Why is my 12-year-old cat stiff, pacing, and acting confused?

It may not be his time yet but he does need to be examined by the veterinarian today. The disorientation and potential blindness is concerning for low blood sugar, hypertension, a brain tumor and a few other conditions. Some of these conditions respond very well to treatment and some don't but first, you must know what is happening so you know the treatment options. Just like humans, diseases are best diagnosed and treated early so have him examined today. I hope he gets this figured out quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Sounds like your cat has something affecting her nervous system and it is pretty severe. He nerves innervate the eyes, influence her stance, her gait and also her mentation (ability to be aware of her surroundings). Several things can affect the nervous system including toxins, chemicals, liver shunts, primary brain stem lesions and tumors, and severe liver disease. I would highly recommend taking her in to your vet for baseline bloodwork and radiographs to start. Her lab work findings will help them pinpoint what is going on with her internally so that you can best help your furry friend. There really isn't much you can do for her at home until you know exactly what is going on with her and then get the vet to prescribe medications to help her condition. I hope she feels better soon.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The symptoms do suggest short seizures or mini strokes. You should take Cheshire to your local vets for full clinical examination and a blood test to check his blood sugar level, red cell count, kidney and liver function. If the blood results come back normal and he keeps having the episodes, he may need further investigation, like MRI scan of the brain. Alternatively, your vet may recommend treatment with anti-epileptic medication asa trial.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Skipper. Has he has his blood pressure measured? That would be my first recommendation given his dilated eyes. High blood pressure in cats can cause changes to the eyes. If left untreated, blindness can result. I hope this information helps!

This degree of weakness and behaviour change is very concerning and likely to indicate severe injury or illness,especially in light of the sudden increase in thirst. An urgent vet check and urine or blood test would be recommended to identify the underlying cause. Although he is not very old for a cat you should be prepared for potentially bad news given the severity of his symptoms

Poor Nelson! From your description, I would say that something is definitely wrong. 13 or 14 years is really not overly old for a cat, certainly not old enough to cause these symptoms due to "old age." Some common causes of weight loss, decreased appetite, and acting lethargic along with peeing in odd places and difficulty walking would include diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or chronic kidney disease. I would recommend having Nelson examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - he/she can do basic blood work and a urinalysis to check for these problems and help determine what is causing his symptoms. In many cases, these illnesses are quite treatable once a diagnosis is made, so there's a good chance that your vet will be able to help.

Poor Garfield. At age 17 that is an awful lot going on and I'd be worried there is an underlying issue such as kidney or organ failure, disease, etc. Since he's so old and is having so many symptoms, it's best to bring him to your vet ASAP. They will likely want to run a few tests such as bloodwork or an X-ray to check his organ function, etc. If you can, bringing in urine or stool samples can also help with any testing and help streamline the process. Until you can get the vet, keeping him as comfortable as possible and keeping his eyes and nose clear with a clean washcloth can help. Some cats also do better eating if they can smell the food, so warming up his food or adding some boiled chicken that is smelly may encourage him to eat a little until you can be seen.