Please give a video on cat arthritis. My cat is limping but the vet doesn't see her limping when we take her in for a check-up. What are some good meds for arthritis in cats?
Thank you for the suggestion, I will add it to my list. The tag line of feline veterinarians is “cats are masters of hiding disease” and your story is a perfect illustration of this! X-rays are invaluable for diagnosing these cryptic cases. As for appropriate meds, you had better talk to your family vet about that.
Actually xrays are the gold standard for arthritis Dx in pets. They are cheaper and more vets know how to interpret them than know how to do ultrasound. Most of the time we diagnose OA based on history and physical exam alone, but we typically do xrays to rule out other bone and joint disorders in some cases.
Video is the answer! My cat was limping , made a video that I showed at the appointment so did not have to depend on cat performance. Less stress for my cat . X-ray showed fracture on elbow.
@@HelpfulVancouverVet we did get Xrays and our cat, Pretzel, does have arthritis in her elbows, legs, and back. We are giving her glucosamine every day in her soft food. Also we have a prescription of Tramadol (pill form) and Gabapenton (liquid form). She doesn't tolerate taking either of these very well. Very hard to administer. Any other suggestions?
Took the words right out of my mouth, that's one of my favorite things about cats, they're like Mini Ninjas. Our barn cats have decimated the rodent population on our acre property. They're just brutal little killers and I love them
I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking like that about sharing my life with cats. It's actually quite amazing to see how sociable these perfect predators are around humans who after all so far have been omnivorous. Unfortunately in various countries peopel tend to take such thining to extreme and do want to ban owning the domestic cat. I've heard New Zealand is about to head this direction and I hope vets and cat lovers can make this country and other countries aware that such intepretation has already failed in Australia and that we do need those "little killing machines" around us even though they yes, might hunt what we do not want them to hunt-like endengared small animals or birds but they also keep rats and other huntrs at bay for those, so let's do not try to eradicate them just because they are those "middle of the food chain" predators.
Video summary: - Inappropriate elimination. If your cat is using the bathroom outside of the litter box after they’ve been trained to. Take them to the vet. - Hiding. Cats naturally try to hide from predators when sick. - Increased aggression. Probably a sign of chronic pain. - Anorexia. Cat will stop eating. - Vomiting. Frequent vomiting: once a week or more is not normal and should be discussed with a vet. - Yowling/howling. Sign of pain or behavioral issues. Sometimes it can also be in response to heat or other animals. - Limping. Animals who limp should always be checked by a vet.
Amanda Baker - on the litterbox issue. My cat is indoor/outdoor so she does her business in and outdoors. Is that normal? I am 48 and resuced her 4 years ago. Never had a cat before.
Cats do try to help their owners, mine got me through diabetes while I was still learning; he could tell the difference between when I was just sleeping and when I had lost consciousness and he would keep at me until I got up and medicated. He's a nag for sure, but a lifesaver!
It's amazing how intuitive and sensitive they are. I've met several cats of friends before that knew just when I was struggling/in distress, and would seek me out to help me feel better. Cats are so good.
I feel very sad now, my cat died at home last Christmas aged 21, and hearing all of these signs I think she was really sick for much longer than we realised. I wish I had known this earlier so I could have had her treated and helped her.
Hey, thanks for sharing! 21 is a fantastic age for a cat! Good job :-). 21-22 is the oldest legitimate age I've ever head a cat get to so probably not much else you could have done.
I know how you feel I have the same regret with my cat that passed away from diabetes... She was eating more then suddenly eating losing Weight... We got her on insulin but the last year of her life was really bad.. We shouldve got her checked her out earlier... I wish I wouldve been more clued up😔
I was in a similar situation, but since I live with my parents and we're sometimes tight on money, I couldn't do anything. But my cat ended up being diagnosed with cancer and since she was already weak and 17 yrs old, we decided to say goodbye to her.
Well, obvious sign of affection and trust in my view. One of my cats does it and only in my presence. I've once heard someone describe it as a friendly "how you're doing" in cat's body language and I think it's the best depiction of what it really is.
My cat is over 16 and her little light is waning. She has heart problems, is in the beginning stages of kidney disease, she needs her teeth pulled due to dental disease, but cannot go through the procedure because of her heart. She's too thin. My sweet girl is just old. Her latest vet visit was last week. She has appetite stimulants, anti-nausea, and pain medication to use as needed. The appetite stimulant is given every few days, the other 2 medications are only there in case she were to have a really bad day, and sometimes she does have those days that she just doesn't feel well. I suspect her teeth are the biggest culprits of discomfort. I guess she's an odd kitty because she usually let's me know. I know we dont have much time left together, so I'm trying to make her life as comfortable as possible before I can no longer justify not helping her peacefully pass. I had that big discussion with my veterinarian recently. In the meantime, she still snuggles and is affectionate, I catch her playing with her toys, she scratches, lounges, and pounce-slides on her scratch pads. She's still my little buddy, my familair. We've had a good run, her and I, and I am thankful to have had her in my life for so long. I dont even know why I'm writing this. I dont expect anyone to read this. Perhaps I'm just trying to come to terms with the inevitable.
Rest assured that all caring pet owners go through what you are going through now. You are not alone with your experience by a long shot. My new girlfriend made me a lot more aware of my cat's finite lifespan and that she might die sooner than I'd like, so I'm trying to be positive about it as long as she is still fine and healthy. Cherish the good moments more, as it were. I hope that will help me face the day when she dies with more understanding and prepared-ness (is that a word?).
I think more people will understand than you realise. I lost my little dog of nearly 18 years in October '17. I still miss him every day & I think I always will. Hugs to you.
My cats a weirdo. He complains at me when he’s not well and tries to get me to fix it. Only cat I’ve had that actively seeks me out for comfort. Even the vet was surprised that he was cuddled up to me so much during his uti. Best cat.
Yeah, my cat really treats me and my parents as his family. So my mom is also his mom and when he's not feeling well (mostly when his stomach hurts due to fur buildup) he comes to her for comfort and will sit on her and cuddle, so we know the vomit is coming. 😂 But all in all he really knows how to show us that something is wrong with him. He will either come to my mom and be like "please cuddle me" (which he doesn't normally do), go pee in some container or on my parents bed in front of my mom or he will sit almost rolled into a ball in the corner and not respond to us calling him or bringing his favorite treats.
Prince Du Ciel my peaches was the same way. she got very sick in the end and had to be put to sleep. she was the best cat I ever had. i miss her so much
My kitty stopped eating when she was 12 and was starting to develop heart disease. She wasn't diagnosed when she first stopped eating, our vet couldn't find why she stopped eating. We went completely crazy worried and made her fresh chicken everyday and she started eating again. A year later the heart disease was so bad she needed to be put to sleep. We think she knew she wasn't well when she first stopped eating and only stuck around for another year because she saw how panicked and worried we were. It sounds crazy but I wouldn't have been able to put her to sleep if she didn't tell me she was ready to go. After the vet told me there were no options for her I just pet her and she suddenly stopped purring and looked at me. Without that look I couldn't do it.
it’s sad but sweet... maybe she stuck around for the chicken! Our old cat had kidney problems and lost her appetite for cat food but still liked cooked chicken!
I know exactly what you’re talking about, Missy! I just lost my 18 yo cat last July. She gave me that same look and I knew she couldn’t bear anymore. I knew then she was asking me for help... That was the hardest choice I’ve ever made, but I know it was the right one.
Here's another subtle sign: you notice your cat has been sitting in one spot for an unusual amount of time. When I was younger, I had a big black tomcat who one day sat in the corner of a room for a while. At first, we thought, "no big deal." He sat in the same spot for over a day, and then my mother got worried. Turns out, he had a stone that was blocking his urethra (more common in male cats FYI). The vets put him under to remove it, but his electrolytes were too imbalanced, and he had a heart attack on the table. If you notice your cat sitting in one spot for more than a day, check on them. Notice how they are sitting. If they are comfortable, they should lay on their side or at least change positions throughout the day. Staying in one position is a big indicator that they are in pain.
As a new cat parent/owner, I have a lot of anxiety about whether I'm providing for my cat in the best way, and worry about his wellbeing. This video series has done a lot to help put my irrational fears to rest, and the practical knowledge is invaluable. Thank you!
I feel guilty for not recognizing and for not being able to afford health care. Jake was my best friend and my baby. He was only 11. It's been two years. I often blame myself. I'm in therapy. I miss him often. I hate not having him here, healthy, with me. He deserved better. I gave him all my love and he his.
My cat limped one day. The next day he seemed just fine again. Wasn't limping. A week later, we took him to the vet for castration. They found he had an infection on his back foot. And he needed his teeth cleaned I think, so got antibiotics and another appointment a week or so later for the teeth and checking up on the foot. A week later, he's in for his appointment, and when I get back down, they show me an x-ray of his foot. One of his toes was severed completely at the joint (but still attached with skin, so didn't see it on the outside). He seemed fine! Cats are crazy. He got his toe amputated. Lately he's had teeth problems and have had them all pulled after he got really skinny when I was away for a few months. (It's my family's cat.) Now he won't leave me alone ever, in hopes of getting more food. Sigh. I wanted a lap cat, but... go out , see some things, do something else!
Thank you for sharing. This is exactly the message I am trying to get across in the video: cats do not show pain even when they are really suffering so being a proactive hooman is being a good hooman.
He was already an outdoor cat by the time we took him in. And even though he's had 10 day indoor due to antibiotics 5-6 times last few years, he still is happiest if he gets to go out. Our area is pretty safe, we don't have much predators, if any. Perhaps the odd eagle, but I've never seen one. The times we've kept him indoor, he has been frantic first few days before he settles in. But he was always real happy when he got to go out. He even wants out when it pours down outside. He's nuts.
For animals that hide their illness and expect no help, they are very good at seeing (or smelling I suspect) when we aren't 100%, whether it is illness or mood. They make such good furry little nurses and are so often so loving when something is wrong. The least we can do is keep a close eye on their health and be there when they need us too!
I wish I had known more of this sooner. My little buddy was in much rougher shape than I realized until he gave me a concrete sign (bloody diarrhea on the floor). Two days and $2000 worth of testing to rule out any other possible option, we had to agree with the vet that it was his time to go at 16 and a half years. That was just a few weeks ago and he'd been my best friend since he was a kitten and I was a 13 year old kid, so it's still more than a little raw.
