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worried

Tinkerbell

My cat, "Tink" is 18 and has been walking funny for about one year. As soon as I saw her walking like this, I took her to the vet right away. I thought if it was something simple like earmites or an ear infection, it could be easily treated). The vet said they suspect a central nervous system issue, but we could not afford an MRI. They said it did not seem like she was in pain and to keep an eye on her.

When she walks, her hind legs are spread apart and mostly straight. She has also had trouble with balance and jumping on and off of things. I usually don't get to see her that often (about once a year) since she lives with my dad. This week I noticed that one of her pupils seems to be slightly larger than the other).

I also found a large lump on her neck (and even though she has a good appetite (and has always been thin, she is very very thin).

She is so old and frail that I worry another trip to the vet might be more stressful (and harmful) than helpful.

She is still very loving, and acts like herself (aside from sleeping a lot and walking funny).

My biggest concern is that I don't want her to suffer. I don't want to have her put to sleep either if she is still enjoying life and is not in pain.

My main questions are these:
1) does it sound like her symptoms might be caused by a brain tumor? (and if so is this painful?)
Considering her age - what is the best thing to do for her at this point? (I worry that a trip to the vet might be too stressful for her)...

Thank you :)

Symptoms: Eyes, Lumps And Swellings, Paralysis, Weight Loss

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• Experienced Advisor Brian Spar says:

  December 26th, 2007 at 01:29 PM

  Hi there, It certainly sounds like your kitty has something neurological going on. That abnormal gait you described, along with the different sized pupils does potentially indicate a mass (or tumor) of some sort in the brain, but it could certainly be other things as well (there are inflammatory diseases, infections, etc that could cause such issues). However, due to the age of your cat and the progression of signs, a brain tumor is certainly tops on my list. This is not a painful condition. I would say that as long as she is eating and acting herself, there is no rush to put her to sleep. However, if her appetite starts to wane or if you think she is looking sad and miserable, I would say that it would be time to consider that her quality of life is suffering and euthanasia would be the kindest thing. Best of luck, hope this helps!

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