|
|
Post by xeopse on May 4, 2011 15:39:10 GMT -5
Rambo is doing really well, but she's still pulling and incessantly licking at her wound on her back. The vet says that as she gets used to being an indoor cat she should eventually stop doing that, but if you've seen the pictures on my facebook then you know it's pretty bad =/ Not really sure what I should do about it.
In the meantime, her food is NV bison medallions (3) with EVO canned food with some EVO kibble sprinkled on top. I've been mixing in what I used for Lulabelle in with her food - the CoQ-10 and Reishi mushroom since she had the hyperthyroidism and her heart is pretty fast (but no murmur, thankfully - high heart rate is prob from the hyperthyroidism) and now she is getting Milkthistle for her slightly elevated liver functions. Those three come in a capsule that comes apart in two pieces so I just dump the powders in her food and mix well. She also gets a "MASH mix" from my vet that they use for elderly animals, there is glucosimine and all sorts of stuff - they are an integrated holistic vet so I don't think they would put anything bad in there and they make it themselves. She is also now getting the methimizole once a day for treatment and will eventually be increased to twice a day as she gets older.
Most of the time she sleeps on a bathmat near the shower but the bathroom is a high traffic area considering all the cleaning supplies and washer/dryer are in there plus the bathroom necessities. I feel like she goes in there because it's dark most of the time. I'm not sure how else to make her comfortable - she does not use "cat stuff" like normal house cats like to use =/ I feel like she's not settled in yet, although she's never made a peep to go outside like she used to at my parents house. I put her on the windowsill to see outside and the waterfall, she seemed interested for about a minute and then wanted down... so I can't imagine she misses outside all that much. She still does not get on the couch or bed which is a little weird because I would think she'd like to be higher off the ground. I imagine she has arthritis so maybe the slight jump onto the couch would be painful. She walks fairly well though, so who knows.
Out of curiosity - how old was everyone's oldest cat? And is there anything I should keep in mind? I feel like I'm missing something and that's why she can't settle down - she's been here a few weeks now =/ Poor little Rambo <3
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 4, 2011 16:03:44 GMT -5
She has a lot of changes to cope with - a few weeks is a very short time compared to the 20 years of life she's been accustomed to... You are doing great by her! Growing up we had a cat that my Mom got looooong before we (I have a twin so everything is "We") were even a thought. She lived to the ripe old age of 22! The cat never in her life ate a crunchy; she strictly ate canned cat food or hamburger. Right up until the end she had bright clear eyes and a healthy heart. She had to be PTS due to a tumor mass that had developed in her tummy (right around where her spay scar was) that grew rapidly to almost the size of a baseball.  But she had a good, full life  |
|
|
|
Post by xeopse on May 5, 2011 14:54:00 GMT -5
Oh I know about all the changes, I feel so bad because she's never known anywhere else for TWENTY years! That's almost as old as I am! So she is adjusting but I guess I'm just used to dogs who have the shortest memory... if I walk out the door to get the mail it seems like an eternity to Leia.  Last night she finally decided she wanted to get up on the bed - this is the FIRST time I've seen her jump on anything since she got here, so I guess she is capable of doing it, maybe hse just didn't want to before. She affectionately climbed all over my lap, computer, kevin, his computer, Leia who was sleeping (she is such a bonehead dog - I love her so much LOL) and then headbutting all of us. This is probably the most affection she's gotten since I moved out at 17, other than then I don't think anyone pays attention to her except for when I come to visit but htat's only for a few hours usually. Poor thing! |
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 5, 2011 17:10:45 GMT -5
Have you tried some Rescue Remedy with her yet? It might help calm her anxiety and slow down, if not outright stop, the licking she's doing. Our oldest is 18 this year, and although he's completely healthy, he's totally senile, poor boy Gets lost in behind chairs The glucosamine should help tremendously with her arthritis over a few weeks. Hopefully she finishes settling in for you, and finally feels at home  Sounds like she's doing pretty good already  |
|
|
|
Post by Heather on May 5, 2011 22:18:51 GMT -5
