Expert: Jessica - 1/21/2011

Question
Hello,

I have a cat 17,5 years old. He live in our appartman and he is indoor cat. Last year he had visibly getting old. Recently, he fell from the stairs,and become disordered. The vet give him some kortisons and vitamenes and he was a little bit beter, but still week and not strong. Yesterday he fall on his head from the bed when going down and generaly get much worst. He can not jumnp, he is shaking and today he cant walk, he cant hear and cant see, he is constantly folling dowm. The vet said it is neurologicaly and that he is not suffering, give him kortisons and vitamines, but today he can not stand up, he urinates whereever and shaking his had to the right side. He only dring water and doesnt want to eat. I wonder if I have to put him asleep, as it looks horible. THe vet said it is worst as it is reaction to the cortisons and he would be a bit better, but I dont beleave. Could you please give me your oppinion.

Answer
Hi Ina,

I agree with you - this doesn't sound like a reaction to the cortisone.  Drinking extra water can be a reaction, but the rest of the symptoms don't sound consistent with side effects of cortsione, and because he was in such poor shape before the cortisone injection, I really think it sounds like the kindest choice would be to put him to sleep.  A cat who will not eat is going to go downhill pretty quickly, and he is already in such fragile condition.  I don't believe you are likely to see an improvement in his condition.

If you prefer, you can wait another day or two, but cortisone injections will usually cause an improvement in 48-72 hours if they're going to work.  If you see no improvement by tomorrow or the next day at the very latest, I encourage you to make the difficult decision to put him to sleep.  I know how difficult this is, as I have just returned from putting my 13-year-old kidney patient to sleep.  But it's much kinder than making them suffer.

I wish you the best.

Jessica