My aunt's cat went missing for 2-3 days and this morning i got a call to come up because he was really sick.
He was lying on his side and appeared to have dragged himself out from under her back deck using only his left legs as his right side seemed completely paralyzed.
His gums were pale white like he had lost a lot of blood and could only for short periods hold his head above the ground.
He did not appear aggressive, and used what motor function he could muster to get out of my lap.

I noticed his right side was not completely paralyzed at this point and felt him briefly and weakly push away from me with those right side legs.
Eyes were fairly clear but were almost completely obscured by his second eyelids, especially on the right side.
His right ear felt cool to the touch and his left felt warm. I don't recall him feeling hot, but I didn't really want to rub my hands over his body for a general fever check.

Very labored, shallow and rapid breathing.

He appeared to attempt to drink water, and then cried out when he got a taste, but it could have just been the weakness in his neck that caused his head to dip into the water dish and not an actual attempt to drink.

He didn't try to bite when i checked his gums.

He meowed a little at times.

So I did the thing and buried him.

What are the chances this was rabies?
And if not, what could have caused this?

5/13/2014 7:30:36 PM

feline polio

5/13/2014 7:36:01 PM

snake bite?

5/13/2014 7:49:11 PM

nah, snake bite would've made him swell up like a basketball

5/13/2014 7:53:26 PM

and I think in this area only coral snakes have venom that can paralyze.

He was mighty young for a stroke too, which, from what I can tell, tends to be mild compared to humans.

He did get into a lot of fights though. He was always sporting a scratch or bite or two

5/13/2014 7:57:13 PM

awww

5/13/2014 8:02:10 PM

Looking like it was either ingestion of something poisonous or a black widow bite.

5/13/2014 9:33:38 PM

I'd diagnose that cat as dead.

5/14/2014 8:50:09 PM

If you need a second opinion, I'd have to concur that the cat died from death.

5/14/2014 9:10:59 PM

chupacabra finally got it

5/14/2014 9:11:15 PM

Ebola or AIDS

no other options

5/14/2014 9:34:24 PM

fuck you last four guys

5/16/2014 2:06:55 AM

[Edited on May 16, 2014 at 3:18 AM. Reason : cat killer how did you kill it, or did you bury it alive? ]

5/16/2014 3:16:06 AM