Staggering and appetite loss in 17yo cat

[chinesebones]

My 17 year old cat has always been a hearty eater.  He had a hyperthyroid condition that we treated successfully with radioactive iodine a few years ago.  Lately he hasn't eaten much and has gotten very thin, and he tends to stagger when he walks, like his back legs are weak.  We went to the vet, who tested him for diabetes, hyperthyroidism and did general blood work that all came back negative.  Since then, he has stopped eating entirely and spends most of his time sitting in his box facing the corner.  Even when we tempt him with tuna he won't eat, although I gave him a couple slivers of beef last night and he scarfed it down.  He still has some of his old habits: he goes into the kitchen sometimes when my husband does, as if he's going to beg food like he used to.  He is very interested in our 4 month old and loves to lie on her mat.  He even asks to go outside sometimes although he just lies in the sun.  This morning my husband said his breathing sounded wet.  His eyes have been running for some time now, and he's had bouts of throwing up and phlegm in his poop in the past year, which we treated with antibiotics.  Now we're worried that he's going to get worse over the weekend when the vet is closed, and we don't want to watch him suffer.  Can anyone offer any insight or advice?  Thanks in advance.

[Gina8]

VITAMIN C IS THE GREATEST INFECTION FIGHTER ON THE PLANET!  PLUS A BODY CLEANSER. CAT DOSAGE IS THE QUESTION? I GIVE 250MG 2X DAY. I BELIEVE IN VITAMIN C STRONGLY.

[Savas]

Sorry to hear about this. it sounds like the start of a respitory infection, and in a cat that age that usually means pneumonia.

I hate to suggest it, but it may just be something as simple as his time is approaching. I hope it works out well either way.

[prbhurst]

I'm sorry.  I let me 17 yr. old cat go Jan 2.  He'd been a big boy his whole life, 20lbs. at one point.  But 07 came hypothyroid and kidney failure, and when I took him to the vet that day he was 8lbs.  It was his time, almost like your guy told you.  I will always say, "it was as hard as I imagined, and worse."  Best to you.

[chinesebones]

Nevermind, I just went out on the back porch to see him, and he's not doing well at all.  We're going to set him free this afternoon.  Sigh...