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My stuborrn old lady... cat.

S

SmokeAndMirrors

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Hey folks. I have tried Googling this, and I get pretty much nothing.

So my cat is about a million, and she has problems with mobility. Two issues with that.

One is obvious: getting up onto things, like my bed. I tried to get her to use a step a year or two ago. No dice. The little queen has too much pride. So instead, I took the frame off my bed to lower it for her. Yes, I'm a cat lady. That worked for a while, but her mobility has declined further. Now she's struggling again.

So I just built her a ramp. I walked her up it a couple times, but she still doesn't seem convinced. She gets the concept, but I think she's still having issues of pride. And I am not sleeping on the floor, damn it!

The other issue is that her mobility problems are partly neurological. It's not painful, but it causes her to be pretty unstable when she's walking about. She climbs on me while I'm sleeping, slips, and tears me up with her claws while trying to catch herself.

I am thinking of putting claw caps on her, so she can still sleep with me, and I don't have to wake up bleeding all the time. Declawing is NOT an option. I won't do that to any cat, but especially not an old one.

But if I do the claw caps, she definitely won't be able to get on the bed without the ramp because she uses her claws to pull herself up. She's slept with me all her life, and I don't want to simply kick her out of bed at this late stage in her life. I have to make this work for her.

How the hell do I get her to use the ramp? Do I need to put her food up there? Do I need to squirt her? Do I need to cry and beg?

How much does a cat's pride cost?
 
You can use treats to coax her up. How hard is it to just lift her up yourself though? I mean she's old and old people need the youngins to put in some work usually.

When I was a child my family already had a pretty old cat and my grandmother would feel her cooked chicken liver to keep her healthy. It seemed like that cat would live forever. Maybe you can enrich your cat's diet to increase joint mobility somehow?
 

I do pick her up if I'm there, but she likes to sleep on my bed when I'm not home too and burrow in the covers, or sometimes she comes in when I'm already asleep. I want her to be able to get up on her own. She's started to settle for the floor if I'm not in bed, and that can't feel very good on her old bones.

I have started feeding her a little bit of organs, and it does seem to increase her energy. She also takes a supplement for joint health. But the problem is that while she is a bit arthritic, her main issue is neurological. She's on steroids to help with it, but there's not a whole lot that can be done apart from just making things more accessible for her.

She didn't seem willing to give in for hard treats. Maybe I'll try some meat or eggs instead (she loves her eggs!).
 
Maybe put some catnip on the ramp. If the ramp isnt very wide she may be afraid she will fall off since her problem is neurological. I feel for you,Ive got a cat thats a bazillion yrs old too,but she still rules the roost around here.
 

Why don't you just pick her up and put her on the bed when you're home. Put the ramp near the bed so she can get down. "Getting down" is probably more motivating than getting up there. When you're not home? Buy her a pretty-kitty bed, cut up one of your blankets that has your scent all over it, tuck it in, and put the bed next to a heat register.
 
I went through that with a dog. she would just screech until somebody put her up but she would jump down some but would never use the pet steps. Try maybe piling stuff up that she will walk up and down like pillows or cushions something that she is more used to. Beyond that, IDK.
 

I do pick her up when I'm there and/or awake. Sometimes I wake up to the "whump!" of her failing to try to get up by herself.

She's never liked cat beds. She likes MY bed. I think it'd be tougher to get her to use a cat bed than to use the ramp, honestly. She is a stubborn old lady.

She generally just wants to use all the same things I do. Took forever to get her to stop drinking out of my glasses and using her bowl for water.

I don't want to distance her from me at all. I think I've officially entered the palliative care stage with her. I want her to be as comfortable as she can be, with as little change as possible.

She making a little progress. She'll walk up it if I lay at the end of it and temp her with food.
 
Queenbee said:
Maybe put some catnip on the ramp. If the ramp isnt very wide she may be afraid she will fall off since her problem is neurological. I feel for you,Ive got a cat thats a bazillion yrs old too,but she still rules the roost around here.
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I've got a cushion on the side for if she falls. I think it's wide enough, but the way she weaves, you never know.

Old kitties... like grouchy grandmothers, only even more bossy. :lol:
 
SmokeAndMirrors said:
I've got a cushion on the side for if she falls. I think it's wide enough, but the way she weaves, you never know.