I love how claudia wasn't used for any demonstration or example or anything she's just there because of course! you always need a cat in every video! bless this channel and all the videos on it
My cat had a routine dental cleaning after a clear lab report, and he didn’t react well to the procedure. He started peeing a lot and drinking a lot of water that evening, so I took him back to the vet in the morning. It turns out he was going through acute kidney failure, and if I had assumed his (expected) lethargy and increased drinking were normal, he would have died. His symptoms were pretty subtle, but they taught me to pay very close attention! After over 24h of IV fluids and supervision he came out of it, but he was wobbly for weeks. He’s since been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (renal failure), so he’s on semintra and fluids at home. Please make sure you watch carefully for extra thirst, and for dehydration - sunken eyes, loss of skin elasticity, constipation, bigger or smaller pees than usual, and bad breath. It’s important!
4mpersand Thank you for the information. My cat has beginning of kidney disease. She comes and lays by me more. She will have a tear in her eye. Her fur separates when she really doesn’t feel good! I feel sad she is going through this!
@@lindapearson3411As sad as it may be for you, you should consider how long you want your cat to go through this sickness. It's terminal and like any terminal illness, it can be a slow and painful way to die. Humans can't (yet) legally ask for help with euthanasia but your cat can't either... you have to decide when your cat's suffering may be too great to keep on living in misery. At that point, do your cat a favour and let her be put to sleep by a vet, ideally in the comfort of your home. A lot of pet owners refuse to let their pet die but a terminal illness can be such a burden to bear for the pet that euthanasia is a far better option.
All of a sudden my cat started hiding under my bed which was weird so I took him to the vet and it turned out he had an infection - I got some medicine and he got better! My friends thought I was silly to take him to the vet for that reason, good to know my instinct was right :)
Another subtle change is increased thirst and water intake- which can be a sign of diabetes. I've had 3 kitties with diabetes. I've adopted many kitties in my 54 years. 😊
Cats are very aware of themselves, and seem to know when they are going to die. Some years ago, I had a cat who wasn't much for "cuddling" or even sitting on my lap. I had this cat for many years, and I knew he didn't have long to live. One evening, I was sitting in my easy chair, and he climbed up into my lap. He curled up, put his head down, and was still. I assumed he had gone to sleep, but a few minutes later, I realized that he had died. It was kind of sad but sweet too, because it occurred to me that he had wanted to be near me for his last few moments of life.
Thanks for the last tip on bringing older cats in twice a year. We were told once a year but I think I feel better 2x now that our little guy Peppy is 13 and has developed very early kidney disease (we noticed him getting a little thin, we only need to switch him over to kidney food though, no meds) A note on cats and hiding pain/not getting help from other cats. Years ago we moved in with my family and their two other cats (I consider all the cats our cats really) and brought our kitty with us. One morning we couldn't find any of the cats and when we did they were all huddled around Peppy. Turns out Peppy was really sick, not responding all that much. We immediately took him to the vet and the vet said he was very sick. He stayed over night and got better but if it wasn't for our other cats huddled around him it might have taken longer to find him. Our old cat, Mittens, was very very smart and I wouldn't be surprised if he did this to get our attention but I'm wondering if this is something you've ever heard of cats doing and why they might have done it? Mittens was always very protective of everyone in the family.
My kitty didn't want to eat or drink anything, and whenever I tried to pick it up it was "crying" so to say. Took it to the vet and a couple of days later it was getting better. I took it home and pampered it like a baby. Good food, nice fluffy carpet to lie on, scratching it on the head etc. After a week or so it had fully recovered and was back to it's old self. Color me very happy :)
Add the obvious such as sniffling/sneezing/wheezing; eyes that seem "off" in the irises that look like crackled marbles; pale or white gums; extreme drinking of water...
Thanks for another thoughtful video! Backstory: I have a chronic pain condition and several mental illnesses that can lay me out for days at a time. And my cat, Callisto, always seems to come around and keep vigil when I'm in one of those spinouts. But if, say, she gets stung by a wasp, she just runs off and poofs out her tail if you try to get close to her. So I've reached a point where if she starts fluffing, I need to see what's up with her.
This is similar to me. I have depression and colitis, and my sweet dear cat Orangy, who passed suddenly earlier this year, would be my furrynurse. She would know exactly when I needed help, would cuddle with me in bed for hours, lay on my sore tummy and purr and just love me love me love me all the time. She's greatly missed, but I never would have been able to handle the early stages of my illness without her.
My eldest cat Lucy has taken to laying on my leg, almost like she's protecting it, ever since I shattered my kneecap a couple years ago. Even when I had a huge leg brace, she would curl up on my leg & snuggle for hours on the couch with me. People always talk about dogs being loyal, but cats can be just as caring & loyal.
My parents never took our cats to the vet except to get spayed, or when they seemed really sick. "You just let them be until they die" my mom said. We never took them to the vet in their old age except when they died. One of them showed many of these signs and it breaks my heart to think of how much pain she was in for so long. I loved her so much.
I know what you mean... my boy stops grooming when he gets ill, he's long-haired so he very quickly looks bedraggled and sorry for himself. But you can also feel dehydration when their skin doesn't move properly as you're petting them.
Yes, we have a fourteen-year-old Siamese and last winter her fur was patchy and coarse. She also lost a lot of weight. The vet diagnosed her with kidney failure and we switched to a special diet and medication (it wasn't easy). She had another blood test in June and her results were perfect! Her fur is also shiny and full again.
Rae Owlsworth One of my cats died of cancer this year. One of the first signs besides the weight loss was that his fur became dull and lost its soft/fluffiness
Also doing a sweet kick flip or wearing ray bans is another sign your cat is sick af. I appreciate your videos they’re very informative and you seem to have a lovely sense of humor. Thank you for helping us and our furry kiddos. 💖
I have just lost a couple friends. They won't feed their cats meat. They are 'against' meat. I am seeing muscle wasting in one of the cats. They said the cats eat mice and birds but I know better...when I take them canned food they love all over me, they really appreciate it. One of their cats moved across the street where it is warm and there is canned food. I try to take canned food and leave it for them, but the woman told me not to come on her place. I have 4 cats of my own I cannot afford to feed 5 more. I tried to explain 'obligate carnivore', most of their moisture and all of their nutrients from meat.
yeah, while kittehs can get by on dollar store cat food that isn't 100% meat (not ideal but I'm on a fixed income), they cannot be genuine vegans or vegetarians. your friends are not doing right by their kittehs, and that muscle wasting is showing it.
Lol at me rushing to watch this video to learn how to detect whether or not my cat is sick when I do not now nor have I ever owned a cat. Can’t be too careful I suppose. 🧡
One thing I'd like to mention is that cats do sometime help out each other. Feral cat colonies will often have members which hunt more food than they need. This food often goes to those who are sick or otherwise unable to hunt. We can see this behaviour in our own pet cats when they bring us "gifts". They see us as members of the group who may no be the best at securing our own food so they step up to the plate to provide for us. I feel this is super interesting since cat colonies aren't really seen with domestic cat's closest wild relative so it's likely a product of domestication and also maybe linked to the increased availability of food sources near human settlements (leading to needing smaller territories and less hostile interactons due to competition).
i saw a documentary about a cat colony long ago. it was fascinating. there were over 20 cats and they all looked healthy. they lived on a farm, so probably got fed. there seemed to be one cat who sort of lead the rest. but they stayed together, groomed each other, slept together. i'd like to see more about this pack behavior. glad someone else has noticed this. oh, also, if they're so independent (which is not true for my cats), why do they play and sleep with each other? i've seen videos of interspecies friends, also - even an owl. one thing though, cats are a bit of a mystery :}
I would love to do a whole series on cat colonies! Cats are individual hunters but live in colonies. Pretty rare social behavior in the animal world! So they are independent, and some cats will switch colonies regularly or wander between them, but they still enjoy many social behaviors.
I just love your videos, they're just so sweet! Cats don't do much when you noticiably need help, but they know when you're feeling down or you're sick and offer what they can give, their companionship. When I get in my depressive episodes or I'm feeling under the weather my two kitties are always around to lay down with me and take a nap or ask for cuddles. It might not be the most useful thing, but it's the best they can do, and it's super great to feel loved in that way.
All great advice, Dr. Burstyn. If you'll indulge a (lengthy) addendum from a non-professional, I'd like to add two signs that my cat exhibited that were quite serious, both of which occurred much later in his lifetime. If you've had your cat for a while, you probably know his/her personality pretty well. So look for both radical and subtle changes in that personality. In my case, it was easy to get my cat's attention: most noises would garner his interest (particularly his food bowl clinking). Suddenly, he just stopped being attentive. Calling his name, trying to play, clinking his food bowl... he'd just lay there like he was too sleepy or tired to be bothered. Turns out, he was diabetic and his blood sugar was dangerously low. He ended up needing regular insulin shots, and I learned eventually to rub maple syrup on his gums to stave off diabetic episodes long enough to get him to the vet if he ever started exhibiting serious lethargy (these were very rare occasions). Apparently the sugar in the syrup absorbs very rapidly through the gums (he'd almost instantly perk up). Another thing that happened was that he randomly started spinning in circles to his left (just kept walking in a counter-clockwise direction). He'd do this maybe once or twice a month. We had no idea what it was and how to stop it... we just had to wait it out which could have been anywhere from 30 mins to 2 hours. The vet couldn't diagnose it either. In 2015 he had a lethargic episode one last time. The vet couldn't bring him back to his normal levels. Even with an IV and an overnight stay, his blood glucose was unstable and his body temperature just stopped regulating itself. We eventually made the decision to put him down, a decision which still haunts me to this day and it's the reason I don't have a pet anymore. I'm so afraid of experiencing that kind of loss again. It affected me more than I thought it would or could. We never found out what was going on with him but if I had to guess, I think there was some neurological component to his spinning-ailment. Some kind of brain lesion or a tumor somewhere that affected his motor skills and/or body temp. Again, both the lethargy (diabetes) and the spinning began happening after he was about 8-9 years old. He lived to be 15 and was loved every single moment. I don't regret a second of it... but oh do I miss it with all my heart. Thank you for the videos you do, Dr. Burstyn, and for being a genuinely caring vet. You're the best.
You are right- sudden changes in behaviour are a warning sign. I have two types-introvertic and extravertic cat and both show significant changes in behaviour when they do not feel well. Intorvertic is hiding or following me everywhere- sitting where I work, occypying my seat, just waiting for me wherever I go in silence and looking at me as f she was expecting something from me. Extravertic loses interest in hunting, doesn't want to play, only wants to sleep, doesn't make her usual noise, doesn't play with her sister. She is just abnormaly quiet, calm and sleepy and this is how I knw right away- we need to visit a vet. Calmer, introvertic one is more tricky, so all owners of calm cats should observe them well. Watch out for excessive hiding or following you everywhere.
