We said goodbye to Big Tom in the small hours of this morning and buried him this afternoon.
He started refusing food last weekend and sounded as if he was retching.
I suspected a hairball.
Things didn't improve and D took him to the vet on Tuesday.
They didn't like the way he breathed, examined him under anaesthetic, X-rayed his chest and scoped his throat.
Found no hairball, inflamed airway and gave some anti-inflammatory.
Sent him home later on Tuesday
In soiled, clearly labelled, cat carrier belonging to another cat
With drug dose instructions on medicine bottle conflicting with those in discharge letter
With no clear explanation for why he wasn't eating
I noted his weight was 1.5kg less than before and didn't think 4 days off food & water would do this.
General condition worsened over Wednesday -still not eating or drinking, lethargic, shunning attention, occasionally moving to favoured places of comfort. Unperturbed by flies landing on him.
Disappeared when I'd arranged for D to take him to vet but reappeared later very noisy breathing.
This seemed to me like typical 'let me die in peace' behaviour of the moribund cat. (Though I don't really know much about cats!)
D got to vets around midnight and they agreed Tom was critical. Thought there might be a mass in his belly, but weren't sure if it was constipation or cancer. Suggested oxygen, fluids & admission, which struck me as futile so opted to have him put down.
Bye-bye Big Tom.
Apologies.
I'm not too impressed by the vets but I'm an awkward doctor.
We are much money and a cat carrier lighter.
