I want to start first by saying that I HAVE taken my cat, Slippery, to the vet once already.

He'd been unable to walk on both back legs, and I was scared because it seemed to have come on very suddenly. I took him in for an emergency visit at around 3am (shortly after I got home from work). The vet thought it could have been a blood clot. He did a physical checkup and wanted to do x-rays, but I couldn't afford them. So he sent Slippery and I home with a steroid shot and some meds for the rest of the weekend. The vet's diagnosis was that Slippery may have a brain disorder/neurological condition but he wasn't sure because we had to forgo the x-rays.

Slippery started walking shortly after taking his medication and receiving the steroid shot. It's been a couple weeks, but his partial paralysis is back once again and it seems like he's getting worse. He won't stand up at all. Somehow, he's been making it to the litter box, he's very lethargic and mostly lays about. He's only about a year old, still a kitten, and should be running around and knocking things over, but he isn't.

I found him and rescued him off a construction site. The only time he's been to a vet is when this all started. I've been researching cat diabetes, cat cardiomyopathy, hip dysplasia, and nothing seems to fit his symptoms quite right.

His symptoms are this:

- won't stand up
- won't use both back legs or front left leg
- no balance
- barely lifts head up
- warm toe pads (so not a blood clot)
- raspy/wet breathing
- lethargic
- not eating/drinking

I tried to schedule another appointment, as I can't afford an emergency room visit, but I have to wait a few days. I have no idea what to do to try and help him or how to make him comfortable. He doesn't seem like he's in a lot of pain, but I'm sure it's uncomfortable and scary to have lost control of yourself like this.

Does anyone recognize what this might be? Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do in the meantime until his next appointment?

You can try a OUIJA board... because without the tests performed by an actual Vet... you aren't going to get any better answers. An unqualified guess is just that... an unqualified guess. That's going to sound blunt..but its the truth.

random, we cat diagnose on line, nor can a vet. How old is slippery? This all sounds very bad. I would suggest having him put down, but you say he doesn't seem to be in pain, but how do you know that.

I'm so sorry but there's absolutely no way we can even guess what this could be. There are no vets on this site, just pet owners that love their pets and may have information about behaviour issues, training, grooming, etc, but not medical.

I would suggest finding a way to get the x-rays done, that seems to be your best bet in figuring out what's happening with him.

I wish you the best of luck.

Did you have blood work done?

I will leave my Ouija board as a last resort, thank you :) I took Slippery into the vet today and was told the same thing as the first vet. He's not in any pain, he could have any number of things, and she scheduled a more-invasive check up. She's also talking to a local university about perhaps having a vet tech student do x-rays? It'd save me a couple hundred dollars, at least. She didn't really have any suggestions for keeping him comfortable.

Think I'm going to have to buy a kid's plastic truck and strap it to the cat so he can walk around.

Blood work should be one of the next steps, yes. She was going to check him over for a number of things, diabetes, cat cardiomyopathy, and some other things I can't remember.

Thanks, everyone. I guess I was just posting to see if anyone had any ideas for making him comfortable or if any other cat owners had ever seen this in their cat before.

Some of the really sarcastic answers actually made me laugh a bit and I really needed that, so thank you all again.

I didn't offer a sarcastic answer. Have had many cats, some have lived with me for a number of years. I value their friendship. I will not see an animal suffer, no spend a lot of money having procedures done if I don't think it is necessary. You are spending a lot of money on a cat that you adopted without knowing health history. That is very unwise. I also don't think you are completely honest with us, and kind of trollish, as a matter of fact.

Please don't subject Slippery to all that poking and prodding. I, a lifelong cat rescuer, am with tickle on this -- it's time to say goodbye.

Tickle, obviously your mother never told you this, so I will. If you can't say anything nice, best not to say anything at all.

To the poster, please don't let this negativity drive you away from the site, there are helpful caring people here, but like everywhere in the world, you get the good and the bad. Best to just ignore the bad.

I disagree with just giving up. If we gave up every time someone we knew was sick, there would be no cures, no help no lives lived. I wouldn't go to extremes, but this could very well be an issue that's fixable, so why not do everything you can afford, to find out what's going on? But don't lose everything doing this. I do get that it's not easy to just give up, but some things aren't solvable, and one things I've learned about vets, most times when multiple tests are ordered, they have no idea what they're looking for, they're just hoping to find something, and they're also hoping to make a bit more money off you while you're upset and willing to do everything to save your beloved pet. They will gouge you if they can. Too many vets are like that. I've only met one in my 46 years that would say "no more tests, enough is enough, we have to let him go", the rest would do tests until minutes before death, just to cash in a bit more on your hope and worry.

Hi, Alty, nice doesn't come into the equation. One doesn't try to keep an animal alive when it sounds as dire and sick as this poor cat is. I would never see an animal suffering needlessly and I truly believe there are no more options except putting Slippery out of its misery. In any event, how do you know what my mother never told me.

Sounds like he may? Have been poisoned, or drank antifreeze left out? Not sure the effects or symptoms are. May be some Natural Cause?
Have Cats Myself, wish the Best for Him and you.

I am so sorry that Slippery has this problem. I have a few ideas, not sure if they help or not...

Is Slippery an outdoor cat now? If so, is it possible he has been bitten by a tick or other insect? I'm not sure where you live, but some insect bites might cause paralysis and a tick sounds like the most logical suspect... especially with his breathing the way it is. My second thought is possibly something to do with his heart.

Another thought is that he may have a slipped disc. You mentioned that you took him in from a construction site. It's possible he suffered an injury there which may get aggravated if he jumps from furniture, etc. An x-ray would surely help. Ask your vet if you can get the x-rays and pay a weekly amount. I am assuming he has had all of his vaccinations, too. If not, there might be something there that will give a clue.

I don't agree that you should have the cat euthanized. I think that depends upon the cause and what you are willing to do to get him healthy again. If the steroids and other meds helped (I assume you were given something for pain and possibly an antibiotic) then his prognosis is a lot better. Depending upon where you live there are places that will help out with emergency veterinary expenses and you can pay them back. Personally, I would make a heart-felt plea with the vet and ask they if they will let you pay a little every payday towards the bill. If you can't continue to find out the cause of his problems, though, I really do think the best thing to do would be to surrender him to the Humane Society or have him euthanized. Even if he doesn't show pain you must understand that dogs and cats do everything they can to hide their weaknesses and pain is the ultimate weakness.

I hope this helps and do hope you are able to work something out to get an accurate diagnosis for Slippery so he can get the treatment he needs.

Hugs, Didi