I'm a medical student, in humans diabetes destroys nerves, and causing various problems with the function of the nerve. Just a guess, your cat may have had some problems with the vestibular systems in his ears, which was controlling his balance? Anyway, I'm sorry to hear how sad you feel about it, and hope you'll one day be able to open your life to another cat :)
@@TheVietnameseCatGoblin Thank you for the kind words! Your hypothesis is definitely possible, his spinning came some time after we diagnosed his diabetes so it could very well have been a result of it. Maybe someday I'll have another cat, but for now, my brother and sister both have their own cats that I play with whenever I visit them :)
If you are feeling bad about putting your cat down, please let me say as a person who also lost a cat that I think you did the right thing and that I wish I had the strength when my cat was sick to do what was right for her and let her go peacefully and unafraid. My cat had gotten very very sicky. Kidney failure. I was given the option to try to treat her, which should it have worked, would have extended her life, or to put her down. I chose to do the treatment instead because I feared the thought of putting her down. I wanted to cling on to hope that she could get better. I wouldn't be writing this if she did, ovbiously. Instead, she went through several days of treatment where she stayed at the vet overnight. Where she was in a strange place with strange people and I wasn't there with her, even if I visited each day. I remember one day she was in the kennel, all hooked up to ivs, and when she saw me, she STILL forced herself to stand up and walk over to me despite how incredibly frail and weak she was. She missed me. She loved me. That was the last time I saw her. She ended up passing away that night. My baby died by herself in a cage without any comfort around her in the middle of the night in a strange place, probably frightened and wondering where I was. I put her through thhese things because I didn't have the courage to do what needed to be done and instead, let her go in peace. If I could redo that time, I would do what you did. I would have put her down. She would have instead died with me by her side, holding her paw. Trust me when I say that you did the right thing.
@@HauntedSidhe Wow, thank you for sharing this... it's such a painful thing to do everything you can to help your cat, and yet it all fails. It's such a helpless feeling. Either route is extremely difficult, surely. In retrospect I think I made the right choice as well, but even though I was with him, I'll never forget how low I felt when he was euthanized. I held him while the vet administered the solution intravenously. As soon as she pressed on the plunger, his left paw twitched and the finality of my decision suddenly hit me. There was no undoing things. I felt like the biggest cop-out... like I had betrayed this animal that had done nothing but love me without condition. As he started to fade I just cradled him and kept saying, "I'm sorry," over and over again until he finally went limp. I think you do have a lot of strength because you didn't give up on your cat. Sure, the circumstances sucked because you couldn't be with her 24/7, but you tried and you hoped beyond hope. I feel like I gave up on my cat-you fought to the end, bitter as it may have been, and that takes some real strength. The poet Wallace Stevens wrote, "Death is the mother of all beauty." Because things die-because life is finite-it is beautiful. We understand it's value because we know it won't last forever. So we love. We love ourselves, our family, our friends, our pets. But the more we love, the more it hurts. And that's something that you, me, and every other human being who's lost something dear to us have found out the hard way. But I don't think any of us would trade a second of those experiences or those memories for anything in the universe.
I’m a new sub, I have a shelter cat who was abused very badly in her previous home prior to being taken to she shelter. She has been with me almost 3 years now and has gained weight which is wonderful, and has really found her feet (or paws) in settling in and knowing this is her home. Seeing her come out of her shell, become less afraid and these days quite vocal about her requirements, is lovely. The thin scared and matted cat we first brought home is a far cry from this healthy, happy, longhaired shiny coat cat who loves to be the centre of attention and roll over for belly rubs .. I’ve owned cats all my life and never known a cat to love and demand belly rubs, like proper grab a handful of belly and cuddle and stroke. My strange little girl! I’ve not subbed to a vet channel before but this came up in my recommended lists and I love the way you make things easy to understand for the average pet owner like myself, and I see your heart lies within care for all animals, not just trying to make money for your own business. So, although at the end of the video you thanked us for watching, I wish to thank YOU for putting this information out there, for free, for people to access at any time they wish.
I brought my cat to the vet for this or that, and always got shrugged off; told it was nothing to worry about. By the time they figured out he had kidney disease, things went downhill fast. Now I take my new cat to a different vet.
Watching this video really opened my eyes. I lost my baby a couple of months ago and I blame myself every day because of it; yes, I know he wasn’t a real baby - being but just a cat - but he was still my child (in my mind at least). He was a beautiful Chausie with the name of Solo (Han Solo, to be exact), and I’ve been broken since his passing. He got both diabetes and cancer in the end, and I absolutely hate how his quality of life plummeted incredibly during my care toward the end of his life. He had all the signs described in this video and I can’t believe I just assumed these were all just normal behavior for a cat, and for him; I’ve never had any lessons or previous encounters over taking care of any breed of cat (since I got him from my mother without any knowledge of cat-care), but I assumed that I would know if something was truly wrong if he was not, indeed, “okay”... I was clearly wrong. His health deteriorated quickly due to my lack of knowledge, and I hate myself for it. I knew he had a bit of an attitude, but I should have known some of his behavior was not normal. He was my emotional support animal, and I miss him dearly not only for the life that was lost but also because of how much I depended on him, as well as how much I loved him. He truly deserved better. He was such a sweet and caring animal, and I appreciate every second I had with him, who I considered my precious sweetheart. I appreciate the educational material of this video and hope to pass on the information to others, and maybe if I am blessed enough to try and care for another cat I will know this for the future and hope to provide better care than that of which I have provided in the past. Also, thank you to whoever ended up reading through this mess of a comment. I hope you and whatever animal you may have under your care has a plentiful life. I hope your life is full of wonder and happiness, especially if it is accompanied by any pet or friend of even family member, regardless of size or stature.
Claudia is *such* a classic Tuxie! "Pet me here... skritch me there... Hey! I'm not done yet!" :-) Nicely done video! I have a bit of an advantage over some owners, as I work from home and am with our cats all day, so I'm very familiar with their patterns and habits. When my Tuxie - who is definitely "daddy's little boy", compared to the other two - didn't do his usual migration from morning nap location #1 to morning nap location #2 at the normal time, I noticed it right away. Which keyed me in to notice his next diversion from habit; when he did get up finally it was only to come over and lay down beside me on the couch and go back to sleep, rather than spend an hour or so playing and getting into trouble. I thought, "OK - vet time.", and I made an appointment for that afternoon. An hour or so later he started having "bubbly" sounding exhalations and before we set out he started sneezing excessively in "fits" or strings of several sneezes in a row. As it turned out, the vet said there was a viral "kitty cold" going around and seemed to be airborne, so no contact was needed to get infected (our cats are all indoor only). Fortunately it was a minor upper respiratory infection that cleared up in about 48 hours on it's own. Of course, not before the other two getting it as well so for a day or so we had THREE sick kitties to deal with. Just as you noted - pay attention to a cat's habits - that's often a first sign they are sick. Not noticing the little things before they become big things can make a small problem much, much worse.
time ago my son had a rough year and was moving his cat around with him.... one day i said enough..i took her to live with me and the 2 cats that i have...she was kind of traumatize i think...it took me more than 1 year....to make her comfortable around us...she was always hiding in dark spaces...and every night...i pull her out of that dark place...not to hold her much...she hates it!...but to show her that she can be with us...in the light room!....after 2 1/2 years...she follws me everywhere...in my appartment...my 2 girls didnt like each other much...and the big old budy...didnt care at all!...so i am very proud that i choose to take her with us...and keep loving her and care for her..she is no longer hiding in dark corners..i love my babies..!
My boy is on my lap as I watch this 😸 he just turned 10 last month!! I love him his name is Mouse he's in my picture!! Thanks for the tips Dr! Hi Claudia!!
Thank you very much for taking the time to make this videos. As a cat owner I worry sick about my kitty and I’m always trying to get informed to provide better and safer living conditions for him; thank you for making that possible.
I love this! My elderly Siamese has a throat cancer. At 16 he isn’t a candidate for a surgery that has a small chance of success so my Vet and I are monitoring him carefully and trying to make him comfortable until it is beyond us. Then it will be time to say goodbye. In the meantime it is important to medicate and help him.
I have a cat who has been going to the bathroom outside the litter box and hiding because another of my cats has become aggressive towards her. She recently has a full check up and treatment for and infected bite wound from my other cat. I never considered the aggressive cat may not be feeling well. This is a very informative video! Thank you! Aggressive cat will be seeing the vet in the next couple days.
my then 8 y/o cat stopped eating for a couple days and we found out she had an uterus tumor. then she had surgery and shes 10 y/o, healthy and alive today❤
I am a dog person who adopted a 12 yr old cat 6 mos ago after I met her on Memorial Day. I appreciated your video, I have so much to learn about cats! I was shocked to learn her previous owner never took her to the vet or had her groomed. This has changed w me being her guardian. I am very much into health prevention, but I need to learn to recognize when my cat may not be feeling well. Thank you!
Cats aren't stupid. One of mine kept getting of the way of a window I was starting to replace, when the window crashed down and dislocated his jaw. He howled and howled and couldn't close his mouth. He'd been to he vet a couple times before, so when I brought out the cat carrier box, he rushed right in, knowing (I presume) he was going to the doctor. He did, and they snapped his jaw back into place and all the way home he talked to me.
I love the vet making the comment about dogs or cats don't limp for no reason there has to be something wrong with them. I have a mastiff and I had a little Silky Terrier, the Silky Terrier was 22 years old when she passed away, that's human years. My Silky Terrier started getting arthritis at about 18 in her back legs . I also have a bad hip and I limp sometimes, so the mastiff used to see me and the terrier limping around, one morning I was limping the terrier was limping and I looked over at the mastiff and she was limping, I really thought there was something wrong with her but the bugger was just limping out of Sympathy for me and the terrier so they do limp sometimes for no reason. I love my dog's . Have a lovely day everyone look after your fur babies and this channel is very informative I got a lot of good tips about the cherry eye. I had to get the mastiffs eye operated on and now her other eye is doing the Cherry eye thing and it costs a lot to get operated on but I will pay. thank you very much.✌🦅
Two years ago I took in a rescue whose owner died of cancer. He was pretty old and had deep trust issues. I was the only one who could actually approach him. He ate A LOT like seriously a lot. We tried putting him on a diet but he just stole the other cats food🤦🏻♀️ then all of a sudden he stopped eating and stopped giving me affection he also came home less often. It broke my heart so I encouraged my parents to schedule a vet appointment. They didn’t. He went missing two days later. I saw all the signs but I didn’t act. Now I miss him incredibly. We never found him. I looked everyday and every night all over the neighbourhood. But two years later no remains were found. He was my favorite cat. I’ll never forget his cute little paw and even when he threw up on my pillow. Rip sin
Good advice, thank you Dr. Burstyn. We had been feeding a feral cat outside our home for a couple of years. Recently we noticed that her fur was getting matted and she was eating less and less. Just a couple of weeks later she just disappeared and presumably died :( She was truly feral so there was not much we could do for her unfortunately.