I brought in my MIL's older cats (not as old as your one, they were 14 yrs). Socrates self-groomed to the point of damage. He had no fur left on his belly, groin and inside of all four legs. I used rescue remedy, a theramone scent diffuser (you can get an anti-stress one) and for the first 6 months he got a steroid shot (to ease off any itching he may have had) He continued to hypergroom but no longer to the point of self mutilation (sores), he was still naked but not sore. We stopped the steroid injections as taking him to the vet (hugely stressful) didn't appear to be stopping the grooming and he was no longer creating sores. He continued for almost a year then it stopped. He's a very high strung cat and doesn't seem to like anyone. He's not social but he seems to be fitting in ok now. He does come out of my husbands office (that's where the cats took up residence originally) and sleep in my bed or on the sofa when the house is quiet and the ferrets have all gone to bed (he hates the ferrets) ciao |
|
|
|
Post by xeopse on May 7, 2011 9:42:44 GMT -5
When you use Rescue Remedy, does it matter the space its in? If its a diffuser I imagine square footage would make a difference. We have over 12 foot high ceilings here and the room are about 20 feet wide x 12 feet wide -it's "open concept" which is great because I'm not a big furniture person but it also means that when you need smaller square footage it can't really be done like in a bedroom or other room. I wonder if it would still be potent enough to help her any? I bet Leia could use it too - she gets bored in her crate while we are gone (we have to crate her now, she's for some reason started eating EVERYTHING in the house when we leave her unsupervised) and licks herself a lot as well. So maybe this is something we should try. Would it bother the ferrets at all? They all live in the same "room" so to speak - all of us do.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 7, 2011 11:19:10 GMT -5
I don't even know if it comes in a diffuser. I use the drops. I put 4 drops in the ferret's water for several days when they need it. I aso do drops on their nose/ear/paw pads. For the cats, I do a drop a couple of times a day, rubbed into the top of the ear flaps. Same should work for Leia as well.
For Leia also, could you use one of those large beef marrow bones, and put some peanut butter or something inside it to help keep her occupied in there?
|
|
|
|
Post by xeopse on May 8, 2011 10:35:49 GMT -5
I've tried everything with Leia, she just gets bored very very quickly. Toys and games usually don't matter to her. I did find a semi-indestructible fuzzy pig that is currently her favorite. I don't have to worry about her tearing it to shreds because it's pretty hardcore and she just likes to groom it for some reason. I give her a nice big bully stick and she goes through that in no time. The marrow bones I worry will crack her teeth because it doesnt' take her long to get PB, Yogurt, chicken broth, or anything else I put in it even if it's frozen so she actually chews on it. I think I'll look for the rescue remedy today at the pet store. I just walked into the bathroom and saw she vomited some bile... and a full-grown roundworm. I was told she was "examined" by the "veterinarian" on her last "vet visit" two weeks before I took her home but considering all the issues this poor cat has that were never addressed it's pretty clear that they should stop going to this vet. So I am off to the store today to pick up some wormer. Poor Rambo =/ I feel bad. I scoop her box every day and never see anything in there, but this worm is about 5 inches long at least. Also, I brought in plastic grocery bags last night and walked out of the room for a second. Came back in and she was inside the empty bags, pawing around and stomping on them She's never played with a plastic bag in her entire life so this was super cute to watch! |
|
|
|
Post by Heather on May 8, 2011 10:52:13 GMT -5
A change in habitat is so stressful on them. Getting her wormed will be the item that will probably help her feel better too. RR (rescue remedy) only comes in liquid format, some pet supply stores carry it. The theramone is something entirely different (mine comes in a bottle that looks like those scent diffusers) you just plug it into the wall. I, too have open concept, it works fine. You don't need to smell it....they do and they can
It sounds like she's adapting quite well. I know the self-mutilation is disturbing but as she settles hopefully she will break this habit
ciao
|
|
|
|
Post by acodlin on May 15, 2011 17:08:48 GMT -5
Plastic bags, paper bags and boxes are my kitties favorite. I have a 15 year old, 10 year old a 4 and a 3 year old.
I hope your kitty starts to feel better, its probably a real shock being brought inside. All of mine were strays that came from outside. I think buster (my oldest) favorite thing in the world was kitty television, AKA the fish bowl. He loved to sit and watch the fishes, and maybe drink a little fish flavored water O.o If she's licking a wound and its open and bleeding she may require a cone of shame until its healed lol, then maybe put some bitter apple or destin cream on it once it's healed to keep her off of it.
|
|
