Conference misery::feline_v1

    Sorry to hear about your little pal.  
    
    A couple of thoughts occur:
    
    1. Is he an outdoor cat?  If so, insecticides might be an answer.
    
    2. We had an older cat who exhibited the crying symptoms (I think).
       He would wake up crying like a kitten (tone, duration, etc.)
       His eyes were strange - almost like in a trance.  This went on
       for minutes, and we just cuddled him to reality.  The diagnosis
       was diabetes!  We did not observe the staggering, but he was always
       on our laps.
    
    Hope everything works out.
    
    Gary

    Could Lucky have had a stroke?  It is really hard to tell if this
    is something permanent or what.  Any chance of calling in more
    sophisticated vet help?  I have also heard of insecticides causing
    problems when a neighbors lawn has been treated, for example.
    
    

    My landlady had a dog who did that. It happened that after testing
    they found out Blondy had had a heart attack and this had affected
    her balance. She came back to 'normal' after about 2 weeks, though
    not as active as before, still relatively healthy. Blondy passed
    away about 3 months ago - 2-1/2 years after the initial incidence.
    
    My cat did this after a car accident. Glazed, funny walking etc
    and the vet said a bruised spine. Good after 3 weeks
    
    Good luck - thinking of you
    
    -alison-
    

    I'd hesitate about making any decisions about Lucky's life span
    until I knew for definite what the problem is.  Right now you have
    no idea is Lucky's symptoms are temporary or pemanent.
    
    I'd take him to another vet ASAP.  I's probalby try an emergency
    clinic or hospital.
    
    We're all thinking happy thoughts for you.
    
    	-Nancy

    YES, Lucky is an outdoor cat.  Posion is the first thing I 
    suspected because he had caught 2 small rabbits last week
    and eaten them on the back porch.(He wanted to bring them in but
    mom said no!!) The vet said nothing showed up in the tests
    to indicate posion.  He isn't getting better and in fact seems
    to be getting worse.  He looks at the world sideways and always
    to the right.  If he wants to see to the left of his body he
    has to turn his whole body around to do it.  He is used to sleeping
    on the bed at our feet with us when he is in and that seems 
    to be the only place we can put him at night where he will
    go to sleep and stop crying.  We were afraid he would fall off
    during the night and in fact did once but he forced us to put
    him back up by his trying to claw his way back up.  He has also
    stopped eating and drinking so that we force feed him now and
    we all have scracthes from that process.  None of his legs have
    lost strength I can tell you!!  We also give him water with an
    eye dropper.  We will Have to do something soon I'm afraid!
      Ken

    This may not have anything to do with what is wrong with your cat.
    However, we had a cat years ago when we lived in Florida and it
    became very sick all of a sudden, acting drunk and falling down
    and we too were puzzled--but apparently the cat had gone into a
    swamp or woods nearby and had eaten a poisonous lizard! Well she
    did recover but we had never imagined something like that! Anyways,
    good luck and get well soon Lucky.
    
    

    Get Lucky to another vet ASAP!  I wouldn't put down the cat until
    I know whether the symptoms are temporary or permanant.  There are
    plenty of vets recommended at the beginning of this file (I can't
    remember what note it is).  
    
    So sorry to hear this.  Me and my little black baby will be praying
    for you.
    
    Holly and Tabbatha
                                    

    Could it be an inner/middle ear infection?
    This is the part of the body that's responsible for
    balance, etc.
    
    (I have a friend whose rabbit had symptoms similar to those
    you're describing, and it turned out to be a middle ear infection).
    
    PS. Don't be afraid to suggest possible diagnosis to your vet.
    They're not gods...And usually they enjoy talking with a "parent"
    who's well informed!
    

Are you located anywhere near Tufts Veterinary School in Grafton?  That
    would be the best place to bring Lucky.
    
    Or try the Emergency Clinic in Acton.  Both are excellent places.
    
    Best of luck to you and Lucky.
    

    Another reason for going to another vet asap, is that Lucky may
    get dehydrated due to not eating and drinking properly.  Dehydration
    can take place quite quickly, like in a day or two.  I am glad he
    is now sleeping on your bed;  I'm sure this makes him feel better.
    
    Call another vet, please.
    

