Looking for Advice on our cat

lasthidingplace

Hello all, I'm new to these forums. I joined because I'm really worried about our cat Chuckie, pictured below:

I know, I know - I didn't name him. My wife did that before we met Smile

Anyway, about 2/3 years ago he was bitten severely by what we can only assume this was a dog. He wasn't under our care at the time - we were living in a flat which didn't allow animals and so had to leave him with her mother. She, being the evil bitch that she is, didn't tell us for three days - at which point Chuckie had developed a massive abscess, and needed to be operated on immediately. We paid for his operation (because that was the issue all along...she let him nearly die because she didn't want to be out of pocket!) which has left him really strange.

At first, he wasn't too bad - after having two holes drilled either side of his tail to drain the fluid, it was obvious he was going to be slower than usual. He seemed to make a pretty good recovery and, despite being overweight, was fine.

We moved out of the flat and moved into our house where we now have four cats and a little puppy. Over the last two years he has got worse and worse, to the point where we found him this morning, lying on his side having urinated where he was lying because he couldn't get up.

These days, he drags his legs over the wooden floors and lays completely on his belly when eating. He walks very slowly, wobbling everywhere, and he falls over a lot. He can't jump onto the couch or the bed anymore, and sometimes can't get up when he is lying down. Also, if you even so much as touch him on his legs or his tail (which is completely stiff!), he makes a weird noise and turns his head. He's also constantly chewing on his legs, but I think that's just skin irritation (so a separate issue).

We took him to the local vets three or four months ago (when he really started getting worse), and they shrugged it off, saying there was no problem...and gave us anti inflammatory.

He's become worse again in the last month or so, so we called the vets who we SHOULD have taken him too last time (the ones who did the procedure). Firstly, they were appalled with the other vets and asked for their full details (which we happily divulged), but they also said it could be spine damage.

We have an appointment tomorrow, but now I can't stop thinking about it - I'm really really worried, and feel that perhaps we wont be bringing him home with us tomorrow.

Basically I just wanted to see what other people thought might be the issue, especially if they've had the same or similar experience.

Thanks for reading.

shadylady

sounds as if something serious is wrong there, ive not had a parlysed cat, but i did have a paralysed bunny and he just deteriated and had to be put sleep, i know that doesnt help, i hope hes ok and i wish you all the luck in the world..

sorry i couldnt be more help.. Get well soon chuckie
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lasthidingplace

This is the only thing I can think about right now, I'm just really scared. I mean, he seems really happy most of the time and he never seems to be in any pain at all (you'd know if an animal was in pain).

In a way, I'm hoping all we're told is he has arthritis or something equally as treatable. If they tell us the worst, I don't know how I'll be!

lasthidingplace

I have an update on this now:

The vets have diagnosed Chuckie with Toxoplasmosis. They have given him a course of Antibiotics and Anti-inflamitory, however they agree that it could be at a critical stage and, if there is no improvement in a week, we may have to put him down Sad

They have told us that there are surgical options, but at this point in his life he has suffered enough and I don't want to put him through anything else.

I have no idea if it really is Toxoplasmosis, in a way I hope so because at least there would be a chance of the treatment working - however, if the first vets we took him too (twice!) hadn't ignored us and said nothings wrong, then it would never have come to this.

piggymoo

I really hope he gets better, I know what it's like with the 'waiting game' and my thoughts go out to you. It may sound strange and you may think I'm crazy but have you tried to do some healing yourself? Rub your hands together and ask for help to heal Chuckie, then put your hands over the areas which are affected and just keep your mind concentrating on sending healing to him. I did this for one of my cats and he lived for quite sometime, he also seemed to relax whilst I did the healing usually lasts around 10 minutes. I aren't saying that this is some miracle cure, it's just worth a try. I also ask my guardian angels to protect my 'babies' too. Hope I haven't sounded like some freaky woman, I just know what it's like to go through what you're going through and I was willing to try anything!

lasthidingplace

Thank you all for your help and advise with this. Unfortunately we had to take action yesterday; he could no longer walk, so we took him to the vets to end his suffering.

He went very peacefully, and it's the single hardest thing I've ever been through in my whole life.