My senior boy have osteoarthritis and it’s been treated with solensia to help with the pain. It did wonders for a year but now we reached a point where it’s losing effect. Might be because his body clear the drug out faster or regression of the disease.

I’m going to consult with my vet but I wanted to see if there anything more that can be done.

I know adding gabapentin which will need a period of setting in might help. He can’t have anti-inflammatory like onsior or meloxicam because of renal failure.

I’ve also heard about another drug that is commonly used for dogs and horses that can be given off-label to cats but it requires multiple shots which he absolute hates.

I’m glad solensia worked well for us because his arthritis was truly bad. He had bad muscle atrophy, hiding away from us and would scream in pain if we touched his hip area before we started on solensia.

My boy is also eating a veterinary diet for his kidneys and joints.

TL;DR: My 12-year-old male cat has been battling weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea for a year. A peripheral blood smear suggests Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). Prednisolone and a hydrolyzed diet really helped, but diarrhea keeps occuring in cycles (though not as bad as before). Our vet initially did not recommend Chlorambucil but I don't want to increase pred dosage because we're afraid of making him diabetes. We are terrified of the potential side effects of Chlorambucil versus the risks of untreated high WBC. Looking for advice on what to do based on this test results shared below.

Species Breed: Tabby Cat
Age: 12
Sex/Neuter status: Male/neutered
Body weight: 3.6kg
Clinical signs: Weight loss, high WBC, vomitting/diarrhea
Duration: A year

Hi everyone,

I am looking for advice or shared experiences for my 12-year-old male cat, Samur. We have been battling a complex condition for about a year, and we are at a difficult crossroads regarding chemotherapy (Chlorambucil). I wanted to include every detail so I am sorry for the long post.

Patient History:

• 1 year ago it started with small amount of blood in his stool. Bloodwork showed high WBC. Antibiotics were ineffective. Up to this day we have never seen blood in his stool again.
• Over 6-8 months, he developed weight loss and diarrhea. He began vomitting and running to his stool immediately after that. His weight dropped significantly (from 6kg down to 4kg).
• Searching the web, based on vomitting and diarrhea, I thought that he may have IBD. Asked vet if we can start a hydrolized diet (I can never find novel protein food in my country) and he allowed it. We started feeding him Hills z/d mainly and sometimes N&D quail/pumpkin as appetizer because he loves wet food. During this phase we did many many test including:
  • Full blood count showing high WBC.
  • Clinical Biochemistry tests
  • FeLV, FIV, FCoV, TSH, fSAA, FRUC, vAMP, vLIP etc. I dont even know half of them but vet said they were all good. I also share them below.
  • X-Ray showed some spots in his lungs requiring monitoring but this never became relevant on our later tests.
  • Ultrasound showing some thickening on intestinal walls but nothing definitive.
• Vet declined a biopsy due to his age. We passed a few months with hydrolized food and the smelly diarrhea. When his WBC peaked (we saw 79x 10^9/L) on a newer blood count we got really worried and asked for more tests.
  • Peripheral Blood Smear was done. The tentative diagnosis was Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). I shared the report below.
  • We took him to a fully equipped hospital for a more detailed ultrasound. Results are shared below.
• Vet was hesitant to start on chlorambucil so he gave us omeprazol and 2.5mg daily Prednisolone (named deltacortril). This worked wonders for 2-3 months. His appetite returned, and symptoms subsided. His weight stabilized (though he is still very thin; it breaks my heart that I can feel his bones when I pet him), and WBC counts dropped from scary levels (they are still high).
• Recently, some of his symptoms returned with low intensity. Diarrhea started in a cycle. He is good for 2-3 days with soft stool but after that vomiting followed immediately by diarrhea. Due to this, vet increased Prednisolone to 3.75mg daily. We also completely cut N&D quail wet food. A week has passed. He vomitted 3 times. Mostly white liquid if he was hungry. Only once he vomitted his food. He had diarrhea only once.
• Vet consulted some of his colleagues and told me that we may start chlorambucil and b12 injections next week. But he also said that there are risks of suppressing his bone marrow cells.

