Hope all goes well with Bramble Phil.

You will know what to do when you have sent the vet with her.

Hi Phil,

so sorry to hear about Bramble! I hope things at the vet go ok!

The thing I can tell you is that I have an 18 year old cat with kidney-problems (only 30% is still functioning) leading to extremely high blood pressure. What triggered us into realizing something was wrong was that she suddenly went blind in both eyes and started losing weight... so straight off to the vet's, loads of blood tests and a blood pressure test (yes, they can do that with cats) and we got the above verdict.

Although I was ready to say goodbye (I was worried about her quality of life, and with high blood pressure comes severe headaches), the vet convinced me to try a pretty simple treatment, mainly because she still seemed very happy and looked healthy in all other ways (not yet very underweight, shiny coat, not hiding, not lethargic)...

so we switched her over to Renal catfood (Royal Canin) and she gets 1,5 ml of medicine (Amlodipine 30ml susp (20mg)) every day; her blood pressure went back down to acceptable levels, her weight went back up and she's doing fine... she will be blind for the rest of her life but as we've lived here for a long time and our garden is completely enclosed: she knows her way around perfectly. And this treatment is not expensive and not invasive to her in any way...

We've agreed with the vet that she'll have a check up every 3 months to make sure things don't deteriorate, but if she starts sliding again unfortunately we will have to say goodbye.... For now I'm just glad we've been able to buy her at least a few more months... she's still a happy cat for now....

The reason I've told you this is that there is a lot of simple medication out there which can make a world of difference... the expensive part is getting the tests done to find out what's wrong... that's the choice you have to make... do the tests or not?

Good luck with your decision, I know it's a hard one!

Thinking about you too Phil...as Lynn said, you will be guided by the vet. xx

Managed to catch her at 6:00am this morning and get her to the vet.

She's had an examination and whilst the outlook isn't great she has been given a lot of fluids to help with her the dehydration and she's been having 'recovery' food which mixed with a little water she's eating albeit spoon / syringe fed.

The objective this morning and throughout today is to give her a bit of a boost to see if she picks up at all.

She thinks her kidneys are the route of the problem and we're an appointment again at 5:00pm (urine smaple if possible) and the vet will advice us on what she feels is the best action to take.

good luck for later.........HUGS to all of you.

I think she'll be PTS to be honest Rach.

She's less than half her weight, is no good on her legs and is just doing nothing.

The fluids may help but I'm not that hopefull.

I'm so sorry to hear Bramble isn't doing well. I have always had cats and sometimes have had to make that horrible decision at the end. It's never easy but you'll do the right thing for her.

Sorry to hear this may be the route you have to take, Phil.

Hugs, chick x0x

Any more news on Bramble, hope it wasnt time for her to go.

(((((HUGS)))))to Phil, Karen and family........