Just a thought, but if he hurt his paw or leg (possible sprain), there is probably pain and cats will drink lots of water if in pain. If everything else seems to be "working", I'd let him relax on his own and not make him anxious by fussing too much. Easier for me to say I know, and I'd probably worry and watch him too.

ETA: Wait, I just read the title of the post. Is he really throwing blood clots when he pees???

No. That actually encourages me. Thank you.

No, it's actually a suggestion by the vet. It's not bloody.

Did they check the paw to make sure nothing is in it? Will he let you touch it? If everything else is working I'd give it another day. We had a cat who sprained is front paw (ankle?) and would let us touch the paw but not the leg.

How old is this cat?

Excessive thirst is not a good sign. Does the pee smell bad?

"Drinks as though he's dying of thirst" - we had a cat that did that and would pee buckets in the house. He was diagnosed with diabetes. I gave him insulin injections everyday for about 6 months and we finally couldn't live with the damage he was doing to our home and had him put down (he was also a cat I didn't really like from the start, but we got his sweet calico sister and him as a package from friends and had to take two from the litter for the deal). I hope you find a solution,

Diabetes was ruled out a couple months ago.

Both the vet and I have checked up and down the one paw.

It's so vexing!

He's 14 years

Our sweet calico girl lived to be 20. I still miss her. We switched to dogs and have 2 young Australian Shepherds now, but I could live with a nice cat again...

Can cats get Lyme disease?

One of my best friends is a vet, and she says the same thing I'm thinking...

It's such a sudden onset...

He's thrown a clot. Which means less than a year, and probably got heart disease or he's got cancer.

He's got until the 21st to show marked improvement. Or be incredibly worse, at which point I'll take him to the ER.

Excessive thirst can be kidney problems or even thyroid. I am not going to second guess your vet friend. 14 is pretty old.

With the comprehensive testing towards kidney... I don't know what to think.

Oh, his kidney values are off? Pretty common problem in the geriatric cat.

How far up the leg was checked? The reason I ask was I had one cat who developed an abscess because of a sharp seed that worked it's way into the skin next to the leg. This area has a plant that has seeds similar to marigold seeds. They are known to puncture then work their way below the skin. Eventually it spread under his leg and burst. In the puss there was the seed. His leg was checked but it was thought the warm spot was just heat from his body.

"drink as though he's dying of thirst" makes me consider feline hyperthyroidism or diabetes. Were labs checked for those?

Were basic labs & x-ray checked for indicators of cancer?

Are all paw pads on all 4 legs warm and the same temperature?

Were pain or anti-inflammatory meds tried for relief of symptoms?

If not happy with your vet, would get second opinion from another vet (my preference is a feline specialist or veterinary teaching hospital). Would only use emergency vets (& docs) for emergencies, they are not necessarily the best doc/vet for more complex diagnosis.

Best wishes for an uneventful recovery.

Daughter's cat started drinking excessively, peeing places other than it's litter box. He had UTI issues and needed a special $$$$ cat food. That seems to have done the trick. Interesting comment about cats using drinking water when in pain..... As far as the paw...not infected? If the Vet hasn't found anything seems like you have to wait it out.

Look at his pupils. Are they both the same size?

Does he shake his right forepaw? Hold it up? Limp?

Has he stopped washing himself? Is his fur looking unkept? Is the fur coarse, not soft?

I would start feeding a probiotic. Purina Fortiflora.....for tummy issues. Petsmart or Ebay carries it. You should be able to buy it by the packet at a vet counter for $2. It's yummy and won't hurt...may help. I have some I can send you if you want to try it?

I wanted to add that to me it makes little sense to take you furkid to the animal ER. A animal specialty clinic such as we have in this area or to a veterinary clinic at a school which is different from the ER's ran by the schools. This is based on actually having to use an ER several times. If nothing is apparent what happens is, you are referred back to your regular vet. The one I have used is connected to the state's veterinary school and it is only staffed nights and weekends. It has one vet and several students limited testing equipment. If your vet did not run a full panel of blood tests I suggest going to another vet.