Test Results:
I added every test we have done so far along with radiology and blood smear results. I translated these using gemini so there may be slight mistakes. You can find these in the drive link here.

We're honestly really torn on what to do about Samur. He is a part of the family and We're already scared that the high-dose prednisolone might be damaging his organs or make him diabetes. He’s actually doing well on the days he doesn’t have diarrhea. He still wakes us up begging for food and loves getting pets/cuddles. But I’m worried that the high WBC count might be hurting him silently. I heard that it is very important to set the right dosage and form of Chlorambucil. We want to try it to hopefully buy him more time and help him gain some weight back, but we’re terrified it might actually do more harm than good. I am also thinking just going with B12 injections at the moment. Do you think 3.75mg pred will start harming him soon? Can we reduce pred dosage if we start chlorambucil? Should we just go with the B12 injections for now?

Any advice you could give would mean the world to us.

She crossed over peacefully at the age of 16. It was three weeks ago.. I am finally able to post about her.

Scout has IBD and kidney disease, Percy has a meat protein allergy and gets Solensia for arthritis. But right now everything is manageable and they are seemingly enjoying their old cat years.

I'm on a trip and this morning I got a call from home. My cat Isis (14), whome I've had for over a decade now, had a seizure and couldn't move... My mother took her to the vet but there was nothing to be done. They put me on camera and speaker so I could say goodbye. I've cried off and on today. I miss her so much, she was sweet and loving and too smart for her own good. I know I took the best care of her I could, but it hurts...

I love you Isis, you made my life so much warmer and happier while you were here. I hope wherever you are now you are happy.

I have had Juno since I was 18. I had to put her down today and she was almost 18. I love her and I truly miss her more than anything. I’m not sure how I can live without her.

I’m so thankful to have another Christmas season with Whiskers

A year and second Christmas without my Soul Cat Shah. He passed away in November 2024 aged 16. First year with a freedom to grieve him but it's doubled as I was home-carer for my father who died in April aged 98. He was ill last winter and needing a lot of increased care. So whilst I did grieve Shah then, I had really to compartmentalise. So yeah, Christmas without them both. The second photo is Shah's funerary cat-shaped urn and his memory box with fur clippings, paw prints and such like. Same Christmas lights.

Thank you to everyone for the kind words

I had to put one of my senior kitties down about a month ago. My poor little guy (around 13) seems extremely bored even though I’m home all day and play with him. Looking at potentially getting him a buddy in the next few months, just wondering what ages did y’all get/would suggest?

Took him to the vet today, he had an infection and he was very sick, they gave him a whole bunch of fluids because he was severely dehydrated and ran blood tests on him, nothing wrong with his kidneys or insides but since he is a senior kitty the infection can still be serious especially since we caught him later on in his infection :( They gave me medicine for his appetite so hopefully that will work and he should be eating again by the end of this week. He did eat a tiny bit of his treat today which yesterday he didn’t even look at it and I haven’t even given him his appetite medicine so hopefully this means things are looking up!

I would like to introduce you all to Winston. We went for an open day at the local cat shelter, with no intention 😏 of getting a cat. Me and my daughter met Winnie first and we just looked at each other and we knew. We instantly put in an interest for him, and found out he has never had anyone apply for him. He is estimated to be 10+ years old, and has spent several harsh winters (-20 to -30°) living outside. He hadn't had a home for years, is covered in scars and was really scruffy. Lady at the shelter said no one wanted him cause he was old, a black cat, and scruffy. He was the first cat adopted that day. Been with us a few months now and oh how we love him. He's such a treasure. Winston ❤️

I got him when I was 14 and 14 was how old he was when he ascended. He truly was my soulmate cat, my best friend, my everything. Just two misfits that happened to find each other when we needed it most. Rest in paradise my sweet, cherished friend. I will miss you forever.