Old kitties... like grouchy grandmothers, only even more bossy. :lol:
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Bless you SmokeAndMirrors. I love cats, and I am happy just reading how much you love your granny cat too. I can't help with your problems, because it sounds like you already have the bases all covered, but it brightened my day to see how you love your granny cat. Thanks! And best wishes to your kitty.
 

My experience has been that older cats become outdoor cats.
 

Thank you! I try. It's been really difficult to see her get this old, but I try to make her days as good as I can.

I have the claw caps on. I even got her pretty sparkly ones, but she's still sulking. Hopefully this will make her more willing to use her ramp. Building a stable, gradual incline is hard, damn it!

Ikari said:
My experience has been that older cats become outdoor cats.
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Huh...? :shock:

Not unless you want them to be dead cats. It's not like she can defend herself anymore, with her mobility issues. And she wouldn't last 5 minutes in Minnesota right now. 10 below zero, windchill of -40.
 
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What is the incline built of, and how high is the bed level?
 
lizzie said:
What is the incline built of, and how high is the bed level?
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It's actually made out of a couple small plywood shelves I took apart. It's got blankets and stuff secured over it to give her some traction and cushion.

The mattress is pretty low, really. I still have the frame off, and my mattress is a firm, so it's not very thick. Maybe a foot and a half?

The ramp is laid paraellel to the end of the bed, and it goes almost from one end to the other. The higher end is against a wall, so she can't fall off the end of it.
 

If it's steep enough that it hurts her to climb it, you could consider getting a piece of 2'x4' plywood at HD or Lowe's. They come pre-cut, so it would be an easy project, and tack some cheap carpet to provide traction. The size would be large enough for comfort, and if she slipped, it would be likely that she wouldn't fall off. I would place it at the head end of the bed, if it is up against a wall, with the short side on the floor, and at the landing on the bed. That would make a pretty gradual incline.
 

Yeah, I might play with positioning and see if maybe that has something to do with it. Hard to tell if she's just snubbing her nose at it or if it's just not quite right for her.

I know if she stops mid-incline, it's hard for her to stay where she is, but she doesn't seem to have problems if she keeps moving.

The main problem is figuring out where I'd have room to make a longer incline. I'll give it a think.

Thanks, lizzie!
 
I love my cats more than anyone in the world. I not only wait on them hand and foot, they have regular medical care, lots of attention, quality foods, a room of their own and I left them the house and money enough to keep them here for the rest of their lives. I'm devoted to them.

You are doing everything possible. They are quirky creatures. She'll use the ramp if she feels like it, she probably just wants to see you working. Your love is obvious. You have give 100%. Try to be OK with the results. They don't live as long as we do. Part of the joy is seeing them through to the end, even with the tears.

I lost one to cancer last year at age 14. I bought her all the extra time I could but when her breathing became raspy and she had trouble eating because of that, I sent her to heaven, knowing she had a lifetime of love. I have 3 others that are turning 14. One is becoming arthritic. It's part of the process of love and the relationship.

Be strong.
 

It's hard. This is the first animal I've ever seen through from infancy to death, and some part of me feels like if I was doing a good enough job, she just wouldn't get sick. I know logically that's insane, but it doesn't stop me from feeling like I've done something wrong as age slowly gets the better of her.

I love her dearly and I just want her to be comfortable. But perhaps asserting some amount of control over a situation -- even if it doesn't really benefit her to do so -- makes her feel more comfortable. Still feeling like she has control over something, when she's lost so much control over her body.

I've enjoyed her just as much through all of her life stages, really. She's more cuddly and more relaxed as an old lady, for example. I just struggle with uncertainty of what I'm doing in my end of the deal; making the best decisions possible for her, especially now, when she needs to be comfortable and free of stress.
 