      Definately consult another vet. Did the present one check for
    ear problems?  I had a cat I adopted once who at the time had a
    raging ear infection. Balance and coordination were definately 
    way off. She turned around in circles and stumbled, wouldn't eat,
    and cried from the pain. And having had plenty of ear problems in
    my time, I KNOW it HURTS!
       There are antibiotics they can give the cat to clear the infection,
    but it must be done before the ear drum ruptures, which in my case
    was too late. Poor Shelly had a ruptured ear drum for the rest of
    life, always walking with head tilted to one side.
    
                                  Denise
    

    Hi, I am very sorry to hear of your cats ill health.
    
    Two things come to mind when I read the symptoms...
    
    Key Gaskell syndrome - also called "wobbly gait syndrome.  I read
    about this once in a cat magazine.  It is said to occur more frequently
    in Europe.
    
    The other is a vitamin or mineral deficiency.  I can't remember
    what it was now but it might have been Potassium.  Check it out
    with the vet.  I remember reading about this one is a cat magazine
    also.  The symptoms included leaning the head to one side and falling
    down alot.  Resembles an inner ear problem.  Treatment consisted
    of supplementing the cat with the deficient vitamin/mineral.
    
    Please get him to another vet as soon as possible.  As far as I
    know, both of the above conditions can be treated successfully.
    
    Jo   
    
    

    Note 471 talks about the potassium deficiency in great detail.
    
    Deb
    

         What a difference a day makes.  Last night Lucky couldn't
    stand up and tonight he is walking and eating.  We gave him the
    Prednisolone pills as the vet said and it seems to be working.
    My wife said that around noon he ate and drank and wanted to go
    outside.  She wasn't about to let him and she put him in the litter
    box we took out of storage for that purpose.  He refused to use
    it of course (hasn't used one in many years) and went to the door
    so she took him out.  She said he seemed really happy out there.
    When he walks now he takes 3 or 4 steps and stops and looks at
    me as if to say "Why is the Earth moving?" Then he goes on.
      I appreciate all of your comments and concerns.  The Vet 
    did check his ears with several different instruments and
    she also took a blood test which did not show any indication
    of infection or posion. Lucky does appear to have an infection
    and the Vet did say it might take several days to determine
    if the medication would help or not.  I am sure all your good
    wishes and your friends wishes has made the difference.  I
    will keep you posted on how he is doing.
                        Thanks a million!!
                                  Ken

    I'm happy to hear that Lucky is doing better.
    
    It must have something to do with his name!

    Max, my 7 month old ALL black kit is very happy to hear that Lucky
    is coming around.  He sends his regards.
    
    Gary

    I agree with many of the other noters - PLEASE GET LUCKY TO ANOTHER
    VET AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
    
    I don't know where you live, but a very good vet is Dr. Eileen Mulcahy
    at Central Animal Hospital in Leominster, MA. 
    
    I once had a kitten that had glaucoma when she was born. I took her to
    many different veterinarians that told me she would be forever blind
    in both eyes, and that she was in tremendous pain and the best thing to
    do would be to put her to sleep. I even went to an animal eye
    specialist. They said there was nothing that could be done to relieve
    the swelling, and that she would never be a normal cat.
    
    Well, I took her to Dr. Mulcahey and she knew right away that the
    kitten (little Stevie my Wonder cat) could be saved. Too make a
    long story short, Stevie (now called Goo and living with my sister),
    though she has lost the left eye, has perfect vision in her
    right, and is a purrfectly normal terror! (at the time of all this 
    controversy over my little girl, Eileen even got the swelling to go
    down! A feat the opthamologist proclaimed could never be done!) 
    
    I don't want you to get your hopes too high, (she couldn't save
    my little Cole), but YOU DO NEED ANOTHER OPINION, and they both
    (Dr. Mulcahey and Dr. Moss) really know their stuff.
    
    It could be something as bad as a tumor; it could be something picked
    up from ticks; it could be anitfreeze poisoning; or it could be
    something as simple as a middle ear infection. 
    
    I am praying for you all - you are in a terrible situation (one
    that I hope never to have to face) - you don't want to lose him
    needlessly, and you don't want him to suffer either. Please do the
    best for him that you can. 
    
    Our thoughts are with you.
    
    Denise, Thea, Alf, Mange, Bully, Annie, Secrytes, Cassies, Smokes,
    and little Stevie (Goo) Wonder.
    
