I need help and assurance

[silent meowlook]

Hi.
First off, make sure you have pain medication for him from the vet. This is extremely painful. If needed ask for sedation as well. Hopefully they can give you Buprenorphine and Gabapentin. Be sure to use them on schedule.

Do not under any circumstances remove the collar. He can very quickly undo everything and will be worse off than he was before.

The collar needs to be rigid and extend beyond the tip of his nose in all angles. It has to be tight enough that he can’t get a foot stuck between his neck and the collar.

You are looking at a couple of weeks of misery for both of you, but do things right and it will be okay.

As for the bowls, double stick Velcro works well to keep the bowls from getting tipped over.

You should switch to a non clumping litter for now. I would also keep him confined so he doesn’t spin out of control with the collar.

 

[Pecoraro]

Hi.
First off, make sure you have pain medication for him from the vet. This is extremely painful. If needed ask for sedation as well. Hopefully they can give you Buprenorphine and Gabapentin. Be sure to use them on schedule.

Do not under any circumstances remove the collar. He can very quickly undo everything and will be worse off than he was before.

The collar needs to be rigid and extend beyond the tip of his nose in all angles. It has to be tight enough that he can’t get a foot stuck between his neck and the collar.

You are looking at a couple of weeks of misery for both of you, but do things right and it will be okay.

As for the bowls, double stick Velcro works well to keep the bowls from getting tipped over.

You should switch to a non clumping litter for now. I would also keep him confined so he doesn’t spin out of control with the collar.

Thank you for all the good advice. He seems to be comfortable, no pain but i have Gabapentin in case. Today my husband took him to our cat vet and she infused some fluid under skin. He is better at drinking but diarrhea happened yesterday and we stopped the antibiotic. He had only one dose to go. He is testing his limits and has not gotten the collar off. Jumped up on his couch and has slept all day. He and I needed the peace.

 

[Margret]

Today my husband took him to our cat vet and she infused some fluid under skin.

That subcutaneous fluid trick can be very useful with sick cats. I tried unsuccessfully to learn to do it at home when my husband's cat, Bright Eyes, was dying of lymphoma, but part of my problem was inadequate training - it was early in the pandemic and social distancing was creating problems. With your medical background I'm sure you'd have no trouble learning it.

 

[Pecoraro]

Asking follow-up on Trooper. He seems to have accepted the cone since he cannot soft paw it off. He is sleeping for long periods, not that he had not done before, he did manage to get water and I am spoon feeding him. He went and hid in his old bag hiding place all night . I am taking this as healing rest right?

 

[Margret]

When cats are healthy they need up to 18 hours of sleep a day.

I had minor surgery about a year ago, didn't even require general anesthesia, just a nerve block, and I spent most of my time for the next week sleeping.

You're probably worrying about reports you've heard of cats who hide somewhere to die. Those reports are true; the cat feels vulnerable and instinct tells him to hide as thoroughly as possible. But a cat who's sleeping in his known safe place is just sleeping. Trooper's been having a whole series of traumatic experiences lately; if he were a small child I'd expect a reversion to thumb sucking, for comfort. So think of the bag as his security blanket and you won't be far off.

Yes. It sounds like healing rest. It also sounds like a very healthy way of dealing with trauma.

 

[Pecoraro]

When cats are healthy they need up to 18 hours of sleep a day.

I had minor surgery about a year ago, didn't even require general anesthesia, just a nerve block, and I spent most of my time for the next week sleeping.

You're probably worrying about reports you've heard of cats who hide somewhere to die. Those reports are true; the cat feels vulnerable and instinct tells him to hide as thoroughly as possible. But a cat who's sleeping in his known safe place is just sleeping. Trooper's been having a whole series of traumatic experiences lately; if he were a small child I'd expect a reversion to thumb sucking, for comfort. So think of the bag as his security blanket and you won't be far off.

Yes. It sounds like healing rest. It also sounds like a very healthy way of dealing with trauma.

I was thinking along those lines but itis reassuring to hear it from a great cat mon

 

[Margret]

Have you ever seen Trooper do something embarrassing, like falling off of the sofa? I bet I can tell you what he did next. He suddenly discovered that his shoulder needed to be groomed - hard, right now! Right? That's comfort grooming. Cats don't just groom for cleanliness, they groom to comfort themselves. Being groomed by Mom is right up their with suckling as one of their earliest memories, so grooming makes them feel loved and safe.