THANK YOU !! I found this to be TRUE . I argue with my dad.. his cat is in severe pain.. but he will not believe it because he is still eating. I will sneak him to the vet.
My parents have a big snuggley Tom cat (Jean-Claude, no pun intended). One night when family was over and my mom couldn't sleep with the door cracked Jean-Claude meowed freaking loudly. Howling loud. I woke up, checked his food, water and emptied his litter and he would still cried. What did he need? Snuggles. My niece was soaking up all the attention so this big'ol cry baby wasn't getting any. I just sat with him for 20 minutes or so at 2AM and he was fine.
As an owner of 3 very loved cats, I really appreciate your sound cat advice videos. My Matilda who is 12, recently demonstrated several of these signs and was fortunate enough to get a rapid diagnosis, once I took her however! She began by going off her food, very abnormal for her. Initially though, I thought it might be due to the hot weather or a stomach upset. Within just a few days, she started to vomit a lot so I booked her in to be seen the very next day. By the time the next day came around, she was hiding under the spare bed and ignoring my calls and any food or treats. The vet suspected pancreatitis and was right. Her liver was also affected with an ALT of 2300! Thankfully after a stay in the veterinary hospital, and a few weeks of liver meds , pain killers and antibiotics, she’s home with me and her liver function is now normal. She has had a recent likely relapse with similar vomiting and pain but her bloods were ok, She had the same treatment whilst in but just needed buprenorphine to come home with. I’m really conscious she is at risk of further episodes and want to keep her as well as possible. I’m keeping a very close eye on her now. Any dietary advice? Much appreciated.
How does one distinguish between vomiting from sickness and vomiting from hairballs? Because in both cases food will be regurgitated. Also you'll see cats eat plants/grass to help with vomiting.
Why do you say that Adriana? I love cat walks, have been taking Mr. Pirate out for cat walks for his entire life, and love seeing people with their cat or their bunny on a leash enjoying the outdoors while their pet sniffs or eats some grass. Happy memories :-).
Helpful Vancouver Vet Once upon a time I thought friends who walked their cats were silly. Then, I adopted my cat Socrates who was abused and locked in a shed, so at 1 1/2 years he is having the kittenhood he should have had. I got him a harness, he will not “walk” but he enjoys being put down and sniffing flowers 😊 Thanks for your videos!!
Thankfully I'm quite familiar with my cat's behavior and it has saved both their lives at least once. I knew to immediately act when my cat suddenly wanted to only sit under the table not being his normal social self, stopped eating, everything. I gave him cat food gravy with a syringe and some water to make it through the night and rushed him to the vet in the morning where the doctor told me he would very likely be dead had I not acted as I did. He was in tremendous pain but got better quite fast. My other cat got diabetes and thankfully I knew the signs like drinking and peeing a lot and took him to the vet fast. He's also now okay and I'm so thankful for that. As these boys get older I've realized how fragile they can be and am on constant alert for any sign there might be something wrong. Thank you so much for sharing this information!
the month (or maybe last 2 weeks not sure) my 13 year old cat died it stayed on the counter all the time (even at night) he hardly ever used to be on there he was very weak and could barely move and kept insisting on jumping on there despite being hardly able to 😔at some point he all of a sudden couldnt breath anymore and it wasnt the most pleasant of goodbyes 😢
thank you for the lovely demonstration, Claudia is beautiful! I learned to tell when cats are in pain when their third eyelid wouldn't retract all the way, i've had a quiet cat who wouldnt make any indication that she was in pain, but noticing the third eyelid a few days in a row combined with a general lethargy allowed me to help her.
Yes, that can be a sign of pain or dehydration when combined with other abnormalities. Some cats do sleep with just their third eyelid out, eyes open more or less, an some will let it show when really relaxed (Clawdia half-closes her eyes that way when reeeeealy enjoying pats) so important not to over-interpret this. But if you've never seen your cat's third eyelid and suddenly you do AND she's acting weird then that is certainly a good trigger for a vet visit.
Thank you for sharing this video. I lost 2 of my cats, one in June 2018 (she's 16) and one in February 2019 (also 16 yo). They displayed some signs that were discussed in this video, and I how I wish I'd watched this clip earlier and render help in time. I miss my girls.
Thank you so much for this video! The part about vomiting is super informative, as that's really something that most cat owners take as "normal" for cats.
I love these videos, largely because of the cats. I like to learn, but I love to watch cats too. Clawdia is an adorable little lady :) You say cats never limp for attention. I read about someone who had a cat with a paw injury. Every time he saw it limping, he assumed it was in more pain than usual and gave it more treats. It was being treated, but took a while to heal. The vet said it should be all healed, but the cat still limped sometimes, indicating it was still hurting. The vet couldn't see any sign of problems though. One day though, it was limping with the wrong foot for a bit, that hadn't been injured, and the game was up. It was caught limping for tuna! A clever kitty, who probably deserves extra tuna for putting on a good show, but was cut off for a bit, and stopped limping.
Thank you for watching! I meant to release it tomorrow but screwed up the upload. So grateful that you guys are learning about feline welfare in the middle of the night :-)
What a great video! I never owned a cat, but co-lived with a few, and I just realized the signs I saw (but didn't decifer) when I sort of witnessed a cat from the neighborhood die slowly over a few days from liver problems...hiding, stopped eating, didn't want to be pet. She was taken to the vet but it was too late. This is great info, thank you!
Many thanks for this very useful video! I've been very blessed to have been able to adopt a rescue older female cat a week ago and I'm learning a lot about cats these days.......................it's fantastic!
I wish all vets were as caring as you. I had a cat who vomited daily and every vet I took him to just shrugged it off, acting like it wasn't a big deal. He died from intestinal cancer relatively young.
For most of her life my cat would have periods of running around, twitching, licking herself frantically, yowling and she was fairly aggressive to most physical attention. I had asked vets about this behaviour before, but none of them seemed very concerned about it, many said that calico cats just tend to be more unpredictable in their behaviours and sometimes that can mean more aggression. Last year after I moved I took her to my new vet, who pet my cat down her back ONE TIME and immediately noticed a problem - before I even mentioned this lifelong concern. She was diagnosed with Feline hyperesthesia syndrome and prescribed a calming medication and food. A year later and she is such a different cat, we never pet her down her back anymore now that we know it causes discomfort for her and the calming treatments have helped a lot. She was 10 when she was diagnosed with this problem and she had been doing this her whole life. I feel bad that it took so long for her to be diagnosed, but I'm glad that she lives more comfortably now.
Please give a video on cat arthritis. My cat is limping but the vet doesn't see her limping when we take her in for a check-up. What are some good meds for arthritis in cats?
Thank you for the suggestion, I will add it to my list. The tag line of feline veterinarians is “cats are masters of hiding disease” and your story is a perfect illustration of this! X-rays are invaluable for diagnosing these cryptic cases. As for appropriate meds, you had better talk to your family vet about that.
Find a new vet maybe.. If you're telling the vet "Hey my cat is limping" and his not doing anything.. that's kinda crappy.
Actually xrays are the gold standard for arthritis Dx in pets. They are cheaper and more vets know how to interpret them than know how to do ultrasound. Most of the time we diagnose OA based on history and physical exam alone, but we typically do xrays to rule out other bone and joint disorders in some cases.
Video is the answer! My cat was limping , made a video that I showed at the appointment so did not have to depend on cat performance. Less stress for my cat . X-ray showed fracture on elbow.
@@HelpfulVancouverVet we did get Xrays and our cat, Pretzel, does have arthritis in her elbows, legs, and back. We are giving her glucosamine every day in her soft food. Also we have a prescription of Tramadol (pill form) and Gabapenton (liquid form). She doesn't tolerate taking either of these very well. Very hard to administer. Any other suggestions?
"Independent little killing machines that choose to share their life with us."
I think that should be the official definition for cats.
Took the words right out of my mouth, that's one of my favorite things about cats, they're like Mini Ninjas. Our barn cats have decimated the rodent population on our acre property. They're just brutal little killers and I love them
Cute little predators. Preying on mainly small vermin
Love this so much.
I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking like that about sharing my life with cats. It's actually quite amazing to see how sociable these perfect predators are around humans who after all so far have been omnivorous. Unfortunately in various countries peopel tend to take such thining to extreme and do want to ban owning the domestic cat. I've heard New Zealand is about to head this direction and I hope vets and cat lovers can make this country and other countries aware that such intepretation has already failed in Australia and that we do need those "little killing machines" around us even though they yes, might hunt what we do not want them to hunt-like endengared small animals or birds but they also keep rats and other huntrs at bay for those, so let's do not try to eradicate them just because they are those "middle of the food chain" predators.
😂 Feel the same! I live in an apartment, but if any bugs sneak in next morning find it dead on it's back.😁❤🐱
Video summary:
- Inappropriate elimination. If your cat is using the bathroom outside of the litter box after they’ve been trained to. Take them to the vet.
- Hiding. Cats naturally try to hide from predators when sick.
- Increased aggression. Probably a sign of chronic pain.
- Anorexia. Cat will stop eating.
- Vomiting. Frequent vomiting: once a week or more is not normal and should be discussed with a vet.
- Yowling/howling. Sign of pain or behavioral issues. Sometimes it can also be in response to heat or other animals.
- Limping. Animals who limp should always be checked by a vet.
Amanda Baker thanks
Thank you!
Make sure their litter box is clean and emptied often. An often overlooked reason for eliminating outside the box.
Amanda Baker - on the litterbox issue. My cat is indoor/outdoor so she does her business in and outdoors.
Is that normal? I am 48 and resuced her 4 years ago. Never had a cat before.
@mark40511 maybe try interrupting her if you notice it? or maybe something *is* wrong
"Your cat's got the floofaloof, she needs three squishes after every nap and she'll be just fine"
'Dawww 😊 that's adorable
Squishy cat
“SQUISH THAT CAT”
Cats do try to help their owners, mine got me through diabetes while I was still learning; he could tell the difference between when I was just sleeping and when I had lost consciousness and he would keep at me until I got up and medicated. He's a nag for sure, but a lifesaver!
