My neutored male cat was a very destructive cat...scratched up every door casing, ate cardboard, dug under every door if it was shut -then he couldn't pee. Took him 2 the vet, they took tests $220 later I was told 2 put him on a special diet- I was always careful not to feed him ANY fish products...etc. I did change dry food to all chicken dry, and he did better. Anyways, I was reading online that he was probably frustrated. (and his sister being in heat didn't help) So it said 2 provide him w/toys..etc.. didn't work...we tried sprays on the scratching issue..didn't work. We have a floor 2 ceiling cat tree his sister loves...he could care less, he even chewed shoes & furniture!!. So they said give him dead mice u can buy from the pet store to play with, that's what he's missing.. ahh No! So I decided to let him out. He was a great indoor/outdoor cat. He would follow us around & hang out..catch chipmunks. All his issues went away..stopped the scratching, the cardboard..the whole nine yards. Well about 3-4 weeks ago we get home, and he walks in, but something is wrong...he's moving slow..slowly meowing, cant keep his eyes open (third eyelid). We checked him all over for cuts, lacerations..maybe a dog attacked him?? Nothing..so his favorite place is my daughters room and he walked up there...and plopped. He tried 2 get up a couple of times, but wasn't steady on his feet..and toppled over. I then thought poisoning... I knew he needed a vet, but I literally had not one penny 2 my name, it was 5pm & the emergency vet wants 50% down b4 any treatment is given. So needless 2 say we watched him. He then fell into basically a coma..unresponsive...breathing fast...then taking deep sighs... We thought that was the end of him. We laid our hands on him & prayed..and cried..etc..long story short he woke up...did a circle & went back 2 sleep. We gave him drops of water from a straw every hour or so...in the morning he awoke..responded when u called him..meaning he lifted his head looked & ears were pointed 2 the sound.. and he ate peed & slept, the next day he did all that & pooped..next day, he got up & walked around.. This went on with him getting better each day for about 5 days, when he actually came down for breakfast by himself..slow.. Now we notice that his left eye is almost swollen shut, and his left leg/paw doesn't quite do what he wants it to. OK, this is way 2 long so I'll cut it short (sorry!)..Each day that eye went down..we wiped it down w/a damp cloth 2 keep it clean.. Now we're about 4 weeks post all this, and I can't say he's being himself b/c he's a changed cat. He still has about a pea shaped marble on his left eyebrow...and sometimes that front left paw slides..but he's 100X better than what he was. The thing that's wierd is that he doesn't do any of those other things..infact he doesn't beg 2 go out (we won't let him anymore!)..but it's like he doesn't want 2. Another thing is he is sooooooo loving now. He loves any & all attention & affection..follows me all over the house. He also now will eat table food..chicken, steak..etc. (and want more & more of it) He would NEVER do that before, never even take a bite. If u touched his stomache, he used to bite you or meow...now he doesn't care...He's wierd. He used 2 b obsessive compulsive about his dry food, but now he doesn't care... I don't know what happened 2 him...a couple of guesses are that the neighbor had his driveway sealed & my husband did see him walk across it (poisoning?)., or he got hit (or nicked) by a car., or I don't know!..I'm thinking he probably had a stroke, or something that night...only b/c when my mother in law had a stroke, her habits & likes/dislikes all changed...she wasn't the same person after b/c the stroke happened in the personality part of her brain (frontal lobe)..and that's how he is! He's just not the same cat - Any guesses? I don't know what would cause the pea shaped marble on his eyebrow...unless it was blunt trauma 2 the head? He literally used up a life 4 sure. I can't afford 2 spend $3,000 on an MRI for him.. I don't have it for my kids as it is..although that's what he probably needs. Sorry for the long post....

What an awful story, I would have been in bits, n idea how you got through it. I have to say though I would be taking him to a vet ASAP! Who knows what the lump on his eye is, it could be anything and I couldn't bear to watch any of my cats in pain or discomfort. For my own peace of mind I would have to find the money, beg or borrow, contact local animal charities to see if they can help, a costly scan may not be required maybe a vet will be able to help just by describing symptoms. I understand your financial difficulties but really in my opinion if someone choses to have a pet they have to take full responsibility and whatever that entails. I am quite sure you wouldn't let your kids go without seeing a doctor, there must be a way to scrape together the cost of a vet consultation at the very least, that should only be about $30 (its £25 at my vet which is not the cheapest).
I'm not having a go and please don't take this badly, I do have every sympathy, I have 3 cats and just found out I am being made redundant, my eldest is at the vet every month or so with one thing or another, my 2 kittens are in the middle of their vaccinations and the middle one is due to be spayed in a couple of months. Its all money money money just now as far as they go but in the end I couldn't and wouldn't be without them. Please try to gt some cash together for a vet visit, I am sure if you can be as descriptive with them as you have been here they must have some idea, another idea, have you tried to call round a few vets for advice over the phone? I hope you get to the bottom of this and get the little guy sorted out.

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Proud mum to Tiffany, Bellinda and Jessica