I have a 17 year old cat who has shown signs of aging for the past year or so. Last year I had blood work done after he lost a lot of weight and had increased thirst and hunger. All came back normal. Two weeks ago, my cats stomach appeared bloated significantly. I thought it was either constipation or fluid. When I brought him to the vet for an emergency visit, it was confirmed by xray that it is fluid in his abdomen. The problem is that the cause if not known. The vet thinks it could be cancer or kidney disease, but has ruled out heart problems and infectious diseases as my cats remain indoors. I could get an ultrasound done to determine the cause but I don't want to expose my cat to uneccessary stress at this point if nothing can be done. He cannot walk very far at this point and I have been giving him 24 hour care at home to try and alleviate some of his discomfort. My vet recommended euthinizing him. I am struggling with this decision and was wondering if you could offer some advice as to what could be the cause, and what I should do. I have an appointment to get him put down, but if I can help him, obviously I will do whatever it takes, but not if his last days are going to reduce his quality of life. Please help...