Amazing story! Thank you for sharing.
It's amazing how intuitive and sensitive they are. I've met several cats of friends before that knew just when I was struggling/in distress, and would seek me out to help me feel better. Cats are so good.
My cat can intuit when I should be sleeping and when I should be getting up and feeding him at 5AM.
I was just going to comment on that statement! I have epilepsy and my female cat lays on me after seizures and purrs. She's my little healer!
My cat is very attentive when I'm down with migraine. Stays next to me purring, and the purring really helps as a painkiller.
I feel very sad now, my cat died at home last Christmas aged 21, and hearing all of these signs I think she was really sick for much longer than we realised. I wish I had known this earlier so I could have had her treated and helped her.
Hey, thanks for sharing! 21 is a fantastic age for a cat! Good job :-). 21-22 is the oldest legitimate age I've ever head a cat get to so probably not much else you could have done.
I know how you feel I have the same regret with my cat that passed away from diabetes... She was eating more then suddenly eating losing Weight... We got her on insulin but the last year of her life was really bad.. We shouldve got her checked her out earlier... I wish I wouldve been more clued up😔
I was in a similar situation, but since I live with my parents and we're sometimes tight on money, I couldn't do anything. But my cat ended up being diagnosed with cancer and since she was already weak and 17 yrs old, we decided to say goodbye to her.
No worries. Your cat lived a long life.
18 year life span is common for indoor cats.
This is the most helpful pet channel ever!
valnsky totally! I love it!
I see that Claudia has a serious case of "elevator butt." Seriously though, thank you for your channel and this video. 😉
Tessa Ko Clawdia*
Our TommyJack does the same thing, dude loves his butt rubbin's.
I would LOVE to hear Dr. Uri's take on elevator butt :)
Well, obvious sign of affection and trust in my view. One of my cats does it and only in my presence. I've once heard someone describe it as a friendly "how you're doing" in cat's body language and I think it's the best depiction of what it really is.
My take on elevator butt is it is 90% adorable, 10% annoying. The 10% is when you are lying down and the cat jumps on your chest and faces your feet.
My cat is over 16 and her little light is waning. She has heart problems, is in the beginning stages of kidney disease, she needs her teeth pulled due to dental disease, but cannot go through the procedure because of her heart. She's too thin. My sweet girl is just old. Her latest vet visit was last week. She has appetite stimulants, anti-nausea, and pain medication to use as needed. The appetite stimulant is given every few days, the other 2 medications are only there in case she were to have a really bad day, and sometimes she does have those days that she just doesn't feel well. I suspect her teeth are the biggest culprits of discomfort. I guess she's an odd kitty because she usually let's me know.
I know we dont have much time left together, so I'm trying to make her life as comfortable as possible before I can no longer justify not helping her peacefully pass. I had that big discussion with my veterinarian recently.
In the meantime, she still snuggles and is affectionate, I catch her playing with her toys, she scratches, lounges, and pounce-slides on her scratch pads. She's still my little buddy, my familair. We've had a good run, her and I, and I am thankful to have had her in my life for so long.
I dont even know why I'm writing this. I dont expect anyone to read this. Perhaps I'm just trying to come to terms with the inevitable.
It happened to me too. I loved your comment.
I hope that you are still enjoying time with your dear kitty!
Rest assured that all caring pet owners go through what you are going through now. You are not alone with your experience by a long shot. My new girlfriend made me a lot more aware of my cat's finite lifespan and that she might die sooner than I'd like, so I'm trying to be positive about it as long as she is still fine and healthy. Cherish the good moments more, as it were. I hope that will help me face the day when she dies with more understanding and prepared-ness (is that a word?).
ENJOY every single second with your fur baby. You will KNOW when to make THAT decision.
I think more people will understand than you realise. I lost my little dog of nearly 18 years in October '17. I still miss him every day & I think I always will. Hugs to you.
My cats a weirdo. He complains at me when he’s not well and tries to get me to fix it. Only cat I’ve had that actively seeks me out for comfort. Even the vet was surprised that he was cuddled up to me so much during his uti.
Best cat.
You should let your cat have lots of babies so that the future cat race can evolve like him lol
Yeah, my cat really treats me and my parents as his family. So my mom is also his mom and when he's not feeling well (mostly when his stomach hurts due to fur buildup) he comes to her for comfort and will sit on her and cuddle, so we know the vomit is coming. 😂 But all in all he really knows how to show us that something is wrong with him. He will either come to my mom and be like "please cuddle me" (which he doesn't normally do), go pee in some container or on my parents bed in front of my mom or he will sit almost rolled into a ball in the corner and not respond to us calling him or bringing his favorite treats.
@ Princeducielruka: Must have been a dog in previous life.
Prince Du Ciel my peaches was the same way. she got very sick in the end and had to be put to sleep. she was the best cat I ever had. i miss her so much
WHY is Clawdia so darn cute? I'm dying at those close-ups!
It’s 2:00 AM and I don’t even have a cat but these videos are adorable. “Independent little killing machines”.
I know right! hehe, and thats why I like cats best too, they are independent little killing machines :D
He’s like the Hugh Grant of veterinarians
that CHOOSE to share their lives with us. we're blessed.
My kitty stopped eating when she was 12 and was starting to develop heart disease. She wasn't diagnosed when she first stopped eating, our vet couldn't find why she stopped eating. We went completely crazy worried and made her fresh chicken everyday and she started eating again. A year later the heart disease was so bad she needed to be put to sleep. We think she knew she wasn't well when she first stopped eating and only stuck around for another year because she saw how panicked and worried we were. It sounds crazy but I wouldn't have been able to put her to sleep if she didn't tell me she was ready to go. After the vet told me there were no options for her I just pet her and she suddenly stopped purring and looked at me. Without that look I couldn't do it.
That's so sad.
I teared up. Pets are just the best things in our lives. Glad you had that angel in your life
it’s sad but sweet... maybe she stuck around for the chicken! Our old cat had kidney problems and lost her appetite for cat food but still liked cooked chicken!
i cried reading this...😿
I know exactly what you’re talking about, Missy! I just lost my 18 yo cat last July. She gave me that same look and I knew she couldn’t bear anymore. I knew then she was asking me for help... That was the hardest choice I’ve ever made, but I know it was the right one.
Here's another subtle sign: you notice your cat has been sitting in one spot for an unusual amount of time. When I was younger, I had a big black tomcat who one day sat in the corner of a room for a while. At first, we thought, "no big deal." He sat in the same spot for over a day, and then my mother got worried. Turns out, he had a stone that was blocking his urethra (more common in male cats FYI). The vets put him under to remove it, but his electrolytes were too imbalanced, and he had a heart attack on the table.
If you notice your cat sitting in one spot for more than a day, check on them. Notice how they are sitting. If they are comfortable, they should lay on their side or at least change positions throughout the day. Staying in one position is a big indicator that they are in pain.
As I'm fairly new to caring for a cat, this video was very helpful and appreciated! Thank you so much! Also, Claudia is such a beatiful little lady :)
She sure is! I'll tell her. She's sitting next to my keyboard, elegantly licking her paw.
As a new cat parent/owner, I have a lot of anxiety about whether I'm providing for my cat in the best way, and worry about his wellbeing. This video series has done a lot to help put my irrational fears to rest, and the practical knowledge is invaluable. Thank you!
I feel guilty for not recognizing and for not being able to afford health care. Jake was my best friend and my baby. He was only 11. It's been two years. I often blame myself. I'm in therapy. I miss him often. I hate not having him here, healthy, with me. He deserved better. I gave him all my love and he his.
My cat limped one day. The next day he seemed just fine again. Wasn't limping. A week later, we took him to the vet for castration. They found he had an infection on his back foot. And he needed his teeth cleaned I think, so got antibiotics and another appointment a week or so later for the teeth and checking up on the foot. A week later, he's in for his appointment, and when I get back down, they show me an x-ray of his foot. One of his toes was severed completely at the joint (but still attached with skin, so didn't see it on the outside).
He seemed fine! Cats are crazy. He got his toe amputated.
Lately he's had teeth problems and have had them all pulled after he got really skinny when I was away for a few months. (It's my family's cat.) Now he won't leave me alone ever, in hopes of getting more food. Sigh. I wanted a lap cat, but... go out , see some things, do something else!
Thank you for sharing. This is exactly the message I am trying to get across in the video: cats do not show pain even when they are really suffering so being a proactive hooman is being a good hooman.
mirawenya that’s why I keep my cats indoors only! Safer and heather
He was already an outdoor cat by the time we took him in. And even though he's had 10 day indoor due to antibiotics 5-6 times last few years, he still is happiest if he gets to go out. Our area is pretty safe, we don't have much predators, if any. Perhaps the odd eagle, but I've never seen one.
The times we've kept him indoor, he has been frantic first few days before he settles in. But he was always real happy when he got to go out. He even wants out when it pours down outside. He's nuts.
For animals that hide their illness and expect no help, they are very good at seeing (or smelling I suspect) when we aren't 100%, whether it is illness or mood. They make such good furry little nurses and are so often so loving when something is wrong. The least we can do is keep a close eye on their health and be there when they need us too!
I wish I had known more of this sooner. My little buddy was in much rougher shape than I realized until he gave me a concrete sign (bloody diarrhea on the floor). Two days and $2000 worth of testing to rule out any other possible option, we had to agree with the vet that it was his time to go at 16 and a half years. That was just a few weeks ago and he'd been my best friend since he was a kitten and I was a 13 year old kid, so it's still more than a little raw.
Clawdia is absolutely darling!!! She has the cutest little kittenish face
I love how claudia wasn't used for any demonstration or example or anything she's just there because of course! you always need a cat in every video! bless this channel and all the videos on it
I adore how careful and tender he is with this cat. The cat is adorable and so is the man.
My cat had a routine dental cleaning after a clear lab report, and he didn’t react well to the procedure. He started peeing a lot and drinking a lot of water that evening, so I took him back to the vet in the morning. It turns out he was going through acute kidney failure, and if I had assumed his (expected) lethargy and increased drinking were normal, he would have died. His symptoms were pretty subtle, but they taught me to pay very close attention!
After over 24h of IV fluids and supervision he came out of it, but he was wobbly for weeks. He’s since been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (renal failure), so he’s on semintra and fluids at home.
Please make sure you watch carefully for extra thirst, and for dehydration - sunken eyes, loss of skin elasticity, constipation, bigger or smaller pees than usual, and bad breath. It’s important!
