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Single CKD kitty Mom - how to work and care for her
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2022 10:28 pm
by SaharaMom
Hi all,
Just joined and am glad I did so far!
Right to the point: I'm retired and need to get back to working part time. How do I manage possible varying shifts and care for my girl with her meds, SQ fluids and just monitoring her. She's 19 and the vet is amazed at how well she's doing however, for her entire life, she's always had at least 1 person in the house at all times (my Mom adored her, as do I) I know, lucky kitty. Is separation anxiety a thing for pets??
I know this may be of less importance but it's making me anxious to say the least. My 'cat lady' RVT gave up her business because of COVID and a replacement is hard to find.
Anyway, looking forward to all comments. Thank you and stay well.
Re: Single CKD kitty Mom - how to work and care for her
Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 6:45 am
by fjm
Welcome! SQ fluids are rarely used in the UK where most forum members live, but I don't think timing them is crucial to within a few hours so perhaps you could plan on giving them when you get home from work and can monitor her. Free feeding or a timed feeder will take care of meals - ice blocks help keep wet food fresh. A monitoring camera linked to your phone might offer reassurance while you are working.
Does she spend a lot of time interacting with you through the day or does she mainly sleep? I would start a routine that tells her you are leaving the house for a while - no fuss, just calmly and collectedly getting ready, saying a calm goodbye, and leaving. Go shopping, or for a walk or meet up with friends, starting with brief absences and building up the time you are gone a little at a time. The key is to establish that you will always come back. I don't know whether there is evidence that cats can suffer the extreme separation anxiety that affects some dogs but they can certainly miss their humans and fear abandonment, so better to to build up her confidence in being left alone incrementally.
Re: Single CKD kitty Mom - how to work and care for her
Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 7:46 am
by Mollycat
What meds is she on and how time-critical are they?
Great plan suggested by fjm, all I can say is I'm on my third CKD cat and have never done anything special with them, just a change of diet and a watchful eye for any signs of deterioration.
As for leaving her for a while at a time, she may be a little put out at first but should soon get used to a little quiet time to herself. Unless she has ever been abandoned I doubt she will "think" that.
Re: Single CKD kitty Mom - how to work and care for her
Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 8:03 pm
by susand
Some breeds of pedigree cat do need to have company but most cats will acclimatise to being left on their own as long as it is done gradually so there isn’t a sudden shift in their routine. As you plan to work only part-time, rather than full-time I should imagine you won’t be leaving her alone for extended periods, so she should be fine.
Re: Single CKD kitty Mom - how to work and care for her
Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2022 1:10 am
by SaharaMom
fjm wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 6:45 am
Welcome! SQ fluids are rarely used in the UK where most forum members live, but I don't think timing them is crucial to within a few hours so perhaps you could plan on giving them when you get home from work and can monitor her. Free feeding or a timed feeder will take care of meals - ice blocks help keep wet food fresh. A monitoring camera linked to your phone might offer reassurance while you are working.
Does she spend a lot of time interacting with you through the day or does she mainly sleep? I would start a routine that tells her you are leaving the house for a while - no fuss, just calmly and collectedly getting ready, saying a calm goodbye, and leaving. Go shopping, or for a walk or meet up with friends, starting with brief absences and building up the time you are gone a little at a time. The key is to establish that you will always come back. I don't know whether there is evidence that cats can suffer the extreme separation anxiety that affects some dogs but they can certainly miss their humans and fear abandonment, so better to to build up her confidence in being left alone incrementally.
Thank you from Canada!! I got the feeder and the security camera. Funny thing about all of this is that when I was working before we knew she was in stage 2, I went to work without hesitation! She does sleep during the day and eats during the night mostly so maybe I'm just a nervous mom. Thanks so much for weighing in and your encouragement.
Re: Single CKD kitty Mom - how to work and care for her
Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2022 1:14 am
by SaharaMom
Mollycat wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 7:46 am
What meds is she on and how time-critical are they?
Great plan suggested by fjm, all I can say is I'm on my third CKD cat and have never done anything special with them, just a change of diet and a watchful eye for any signs of deterioration.
As for leaving her for a while at a time, she may be a little put out at first but should soon get used to a little quiet time to herself. Unless she has ever been abandoned I doubt she will "think" that.
Thank so for the reassurance. She gets her meds early am and bedtime which won't interfere with my working and they aren't time sensitive anyway. She's actually very happy to see me when I come home and greets me at the door - at age 19 she still trots to the door!! She has always had someone in the house with her since she was 5 weeks old which is why I was worried about being away for 8-9 hours. In any case, the security camera and cold packs for her food should work! You're very kind to take the time answering my post. Best wishes.