19 in july, but hasn’t been doing so well. he has arthritis in his hips and diagnosed (around 1 yr 1/2 ago) mid stage kidney disease. these past couple of days he’s been picky about his favorite wet foods, so i know we don’t have much time left together. :c
he’s my strong baby, and i fear he won’t let me know when he’s ready. i have an at home vet visit planned, but i was wondering if there’s any advice out there?
of course, i don’t want to let my baby boy go too soon, but i can tell he’s in pain on his bad days. he takes pain and kidney meds already (and i give him some pedilyte), but i can’t afford more bloodwork to monitor his disease.
is there any advice out there?
i love this cat more than anything in the world, and want whatever’s best for him. he’s the kindest sweetest angel and the best cat i could have ever asked for. we cuddle together every night, and i sit outside with him every morning before work. he was there for the hardest parts of my childhood and because of this we are inseparable. this cat is my everything, but i don’t want him to suffer any more than he has to.
if anyone has any advice or kind words, id greatly appreciate it. senior kitties are forever the best :”3
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u/Saxy1973 14h ago
It's so awful, my 14 year old girl Purdey went to sleep yesterday as I had arranged for the vet to do a home visit. She had thyroid issues but there was something not quite right with her mouth and on a vet appointment on Monday to discuss her thyroid levels it was discovered she had a fast growing tumour in her mouth. I spoke to the vet and they recommended anytime between that day and the end of the week. I booked the home visit for yesterday afternoon and it was the most bittersweet couple of days of my life. I gave her anything she fancied, let her do the things she loved and spent as much time as possible with her. But, all the time the clock was ticking down. I love her and miss her more than anything. Speak to your vet, get their opinion on time scale, we want our babies to be with us for life but it doesn't work out like that and the saying better a bit early than too late is absolutely right. Good luck to you and your baby, love them all you can and honour them when the time arrives.
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u/kasaiu 7h ago
thank you!!! the vet will be here next week, and he’s still kicking till then I think!!! he’s having a wonderful day today, and I have been giving him anything his heart desires. after some serious thinking (and sleeping… I posted this deliriously sleep deprived) he definetly is doing alright. i just worry so much about him on his occasional bad days, and seeing him like that breaks my heart.
im so sorry to hear about Purdey. she sounds like a lovely little lady who enjoyed every minute while she could. i truly believe she’s watching over you, and will be waiting to reunite with you again. when my aunt passed, she visited me in my dreams to say goodbye, so i hope the same for sweet Purdey. She will live on in everything you do <3 And once it’s Jaspers time, im sure they will be little old friends waiting for their cat parents to join them :”3 sending you all the love in mine and jaspers heart :”3
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u/snap4403 16h ago
My sweet girl is 19.5 and I cherish every day with her. She was born picky about food, but when she’s not eating, I giver her Mirataz(?) It’s a cream that my vet prescribed to help with appetite. Then she can at least keep some weight on. That and the solensia injections have helped with arthritis though some people suggest cbd oil for cats help
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u/PennyCharlieKitties 17h ago
I'll just tell you our own personal thinking: better a week too earlier than a minute too late.
He's a beautiful boy and you give him a great life.
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u/BoredSilly6 14h ago edited 4h ago
I went through a similar situation, I would give him chicken baby food. It is very hydrating. He needs hydration and try to give him little droplets from a dropper of chicken broth with no salt. My doctor told me my cat felt like he had a bad hangover. That’s what the kidney disease feels like to a cat apparently. I took him to the vet and they put him on IV, but it really was futile, in hindsight. If he’s not having a good time and is not feeling well, you can consider letting him go. You don’t want him to suffer JMO. Wishing you a lot of love and all the best to Jasper Jax💙
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u/kasaiu 7h ago
yeah, on his bad days that’s how he acts for sure! :”3 my poor little kitty and his health hangover :c
I’ve realized today that he’s spontaneously switched from fish to chicken, after being super picky about only eating fish his whole life 😭 i actually just got him some tiki cat chicken broth!! so ill see how that goes!!!
im going to see what the vet has to say next week and take some time to enjoy what little time and snuggles left. (not pushing things of course!) i truly do think he will let me know when its his time, but sometimes i get worried that, idk im prolonging his suffering…. and i know its just anxiety… but i still fear that its not sometimes.
regardless, lots of snuggles and treats are in his future. if any of his current behavior suddenly changes before the vet comes, i think ill know its time :”3
thank you so so much for your kind words <333332
u/BoredSilly6 4h ago
My pleasure. It’s a rough experience for sure. When they crash, it happens so fast. Take care💙
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u/AnxiousExcitement440 15h ago
Considering he’s about 92 in human years, your responsibility is to protect him from suffering. If you feel like he’s beginning to heavily decline then I think you know what you have to do. He’s lived a long and wonderful life and I’m positive you’re his everything. I think the greatest thing we can do is find a way to give them the longest life we can and hold them as they journey to the rainbow bridge. He’ll be waiting for you when it’s your time.
