For Cat Lovers Only XVIV - Post Pics, Ask Questions, Comments, Etc.

[MsPurrl]

Thanks, Kelly. I get so upset when my babies are sick!

Got a call from the Animal Emergency Clinic a while ago. The ultrasound has identified his belly problem as pancreatitis. In the morning they will transfer him to the regular Small Animal Clinic at the university to make sure it is confined to his pancreas, and that his liver and heart are not involved. They are hopeful that it is "just" pancreas, which can be treated with medication. More good news: the oral fistula is not all the way through his palate, does not need to be treated at this point, and (even better good news) he is eating his kibble for the first time since last Friday. Go, Big Gold Boy! ♥!

 

[Drowningman]

Thanks, Kelly. I get so upset when my babies are sick!

Got a call from the Animal Emergency Clinic a while ago. The ultrasound has identified his belly problem as pancreatitis. In the morning they will transfer him to the regular Small Animal Clinic at the university to make sure it is confined to his pancreas, and that his liver and heart are not involved. They are hopeful that it is "just" pancreas, which can be treated with medication. More good news: the oral fistula is not all the way through his palate, does not need to be treated at this point, and (even better good news) he is eating his kibble for the first time since last Friday. Go, Big Gold Boy! ♥!

That's good news MsPurrl. I'm glad to hear the little guy is starting to bounce back.

wish him a speedy recovery.

 

[Drowningman]

Merry Christmas!

I love this shot.

Very Avataresque !!!

 

[Drowningman]

Merry Christmas!

I love this shot.

Very Avataresque !!!

 

[kellyahern]

So glad that Fergus is eating again

 

[MsPurrl]

Me, too, Kelly. We were able to bring him home Tuesday night. Once he was welcomed by Callie, Bronwyn, and Finnula, he checked out the house, hopped up on the bed, and went to sleep for several hours. He appears to be eating and drinking and using the litter box normally, and surfaces regularly for his rubs and schmooze sessions with MrPurrl and with me.

He's not totally "out of the woods" yet--the clinic sent some blood to a facility in Texas for a complete blood panel to hopefully identify any problems so he can be treated. So far so good at home, though.

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

so so glad to hear fergus is fairing well.. Yay! ((hugs)) to you both..

 

[Galeongirl]

Glad to hear he's doing better, hope he's going to be okay soon!

 

[MsPurrl]

Thanks, y'all--no word on his blood work yet, but he seems to be doing pretty well--eating, drinking water, using the litter box, wanting his rubs, slept with me last night. I guess we'll keep on keeping on until we get blood work results.

 

[MsPurrl]

Cat food question: Fergus's mouth still seems a little tender. His appetite is good, but he's not eating as much. He usually eats Purina Indoor Cat (semi-moist/dry kibble). Is there any kibble that's a bit softer than that?

 

[arw]

not sure if I have reason for concern here......

I took Wesley in for his annual visit a few months ago. The vet mentioned that I should switch him over to diet food. At the time I decided against it because the amount of weight she said for him to lose seemed a bit extreme. But about a month ago I decided to at least incorporate diet dry food in with his regular dry food, same brand. His dry food is basically a snack for him to hold him overnight so I can sleep. He barely gets half of a 1/4 scoop and the rest of the food he eats is wet. I also give him the dry in a treat ball most of the time so he has to work for his snack. The vet said that was a decent amount for his body style and to continue. It's been at least a month with the diet food mixed in, maybe more, but last week he pooped on my bathroom floor. Just a small amount. I mixed the regular dry with the diet dry so he should be getting somewhat of an equal amount. So a few days later, same thing. And now tonight too but tonight it was all the way across the house no where near his box.

I don't think he's sick....he's a crazy ball of energy that never stops running around when I'm home. But I'm concerned that he's done this 3 times in 2 weeks and has never done this before other than when I first got him and I completely tried to switch his food. I've read everything from separation anxiety to being unhappy with the state of the litter box. His boxed gets cleaned weekly, scooped every few days just like it always has so I can't see how it could be the box. I don't know if it's anxiety of some sort because he's never home alone for more than 6 hours at a time since we all work different hours. My parents love him to death so they give him plenty of attention when I'm not around but one thing that's new in the past few months is he won't eat unless I'm home. My mom gets home before me on most days so she'll carry him down to his bowl and gives him his food but he will only take a bite or two and then won't eat the full bowl until I'm home (he used to just follow her downstairs to his food area and inhale his food but now he sits by the front door, which is upstairs. So now she just carries him down to show him that he has food). We've all had a lot of extra time off this summer so everyone's been home with him more than usual, including last week when this happened twice. We recently painted the whole house and moved a lot of furniture around so he lost a lot of his hiding spots. But all of his favorite hot spots are still around. I thought maybe when it happened the first time it was because we were in the middle of painting and moving stuff but now it's happened two more times.

I don't know if it's the new food, which really isn't so new anymore and it's the same brand as always, just diet mixed in with his regular stuff he's been on for two years. I also can't see how it's his box. I don't know why it would be anxiety but this eating without me around is new so it could be.

