Cat won't stop wondering around, has been for hours

[Sonique]

Before anyone says anything, don't worry I'm taking him to a vet in the morning... or in like 5 hours... but I just can't relax knowing he's doing this.

Since yesterday he has been walking around and wandering the apartment. Literally non stop except to eat when I give him food. He's been up for at least 12 hours doing this, he has NOT slept at all for at least 12 hours. I even took him to the ER vet, they did blood work but couldn't find anything with that and told me to follow up with my regular vet...


He seems very lost and confused, they suspect something neurological, but nothing I google talks about wondering around for hours on end without sleeping or stopping to rest. He's been acting weird for the last couple days... I just find it hard to believe something like this would just come on so suddenly


They gave me some sedatives but they didn't help at all. He's still just wandering. He'll look at me if I call him but he won't sit with me or anything.


Is there anything I can do to help him sleep or get him to stop?... I want my Luffy back but I fear he's gone forever

[Traci]

I'm so sorry I didn't get to see this until now, hopefully you're at or have been to your vet by now.

Can you remind me how old Luffy is?

Beyond the bloodwork, please also opt for thyroid testing, especially if Luffy is 7 or older - thyroid problems can cause vocalizing and seemingly disoriented mentation. Also check both blood AND urine glucose.

If you can afford to, I'd strongly recommend an ultrasound to check for anything unusual (chest and abdomen), because if comprehensive blood work isn't showing anything, an ultrasound would be the next step.

Please let us know what your vet says?

[Sonique]

I'm so sorry I didn't get to see this until now, hopefully you're at or have been to your vet by now.

Can you remind me how old Luffy is?

Beyond the bloodwork, please also opt for thyroid testing, especially if Luffy is 7 or older - thyroid problems can cause vocalizing and seemingly disoriented mentation. Also check both blood AND urine glucose.

If you can afford to, I'd strongly recommend an ultrasound to check for anything unusual (chest and abdomen), because if comprehensive blood work isn't showing anything, an ultrasound would be the next step.

Please let us know what your vet says?

Hey sorry I didn't respond sooner. I just got home from work... I kinda collapsed after the vet visit because I was so tired. Only got about two hours of sleep.


I should probably start at the beginning.

This past Sunday, after I got home from work I heard a crash behind me... and I saw my cat, Luffy on the ground sorta shaking his head and I realized he had either fallen off the couch or table or something, but he's kinda clumbsy and he seemed fine. He was just walking around like "I meant to do that!" He was fine all night... but the next morning when I woke up, he was acting very clingy and I assumed he was hungry. I went to fill his food dish but it was about half full. Now his food is kept on on a shelf and he's never had trouble jumping up to it. (it's on a shelf to keep another cat who's on a special diet from it) So I thought the clingyness was due to him perhaps having a hairball he needed to cough up, which was not unusual for him.

Later that night, I noticed he still hadn't eaten all day, so I brought the food to him and he ate some. Then I felt bad because I thought maybe when he had fallen he had injured himself and couldn't jump up to his dish. shortly after I noticed his behavior was off... even when I put him on the couch next to me he'd jump off and didn't seem to want to cuddle like he always does. That's when the wandering around started. I thought maybe because he had gone so long without food that he was just feeling off. Eventually I just put him in my lap and although he laid there like always, he didn't purr. Again this was off.


So the next day when I got up, that's when I noticed he was still wandering and he had been for quite a while at night. This is when I called my vet and they told me to keep an eye on him and I made an appointment for the morning. They said sometimes when cats take a bad fall, they might be off for a day or so but then return to normal but he seemed to be getting worse. He wasn't very responsive and I don't even think he knew "luffy" was his name.


After watching him wander about for 6 hours, I finally picked him up and put him in my lap hoping he'd calm down but instead, he got kind of fidgety, like he wanted to get down. I was really worried so I took him to the ER vet. The vet there observed his behavior and agreed it was abnormal even for a cat. They took blood work, which I believe included the glucose you asked about (one of them is GLU, would that bt it?), and also his blood pressure and everything was normal.

They sent me home with some buprenorphine to help sedate him so he'd sleep but it didn't seem to help much.

In the morning I took him to the vet and they went over the blood work again and the vet noticed he had a full bladder and asked when he'd gone last. I wasn't sure but she thought he might be blocked so they took him into the back to see if they could get him to urniate. Shortly after she came out with a very dazed looking Luffy. She said she got him to urinate and he did so a lot, but afterwards he just kind of fell over and stared to drool. She said she didn't know what was wrong with him but that I should see a neurologist. Eventually Luffy calmed down and they gave me a referral and sent me home. I don't know if his thyroid was checked but I don't think the ER vet did that.