4mpersand Thank you for the information. My cat has beginning of kidney disease. She comes and lays by me more. She will have a tear in her eye. Her fur separates when she really doesn’t feel good! I feel sad she is going through this!
@@lindapearson3411As sad as it may be for you, you should consider how long you want your cat to go through this sickness. It's terminal and like any terminal illness, it can be a slow and painful way to die. Humans can't (yet) legally ask for help with euthanasia but your cat can't either... you have to decide when your cat's suffering may be too great to keep on living in misery. At that point, do your cat a favour and let her be put to sleep by a vet, ideally in the comfort of your home. A lot of pet owners refuse to let their pet die but a terminal illness can be such a burden to bear for the pet that euthanasia is a far better option.
All of a sudden my cat started hiding under my bed which was weird so I took him to the vet and it turned out he had an infection - I got some medicine and he got better! My friends thought I was silly to take him to the vet for that reason, good to know my instinct was right :)
Another subtle change is increased thirst and water intake- which can be a sign of diabetes. I've had 3 kitties with diabetes. I've adopted many kitties in my 54 years. 😊
Cats are very aware of themselves, and seem to know when they are going to die. Some years ago, I had a cat who wasn't much for "cuddling" or even sitting on my lap. I had this cat for many years, and I knew he didn't have long to live. One evening, I was sitting in my easy chair, and he climbed up into my lap. He curled up, put his head down, and was still. I assumed he had gone to sleep, but a few minutes later, I realized that he had died. It was kind of sad but sweet too, because it occurred to me that he had wanted to be near me for his last few moments of life.
independent little killing machine, quote of the day
Yeah! And good quote for new marchandise. Text for the T-shirt maybe?
Thanks for the last tip on bringing older cats in twice a year. We were told once a year but I think I feel better 2x now that our little guy Peppy is 13 and has developed very early kidney disease (we noticed him getting a little thin, we only need to switch him over to kidney food though, no meds)
A note on cats and hiding pain/not getting help from other cats. Years ago we moved in with my family and their two other cats (I consider all the cats our cats really) and brought our kitty with us. One morning we couldn't find any of the cats and when we did they were all huddled around Peppy. Turns out Peppy was really sick, not responding all that much. We immediately took him to the vet and the vet said he was very sick. He stayed over night and got better but if it wasn't for our other cats huddled around him it might have taken longer to find him. Our old cat, Mittens, was very very smart and I wouldn't be surprised if he did this to get our attention but I'm wondering if this is something you've ever heard of cats doing and why they might have done it?
Mittens was always very protective of everyone in the family.
My kitty didn't want to eat or drink anything, and whenever I tried to pick it up it was "crying" so to say. Took it to the vet and a couple of days later it was getting better. I took it home and pampered it like a baby. Good food, nice fluffy carpet to lie on, scratching it on the head etc. After a week or so it had fully recovered and was back to it's old self. Color me very happy :)
My cat takes care of me . I’m diabetic. When my blood glucose goes high or low she jump on me and pets my face. And I take very good care of her
Add the obvious such as sniffling/sneezing/wheezing; eyes that seem "off" in the irises that look like crackled marbles; pale or white gums; extreme drinking of water...
Thanks for another thoughtful video! Backstory: I have a chronic pain condition and several mental illnesses that can lay me out for days at a time. And my cat, Callisto, always seems to come around and keep vigil when I'm in one of those spinouts. But if, say, she gets stung by a wasp, she just runs off and poofs out her tail if you try to get close to her. So I've reached a point where if she starts fluffing, I need to see what's up with her.
This is similar to me. I have depression and colitis, and my sweet dear cat Orangy, who passed suddenly earlier this year, would be my furrynurse. She would know exactly when I needed help, would cuddle with me in bed for hours, lay on my sore tummy and purr and just love me love me love me all the time. She's greatly missed, but I never would have been able to handle the early stages of my illness without her.
My eldest cat Lucy has taken to laying on my leg, almost like she's protecting it, ever since I shattered my kneecap a couple years ago. Even when I had a huge leg brace, she would curl up on my leg & snuggle for hours on the couch with me. People always talk about dogs being loyal, but cats can be just as caring & loyal.
My parents never took our cats to the vet except to get spayed, or when they seemed really sick. "You just let them be until they die" my mom said. We never took them to the vet in their old age except when they died. One of them showed many of these signs and it breaks my heart to think of how much pain she was in for so long. I loved her so much.
Another sign is when you carress them you feel a difference in the fur, and sometimes you even can see it.
I know what you mean... my boy stops grooming when he gets ill, he's long-haired so he very quickly looks bedraggled and sorry for himself. But you can also feel dehydration when their skin doesn't move properly as you're petting them.
Yes, we have a fourteen-year-old Siamese and last winter her fur was patchy and coarse. She also lost a lot of weight. The vet diagnosed her with kidney failure and we switched to a special diet and medication (it wasn't easy). She had another blood test in June and her results were perfect! Her fur is also shiny and full again.
Nadine Ducca I’ve never heard of a cat with kidney failure get better. Wow!
when your cat stops licking/cleaning itself or the fur doesnt feel soft anymore it can also be a sign of illness, right?
You are correct!
Rae Owlsworth One of my cats died of cancer this year. One of the first signs besides the weight loss was that his fur became dull and lost its soft/fluffiness
You're such a cool doc. I wish I would live in Canada just to have you to look after my pack.
Omg yes! We're in Los Angeles and I wish he was here!
Also doing a sweet kick flip or wearing ray bans is another sign your cat is sick af.
I appreciate your videos they’re very informative and you seem to have a lovely sense of humor. Thank you for helping us and our furry kiddos. 💖
I have just lost a couple friends.
They won't feed their cats meat.
They are 'against' meat.
I am seeing muscle wasting in one of the cats.
They said the cats eat mice and birds but I know better...when I take them canned food they love all over me, they really appreciate it.
One of their cats moved across the street where it is warm and there is canned food.
I try to take canned food and leave it for them, but the woman told me not to come on her place.
I have 4 cats of my own I cannot afford to feed 5 more.
I tried to explain 'obligate carnivore', most of their moisture and all of their nutrients from meat.
Oh no! Cats are obligate carnivores, they will 100% die if not fed meat. Please talk to your friends about this. Cats can not live without meat.
I would contact whatever agency that see to animal protection in your area. This is a failure to provide basic survival necessity...
Time to contact animal protection and maybe “adopt” those cats (i.e. liberate)
That's something that makes me so so mad. I'm a vegetarian, mostly vegan myself but I would never deprive my cat of meat. There is no excuse for that
yeah, while kittehs can get by on dollar store cat food that isn't 100% meat (not ideal but I'm on a fixed income), they cannot be genuine vegans or vegetarians. your friends are not doing right by their kittehs, and that muscle wasting is showing it.
Lol at me rushing to watch this video to learn how to detect whether or not my cat is sick when I do not now nor have I ever owned a cat. Can’t be too careful I suppose. 🧡
SQUISH THAT CAT!
I died
squish that cat!
Why doesn't someone SQUISH YOU??😎
Squish it NOW!
What on earth does that mean??
Clawdia is such a beautiful kitty. I hope she never gets critically ill.
One thing I'd like to mention is that cats do sometime help out each other. Feral cat colonies will often have members which hunt more food than they need. This food often goes to those who are sick or otherwise unable to hunt. We can see this behaviour in our own pet cats when they bring us "gifts". They see us as members of the group who may no be the best at securing our own food so they step up to the plate to provide for us.
I feel this is super interesting since cat colonies aren't really seen with domestic cat's closest wild relative so it's likely a product of domestication and also maybe linked to the increased availability of food sources near human settlements (leading to needing smaller territories and less hostile interactons due to competition).
i saw a documentary about a cat colony long ago. it was fascinating. there were over 20 cats
and they all looked healthy. they lived on a farm, so probably got fed. there seemed to be one
cat who sort of lead the rest. but they stayed together, groomed each other, slept together.
i'd like to see more about this pack behavior. glad someone else has noticed this.
oh, also, if they're so independent (which is not true for my cats), why do they play and sleep
with each other? i've seen videos of interspecies friends, also - even an owl. one thing though,
cats are a bit of a mystery :}
p.s. - i love your name, which i just noticed - how did you decide on it? mine is feralblue.
wild et al. and blue. :}
I would love to do a whole series on cat colonies! Cats are individual hunters but live in colonies. Pretty rare social behavior in the animal world! So they are independent, and some cats will switch colonies regularly or wander between them, but they still enjoy many social behaviors.
I like this Vet...he is generously willing to share his expertise and wisdom....this is a great way to learn about kitties....
I just love your videos, they're just so sweet! Cats don't do much when you noticiably need help, but they know when you're feeling down or you're sick and offer what they can give, their companionship. When I get in my depressive episodes or I'm feeling under the weather my two kitties are always around to lay down with me and take a nap or ask for cuddles. It might not be the most useful thing, but it's the best they can do, and it's super great to feel loved in that way.
i don't have a cat but i can't stop watching all your videos. You seem very reliable and kind
All great advice, Dr. Burstyn. If you'll indulge a (lengthy) addendum from a non-professional, I'd like to add two signs that my cat exhibited that were quite serious, both of which occurred much later in his lifetime.
If you've had your cat for a while, you probably know his/her personality pretty well. So look for both radical and subtle changes in that personality.
In my case, it was easy to get my cat's attention: most noises would garner his interest (particularly his food bowl clinking). Suddenly, he just stopped being attentive.
Calling his name, trying to play, clinking his food bowl... he'd just lay there like he was too sleepy or tired to be bothered. Turns out, he was diabetic and his blood sugar was dangerously low. He ended up needing regular insulin shots, and I learned eventually to rub maple syrup on his gums to stave off diabetic episodes long enough to get him to the vet if he ever started exhibiting serious lethargy (these were very rare occasions). Apparently the sugar in the syrup absorbs very rapidly through the gums (he'd almost instantly perk up).
Another thing that happened was that he randomly started spinning in circles to his left (just kept walking in a counter-clockwise direction). He'd do this maybe once or twice a month. We had no idea what it was and how to stop it... we just had to wait it out which could have been anywhere from 30 mins to 2 hours. The vet couldn't diagnose it either.
In 2015 he had a lethargic episode one last time. The vet couldn't bring him back to his normal levels. Even with an IV and an overnight stay, his blood glucose was unstable and his body temperature just stopped regulating itself. We eventually made the decision to put him down, a decision which still haunts me to this day and it's the reason I don't have a pet anymore. I'm so afraid of experiencing that kind of loss again. It affected me more than I thought it would or could.