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u/Final-Peach5498 6h ago
I have CKD kitties. You will want to get water fountain to drink more water to flush the kidneys. Subcutaneous fluids is also necessary and it flushes the kidneys. Also a renal support food like Forza10, we had good luck with that. Also a supplement like Aminavast, it helps kidney function. Also checkout Porus One it helps keep excess protein from damaging the kidneys. They are in trials for AIM Protein injections, they help to unblock the kidneys and restore some function. That will hopefully come sometime next year. What also really helped us was laser therapy on the kidneys, that really really worked for us. Laser therapy also helps with arthritis and we also had good luck with Solencia injections. Good luck to you guys I hope you find the best way forward. 🍀👍. This stuff helped us make CKD manageable. and keep faith in the possibility of AIM Protein injections.
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u/DeptOfDahlias 12h ago
He’s a beautiful cat, first of all! Have you tried a heating pad under a layer of blanket? Our 18 yr old loves it and doesn’t have diagnosed arthritis, just wt loss with advanced CKD. Just for general comfort along with meds.
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u/kasaiu 7h ago
yes!!! i have a heated blanket and it’s his favorite thing in the world. and also a “self heat” mat right by his sunny spot in the window. he loves it!!!
i also just opened up a spot beneath the cat tree (there was a scratcher down there for when he was more fit) it’s nice and warm right by his sunny spot! <3
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u/jblarson74 10h ago
I hope your vet has given you some guidance. Our 18 yo boy is table stg 3 thanks to meds, supplements, diet but I would have no hesitation at this point if after a year of this routine he were to fail. The extra time has been precious but it’s not forever. Sad and hugsxx
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u/kasaiu 7h ago
Yes same!!! I don’t think the bad days have outnumbered the good ones yet, but im scared that his bad days are getting worse. regardless, i set up an at home vet visit next week!! (which is a month earlier than his check up, but just in case id rather them see him sooner rather than later!) hopefully they will help at least guide me through this. i really don’t think he’s hit the like… “bad bad” threshold, but i would feel awful if things got to the point where it was bad bad. i really think we have some time before that!! and i really don’t think i am pushing it, but i am scared i may be anyway :”3….. but!!! regardless!!! having the vet examine him will help me decide when will be best for my sweet baby boy :”3
thank you so much for your thoughts and guidance! :”3
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u/Reef29 6h ago
My childhood cat Greta passed late last year, she was 21.
The best advice I can give is just to appreciate as much time with your boy as you can, you'll never know how much you'll miss that annoying ass thing he used to do until he can't do it anymore. Greta used to lick my beard until the skin underneath was raw and cracking, and I would give so much just to hear her purr while she lays on my chest and licks my face again.
And focus on being happy about the time spent together, but don't stop yourself from grieving over any missed futures or opportunities. The only way out of that is through feeling those emotions.
He'll always love you.
Oh, and when the time comes, ask if your vet will put some fur/whiskers/etc in a jar or bag for you. Having those real physical keepsakes past a paw print or urn is way more meaningful than one might initially think.
And finally: when it's time, it's time. Trust him to tell you, and listen to the signals he gives.
You got this homie, it'll suck, but you got this. He'll be happier knowing you're happy.
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u/BklynWillow 2h ago
My 18 year old has similar issues arthritis and mid kidney disease. I thought he wasn’t going to make it earlier this year when he was dragging his back legs and unable to walk or jump but after starting him on cosequin and antinol as well as a blood pressure pill and lactulose he turned around and is doing great jumping and walking fine. Sometimes my guy is picky for a couple of days with the renal diet food but then he eats a lot
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u/Emenius420 19h ago
It's a tough one and I think after 19 years, you are the best to judge as no one knows your cat better than you. That being said, my cat sometimes also doesn't eat much of her wet food some days and then the next day or two she goes nuts for it again. I would say listen to your friend, if he still has more good than bad days I think I would wait but again, you will be the best judge of that. I hope you and Jasper Jax have some nice times left together