Anyways when I got home, he began wandering again, but eventually I got him up on the bed with me and I began to pet him. He licked my hand once and seemed quite relaxed. Soon he fell asleep... as did I.

I went to work, came home, he has yet to urniate today since this morning. He's not blocked but it's like he doesn't know how or something? I don't know how to get him to do that. He's been wandering pretty much but I feel like he's more alert. Just confused. I brought him one of his favorite toys and he seemed a bit interested but didn't play with it much.


So yeah that's all I got. I don't know how to get him to stop wandering and I don't know how to get him to urniate. That's where I'm at. I feel like he's more responsive tonight, he seems to know his name but he's still not himself. So after all that info, I know you can't give a diagnosis over the interent but that's where I'm at and any help would be appreciated.

EDIT oh and he's 11 if I didn't say so

[Sonique]

Okay I'm sorry to double post but I just discovered something major. He appears to be blind. Which is probably why he's acting this way... he's confused and scared.


What can I do to make him comfortable? I'll get him in somewhere ASAP but for now what can I do?

[Traci]

TO AN ER VET IMMEDIATELY, get urinalysis done and ultrasound, call your regular vet and let them know what's going on, but this can't wait, an ER vet is probably more qualified to determine what diagnostics are prudent at this point, but if they suggest neurologist, then HAVE THEM GET THIS SET UP FOR YOU (because they can talk directly with a neurologist and get an exam set up for you rather than you having to wait around to get in for an appt).

It sounds like something may have happened when he fell, possibly a spinal or nerve problem, a neurologist could help determine for certain, but ER VET first to determine why Luffy seems to have lost his sight/orientation etc.

I'm sending healing thoughts and prayers this is nothing serious and can be easily treated, hang in there!

[Sonique]

TO AN ER VET IMMEDIATELY, get urinalysis done and ultrasound, call your regular vet and let them know what's going on, but this can't wait, an ER vet is probably more qualified to determine what diagnostics are prudent at this point, but if they suggest neurologist, then HAVE THEM GET THIS SET UP FOR YOU (because they can talk directly with a neurologist and get an exam set up for you rather than you having to wait around to get in for an appt).

It sounds like something may have happened when he fell, possibly a spinal or nerve problem, a neurologist could help determine for certain, but ER VET first to determine why Luffy seems to have lost his sight/orientation etc.

I'm sending healing thoughts and prayers this is nothing serious and can be easily treated, hang in there!

But that's why I took him in and I did all that and they don't know why he's acting like this and that's why they want to send him to a neurologist. Two vets have told me this. It's not a urine problem. He seems completely unaware of his surroundings. He doesn't seem to know that he SHOULD pee at all.


But fine, I got an appointment set up with the neurologist tomorrow so hopefully they'll do an MRI and figure it out


EDIT
he's getting an MRI now, they think it's either inflammation of the brain or a tumor... I guess I'll know in a little while, but this is a lot to take in

[Traci]

Try to think good thoughts - it did seem to come on suddenly, and Luffy is still young, - the "blindness" is concerning (which is why I suggested another ER vet given the time of your post - sometimes when additional symptoms are present, a vet can put the pieces together and from experience, determine diagnostic/treatment approach).

I'm assuming you DID tell your vets about the fall? Am wondering if maybe a head injury (you said he had shaken his head directly after, might have been trying to get his bearings) - the neurologist hopefully is looking into that, and considering at least any potential swelling to be treated ASAP.

I'm keeping healing thoughts for Luffy, let's try not to think the worst, have to remain positive!

[Sonique]

Unfortunately I don't come back with good news. Luffy had a massive brain tumor and had to be put down

He didn't wake up from the anesthetic and they offered to wait a while but I knew even if he woke, he wouldn't ever be the same and I couldn't afford any type of treatment that he'd need to be back to normal.



As for blindness, I believe I was wrong about that, and in fact, he wasn't blind but just unable to respond to things in front of him... or anything for that matter. I also believe now that the tumor caused him the fall rather than the fall causing something.


So it's just me and my girl Lucy who's around the same age which concerns me . I'm really upset but I'm kinda glad it's over in a way. These last few days have been so stressful. I'm sure he's happy wherever he is.

Thanks for your help and sorry if I seemed angry at any point. I was just frustrated. Anyways I think Lucy needs some TLC now. Thanks again for the kind words.

[Traci]

Sonique, I'm so very sorry, I was so hoping for Luffy to be ok, my heart just breaks for him and you.

Safe and gentle journey, sweet sweet Luffy, forever in our hearts... (((((HUGS))))))

[slvrwhispr]

So sorry, Sonique! You did the absolute best you could for him, and gave him all the love you had. Hugs to you!