We never found out what was going on with him but if I had to guess, I think there was some neurological component to his spinning-ailment. Some kind of brain lesion or a tumor somewhere that affected his motor skills and/or body temp. Again, both the lethargy (diabetes) and the spinning began happening after he was about 8-9 years old.
He lived to be 15 and was loved every single moment. I don't regret a second of it... but oh do I miss it with all my heart.
Thank you for the videos you do, Dr. Burstyn, and for being a genuinely caring vet. You're the best.
You are right- sudden changes in behaviour are a warning sign. I have two types-introvertic and extravertic cat and both show significant changes in behaviour when they do not feel well. Intorvertic is hiding or following me everywhere- sitting where I work, occypying my seat, just waiting for me wherever I go in silence and looking at me as f she was expecting something from me. Extravertic loses interest in hunting, doesn't want to play, only wants to sleep, doesn't make her usual noise, doesn't play with her sister. She is just abnormaly quiet, calm and sleepy and this is how I knw right away- we need to visit a vet. Calmer, introvertic one is more tricky, so all owners of calm cats should observe them well. Watch out for excessive hiding or following you everywhere.
I'm a medical student, in humans diabetes destroys nerves, and causing various problems with the function of the nerve. Just a guess, your cat may have had some problems with the vestibular systems in his ears, which was controlling his balance? Anyway, I'm sorry to hear how sad you feel about it, and hope you'll one day be able to open your life to another cat :)
@@TheVietnameseCatGoblin Thank you for the kind words! Your hypothesis is definitely possible, his spinning came some time after we diagnosed his diabetes so it could very well have been a result of it.
Maybe someday I'll have another cat, but for now, my brother and sister both have their own cats that I play with whenever I visit them :)
If you are feeling bad about putting your cat down, please let me say as a person who also lost a cat that I think you did the right thing and that I wish I had the strength when my cat was sick to do what was right for her and let her go peacefully and unafraid.
My cat had gotten very very sicky. Kidney failure.
I was given the option to try to treat her, which should it have worked, would have extended her life, or to put her down. I chose to do the treatment instead because I feared the thought of putting her down. I wanted to cling on to hope that she could get better.
I wouldn't be writing this if she did, ovbiously. Instead, she went through several days of treatment where she stayed at the vet overnight. Where she was in a strange place with strange people and I wasn't there with her, even if I visited each day.
I remember one day she was in the kennel, all hooked up to ivs, and when she saw me, she STILL forced herself to stand up and walk over to me despite how incredibly frail and weak she was. She missed me. She loved me.
That was the last time I saw her. She ended up passing away that night. My baby died by herself in a cage without any comfort around her in the middle of the night in a strange place, probably frightened and wondering where I was.
I put her through thhese things because I didn't have the courage to do what needed to be done and instead, let her go in peace.
If I could redo that time, I would do what you did. I would have put her down. She would have instead died with me by her side, holding her paw.
Trust me when I say that you did the right thing.
@@HauntedSidhe Wow, thank you for sharing this... it's such a painful thing to do everything you can to help your cat, and yet it all fails. It's such a helpless feeling.
Either route is extremely difficult, surely. In retrospect I think I made the right choice as well, but even though I was with him, I'll never forget how low I felt when he was euthanized. I held him while the vet administered the solution intravenously. As soon as she pressed on the plunger, his left paw twitched and the finality of my decision suddenly hit me. There was no undoing things. I felt like the biggest cop-out... like I had betrayed this animal that had done nothing but love me without condition. As he started to fade I just cradled him and kept saying, "I'm sorry," over and over again until he finally went limp.
I think you do have a lot of strength because you didn't give up on your cat. Sure, the circumstances sucked because you couldn't be with her 24/7, but you tried and you hoped beyond hope. I feel like I gave up on my cat-you fought to the end, bitter as it may have been, and that takes some real strength.
The poet Wallace Stevens wrote, "Death is the mother of all beauty." Because things die-because life is finite-it is beautiful. We understand it's value because we know it won't last forever. So we love. We love ourselves, our family, our friends, our pets.
But the more we love, the more it hurts. And that's something that you, me, and every other human being who's lost something dear to us have found out the hard way.
But I don't think any of us would trade a second of those experiences or those memories for anything in the universe.
I’m a new sub, I have a shelter cat who was abused very badly in her previous home prior to being taken to she shelter. She has been with me almost 3 years now and has gained weight which is wonderful, and has really found her feet (or paws) in settling in and knowing this is her home. Seeing her come out of her shell, become less afraid and these days quite vocal about her requirements, is lovely. The thin scared and matted cat we first brought home is a far cry from this healthy, happy, longhaired shiny coat cat who loves to be the centre of attention and roll over for belly rubs .. I’ve owned cats all my life and never known a cat to love and demand belly rubs, like proper grab a handful of belly and cuddle and stroke. My strange little girl! I’ve not subbed to a vet channel before but this came up in my recommended lists and I love the way you make things easy to understand for the average pet owner like myself, and I see your heart lies within care for all animals, not just trying to make money for your own business. So, although at the end of the video you thanked us for watching, I wish to thank YOU for putting this information out there, for free, for people to access at any time they wish.
My cat is practically my wife.
She's a total lush.
She's got a serious case of elevator booty...
Pete Strebendt hahahah you made me laugh with your comment 😸
Pete Strebendt
My boy does too
uhhhh hold up
I brought my cat to the vet for this or that, and always got shrugged off; told it was nothing to worry about. By the time they figured out he had kidney disease, things went downhill fast. Now I take my new cat to a different vet.
Watching this video really opened my eyes. I lost my baby a couple of months ago and I blame myself every day because of it; yes, I know he wasn’t a real baby - being but just a cat - but he was still my child (in my mind at least). He was a beautiful Chausie with the name of Solo (Han Solo, to be exact), and I’ve been broken since his passing. He got both diabetes and cancer in the end, and I absolutely hate how his quality of life plummeted incredibly during my care toward the end of his life. He had all the signs described in this video and I can’t believe I just assumed these were all just normal behavior for a cat, and for him; I’ve never had any lessons or previous encounters over taking care of any breed of cat (since I got him from my mother without any knowledge of cat-care), but I assumed that I would know if something was truly wrong if he was not, indeed, “okay”... I was clearly wrong.
His health deteriorated quickly due to my lack of knowledge, and I hate myself for it. I knew he had a bit of an attitude, but I should have known some of his behavior was not normal. He was my emotional support animal, and I miss him dearly not only for the life that was lost but also because of how much I depended on him, as well as how much I loved him. He truly deserved better. He was such a sweet and caring animal, and I appreciate every second I had with him, who I considered my precious sweetheart.
I appreciate the educational material of this video and hope to pass on the information to others, and maybe if I am blessed enough to try and care for another cat I will know this for the future and hope to provide better care than that of which I have provided in the past.
Also, thank you to whoever ended up reading through this mess of a comment. I hope you and whatever animal you may have under your care has a plentiful life. I hope your life is full of wonder and happiness, especially if it is accompanied by any pet or friend of even family member, regardless of size or stature.
I truly need to hug your cat. She's so loving, patient and calm. I LOVE HERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Claudia is *such* a classic Tuxie! "Pet me here... skritch me there... Hey! I'm not done yet!" :-)
Nicely done video! I have a bit of an advantage over some owners, as I work from home and am with our cats all day, so I'm very familiar with their patterns and habits. When my Tuxie - who is definitely "daddy's little boy", compared to the other two - didn't do his usual migration from morning nap location #1 to morning nap location #2 at the normal time, I noticed it right away. Which keyed me in to notice his next diversion from habit; when he did get up finally it was only to come over and lay down beside me on the couch and go back to sleep, rather than spend an hour or so playing and getting into trouble. I thought, "OK - vet time.", and I made an appointment for that afternoon.
An hour or so later he started having "bubbly" sounding exhalations and before we set out he started sneezing excessively in "fits" or strings of several sneezes in a row. As it turned out, the vet said there was a viral "kitty cold" going around and seemed to be airborne, so no contact was needed to get infected (our cats are all indoor only). Fortunately it was a minor upper respiratory infection that cleared up in about 48 hours on it's own. Of course, not before the other two getting it as well so for a day or so we had THREE sick kitties to deal with.
Just as you noted - pay attention to a cat's habits - that's often a first sign they are sick. Not noticing the little things before they become big things can make a small problem much, much worse.
time ago my son had a rough year and was moving his cat around with him.... one day i said enough..i took her to live with me and the 2 cats that i have...she was kind of traumatize i think...it took me more than 1 year....to make her comfortable around us...she was always hiding in dark spaces...and every night...i pull her out of that dark place...not to hold her much...she hates it!...but to show her that she can be with us...in the light room!....after 2 1/2 years...she follws me everywhere...in my appartment...my 2 girls didnt like each other much...and the big old budy...didnt care at all!...so i am very proud that i choose to take her with us...and keep loving her and care for her..she is no longer hiding in dark corners..i love my babies..!
My boy is on my lap as I watch this 😸 he just turned 10 last month!! I love him his name is Mouse he's in my picture!! Thanks for the tips Dr! Hi Claudia!!
Thank you very much for taking the time to make this videos. As a cat owner I worry sick about my kitty and I’m always trying to get informed to provide better and safer living conditions for him; thank you for making that possible.
Yes, Clawdia! What a good kitty!
I love this! My elderly Siamese has a throat cancer. At 16 he isn’t a candidate for a surgery that has a small chance of success so my Vet and I are monitoring him carefully and trying to make him comfortable until it is beyond us. Then it will be time to say goodbye. In the meantime it is important to medicate and help him.
Awwww. I love that you love your cat.
That is a Beautiful animal. And she seems to have her pet human well trained to never stop petting her.
Thanks for posting this. I didn't realise that cats over 10 needed an extra check-up a year.
I have a cat who has been going to the bathroom outside the litter box and hiding because another of my cats has become aggressive towards her. She recently has a full check up and treatment for and infected bite wound from my other cat. I never considered the aggressive cat may not be feeling well. This is a very informative video! Thank you! Aggressive cat will be seeing the vet in the next couple days.
my then 8 y/o cat stopped eating for a couple days and we found out she had an uterus tumor. then she had surgery and shes 10 y/o, healthy and alive today❤
I am a dog person who adopted a 12 yr old cat 6 mos ago after I met her on Memorial Day. I appreciated your video, I have so much to learn about cats!
