Over the past couple weeks I have noticed that my kitty (Rebel 14yr old female) has been having some minor issues landing her jumps. Later I noticed she wasn’t able to make her higher jumps. It wasn’t constant so I just figured it was her age starting to show and she’d learn she can’t do everything she used to.
She’s a very energetic, and lively kitty. Extremely affectionate. People never believe me when I tell them she is 14, she is so small and active you’d think she’s still only a year or three.
Today however when I came home from work, I noticed she wasn’t walking quite right. She kept stumbling and swaying to the side, her right leg wasn’t quite right. After some googling I realized she has a drunken gait with lame right hind leg. This is a symptom for any number of things, most leading to very severe problems. However this is the ONLY symptom she has. She still jumps and plays and begs for treats and eats and poops. She’s still herself, she just keeps stumbling and falling everywhere.
I called the vet and they wanted me to bring her in right away, I don’t drive and couldn’t get a ride until tomorrow, they said ok but if she showed any other symptoms or her current symptoms worsened or if she showed signs of pain, to bring her in right away. (24 hour clinic)
So far she is still being her happy self, presently snuggled up in DH’s lap like she always is at this time of night.
I am still worried though, as any furrmom would be. She’s the oldest of all my cats and I have been so incredibly fortunate with all of them, this is the first time ever bringing a cat to the vet for anything potentially serious.
We are not very well off financially, so the idea that we may have to put her down because we can not afford treatment is a very real option, if whatever is wrong is especially bad, or painful. I pray this is not the case. She may be 14, but she still has so much zip in her, and I know she could easily have several great years ahead of her.
Please pray for our little girl, for good news tomorrow, and many years to come.
Rebel aka Pretty aka Peanut