    

    Definetly get the cat to another vet.  I had gone to 3 vets for
    Smurf one time and got three different opions.  I finally brought
    him to Tufts where they had many vets looking at him some specializing
    in different fields and surprizingly was not much more expensive
    than the regular vets. 
    
    Even though he may be getting better, definetly have another vet
    check him.   

    I would also suggest getting him to another vet.
    
    Another good vet is Dr. Norman Fitzgerald on the Fitchburg/Lunenburg
    line.  His father was a vet for many years and is now semi/retired,
    but still helps Norman whenever possible.  They are very caring
    people and they will help you the best they can.  An example of
    how nice they are is that I stopped by there one day and explained
    all symptons that my 2 kittens had that made me believe they had
    worms.  Norman gave me 6 pills for them and only charged me $1.00.
    I know he must have paid more for these themselves but he is very
    caring person.  Also when I had my 2 spayed and neutered he called
    me everyday for 1 week to see how they were.
    
    Please take the time to get to another vet and if you aren't satisfied
    with what they tell you see another.
    

    How is Lucky today?

    Lucky is wanting out more and more each day.  We are still giving
    him his pill and he still has a slight lean when he walks but he
    says he's ready to go out and "play" by himself.  We take him out
    to do his duty but he fools around until he thinks we're not looking
    before he will do it.  Last night I gave a pint of blood to the
    misquetoes waiting for him to finish.  We are not willing to let
    him out on his own and the vet told us that he should be confined
    to only one room until he is well.  How do you do that when the
    whole world is his room as far as he is concerned??  He no longer
    scratches us from fear and confusion and his pal King (our Keeshond
    nicknamed 'fuzzball') gave him a bath as if to say I glad you are
    better but "YOU STINK".  
         We will take him for a check up in a couple of days to another
    Vet (smile guys, I got your message across!!) and see how things
    go from there.
         Thanks for asking.
              Ken and lucky 

       I thought I would update the progress on Lucky.  When his
    medication ran out we took him to 'another' Vet for a check up
    to see if we had really treated the problem and cured it.  
    That Vet told us that we had indeed treated the problem properly.
    Our doubts had come about because the animal hospital were Lucky
    usually went had hired a new Vet and she had been unsure of herself
    and her catside manner was not what we were used to from them. 
    Lucky was told by both Vets that when the medication ran out one
    of two things would happen.  He would be 'cured' or he would start
    going down hill again.  Well, its been 2 weeks now since the 
    medication ran out and he is doing great.  If he had had a relapse
    we would have had to given him pills the rest of his life or ours,
    which ever came first and the way he fought ou over them it's a
    toss up who would go first!! ;-)
         When we thought we were going to loose him our neighbor told
    us we could have one of his kittens when they were weaned.  He
    brought it over last night and gave it to my son (15) who had
    been begging for a kitten for weeks.  He promised to clean the 
    box, feed it etc.  It is a wild kitten having only been picked up
    a few times and having never been in a house before.  He stinks,
    hisses at everything, and claws whatever comes close.  We brought
    King, our Keeshond in to meet the kitten and he smelled him once
    and then ignored him/her.  The kitten was hissing and growling the
    whole time.  I was sitting on the floor indian style with the kitten 
    in my lap.  We brought Lucky in to meet the kitten.  As soon as
    the kitten saw Lucky he/she stopped growling and hissing and started
    to purr.  Lucky walked up to us, touched noses with the kitten and
    launched world war 3!!  I was lucky that we have had all the kids
    we ever plan to have because they both used their claws in my lap!!
    DON"T laugh, Doctors get big bucks for those kind of operations!!;-)
    Any way Lucky did his imitation of the holloween black cat with
    the arched back, head pointed with ears layed back, and mouth half
    open growling and spitting.  The only time I've ever seen him do
    that was in july when the Vet tried to use a rectal thermometer
    on him!!!(maybe it was cold ;-)!!.  Well, Andy (the 15 year old)
    slapped Lucky and got bit instantly.  Lucky was drug across the
    kitchen floor and tossed out all the while clawing, hissing,
    spitting, and growling.  He took the meeting a little easier than
    I expected!!  This is not going to be fun!!  Oh well, Lucky is
    healthy and that is what counts.  Thanks to all of you for caring.
    More about the Kitten else where as things develop and I have 
    time to put it in.
             Ken