Poor old cat

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Mo
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Poor old cat

Post by Mo »

Took Pat to the vet on Monday.
He was getting very demanding and I wasn't sure what he was wanting.
Various things I wanted her to check.
He sometimes seemed to be walking very carefully, not always as bad. I think he enjoyed the hot weather, he was outside more than he has been this spring.
He is getting very fussy about food so I wondered if his teeth were OK. When we first got him he liked dry food, wouldn't eat tinned. Last year my daughters cat died and she gave me the pouches and tins, so I tried them and he thought they were great. Kept asking to be fed even though he had dry food down.
Then at the weekend he had what seemed to be a fit. Didn't last long and he seemed OK after.

Was trying to think how old he was. Our other cat died in '02. We certainly had Pat by '06 perhaps sooner. He was a stray who adopted a friend, but wouldn't go with him when he went caravanning. He was young but not a kitten when we got him. So maybe 17, 18.

Vet said that they do have fits as they age, not to worry unless they are very frequent.
Said the teeth were OK (phew! didn't want him to need dental treatment and a general anaesthetic)
She took a blood sample for a kidney function test to check if it was OK to give him medicine for arthritis. (Old age again)
Said, shall I clip his claws. I had noticed that he was getting caught in things and couldn't get unhooked, and that the cardboard box that I keep the dance club library books was getting less shredded but hadn't put the two together. Much tidier now.
The other thing I hadn't realised was that she said his ears were bothering him. So she put something down and I have to go back next Monday for the second dose.

The medicine I have she said put in his food, and it wouldn't stop him eating it. Well I'm struggling with that. I had been giving him part of a pouch in the morning, dry food down all day. And he'd usually gobble the pouch but pick at the dry. By morning it would be gone though. Now he is licking the jelly off and leaving most of the lumps. And he is very reluctant to eat it after it has been down a while. So I've no idea how much he is getting. And if I don't put the dry down to get him to eat the wet will he lose weight.
He is supposed to be on this for ever. The other thing I'm wondering is if it's OK to just give it to him when he seems bad.
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Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
Gwenoakes
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by Gwenoakes »

Poor Pat.
Was the medicine she asked you to give him in his food called Metacam, Mo? If it is Metacam it is for pain relief, but can have not so nice side effects for organs etc. Molly is on a small dose of this as the pro's outweighed the cons regarding keeping her comfortable against any side effects bearing in mind her age. It comes in a mauve box and she is supposed to have 2.5mg each day in food, but I know Clare has slowly dropped this amount but managed to still keep her comfortable.
His different gait will be down to arthritis I would imagine as Molly who will be 20 this Sept does walk differently on occasions.
He may just have some ear mites in his ears and should be easily put right. The claws once again are not a problem, as Clare clips Molly's when needed.
I have never heard that older cats tend to have fits though and Molly certainly never has.
If he is not eating the food with the medication in it then he will not be getting the pain relief that he requires.
We have Molly on Vetpro mobility for joints which she has one capsule opened and poured onto her evening meal and that certainly helps her.
I have learnt over the years with cats especially that if they change their behaviour then there usually is a problem, it is then our job to decipher what that problem is. Much easier said than done that one though.
Have you tried putting a small amount of water in his wet or dry food when he has the medication, that may help, but once again it will be try and see.
We always put a small amount of water in Molly's food as cats do not drink much and usually get their fluid from the food they eat and as Molly has had crystals in her water it just helps slightly to make sure she is getting enough fluid.
A good way of knowing if Pat is going the right way is to have him weighed as well, just enables you to keep an eye on things from a different angle. {hug&kiss}
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kitla
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by kitla »

When my elderly dog, who was a very picky eater, needed medicine I would put it in a bit of sardines or tuna so she couldnt taste it. Or maybe try some raw meat?
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Mo
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Re: Poor old cat

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Well, she said Metacam, but the box says Loxicom. Same ingredient I think - meloxicam & sodium benzoate.
She said she would be more worried about a dog having fits. It didn't last long, he just stood there quivering. Then walked away and sat down.

I'll ask her on Monday about how to give the Loxicom. It comes with a pipette but I want her advice before I start trying to put it in directly.
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Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
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Mo
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by Mo »

kitla wrote:When my elderly dog, who was a very picky eater, needed medicine I would put it in a bit of sardines or tuna so she couldnt taste it. Or maybe try some raw meat?

We thought we'd found the solution to giving wormers when he ate the sticky tablets that cats are supposed to like. That didn't last long, he soon got wise to it. Now it's spot-on. Though, since he doesn't hunt now like he used I don't see the tape worm segments now.
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Gwenoakes
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by Gwenoakes »

Any progress with getting the meds into Pat, Mo?
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Mo
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by Mo »

Yes I think I'm getting the hang of it. Since he always licks the jelly off first I spot it onto the jelly. And only give him a small amount of food for breakfast. I was trying to hide it in more food than usual, but then he left some.
He looks happier.
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wendy
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by wendy »

)like(
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If you can't be a good example........
you will just have to be a horrible warning
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by Gwenoakes »

Now that is what I call 'thinking outside the box', Mo. )t'
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Mo
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Re: Poor old cat

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Back to the vet for the second lot of ear drops. She said there was a lot less wax and redness.
His weight was the same.
We talked about the possible side effects of meloxicam and she watched him walk, said he was fairly fluid but had lost a lot of muscle mass. And suggested that I compared how he walks with it and after a few days without it. But when we got home and I let him out of the cat box I thought his right hip seemed to be the problem. I've noticed that before when he first starts to move (bit like my left knee when I get out of the car sometimes). So I think I'll give him a few more doses to get over the trip before I experiment.
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
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wendy
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Re: Poor old cat

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)t'
http://www.busheyk9.co.uk

If you can't be a good example........
you will just have to be a horrible warning
Gwenoakes
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by Gwenoakes »

Sounds like a good idea, Mo, let us know how it goes.
Mollie has lost muscle on her rear end, hence the swimming.
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by albertajune »

We love our pets but they can be a worry when not well. Hope you manage to get the medication down soon so as to see some improvement, If only to give him pain relief. Good luck.)t'
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by Gwenoakes »

How is Pat getting on?
Mollie has been to back to the vets as her cough has returned and is not asthma this time, so not sure what is going down. We stopped the Metacam because if she needed a stereo injection she could not have had it unless she had been off it for 48 hours.
Her coughing has stopped and yet she has had no medication for it, so am wondering although looking at the side effects of Metacam there is nothing about respiritory (sp) problems, but even the vet raised an eyebrow. She is now on some other pain relief, but tbh it is not working as well.
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Re: Poor old cat

Post by KarenE »

Oh poor Pat, sorry to har he's not well Mo. I hope he's doing better, and that is a grand age for him.
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