Old Kitties

[aligator79]

I am taking Oliver to the vet next week.  I'm hoping talking to you guys will calm me down a bit.  :)  Here's the background: He is 14 years old weighs about 20 pounds but is a large cat all around and has bad arthritis from fighting- or what we think he would have- he cries when he gets up, can't jump as far etc.  I've been giving him the glucosamine stuff by smearing it on his foot,  Boy does he hate that, but he licks it off- like most kitties he hates having stuff on his feet.  I thought it would be a waste but it REALLY helps him- he doesn't cry as much when he gets up. He won't eat the 3 kinds of treats I got to give him- silly boy.  

He has always wheezed and snores very loudly.  The vet we had him at said it was not anything to worry about, just that some kitties breathe that way.  

He looks like he is losing weight, but I can't really tell.  He usually gets skinny in the summer and fat in the winter.  This year on his back where his tummy is, it's flat-ish.  Like you can see where the spine is (3 inches wide or so) and then it drops. I can't decide if it is him becoming old and his skin hanging like it does on people or if he is really losing weight.  

The vet wants a fecal sample since it could be a parasite- he is indoor/outdoor whether I like it or not and hunts little bugs- too old and slow for the bigger ones- well he did get a bird this summer.  (please please please be a parasite- less painful for me to treat) We do shut the kitty door at night because there is a raccoon that likes to come in and eat cat food, so they can only go out when it is light-ish.  

I guess my questions are: How do you get a sample from a cat in a 3 cat household who goes outside most of the time?  and  What do you think it might be?  Just old age or something bigger, like diabetes or thyroid trouble?  

Sorry for the long post- I've just got myself in a tizzy since I made the appointment.

[nancyjac]

My old man, Zylo, is also 14.  He has also lost a little bit of weight over the last couple of years, but only a couple of pounds and the weight loss has been quite gradual.  The vet may do what some labs call a Senior blood panel that looks for things like thyroid, diabetes, and internal organ problems.  

I agree that separating him with a separate litter box is way to go, but if that doesn't work, a stool sample from any of your cats will probably do, since internal parasites that present in stool are usually transmitted to all cats sharing a litter box.  So if it does turn out that the sample is positive for any parasite, you should treat all 3 cats anyway.

[zodiacqueen]

You've got to keep him isolated in one room w/ a litter box until he goes.  There's no getting around it.  It's for his own good, even though you'll probably feel bad locking him up.

I agree thyroid issues could be a problem, as well as kidney problems.  With diabetes, you'd be seeing symptoms like frequent urination, drinking and eating more than usual.  

Bottom line, don't freak yourself out, yet.  It's much better to know what's going on early so you can treat it.  You're doing the right thing by getting him checked over.  Hang in there!!