Should I go back to just giving him his regular food and see if it stops? Or is this a symptom that he could be sick? He's acting totally normal. I hate this kind of stuff. I wish he could just talk to me and tell me why this is going on

 

[LadySpinHead]

^ I wouldn't worry too much if he seems healthy. Maybe watch him a while to see if it continues. Is it pretty solid and "normal"? He may just be looking for attention, or he's getting pickier about his box as he gets older. My cat pooped a couple of times recently nowhere near his box, but we figured it's just because he probably got distracted and forgot he wasn't quite done, and jumped out too fast! We scoop his box every couple of days or so, too, but sometimes as they get older they get crabbier about that, so maybe try to scoop it daily. I can't imagine it's related to his food, but I guess anything's possible. If it continues, can you go back to just his regular food to see if he still has accidents? I hope he turns out to be ok- you're right, I wish they could talk to tell us what's wrong!

 

[MsPurrl]

We scoop our three boxes twice a day--with four cats they seems to fill up faster.

Any thoughts on a kibble that's a bit softer than Purina Indoor Cat?

 

[kellyahern]

Maybe add some water to the cat food so it's a little softer?

 

[arw]

We scoop our three boxes twice a day--with four cats they seems to fill up faster.

Any thoughts on a kibble that's a bit softer than Purina Indoor Cat?

can you try giving him wet food?

 

[MsPurrl]

He won't eat wet food. He's doing better with his usual food, as long as it is in a bowl with sides that he can scoop up the bits. Blood work came back great, now we just wait for the results of the G-I tests.

 

[Reggo]

And here I thought Sheldon was the only cat who didn't like wet food.

 

[mobvok]

 

[misfit toys]

 

[MsPurrl]

Basement Cat has a new hiding place!

 

[indra]

Okay, I think I have figured out the picture thing now:

Aww...such a cutie!

Haha! Love it!


MsPurrl -- glad Fergus is feeling better! I always have a soft spot for big orange cats. Hope the last of his tests come back ok.

 

[MsPurrl]

Thanks, indra. I remember your soft spot for big orange cats. Got a call from the Purdue Small Animal Clinic today with the last round of test results for Fergus, which showed elevated indicators for pancreatitis, which was to be expected, given his earlier symptoms. Right now we're to look for lack of appetite, weight loss, and "strange behavior." Made an appointment with his regular vet for more blood work in four weeks, to compare to see whether it's acute or chronic. So far, so good. In fact, right now he's standing up with his paws on my leg, wanted some food. Here is a picture of him with his belly shaved for the ultrasound.

 

[indra]

Thanks, indra. I remember your soft spot for big orange cats. Got a call from the Purdue Small Animal Clinic today with the last round of test results for Fergus, which showed elevated indicators for pancreatitis, which was to be expected, given his earlier symptoms. Right now we're to look for lack of appetite, weight loss, and "strange behavior." Made an appointment with his regular vet for more blood work in four weeks, to compare to see whether it's acute or chronic. So far, so good. In fact, right now he's standing up with his paws on my leg, wanted some food. Here is a picture of him with his belly shaved for the ultrasound.

Aww...what a cute naked tummy! Love the paws all tucked in tight too. He must have had a hard day!

Hope he continues to do well and that it was just a one time thing.

I'm down to only one orange cat now (plus three others -- they're just not orange), but luckily he has that huge orange cat personality in spades!

 

[MsPurrl]

I'm glad you still have a ginger boy! Fergus sleeps like that quite often. Right now, though, he is curled up on the love seat asleep. Callie (the calico) is on the couch, and Bronwyn (the almost-one-year-old kitten who used to live under the shed in the back yard is asleep in "the kit room." Finnula, however (the meezer-looking sister to Bronwyn), just crawled up on the love seat by Fergus and skootched over until her head touched his. He started licking her head, and they are now snuggled up together asleep.

 

[ladyfreckles]

My female kitty has early signs of LPGS. She will eventually have to lose all of her teeth. Poor girl.

 

[pepokiss]

 

[mobvok]

^ Awesome

There's a cat semi-roaming near where I live, which is so skinny and thin that I finally went out and bought a $1 little tin of cat food to leave nearby.

Today I walked by the house it was near and there was a sign saying "Please don't feed the cat- it's on special food + meds"

well ok, my bad. ...But if your cat is deathly skin and bones, shouldn't it be living inside in a controlled environment?

 

[MsPurrl]

That makes me really sad, mobvok--that cat should be indoors and given better care than it's obviously getting.

 

[Philisedge]

This is so and made me feel !!!!!

 

[Philisedge]

Oskar the Blind Kitten and His First Toys - YouTube

I cried!!!Seriously!!! My grandmother snicked into the room and saw me crying?She asked me what was wrong,I explained to her the story of this little cute kitty and she said"Clasic Philippa,you always cry when you watch videos like this one".I am too sensitive.Few people adopt pets with disabilities.That was very nice of them to adopt this blind kitty!!!