THE BIG THING: It is with a heavy heart that I most advise every kitty and Bein that Skeeter has taken a dramatic turn for the worse today. He has stopped eating regular canned food (and he never met Stinky Goodness he wouldn't eat) and cannot even be coaxed to eat his favorite soft or crunchy treats.
He actually went outside today and sat by the little pond and lapped some water. But he couldn't get back up the stairs. I carried him up. I fear that was "the last hurrah"! He has been hiding in the bathtub since yesterday night making little calling sounds. I have seen no sign that he has used a litterbox in the past 24 hours.
He doesn't seem to want to be stroked or held. It may be becoming painful. He can't groom himself anymore. I spent some time cleaning the dried rheum from his eyes, cleaning his legs and paws which were becoming stuck with litter bits, and cleaning his tail. I held him on my lap this afternoon, wrapped in a towel. He only wanted to get away and sit in the bathtub.
His fur looks like Grampa's old raccoon coat, he smells bad, and I consider the odor a very serius problem. Not for me of course, but Skeeter has always been a sweet-smelling cat and this sudden change must be a very serious sign of problems.
He is unsteady on his feet for the last couple of days, but it has become markedly worse today. The vet advised me months ago that such unsteadiness would be a "final sign". Yesterday, he walked stiffly; this morning he walked unsteadily, tonight he is walking "almost falling over". The vet promised me he would not be in pain in this end stage of kidney failure, and I will trust him on that.
This morning, Skeeter joined me in my morning shower. He has never done that before. He has been terrified of falling water all his life. He normally won't go out on even wet grass. This is a last sign that his mind is going.
Please keep him in your thoughts this last day or two. The best cat I have ever known is about to go over the Bridge... I will miss him all the remaining days of my life. No cat has been has wonderfully friendly and close to me. For 15 years, anytime I sat down in a chair, Skeeter was there to curl up on my lap. He happily ate any food I offerred. He was a kind Protector and Hunting Teacher to LC and Ayla.
Keep him close in your thoughts this night...