My 10 yr old cat has become lethargic, stopped eating, barely drinking and a little wobbly.

My cat has always been fat, but over the last year she went from 14 pounds to 8 pounds. About 3 days ago my cat started getting sick. Now she won't eat, barely drinks, is lethargic, has balance problems, her breathing is becoming raspy and her eyes are looking like they are hard for her to open. I live north of the arctic circle in Alaska and we have no vet in town, nor are we on a road system (you can only fly or boat into town) so getting to a vet in Anchorage is almost impossible. Any ideas for what is wrong with her? Anything I can do at home to help my kitty?

Best Answers

  • Annalisa Conserti-JonesAnnalisa Conserti-Jones Member Posts: 5,234
    Accepted Answer
    I am sorry, but having lost almost half her weight within a year, and her balance problems point to her being extremely sick, which is not something you would be able to manage at home. Nor do many people around here have vet expertise, and even vets are not able to diagnosing a cat without having seen it in person. The symptoms you describe point to tons of illnesses, some that can be managed through diet and medication, and others that... well... might not be. There's just no way even for a professional to tell without running tests, and that requires the feline patient to be available to them. It would be worthwhile for you to board that plane and take her to a vet. This qualifies as the kind of emergency you do fly out for. She's given you 10 years of love, so please don't let her suffer longer than she should. :(
  • Leanne FroebelLeanne Froebel Member Posts: 1,730
    Accepted Answer
    Your cat is very sick and needs veterinary attention ASAP. Please do whatever you have to do to get to to a vet!
  • Kathleen BKathleen B CincinnatiMember Posts: 135
    Accepted Answer
    Kitty sounds very sick and really needs to be seen by a vet. I would suggest immediately trying to get fluids in her, she sounds dehydrated and that will worsen other symptoms. Try broth, baby food anything you can get in her. Good luck.
  • Caitlin CarpenterCaitlin Carpenter MilwaukeeMember Posts: 6
    Accepted Answer
    First - get an eyedropper and fill it with water. Force kitty to drink. Repeat, repeat, then take kitty to the vet if you can. While I'm not a vet, it sounds similar to something that happened to my kitty. Check in your cat's mouth and she if it has ulcers. It could be calici virus. Maybe kitty's mouth/throat is sore. You can mix wet cat food with lactose free milk to a consistency that your cat will drink. Please at least contact a vet though! And force fluids.
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