Just saw this. Hope your little guy is feeling better. It's so hard to watch them having trouble. :(

I have no clue as to what might be wrong with your very handsome cat. It is very stressful when a pet has an unknown ailment. Just knowing what is wrong, even if the prognosis is not good, is easier. I wish you and Sylvester the best. You are doing the best you can for him and making his life better.

It does sound like something neurological. It is possible he ate something that was contaminated with an insecticide. I know hind sight is always perfect but stats prove that an indoor cat lives many more years longer than a cat that is allowed to go outside, just too TOO many things they can get in to out there and they don't come to the door knocking first to ask "mother may I" before eating something they shouldn't or messing with something that could be harmful or even deadly for them.

I don't mean to make light of your situation, in fact my heart really goes out to you for your heartbreak. You have obviously went the limit in trying to do something to help him and also to help him feel better.

I will for sure keep your wee-one in my prayers. I hope you find something that will help your angel-boy.

~Karen

My indoor/outdoor cats all lived into their 20s. The oldest lived to be 23, and I just lost my most current cat at 21 & 1/2 years. The stats showing life expectancy of outdoor cats include ferals and strays and are not an accurate indicator.

I live in a very busy area, homes. stores and cars. But, all the cats in the neighborhood have been killed by coyotes. One poor, friendly kitty went out for his evening potty and was found cut in half. Please don't let your cat out and have them attacked, run over or mutilated. Yes, I do know that most people/animals are friendly but it just takes one!

We have a cat that, several years ago, had some of the symptoms your cat displays. Falling when trying to use the litter box, couldn't use his legs correctly, etc. Our vet said it may be a virus in the nerves, and gave him steroids and an antibiotic that works on nerves (can't remember the name). It was slow recovery, but several years later, one would never know he had been in such bad shape. I hope your cat is doing better by now, and that he recovers completely.

Thanks so much for your help everyone. Sylvester is still the same unfortunately. We have narrowed it down to his hip. He seems to have a very weak right hind leg/hip and whenever he goes to the toilet for a poo he collapses straight after.

For several months now we have no longer let him outside so there is no chance of him beind attacked thankfully. Hes also a very smart cat and regularly used to save his brother cat from fights.. We take him outside instead on a lead for several walks a day to strengthen his legs and build muscle back up and thankfully he has put on some weight too. He is always waiting by the door wanting outside to explore which we see as a good thing but never without us there walking him.

He still has an apetitie and hasnt stopped eating or drinking. However his condition hasnt gotten any better. I live Scotland, and there are only a small number of veterinary practices around me, we have 1 last one to try which is the most modern one we have only recently found. Its an hour and 10 minutes journey by car. We were told the technology isnt modern enough at the other practices around us to give him an X-Ray without aneasthetic so im hoping this new practice will give him that opportunity.

At the ene of th month we are getting more blood tests done to update us since last time too.

We wont give up and will always fight to give him a chance. Hes certainly weaker in his legs than before but hes holding in there and always still wants to go outside for walks and yesterday he was actually playing with a little ball with his front paws for the first time in weeks!

Thanks again guys for all your help, ill be sure to write all the info down and relay it to my vet.

Hey missmaggs. Thanks so much for getting in touch with me. Im glad little Emmett is doing well now. Give him a big hug for me :) its painful seeing them go through all of this. Thanks for all of your information too, i will be sure to check with the vet if any of these can be the cause of Sylvesters troubles.

Sylvester (Vesty for short) is ok. Not great, but ok. Hes weaker and now has a urine infection which he is being treated for. We got more blood test done and they again came back clear with the vet actually very very happy with them. His insides are healthy and function like that of a younger cat which is great.

We went to see a European Feline specialist who has a practice an hour from us and she too doesn't know what this could be. She is currently testing for limes disease which we asked her to do and that seemed to spark a light with her and sent off his blood for test straight away which we are still waiting to hear results back for. However she is the only vet that seems concerned and interested in him. She doesn't believe that it is arthritis though which all of the other vets have said it is. We agree with her.

She believes that it could be a small tumour or something to do with his spine. His reflexes are worse than they were 2 months ago and he isn't peeing as well as he should be. He seems to have a full bladder all the time so theres no wonder he has an infection. Today he is actualy walking better ( not wobbling around, or collapsing) and yesterday he had 7 small pees between 7am and 12pm. Today he has had 2 big pees which is great because he is emptying his bladder, that suggests to me the infection is going.

The next stage for us is to get him an MRI scan which unfortunately only comes up to my area once per month :(. The specialist has 24 hour intensive care units at her practice and believes she would be able to get him through a small anaesthetic. She is doing lots of research for him into which anaesthetic would be best due to him being incredibly sensitive to it.

I frustratingly live in London for work which have lots of places with state of the art equipment, however London is at the opposite end of the country to my Family and Vesty but everyday Im involved in his care and fly back every 2 weeks to see him. I have consulted many vets down here who look at me and think im stupid having not turned up with an animal to their practice asking question upon question.

Anyway, hes hangin in there. Always stuffing his face full of food, wanting outside for his walks too and I wont give up for my little man.

Rachel xx