I was shocked to learn her previous owner never took her to the vet or had her groomed. This has changed w me being her guardian. I am very much into health prevention, but I need to learn to recognize when my cat may not be feeling well. Thank you!
Cats aren't stupid. One of mine kept getting of the way of a window I was starting to replace, when the window crashed down and dislocated his jaw. He howled and howled and couldn't close his mouth. He'd been to he vet a couple times before, so when I brought out the cat carrier box, he rushed right in, knowing (I presume) he was going to the doctor. He did, and they snapped his jaw back into place and all the way home he talked to me.
I love the vet making the comment about dogs or cats don't limp for no reason there has to be something wrong with them. I have a mastiff and I had a little Silky Terrier, the Silky Terrier was 22 years old when she passed away, that's human years. My Silky Terrier started getting arthritis at about 18 in her back legs . I also have a bad hip and I limp sometimes, so the mastiff used to see me and the terrier limping around, one morning I was limping the terrier was limping and I looked over at the mastiff and she was limping, I really thought there was something wrong with her but the bugger was just limping out of Sympathy for me and the terrier so they do limp sometimes for no reason. I love my dog's . Have a lovely day everyone look after your fur babies and this channel is very informative I got a lot of good tips about the cherry eye. I had to get the mastiffs eye operated on and now her other eye is doing the Cherry eye thing and it costs a lot to get operated on but I will pay. thank you very much.✌🦅
She's adorable
Two years ago I took in a rescue whose owner died of cancer. He was pretty old and had deep trust issues. I was the only one who could actually approach him. He ate A LOT like seriously a lot. We tried putting him on a diet but he just stole the other cats food🤦🏻♀️ then all of a sudden he stopped eating and stopped giving me affection he also came home less often. It broke my heart so I encouraged my parents to schedule a vet appointment. They didn’t. He went missing two days later. I saw all the signs but I didn’t act. Now I miss him incredibly. We never found him. I looked everyday and every night all over the neighbourhood. But two years later no remains were found. He was my favorite cat. I’ll never forget his cute little paw and even when he threw up on my pillow. Rip sin
Good advice, thank you Dr. Burstyn. We had been feeding a feral cat outside our home for a couple of years. Recently we noticed that her fur was getting matted and she was eating less and less. Just a couple of weeks later she just disappeared and presumably died :( She was truly feral so there was not much we could do for her unfortunately.
THANK YOU !! I found this to be TRUE . I argue with my dad.. his cat is in severe pain.. but he will not believe it because he is still eating. I will sneak him to the vet.
My parents have a big snuggley Tom cat (Jean-Claude, no pun intended). One night when family was over and my mom couldn't sleep with the door cracked Jean-Claude meowed freaking loudly. Howling loud. I woke up, checked his food, water and emptied his litter and he would still cried. What did he need? Snuggles. My niece was soaking up all the attention so this big'ol cry baby wasn't getting any. I just sat with him for 20 minutes or so at 2AM and he was fine.
As an owner of 3 very loved cats, I really appreciate your sound cat advice videos.
My Matilda who is 12, recently demonstrated several of these signs and was fortunate enough to get a rapid diagnosis, once I took her however!
She began by going off her food, very abnormal for her. Initially though, I thought it might be due to the hot weather or a stomach upset. Within just a few days, she started to vomit a lot so I booked her in to be seen the very next day. By the time the next day came around, she was hiding under the spare bed and ignoring my calls and any food or treats. The vet suspected pancreatitis and was right. Her liver was also affected with an ALT of 2300! Thankfully after a stay in the veterinary hospital, and a few weeks of liver meds , pain killers and antibiotics, she’s home with me and her liver function is now normal. She has had a recent likely relapse with similar vomiting and pain but her bloods were ok, She had the same treatment whilst in but just needed buprenorphine to come home with. I’m really conscious she is at risk of further episodes and want to keep her as well as possible. I’m keeping a very close eye on her now. Any dietary advice? Much appreciated.
Cats are independent killing machines!! 😂😂
I have to say I'm always happy to see you because you know about creatures, give good advice and are ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE.
Halfway through the video i realized i hadn't been paying attention at all, i was just watching Clawdia because she is *such* a pretty kitty!
Claudia seems super cool and looks super sweet!
Oh no! We find multiple cat vomits around the house every now and then. I'm not sure which of our three cats is the culprit though. 😱
Yeah, it can be tough in a multi-cat household to identify the culprit(s). Best of luck!
man I love this guy, so friendly and also replies to comments and all of that, keep it up!
How does one distinguish between vomiting from sickness and vomiting from hairballs? Because in both cases food will be regurgitated. Also you'll see cats eat plants/grass to help with vomiting.
Good video. I like how matter-of-fact you are, no b.s., no ultra-loud music to annoy us. That's a cute little cat in the video, too.
Hi Dr. Uri! Thanks for another cat tip video! Do you think you can do one on walking cats on a leash?
I actually recorded a video on this topic and am just editing it at the moment.
Please, akanichiu, don't do that! Leash and cat belong to completely different worlds
Why do you say that Adriana? I love cat walks, have been taking Mr. Pirate out for cat walks for his entire life, and love seeing people with their cat or their bunny on a leash enjoying the outdoors while their pet sniffs or eats some grass. Happy memories :-).
Helpful Vancouver Vet Once upon a time I thought friends who walked their cats were silly. Then, I adopted my cat Socrates who was abused and locked in a shed, so at 1 1/2 years he is having the kittenhood he should have had. I got him a harness, he will not “walk” but he enjoys being put down and sniffing flowers 😊
Thanks for your videos!!
Cats sniffing flowers has got to be one of the best things in life.
Thankfully I'm quite familiar with my cat's behavior and it has saved both their lives at least once. I knew to immediately act when my cat suddenly wanted to only sit under the table not being his normal social self, stopped eating, everything. I gave him cat food gravy with a syringe and some water to make it through the night and rushed him to the vet in the morning where the doctor told me he would very likely be dead had I not acted as I did. He was in tremendous pain but got better quite fast. My other cat got diabetes and thankfully I knew the signs like drinking and peeing a lot and took him to the vet fast. He's also now okay and I'm so thankful for that. As these boys get older I've realized how fragile they can be and am on constant alert for any sign there might be something wrong.
Thank you so much for sharing this information!
the month (or maybe last 2 weeks not sure) my 13 year old cat died it stayed on the counter all the time (even at night)
he hardly ever used to be on there
he was very weak and could barely move and kept insisting on jumping on there despite being hardly able to
😔at some point he all of a sudden couldnt breath anymore and it wasnt the most pleasant of goodbyes 😢
You cat is so cute my heart melted
thank you for the lovely demonstration, Claudia is beautiful!
I learned to tell when cats are in pain when their third eyelid wouldn't retract all the way, i've had a quiet cat who wouldnt make any indication that she was in pain, but noticing the third eyelid a few days in a row combined with a general lethargy allowed me to help her.
Yes, that can be a sign of pain or dehydration when combined with other abnormalities. Some cats do sleep with just their third eyelid out, eyes open more or less, an some will let it show when really relaxed (Clawdia half-closes her eyes that way when reeeeealy enjoying pats) so important not to over-interpret this. But if you've never seen your cat's third eyelid and suddenly you do AND she's acting weird then that is certainly a good trigger for a vet visit.
thank you for the clarification! also my day is made knowing her name is spelled CLAWdia 😂
I think I have a bit of a crush on this vet! He seems really kind and loves cats.
Thank you for sharing this video. I lost 2 of my cats, one in June 2018 (she's 16) and one in February 2019 (also 16 yo). They displayed some signs that were discussed in this video, and I how I wish I'd watched this clip earlier and render help in time. I miss my girls.
At 7:34 Claudia is just looking at the camera thinking "Yes he's right you know" and I need this cat in my life.
Thank you so much for this video! The part about vomiting is super informative, as that's really something that most cat owners take as "normal" for cats.
I love these videos, largely because of the cats. I like to learn, but I love to watch cats too. Clawdia is an adorable little lady :)
You say cats never limp for attention. I read about someone who had a cat with a paw injury. Every time he saw it limping, he assumed it was in more pain than usual and gave it more treats. It was being treated, but took a while to heal. The vet said it should be all healed, but the cat still limped sometimes, indicating it was still hurting. The vet couldn't see any sign of problems though. One day though, it was limping with the wrong foot for a bit, that hadn't been injured, and the game was up. It was caught limping for tuna! A clever kitty, who probably deserves extra tuna for putting on a good show, but was cut off for a bit, and stopped limping.
So grateful for your videos, thank you!
Thank you for watching! I meant to release it tomorrow but screwed up the upload. So grateful that you guys are learning about feline welfare in the middle of the night :-)
What a great video! I never owned a cat, but co-lived with a few, and I just realized the signs I saw (but didn't decifer) when I sort of witnessed a cat from the neighborhood die slowly over a few days from liver problems...hiding, stopped eating, didn't want to be pet. She was taken to the vet but it was too late. This is great info, thank you!
“Squish that cat.”
I can’t be the only one who clicked this video because of that.
Many thanks for this very useful video! I've been very blessed to have been able to adopt a rescue older female cat a week ago and I'm learning a lot about cats these days.......................it's fantastic!
You need to add a "Squish the cat" stress ball or plushie stuffed animal to your store!!!!
My cat Milo, looks just like Claudia. Too precious, thanks for sharing.
Can you make a video about cat asthma, how to recognize it and what to do for your cat during an asthma attack? I really appreciate your videos
I most certainly can and will! I think that is a great topic.
I wish all vets were as caring as you. I had a cat who vomited daily and every vet I took him to just shrugged it off, acting like it wasn't a big deal. He died from intestinal cancer relatively young.
Thank you very helpful! ... and don’t forget friends to squish your cats 🤗💕
For most of her life my cat would have periods of running around, twitching, licking herself frantically, yowling and she was fairly aggressive to most physical attention. I had asked vets about this behaviour before, but none of them seemed very concerned about it, many said that calico cats just tend to be more unpredictable in their behaviours and sometimes that can mean more aggression. Last year after I moved I took her to my new vet, who pet my cat down her back ONE TIME and immediately noticed a problem - before I even mentioned this lifelong concern. She was diagnosed with Feline hyperesthesia syndrome and prescribed a calming medication and food. A year later and she is such a different cat, we never pet her down her back anymore now that we know it causes discomfort for her and the calming treatments have helped a lot. She was 10 when she was diagnosed with this problem and she had been doing this her whole life. I feel bad that it took so long for her to be diagnosed, but I'm glad that she lives more comfortably now.