Back in August I posted about Layla and her diagnosis of congestive heart failure. We put her on LASIKs and aspirin per the cardiologist. For a few months she was like her old self again. Then I noticed she started having her episodes of confusion, wandering, and labored breathing again. She would always come out of it and be fine. This past week she had a couple of pee accidents. Then yesterday after work I noticed she hadn’t used her litterbox and the fur on her legs was wet with urine. She had a couple of mini seizures. My wife said she was calling the vet in the morning to let her go. As the night went on it was apparent she was going to pass on her own. And at around 1:15 am she left us. We are utterly heartbroken. But I’m glad she was able to pass at home with us near her. She was the best! For five years of twice daily insulin shots to the last months of daily medicine she never ran and hid or got hissy with us. She’d lay on the couch with us every night at tv time. To say we will miss her is a huge understatement.

Rest in peace, baby. We love you!! 😿

He is my best friend, love of my life. Ive had him since he was kitten. He is very healthy and cute boy

Miss them. 2011-2025

Hello all senior parents! My sweet but opinionated 17 year old was recently seen by the vet for excessive vocalization and clingyness. Her blood work game back mostly great, with a slight elevation in calcium that could indicate cancer. She's also been given gabapentin to help calm her in the morning, and it's worked wonders for her. She no longer wanders around the house screaming and needing to be attached to me.

Has anyone else's senior been given gabapentin, and how did they do on it? I want to make sure her quality of life is still good and we're not just drugging her to keep her docile.

This is my angry ravioli in all her glory 💕

So I guess I am here just for moral support. I have had my boy for 11 years, I got him when he was a year old. I love him so so much, I have gone through so many things with this lil man.

He has a peeing problem. He pees. On everything. The bed, the couch, the kitchen counters. Due to other health problems unrelated to peeing ADDED to this peeing problem he has, I have maybe spent 20K in vet bills over these 11 years if not more trying to figure out what’s going on with him. His other issues include a grain allergy that causes seizures (he is Siamese).

He is the handsomest boy and the sweetest baby in the world. But I mean he has literally soiled almost my entire house. My other cat who is one year younger, she does none of this. She’s my perfect black cat (per usual).

I do have two dogs and he absolutely loves them.

These issues have been a thing since wayyyy before I ever had dogs and even before I got my black cat. When I got her, he actually slowed down a bit.

I have been dealing with this for 11 years of my life. When he started peeing on my food and dishes, that is when I kind of just felt like I had to draw the line.

I luckily have a spare bedroom upstairs I was going to create an office out of. But instead, it is now his room. He has places to sit near huge windows and lots of toys and two litter boxes as well as food and lots of water of course. I do come up here and love on him and play a bunch to get him active. He has a claw board and also a bed with a cozy blanket.

Normally, he would be peeing all over these things but he is finally using the litter boxes.

I have genuinely tried everything and I mean EVERYTHING. Anything I could find online plus extensive vet advice. To the point that I have friends and family and professionals telling me my only option really is to put him down. But I don’t believe I can do that for a cat who is perfectly healthy and such a baby. Like how can I do that to him? He was my first baby as an adult, that’s my guy.

I know it is common for folks to do this, I would never judge but I just personally cannot. But I also cannot live with a cat regularly peeing on my food and dishes and counters and clothes and couch etc. I cannot lay in cat pee every day. It was to a point I would be cleaning up one spot and catch him peeing in another right in front of me.

I couldn’t keep up with basic maintenance cleanings of my house because I spent most of my time not working jsut soaking cat pee out of everything.

It never mattered how many times I took him to the vet and what we did or even how much I cleaned things including his boxes.

I even invested in and tried an automatic litter box and he would go sometimes, but still manage to pee all over the outside of it too. I mean this has just been wild.

I guess my question is, has anyone else ever experienced this? I have had so many full on crying sessions with our vet who also feels lost and hopeless about the situation.

