Neurological problem

Question
Hi, Hilary,

I realize this may be a tough question to answer, but I hope you can shed some light on it. I have a 12-year-old (or so) domesticated feral named Maybelline. She was always skittish, from the time I adopted her from a rescue, when she was about a year or two. I've since joined a local TNR group and have added a lot of cats to my home, which may have contributed to Maybelline's ailment.

Several months ago, I noticed her walking on her hocks, but she was always too fast for me to catch her. Then I broke my ankle, and there went trying anything at all but for me to hobble over to her, who was also hobbling, and give her a pat and her daily food. I think she was trying to get away from the other cats, who always tormented her because she was shy, and she may have fallen and injured her back.

She has since worsened and spent a few weeks at my vet for x-rays (nothing remarkable, according to him) and observation. He treated her with both injectible and oral steroids, and she did well on the injectible. However, once he stopped it, she went back to the way she was, seeming to lose control of her muscles in her back legs. He also noticed that more activity aggravated the problem.

I brought her home with no prognosis, no diagnosis, and my attempting holistic treatments like arnica, lathyrus, vitamin supplements, a tad of glucosamine since it did me such good, and even a little massage of her feet and back end when she allows me, to no avail. It seems now that she's completely dragging her back end, and even if I touch it, she doesn't seem to be in pain. However, she may have aggravated her condition when I put her on my bed a couple of times (she loves to snuggle with me) and she must have jumped off during the night. Originally, she would urinate in her litter box (she's been kept away from all other cats in my bedroom, so she has everything close by--food, water, litter box), but after the incident of jumping off the bed a couple of times, she would just urinate where she was, and she usually loses her urine when she's scared. I've since bought a big box of wee-wee pads and she's been staying on them voluntarily and eliminating there; she poops outside the box, which is no big deal for me.

I feel like I'm running out of options for her. Her front end is fine, and if she wants to get away from you, she's fast! She purrs when you stroke her, she eats like a horse (poops like one too), her urine seems to smell normal and all tests came through normal. Her back end sometimes is wet, but it's not like she has lost the use of her muscles there, more like she is too weak to bother (or in pain) to climb into a litter box. The vet who treated her doesn't think she's in pain, and she does have a will to live otherwise, according to him. Another vet I spoke to casually said if she's paralyzed, then she can't be feeling pain, but if she is in pain when you touch her, then don't touch her there (duh). When I run my hand over her back, you can tell she feels it because she arches a little, but her tail is limp (yet she can move the tip), and her back legs seem stiff and her feet are nonresponsive; I think the vet did a pinch test and she doesn't resist.

I want to do what's best for her. Euthanasia at this point is not an option unless I see her getting worse and she doesn't seem to want to go on. I've thought about going to a homeopathic vet to see about options there, including acupuncture, a ramp so she could get to my bed if she wants to (but that seems dangerous) and even wheels, but that would limit her litter box use, and I don't think she'd dig diapers.

What do you think about this? The only pain I sensed in the last week was discomfort right after she stressed that area, but otherwise she seems OK. Some friends feel I'm in denial and should put her down. I am loathe to do it until I exhaust all other possibilities and am sure she's suffering. Thanks for your time.

Answer
Hi Gilda!  I am so sorry for all of your troubles!  Your poor kitty!
Since your veterinarian performed a pinch test and she didn't respond, one of my guesses would be that she is ailing from a Thrombeombolism.  This is when a blood clot forms into the spinal column, paralyzing the hind end.  Touch her back paw pads.  If they are cold, and the front ones are warm, this would indicate a blockage in blood flow which would determine the Thrombeombolism.  This would not show up on an x-ray and there is no cure.  Injectable steroids would assist in relieving the pressure around the blood clot if this is in fact the cause.
As long as you are comfortable with caring for her as you've been, I see no reason for you to feel as though you need to do otherwise.  It seems as though you have a good routine with her.  
I can't tell you what decision to make, but I can tell you a little rule that my husband and I have in our home with our cats. As long as they are eating/drinking, purring ect...we keep them going.  This goes for all of our pets.  When an animal has an incurable disease, or for an older pet that is feeling so bad that he/she won't eat...you know that they are in serious trouble.  Working in the vet field, I see alot of people find out that their pet has cancer and they immediately want to euthanize.  This always boggles my mind.  I feel as though I at least need to give them a chance and do everything for them and they have to seriously regress for me to be able to euthanize my own pets.  I had a beautiful cat for many years. She was 17 years old and had been in renal failure for 4 years.  I gave her fluids every week, had her on a special diet, ect.  She was very, very underweight, but still ate and drank and purred and cuddled, so I continued caring for her.  This past February, I heard her meow early in the morning.  I went to the kitchen and she was completely flat out.  Couldn't get up or anything.  When I would stand her up, she would fall over.  I looked into her eyes and I could see that she had given up and didn't want to fight anymore.  My husband and I took her to be euthanized, where she passed away very peacefully in our arms and covered in our tears.  If I could go back in time, I would not have had her put to sleep sooner than when we did.  When an animal is ill but is eating and drinking...this is showing that they have a will to live, that they aren't ready yet.  As long as they show that they still have that will to live, I can't take it away from them.  Animals are different than people.  They are fortunate in the fact that they can be euthanized to avoid a painful death.  What they are unfortunate about is that they don't have the choice when to die and have their lives shortened against there will. This is only my opinion of course, but I thought maybe my story would help you.  I know it is so hard to have an ill pet.  It takes so much patience and kindness...and I see you have everything it takes.  I would recommend having a different veterinarian check her out.  Although this could be caused by a thrombeombolism, this could also be hind end weakness from diabetis, hyperthyroidism or even arthritis where the option of cortisone shots are available.  I hope so much that you find all the answers that you deserve.  You sound like such a wonderful "furmom" and I know your kitty is appreciating everything you do for her.  If you have time, please keep me posted on her progress.  I wish you only the best.  Take care and hang in there and any decision that you make will be the right one for you and your cat.  
My thoughts are with you!
Hilary