Cat Chat Feline Forum

I have had some success giving mine very tiny (half a teaspoonful) portion of raw liver when they have not wanted to eat. If he is able to absorb B12 it may help. Lamb's liver is perhaps the highest in B12, and is readily available.

Poppy's been backwards and forwards to the vet more often than I like to think of in the last few weeks. Two appointments for torn ligament, one for cystitis (presumed bacterial as she is a dog rather than a cat), and another phone call and dash over for more antibiotics yesterday when the cystitis ...

I decided some years ago that I would rather err on the side of caution and occasionally call the vets unnecessarily than lie awake all night worrying. On the whole it works - if whatever-it-is turns out to be minor then I know how to deal with it next time; if it is the start of something more sign...

I suggest getting a urine sample tested, if necessary finding another vet to do it, just in case it is bacterial rather than, as is more common in cats, stress related. Whatever the cause it is at best uncomfortable for your cat and at worst very painful, so vets will usually prescribe pain relief l...

Cats will by nature choose to eat a variety of foods, unless they only got one as kittens and decide only that is edible. As long as it doesn't upset his stomach I would choose several reasonable quality foods and rotate them - it is much better for them than eating only one, as if one is slightly h...

Absolutely. Stress, changed routines, grief, anxiety - they will pick up on all of them. I am so sorry that your family is going through such a very difficult time.through such

A lovely tribute to a very special cat. I am glad it was so quick and so gentle at the end, and that you still feel the comfort of his presence.

Be kind to yourself, as Alain would be. The last weeks must have been exhausting, and grief hurts. We are always here if you need to talk.

Were there any other indications in the blood test results? Were there any changes to household furnishings or cleaning products prior to him becoming ill? One possibility would be Cushings, especially given the peeing, but I would have expected the vet to rule that out. Allergies, mites and ringwor...

I think if you cannot afford to see a different vet, and the PDSA have said there is nothing more they can do, your options are extremely limited. You could try cat charities, but they are likely to be in financial difficulties themselves. You could ask the PDSA vet whether a longer course of antibi...

Pip too went in for radio-iodine treatment with blankets that I had slept with for a few days, plus enough home-cooked food for a fortnight! I'm not sure that it made a huge difference to him, but it made me feel better. Lovely to see C&C getting more and more relaxed.

I second the ear plugs suggestion. In time you will be able to sleep through non-urgent crying, but at the moment sleep deprivation is not going to do either of you any good.

I would ask for referral to a specialist, as soon as possible. There may be so many things going on - underlying conditions, resistant bacteria, etc, etc - and at the very least you need to be talking with someone very knowledgeable, and more sympathetic than your vet sounds to be. Your vets may alr...

Such a hard decision to have to make. Do the vets give him any chance of recovering enough to lead a fuller life? If you could be certain he would sleep peacefully through his remaining time, and slip away quietly between one breath and the next, it would be so much easier to decide, but so often th...

I cooked for mine using complete minces from Durham Animal Feeds - safer than raw, high quality and easy to balance. Now they are on various special diets life has become a little more complicated, but the DAF meats are still central to their diet.

Knowing what friends who have had knee replacements say about the pain of stretching post op the dog is probably grumbling with some reason! I'd try to time and physio for when the effects of metacam are at their peak, and stop if he says so. We are very lucky here - plenty of shared outdoor space a...

I have no experience or advice to offer, but wanted to say how much I feel for you, and send a hug. The twilight times are painful, watching anxiously for every new symptom or slight deterioration, but they are also infinitely precious.

Poppy's dose was halved after the first three months from 5mg to 2.5mg, and then reduced by a further 20% to 2mg two months later. that was to get her down to the minimum effective dose rather than to withdraw them completely, but she did not suffer any ill effects.

Not a steroid, Mollycat, so fortunately not as dangerous to stop/start. Metronidazole is an antibiotic, commonly prescribed for diarrhoea - it acts to reduce unwanted bacteria but also has a soothing effect on the upper gut. I know it well as Poppy, my toy poodle, is on a tiny regular dose to contro...

Flagyl (metronidazole) is very bitter, so it is understandable that he avoids it, and any food he has learned might contain it. Is he also impossible to pill, even when the pill is coated in something irresistible?

They look wonderfully relaxed, and "Baby, it's cold outside!"

As Mollycat says, animals don't know they are meant to feel lousy, plus your cat will have still been spaced out from the anaesthetic and the pain killers given during surgery. A little discomfort after a major op is not a bad thing to slow them down a little, but I admit to having spent the hours a...

Urine cleaner, or even biological, enzymatic washing powder would help to remove scent marks, but it is possible that your cat has seen the interloper and is wary of the shelter for that reason. I would try a second refuge, with two well spaced exits, so there is no chance of your cat getting trappe...

Certainly ask. Except in an emergency most vets will only offer appointments during their regular consulting hours, and these will probably be listed on their website.

What a difficult position to be in - I really feel for you both. I would start by getting more information, including on how long you need to treat saliva, urine, faeces etc as potentially harmful. You will obviously need to be responsible for giving the cat his medication, and cleaning litter boxes...

Do the cats go outside? If there are fleas in their environment, whether outside or inside from before they were old enough to be treated, you will continue to find adult fleas on the cats, plus the basic Advantage only kills adult fleas, so if they manage to lay eggs in the brief period between bit...

I popped into my local garage, had the problem diagnosed, was told it was safe to drive meanwhile, and the lovely garagiste picked it up, fixed it and returned it the following week. Expensive, but otherwise relatively painless!

Off the bottom of the snakes and ladders board and rolling across the floor, I think! In my opinion you are doing extremely well not to have simply gone to bed and pulled the duvet over your head till Spring. I hit a puddle that turned out to be hiding a very nasty pot hole the other week, swinging ...

It really does feel like being being a counter in a game of snakes and ladders, doesn't it - you just haul yourself most of the way towards the top of the board and then hit a snake and slide all the way back to the bottom again. I slept rather better last night, thanks, and was reassured by waking ...

Definitely not. If you are concerned about outliving a kitten there are many older cats always looking for homes. It is always a good idea to make arrangements in advance in case you should be unable to care for a pet, whatever one's age, and finance may be an issue, but if you can afford to care fo...

I think slow and stately is definitely the way! Poppy slept well, thanks, and has had her morning trip out and breakfast. I found it a bit more difficult to sleep - I kept tangling myself up in her lead which was wrapped round my wrist in case she tried to jump off the bed. Emerging from the interne...