Thirst can indicate the various things others have listed but it can also indicate food needs to be changed or the water bowl raised. One of my cats appeared to be constantly drinking then I noticed the level of water in the bowl was not going down. I was advised to raise it gradually which allowed the cat to actually drink. Admittedly he was not the smartest cat in the world but he lived into his teens.

All the pads on all his paws seem okay.

He absolutely will not tuck that right forepaw. Can't seem to get comfortable. I'll bug the regular vet for pain meds.

Unfortunately, the ER vet is the specialist. Here, that's how it is.

When I said he was eating and drinking as he was, I meant, that doesn't seem to be an issue. He's using them bathroom in the proper place and ways. And the regular vet checked his bladder and for blockage. They gave the ok for both. It's not UTI. Besides, he was given an antibiotic. He's not noticeably better.

The only pain meds a vet will issue for cats are good for 3 days. Only as strong as an aspirin. Anything after three days puts your cat at risk for kidney damage.

He won't bend his right paw?

Week's worth, and they were locked up because they're opioids.

I assume it'll be enough to make him comfortable. He just needs to rest better, and be comfortable enough to continue eating, drinking and using the restroom.

I'm dragging my feet, because he seems okay except for sitting really still, until my child gets home from vacation. If he was desperately ill, I would not wait. I can't put Murphy through another car ride, taking him to a terrifying place, without his person. He's very neurotic, so I don't think it would help, it would certainly harm him. He has to at least have his person.

And child needs to say goodbye. They need to hear all this information from a vet, not from me

Murphy's pupils are both the same size?

Yep. Equal size.

I wish he could talk, because I sure as heck can't figure out why he is not walking. He stretched more than once the hind legs went all the way up! It's that right front paw??

Here's how he's eating and drinking. Right on his level, and I take it to him

If I didn't know better, I'd say the pain medication is working. He looks like his old self. Even if it's just a reprieve I'm happy. Hope he is too.

I wonder if he can have this resolved on its own since it's not a saddle thrombus (really NOT dragging his hind quarters)?

the vet should have taken an xray from paw to shoulder.

i don't know how common osteosarcoma is in cats but i've had 2 great danes go through it. one showed absolutely NO pain until the very end, was diagnosed on a thursday, climbed down from the couch on friday and the leg broke. ER visit for immediate euthanasia. the other never limped a single time, i noticed a lump and took him in. xrays revealed the bone was eaten away with cancer and liable to break with him simply taking a step so i had him euthanized that day.

So hard.

Best, Nina!

Friend had kitty that stopped using limb due to ligament injury, was treated over several weeks initially with meloxicam (NSAID), then gabapentin, and steroid. Recovered completely.

More than happy to keep kitty happy. Since I work from home, I can be there everyday. Except the 21st. But I'll be there before and after. I hope it's something easier than clots.

I'm ready to observe!

In that photo, Murphy's RF paw, looks like it has a swollen joint...? If you roll the joint around...does he object? Is it warmer than it should be? Feel mushy?

There's nothing different about that front paw. I've looked at it so many times, the vet looked at it... Let's keep waiting and watching.

Been there many times with ailing cats and I hope your problem is soon resolved and he is feeling his old self.

Nina...my greyhound had the same thing happen to her. She had a tiny limp which happened a lot as she raced around the yard. She saw a vet for her wellness visit , jumped off the back of the car at Petsmart and screamed. We took her home and made a vet appointment for the next day and she died that night.

Given his age, I would suspect arthritis in that area.

Nope. It's like a switch was flipped. Pain relievers are not making him walk around.

My very narrow plan just got destroyed. I've been keeping him comfortable so his person could go with him to the vet, make the decisions tonight. They missed their flight. They're barely going to have time to say goodbye to him. Which means he's going to suffer until I get back and get him to the vet. Which means I have to do it alone. If I take him to the vet right now, what if they say that he has to stay overnight? And they never say goodbye to each other? I'm so sick of crying.

