Cat Chat Feline Forum

We are going for updated bloods and widdles Tuesday. I have some reservations about overly frequent testing, but it's early days on Loxicom and I am still trying to establish a better home diet for her, and the vet wants to monitor her kidney function to make sure the Loxicom isn't doing damage. We ...

Has she been spayed? There's a lot going on, she is growing up, perhaps had a season, whether she has been spayed, and so on. If she has not been spayed but will be, you may find she goes back to being a cuddle bug, but on the other hand she may want to go out all the time. I would say more than any...

but he’s obviously doing it for a reason? I love you for this. Yes he is, in some situations we need to do what we can to ease discomfort, but I so agree with you that stopping a behaviour should be about getting to the root cause and helping to sort it out properly. Glad to hear there is some prog...

It sounds to me like your vet is trying their best to manage your response. This article from Cornell explains why your vet isn't jumping for joy at the results from the medication so far https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/f...

Lovely to read your update. I was living alone for years and my two kept me entertained and quickly became the centre of my world. Cats do pick up so much from us, I'm glad she is settling and you are too. Size isn't really such an issue for animals as we think, as many small dog owners know only to...

Ah your being a medical professional makes a big difference. So how long after the staples did it reopen, was it 30 days after the spay or 30 days after the last time it was closed?

Encouraging indeed, you always knew Freyja might take a bit more winning over and girls (I'm told) are less accepting of new friends generally - I have to agree it sounds like it's going swimmingly. Thanks for the updates this will be one really useful reference as you said for other people going th...

Hello and welcome, congratulations on your new arrival. It's very normal for an adult cat to be nervous in a new house with a new person, it can take them a while to settle to a new routine and all the new smells. Unless there is another cat in the house personally I wouldn't keep a new cat shut in ...

Oh wow how lovely of you to take her on with her disability. Firstly is there any outside access at all or are you off the ground? As she has been outside before, perhaps harness training or a large dog crate that you could carry her to might give her some safe time with grass under her paws and a b...

To be fair none of my 3 kittens ever chewed or played with cables, except one who would try to catch the iron lead while I was using it. She was swiftly and enthusiastically discouraged from this practice, but as it only happened when we were using it, that wasn't too difficult. Not all kittens get ...

No but I'm a little concerned that the original wound took 3 weeks to heal. Cats heal much better than humans and human skin closes properly in 7 to 10 days, so I'm surprised at your vet being so casual about it. Also the tummy area is not under tension so there is no reason for it to reopen. I'm wo...

Did the vet offer or give any anti-emetic, or anti-nausea medication? I would have thought that was first before jumping to the conclusion that it must be a dietary intolerance, especially if it's the usual food and that hasn't been changed soon before the vomiting started. Is it proper vomiting of ...

I did all that reading after losing my Henry to a mouth tumour we didn't know was there until it was far too late to have any options, but knowing what was involved gave me some comfort that we absolutely did the right thing by him. He was 14 but after reading about it I don't think we could have ma...

Do you know the old saying about putting butter on their paws? It's rubbish, don't do it - but it does have a grain of truth behind it. When a cat feels comfortable, it will wash especially its face in a relaxed and contented way, rather than a nervous or anxious way or even not at all. The logic (w...

I too have a very timid cat that cannot be restrained, the difference is that once she is caught and at the vets she is petrified into submission and never needs sedating in any way. But a catch is very stressful and this limits what treatments we can give, and pills or any administering of meds at ...

Firstly, panic is not a good vibe to start your kitties in their life with you. Neither, for that matter, is tensions over how to bring them up. At 3 months old they will fall off things and get stuck having climbed and not wanting to jump down. They will knock stuff off surfaces and may well climb ...

Poor love, she sounds a bit like my now 15 year old. I haven't seen anything like that, is it just discoloured or is it slightly indented, it's hard to tell. Does it bother her at all?

Are you looking for an alternative to prescribed meds? Have you had a chat with the vet first about other ways to administer meds? Liver problems plus D&V sounds quite serious, whatever you change I'd do it with your vet's guidance.

True allergies in cats are not common, though reaction to irritants can be, but I think some vets use the word as a substitute for idiopathic, and personally I think both are overused. Do you have any more news or investigations due on the mouth ulcer / possible tumour? If it was a tumour it could b...

Ok thank you for the correction, I did look it up and Purina's website was to say it mildly unclear: Discover our Pro Plan Optirenal cat food, scientifically formulated for the nutritional management of kidney problems in cats. Nutritional management isn't the same as prevention, I think that is rea...

How long has he been on Optirenal, and has he actually been diagnosed with kidney failure? Renal diets are not suitable for healthy cats and as they have adjusted levels of some key nutrients they can lead to deficiencies in some things, notably phosphorous, and too much of other things. If he eats ...

Not sure what to suggest if the vet is at a loss for ideas. It's possible vomiting has put him off eating, if it was violent enough, but that doesn't explain what started him vomiting so badly. What was he bringing up - food, bile, furball, foreign object ...? I guess this is one of those situations...

I don't imagine that will do any damage, as you say it could have been so much worse. And I imagine you know cats well enough that you wouldn't have allowed that situation to be a possibility if you didn't feel it would be ok. I worried when Molly first arrived (I know this because I am reminded of ...

What does your vet suggest? Rapid weight changes are rarely safe.

I'd say the same, just get it checked.

Fingers crossed for the heart exam and that she will accept the y/d. I don't much like the costs of RI spiralling - my local centre is a fixed price and the only thing I was charged extra was tuppence ha'penny for a Gabapentin tablet I didn't want and she didn't need. The follow-up bloods at your ow...

Some good news then but the lack of pee gets a bit more concerning. Are you certain he hasn't peed in a corner somewhere? If he will let you comfortably, you can check for signs of dehydration, that would suggest he hasn't peed because he hasn't drunk and they can seat from their pads if they are ne...

Yes I have. My girl was on it for 6 months while we waited for radioactive iodine, and it worked a dream the whole time. Not sure on what basis your vet is claiming it will stop working, it might be worth asking the question of Hills direct, they are very helpful and approachable. The only thing tha...

Put everything he needs as near to the cupboard as you reasonably can but food water and litter not too close to each other. Then leave him alone. Keep your home as quiet as possible, minimise the times you have to walk past and when you do, do it softly, slowly and gently, talk to him in a soft up-...

Wow Ruth things are advancing quickly and positively!