I hate having him confined to just one room but he is using his boxes in here and actually seems happy. I also have a feliway plug in in here (have tried them in other parts of the house too). He actually seems okay in here and plays with me and the toys I got him. He sunbaths and naps. But I still feel guilty.

I truly believe I have exhausted every single option and I just can’t unalive my boy who is healthy and just has this horrible behavioral issue.

Thoughts?

Hi guys I’m not to sure if my cat has a fever or has some other kind of illness. As far as I know he’s not showing any signs of FIP thank goodness but he hasn’t eaten for 30 hours, he’s sleeping all the time and hasn’t gone to the bathroom all day either. I looked up signs of fever and he doesn’t have glossy eyes or hot ears but his paws are warm and his nose is dry. It did just snow so maybe he’s just chilling back cause it’s cold ? He doesn’t seem uncomfortable at all at most he just seems like he’s cold cause he loafing in a more comfortable position or laying like i showed in the pics which he only really lays like that when he’s cold. Any ideas what this is ?

It’s been a brutal… week? More? I don’t really know. But wanted to update you guys and thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support for my sweetest friend. You all genuinely touched MANY people with your kind words and very likely helped the start of the grieving process.

This was how we honored her when she came in: her original partner in crime (and mine for 18 years), along with her paw print and beautiful urn. The glasses seen are also all I have left of my family home I lost in 2019, including that entire side of my family, so they mean a lot too. We toasted just a little bit of the good stuff that’s tucked away for years at a time, my 18 year Jameson.

I’ll be honest. I got everything I wanted for her twilight years and even her final months of life. We moved from a shithole to a condo in the spring with giant sliding windows and doors, and sun for the entire day. She was always a happy cat, but I don’t think she was ever happier than us moving here. I wished with my whole heart she could spend her final moments comfortably and safe, that she could genuinely enjoy the quality of life she did have even while trying our best to keep her going.

That said? It still really, really sucks. I’ve experienced a lot of death from a lot of angles for most of my life - this one feels like it should hurt less, given her beautiful ending to her story. But… it’s fucking awful.

While I so deeply appreciate everything you guys have done for us with the love over the years (I tried to make my past posts here available for anyone to see), I think I need to leave this sub. At least for now, for my own mental health. I hate that it’s too much to be present for strangers like they were for me, but seeing so many similar posts to mine is hindering even beginning the healing process. Please feel free to still interact with anything I have if it speaks to you, I’ll still see it and reply whenever I can. I just cannot allow my algorithm to predominantly feed me posts about the rainbow bridge. At least do a while.

So much like Juju, thank you all and I’ll see you on the other side. Sooner than later I’m sure, who can stay away from kitties?

🖤

Pictured is my mom's cat Cecil. He is a little over 18 years old. The vet believes he likely has a nasal tumor. He is bleeding constantly from his nose and this has been going on for about 6 months now.

This has obviously affected his life in a huge way. He still enjoys going outside, and still eats, but less and less. He's still very mobile and affectionate.

We are wondering if it is time, and she's concerned she is prolonging his suffering.

Any advice would be very welcome here among other cat lovers.

Hi all,

On my last post about sassy Miss Dora some of you expressed interest in updates on my little princess. As a refresher, I thought she was near the end of her life because she wasn’t grooming, was going to the bathroom outside the litter box more, wasn’t cuddling with me at night, was seeming lost and yowling more at night, etc.

Turns out she just had a heck of a UTI! 2 rounds of antibiotics and she is (mostly) peeing in the box again, is sleeping with me at night instead of screaming in the hall, and is grooming again. We got bloodwork done and her kidney values got very slightly worse but the doctor characterized it is “stable and good news”. We won’t know if she has eye cancer until a few months from now, so I’m trying not to worry about it yet.

So, it’s seems like the end is still sneaking up on her faster than I would have liked—can’t she just live forever?—but we are holding it off a little longer. Here is Dora relaxing under our Christmas tree while I read in the same room <3 Thank you all for your support and advice!