Cat advice please

[clairea]

I have 5 cats, my eldest is 15 this year, we lost her real sister in October 2013' (can't believe it's been that long) to a super fast growing cancer, one minute she was fine next she was dead all in 10 days, anyway I'm off track my eldest is acting very oddly for her at mo, yesterday afternoon while I was soaking up a bit of sun in the garden I noticed in the space of 20 min she went to the loo or attempted to go to the loo 5 times if she got disturbed by one of the other cats or my neighbour she would move and try 5 min later, normally nothing bothers her,
last night she kept jumping on my bed something she never does, continued this morning meowing to wake me up then running off, 

she has been meowing and coming up to me all day, done the usual put my hand over dried food wevleavecoytvforcall the cats to have during day but she likes our hands over the food to take the scent of other cats away at least this is what we think, but this didn't do the trick today, she has been in and out going to loo ok, but meowing everytimevshe come in jumping up on my bed or rubbing herself round my legs again totally out of character, I gave her some treats Felixstowe ones as they are the only ones are cats tolerate, she then finally ate some dry food 10 minutes later she cried then vomited over the kitchen, lots of grass, she continued to follow me for half hour now seems to have gone out and is more settled,

she is on loxicam once a day for her stiff legs, and gets checked at vets every couple of months last check up a few weeks ago, I just have a feeling going to lose her soon, I suppose it could be the weather hot cold hot cold, she does have a thick coat, she is just acting out of character, she does this about once a week for past month have mentioned it to vet but they couldn't find anything wrong, 

can cats get dementia? I don't know what else to do it upsets me when she is like this because I don't know how to help her

[phatfil]

I don't know, but can offer my sympathy, its awful knowing your cat isnt right and feeling helpless to help her/him get better.

i hope you and your vet get to the bottom of it. And will keep my fingers crossed for a positive outcome.

[Chrissie]

The attempting to go to the loo so many times could be due to cystitis or stones. Also, at her age, she could have kidney problems or an over active thyroid.

You say the vet couldn't find anything wrong? Have they run full bloods?

[Deleted]

Could it be that she's constipated or has an obstruction?

[clairea]

I think she is going she uses cat litter tray ok in doors think it's a case of being a bit stressed, will have to check what she is doing outside she had an anal cyst before was horrible but bottom looks ok,
she hasn't had bloods done at all, vet just examined her checked heart etc, think we may have to insist on bloods,

It's odd because she acts up in the wee small hours into the morning then by lunch time she seems back to normal self again it's a pattern that keeps repeating,

Hubby' thinks it's just change in weather but I'm not so sure, I half think she might be diabetic amount she drinks, but vet said no when I queried it with her.

Going to see how she goes over next day or do and take her back to vets,

[Chrissie]

If she is drinking a lot of water, then it could be due to kidney problems. Find it odd that your vet hasn't suggested doing bloods - it's the first thing they usually suggest in an older cat

[Q]

Agreed with Chrissie , sounds very much like cystitis to me, can be brought on by stress... have you had any new cats around the garden recently? or anything else out of the routine?

Regarding your other question clairea , Yes, cats can and do get dementia, our eldest boy who will be 20 next month has been diagnosed (although we had already guessed), he now cant be let out on his own, he wanders down the garden then stops, looks around vacantly, and then wanders off in a totally different direction, normally heading for the road!!
We first noticed it when his eating habits changed, you would feed him but 10 seconds later he would be pawing at our legs & shouting "Where's my food" (we can understand what he says) we would then guide him back to get the "Ooh thank you" cry, only to repeat the procedure 2 minutes later, again & again.

He always sits next to my wife on the sofa at night, but once in a while he jumps up & wanders off, upstairs, in the kitchen, anywhere, and we then get the "Where are you" howl, we have to go find him & bring him back to the lounge, where he settles down again.

It's very sad, especially so because we 'inherited' him from Maries parents when they passed on, we had her Dad living with us for the last year or so because his dementia was too bad for him to live alone, his cat Jake is now behaving JUST like his (Maries) Dad did.

[taz96]

I'm not clued up enough to know what it might be but my Smudge had a urine infection once which caused similar symptoms. Sorry that's not much help but I hope she's ok. It's such a worry when our beloved pets are old and ill.

[clairea]

We have had lots of new strange cats recently, happens every few years when the American airbase changes staff, I think because we have 5 cats they seem to congregate hear, her sister used to be the one that suffered with cystitis few days of loxicam used to put her right, but she might need a shot of antibiotics best cat for taking meds ever just have to put them on a plate and she eats them, I also have one of the worst for taking meds he goes running screaming for the hills lol,
But thank you for your replies think she needs a trip back to vets sooner rather than later, think hubby just goes along with vet rather than pushing it or telling it fully how it is
I am wondering if she does have the start of dementia she often has a vacant look in her eyes and seems to not know you have re scented her food