Senior cat in pain, slow, hiding. What should I ask my vet to check?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If blood work was not performed then I would definitely recommend this. If the blood test comes back normal or did come back normal and she is still having issues, I would recommend further diagnostics such as x-rays and / or an abdominal ultrasound. I hope Martha gets better soon! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m so sorry to hear about Quavo. I would say if he is not improving, it’s time for more testing. Bloodwork and/or X-rays may give us a better idea of what’s going on. X-rays look for things like large heart, severe arthritis, and (heaven forbid) obvious cancer. Bloodwork will indicate kidney and liver function, diabetes, and infection in some cases. I do also agree with treating for pain. Many times pain looks exactly like what you describe so definitely give the pain medication as directed. An arthritis “flare up” can cause pretty debilitating pain and is high on my list if Quavo is 10 or more. Best wishes to you and Quavo!

Unfortunately there is nothing you would have at home thst you could give her, and even meds from the vet could be dangerous if she has kidney issues. I would recommend taking her for an exam as it may just be bladder infection. The vets can check her kidneys too and get you sorted with safe medication.

I would have Carmen checked out by a vet. Whenever there is a behavior change, it's a good idea to have a health check done by a vet. It may not be that she is at the end of her life, it could be she has an illness that may be able to be treated. I wouldn't make an assumptions about her reaching the end of her life without having her seen by a vet. Give your vet a call today to make an appointment. Best of luck.

I'm sorry to hear that Jinx seems painful and has been sleeping more than normal. It is possible that all of his signs are related to arthritis, but sleeping more could be due to underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, cancer, among others. To answer your question, yes, you should take Jinx to the vet for further evaluation. He will certainly need a physical exam and may also need some lab testing to assess his internal organ function. I hope that all goes well!

Poor Forte! The weight loss and the reluctance to move around, and the apparent sensitivity around his back are all very concerning. If he hasn't had x-rays of his back yet, that might be a good idea. He could have an injury if he fell off something in the house or possibly got hit by a car outside. Another possibility is a disc disease in his spine, but these don't show up well on x-rays. I would definitely take him back to the vet for a recheck and let them know what you noticed about his back. It might be difficult to get a similar reaction at the vet (because cats are usually upset about EVERYTHING at the vet clinic and don't react more when something is sore), but it might give the vet ideas for treatments to try such as pain medication, medication to decrease inflammation, and possibly a muscle relaxer. The best way to check out the spine is an MRI, so that's a possibility for the future if you vet isn't finding other issues. Good luck to you and Forte! I hope he's feeling better very soon. Let me know if this was helpful information and definitely submit another question or set up a consultation if you'd like more information.

Yes, i would be afraid that he may have broken his pelvis or damaged his bladder - a full physical exam and possibly xrays would be recommended in order to determine the extent of his injuries and prescribe the most appropriate treatment