He is still eating and drinking and went to the litter box on his own today. I wish it would resolve whatever it is.

Eating, drinking, and going to litterbox on his own are very good signs.

Healing takes time, esp. as we get older.

Best wishes.

I know, right?

I keep hoping that this is supposed to be what it's supposed to be. Going in the middle of the night was not going to make for good decision making.

What if I have to wait so long, Monday, because that's the earliest I can do it, that he's gotten a lot better? He's sequestered away from the other cat and convalescing.

It's all I can do.

Do not panic. If this cat is eating and drinking and doing his business you do not need to make a decision. A cat in immediate deep trouble will not be doing those things. They look stressed. They crump up. Their nictating membranes in their eyes show. There is time to see if there is something more you can do. I advise watchful waiting.

Not only was he not hiding under the bed this morning, LOOK!

He is standing while eating. Oh my goodness.

It's probably blurry because I have tears of joy, but there you go. Good boy!

Sounds like he's doing fine....for where he is in this "thing". You've got time.

That's so great. I hope he continues to show improvement. They sure can be a worry.

Poor baby! Glad the crisis seems to have passed.

P.S. I deliberately avoided this until now because my little geriatric kitty developed a clot that caused her to lose the use of her hind legs, then it passed, but the emergency vet told us it was likely the beginning of the end, and put her on palliative meds until we could have her examined at nearby cat hospital, and wound up having her euthanized 😔

Carol,

That's still a possibility. I'm very aware. He's still not back. Better, but not back.

Crossing fingers, they're getting it wrong.

It's wise to be realistic.

FWIW, the vet told me that clots in the main artery can be fatal because they can travel to the heart.

Wishing you the best.

Thanks for the update, happy to hear the improvement. 😺

Friends cat with leg ligament injury took 4-6 weeks, on meds, to heal.

@carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b, arteries (& "main artery" = aorta) travel away from the heart; veins travel to the heart. A clot in an artery would have to pass through capillaries (that are very tiny) to get to arterial system - doesn't happen. Not criticizing, just don't want medical misinformation causing distress unnecessarily.

In cats, a saddle embolism usually affects the rear legs. Cats often have acute and severe pain, muscles in back legs may be hard to touch, paws and limbs often cold or cool, and paw pads may be pale, blue, or grey in color. The cats will be unable to use their back legs well, and may be dragging legs and seem paralyzed, have rapid or labored breathing, howling, meowing, or other vocalizations.

Apologies for getting the terminology wrong. I guess I misremembered the Dr.'s words. She did say it was likely a blood clot and that they are terribly painful, and once it starts happening in a cat that age (21), they can be fatal.

I'm so sorry your cat suffered that Carol. Hugs!

I realized that if that it was the case, I would push hard for my child to put their cat down. I know I didn't want happen over and over again. I know I wouldn't want to suffer that.

I've got a note into the vet asking if we should consider other options. I haven't suggested an anti-inflammatory but maybe that's where we should look next. I have to admit I quit the pain reliever, because I read that it would reduce their appetite and he's already lost a pound, not to mention the fact I want him to eat so he'll keep his strength up. This morning, we gave him as much wet food drenched with water that he would drink and eat. And I knew we were going to be gone all day.

So once he was satisfied, I gave him his pain medication, hoping he would sleep all day, and repair. 12 hours later, I got home, and he'd used the litter box, happy to have two platefuls of food, lapping up all the water I add to it.

Seems so successful, that I may give him the pain medication only at night, and hopefully he can rest enough to get up and walk around the next day. It'll last twice as long, and that's a good thing too.

🤞🏻

Thanks for the good update.

At the cat shelter we often add water to canned food for kitties to get more fluids. Glad it's working for you.

Pain will decrease appetite, relieve the pain and appetite often returns.

Feline practice guideline on NSAIDS in cats

https://catvets.com/public/PDFs/PracticeGuidelines/NSAIDsGLS.pdf

@MDLN...Thanks for that link. I bookmarked it.