And then they have some kind of surgery, and we put a cone on them, and suddenly they lose their best calming mechanism, right when they most need it. And unfortunately, the cone is necessary, so all we can do is make them as comfortable as possible, try to give them their favorite food, and give them lots of pets and scritches, to try to make up for what they can't do for themselves. But it helps immensely if the cat has a favorite safe place, or a favorite toy, or a favorite anything that he can use as a substitute for comfort grooming.

 

[Pecoraro]

Have you ever seen Trooper do something embarrassing, like falling off of the sofa? I bet I can tell you what he did next. He suddenly discovered that his shoulder needed to be groomed - hard, right now! Right? That's comfort grooming. Cats don't just groom for cleanliness, they groom to comfort themselves. Being groomed by Mom is right up their with suckling as one of their earliest memories, so they use grooming as a way to calm and comfort themselves.

And then they have some kind of surgery, and we put a cone on them, and suddenly they lose their best calming mechanism, right when they most need it. And unfortunately, the cone is necessary, so all we can do is make them as comfortable as possible, try to give them their favorite food, and give them lots of pets and scritches, to try to make up for what they can't do for themselves. But it helps immensely if the cat has a favorite safe place, or a favorite toy, or a favorite anything that he can use as a substitute for comfort grooming.

Thanks Margaret. I am doing all I can to make him feel safe and comforted. My worry now is how much he eats and drinks. I hand feed and giving any soft food he will lick up. Starting to jump up on to couch but bumped off the cat tree so I covered it up . Has not used litter box since yesterday. My husband is just rolling his eyes at me and I am so tired. So I appreciate the info and support.

 

[Margret]

You need to rest as well, try to get some. If you can contrive to drop off (comfortably) on the sofa or some other place where he can nap on your lap, you can take care of him and yourself at the same time, but be careful how you do it – you don't want to wake up with a neck ache.

Not using the litter box is somewhat worrisome; if he isn't eating better by tomorrow you might want to ask the vet about an appetite stimulant. A B, something, um, I think it's a B-12 injection, but the vet will know for sure, sometimes works. He's probably overdue for some more subcutaneous water, as well, if he isn't even peeing.

 

[Pecoraro]

You need to rest as well, try to get some. If you can contrive to drop off (comfortably) on the sofa or some other place where he can nap on your lap, you can take care of him and yourself at the same time, but be careful how you do it – you don't want to wake up with a neck ache.

Not using the litter box is somewhat worrisome; if he isn't eating better by tomorrow you might want to ask the vet about an appetite stimulant. A B, something, um, I think it's a B-12 injection, but the vet will know for sure, sometimes works. He's probably overdue for some more subcutaneous water, as well, if he isn't even peeing.

Thought of that, will do

 

[Margret]

Pecoraro , how is Trooper doing today?

 

[Pecoraro]

Seemed to have turnd a little corner. Went into bedroom where he sleeps at bottom of bed where we found him this am. I have been sleeping in the living room with him on my lap or under his chair. He drank a lot last night and ate soft food. Walking around the house with a little of his swagger! Taking each day as it comes. Thanks for asking.. appreciate you

 

[Pecoraro]

Seemed to have turnd a little corner. Went into bedroom where he sleeps at bottom of bed where we found him this am. I have been sleeping in the living room with him on my lap or under his chair. He drank a lot last night and ate soft food. Walking around the house with a little of his swagger! Taking each day as it comes. Thanks for asking.. appreciate you

 

[Margret]

Seemed to have turnd a little corner. Went into bedroom where he sleeps at bottom of bed where we found him this am. I have been sleeping in the living room with him on my lap or under his chair. He drank a lot last night and ate soft food. Walking around the house with a little of his swagger! Taking each day as it comes. Thanks for asking.. appreciate you

Oh, good. Sometimes cats can be extremely stubborn about food and water, which quickly becomes dangerous. But if Trooper is eating, drinking, and especially swaggering he's well on his way to getting well. Cattitude is a good sign.