The favorite cat I've ever had was a manx that lived to the age of 18, and died a couple of years ago. I came across him one rainy May morning, while taking my sons to school, and he was lying in the middle of the highway- I thought someone had run over and killed him, but my sons looked back through the rear window, and noticed him moving, so I backed up, picked him up, and tried to find him a home. Nobody wanted him, so I took him home with me, and he had a little short crooked tail, and jacked-up back legs, and he was the mightiest hunter of any cat I've ever seen. He would sleep curled up in my hair, and was sweet as sugar, but also had spunk, and you had to watch out for the quick slap of his claw when he was playing. He had attitude and style. Toward the end of his life, he got to where it hurt him to walk, and he eventually became deaf as well, but he was the coolest cat I've ever seen. He had always been very independent, but he became such a sweetheart and so affectionate in his last couple of years. One Sunday morning, for whatever reason, I awakened and came into the living room to check on him. He had gotten to the point that he really wanted to be left alone, and he slept behind the recliner. I got on the floor with him, and talked to him, and petted him, and he purred, then he quietly died while I was there with him. It was one of the most touching moments of my life. I had him from infancy to death, and if a cat can be a brother, he was mine. I mourned him like a child, and have such sweet and funny memories of his antics. To me, what matters is that he touched my life, and I like to think I touched his life as well, as far as a human is able to do so. We do what we do for love, and we do the best that we can do. That's all that we can ask of ourselves.
 
Progress!

She came up on the bed and got off using the ramp a couple times last night, without any prompting from me. It didn't sound like she had any problems with it (I didn't turn my head to look for fear she would start being a drama queen if she knew I was watching).

She also seems to have acclimated to the claw caps. And I must say, it is damn nice to wake up in the morning without having to check for new wounds.


That's so sweet, lizzie. I hope I'm half that good a cat lady to mine.
 
Hey guys. Thanks for all of your help on this.

My cat has taken a turn for the worse, and because of how invasive and uncomfortable further testing and/or treatment would be, and how small the return is likely to be in terms of quality and duration of life, I am stopping treatment and I am not getting any more testing, apart from perhaps one viral test if my regular vet thinks it's worth doing.

I plan to keep her here for the next week or two, spoil her like crazy, and have her euthanized by a home visit vet so she can be in a comfortable environment.

I am really destroyed about this. As Goshin might say, "a bag of broken glass." I just keep trying to remember how her kitty mind works, and that the stress of going any further vs. the lack of return just won't be worth it. I'd be doing it for me. And I don't want her last days to be all about me.

She's struggling more, but she is using her ramp, and hopefully we can enjoy a peaceful week or two together. I'm feeding her all kinds of horrible things she loves -- omelets, dog treats, the works. She doesn't have much of an appetite, but she appreciates the taste. And she still purrs when I hold her sometimes.

Thank you guys for all your help and words of encouragement.
 

Oh man- I'm so sorry to hear this, but kudos to you for loving her so much. She's a lucky kitty, and you are a lucky woman to love her so much. I wish for you comfort in all of this. It's very hard to lose a pet that means so much to you.
 

Damn you for making me all teary-eyed.
 
lizzie said:
Oh man- I'm so sorry to hear this, but kudos to you for loving her so much. She's a lucky kitty, and you are a lucky woman to love her so much. I wish for you comfort in all of this. It's very hard to lose a pet that means so much to you.
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Thank you. I'm so happy I've had so long with her. I try to remember that in all this sadness.

The vet doesn't think toxo (which is the one test I'm open to at this point) is very likely, but it's just a simple blood draw and I'll have the results by Monday, which is within the time frame of how long I'm willing to let her go for, so it's worth doing just to be sure we've covered all our bases of things that are easily treatable.

So I'll do that this weekend. If it's positive, antibiotics would make a really huge improvement. And that's what she needs to have in order for me to keep going with this -- a huge improvement.

If it's negative or very low (very low indicates immunity, not active infection), then that's the end of the line and I will book a home visit for the weekend after this one.
 


So sorry to hear, S&M.

I had to put my Sam down last spring, but he had been sick for a while. He had developped some awful food allergies and even made his ears bleed. Just when I thought it was his time, he'd perk back up. I kept asking myself, "When would I know for sure when it was the right time?" So this played my emotions for well over a year. But as sure as day, I got the sign I needed. Sam stopped eating and became more and more lethargic. I still have guilty thoughts of whether I done right by him... not so much the timing, but of the vets that I brought him to. It was not a peaceful death, unfortunately. The tranquilizer made him really sick. I wish I had the option of doing it at my house, like you plan to do with your cat. Spoil her like crazy in the next few weeks. It will be hard to let go, but as you know, it will be the right thing. Take care.
 
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