Recent Content by daftcat75

It could. However, Miralax or pumpkin is probably better for that. Egg yolk works two ways: the choline stimulates peristaltic contractions that would help empty the hairball from the stomach and squish it along its way. The egg yolk lecithin will help fat dissolve into solution rather than...

I suspect Betty has constant tooth pain because the last time she saw the vet for her teeth, I was told that she had some resorptive lesions on a few teeth that were not yet in a condition to remove. She takes gabapentin twice daily. She's a real trooper. She used to take her own meds--whatever...

I would be concerned if I did. But she's generally not on a perfect 24 hour pooping schedule. So when she poops seems to move around the clock. Sometimes it is overnight and I get to clean it up with breakfast prep, sometimes it's with my breakfast and I get to clean that up just before eating...

I swapped out the Ripple Rug top (the ripples that never really held a shape) for a Yogi Toes (yoga mat towel.) Betty seems to approve of the change. Speaking of change, Betty is showing up to eat like I never feed her. She used to wait until after she’s had a gabapentin nap. Lately she’s been...

Here’s a picture of the hot water bath I do for Betty’s meals. It’s just me with no spouse or kids. Without kids wasting water, I don’t feel bad about the little I use for Betty’s food. Maybe I’ll pick up and try a Jettle (hot water kettle that heats water quickly) later this year. That small...

Hills A/D is popular. That might be the one you start with and then mix in the others if that's a hit. It's high in calories and meant to be highly palatable as an emergency food to get cats (and dogs) eating again. In other words, it's perfect here. But I find with Betty that she doesn't eat...

I would get a baby scale to weigh her no more than once a week for everyone's sanity. Amazon.com I place a towel in the basket so Betty, who stubbornly refuses nail trims, doesn't have nails against plastic. I call her over with the treat bag and place a treat in one end of the basket. If I...

What are her other symptoms? Vomiting? Diarrhea? Is she able to maintain or gain weight? Or has it been a relentless freefall? For me, that was the biggest differential between IBD and lymphoma. When Krista's weight loss became rapid and unrelenting despite eating more than enough calories...

A tumor is a whole other story. Chemo is not likely to help much without removing the tumor first. This is different than Krista (and Chelsea.) In those cases, it was small cell lymphoma. The difference in treatment between IBD and small cell lymphoma is one drug: chlorambucil. I don't have...

I know I have already typed this story a number of times. Thankfully, I used the phrase "informed consent" in nearly every post. That made it easy to find them. I think this one says it all and says it best. I will be happy to answer questions after you have read this one. (Not the whole...

I just tried stuck turtle with Betty again and she got one claw caught in the carpet and two claws from different paws stuck in my clothes. As I'm trying to free her and she's trying to free herself, I'm laughing and telling her, "this is what we're trying to prevent." I calmed her down and...

Because Krista would let me hold her like a baby cradled on her back with all four paws easily accessible, she was an easy one to cut her claws. Because she adored her cat trees and also scratching the carpet, she didn't need trims as much as Betty. Because Betty has hip dysplasia and arthritis...

I can tell Betty doesn’t like these weather changes because she burrows on gloomy days. Betty comes to me for brushing. She loves it. She’s got a beauty bar of various brushes and combs and she loves them all. All of them except the nail clippers. 🤦🏼‍♂️ I’m tempted to try one of those hanging...

9.74. Same as last week. Purrfect! “I don’t take pictures of you on the scale!” 😾

I thought we escaped a hairball the other day when she was leaving remainders over the course of a few meals and then a stinky bonus loose poop which was almost certainly hairy. Then her appetite picked right back up. Hairball averted? Maybe. Until this afternoon. I wasn't home and it looked...