Artie and his Issues

[tarasgirl06]

Artie refused the W/D prescription food, which is: Pork and believe it or not, chicken.. but mostly pork..
But he did eat more than a 1/3 cup of the dry prescription Fiber Response food during the night.

I did find a plain pork cat food for him; he was eating that last year, but suddenly got tired of it..

I cannot feed him the Gravy Lovers food.. anything with gravy, he will gobble up the gravy, leaving the food morsels...

Artie pooped this morning, in the box, as soon as I got up: 7 x 1 inches.. Yes, it is now on the harder side of normal.. I do not want it to get any harder.. I will restart the miralax, at the lower dose and the colace today.

OMG.. just looked out the balcony window! The Sunrise is absolutely gorgeous!! All different shades of orange/red.... You know the saying: "Red sky at night sailors delight, Red Sky in morning, sailors take warning"
Yup, We are having a Blizzard tomorrow... somewhere between 10-15 inches of snow with severe winds, being followed by even lower temps than what we have had...

The River is frozen.. I cannot remember the last time I saw that.. this is incredible..

Artie is going to have to fend for himself today. I am not going to play or brush him today.. too busy.. have a ton to do and the stores will be mobbed..

just drinking my coffee now..

Just stopping by on Friday to wish you and Artie the BEST and yes, hoping you both stay warm and cozy!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Just dropping in to leaves big, warm squooshy HUGS for you both!

 

[Cojakama]

Wow...this is a loooong thread so I’ve kinda skipped through. I stopped when I saw you post about the deceptive labels. How aggravating! I just bundled up about $100 worth of food because of this labeling practice. Once my Abbey is stable ( she just started on the Prednisolone yesterday) I’m going to sit down and write letters to these companies. It’s my opinion that if the label says “Venison” that it should be listed no further than second on the ingredient list. I have some of the more expensive brands where what’s listed on the label is the SIXTH ingredient. If these foods include chicken, it should say “chicken” as the variety. For example, I’m holding a can that says “Lamb and Turkey” but it contains more chicken than turkey. Very deceiving. My other pet peeves...pardon the pun... is why these pet stores don’t carry more of the more raw or natural foods like Tiki. It would be so much better to be able to buy one or two cans to try than to waste $20 or in some cases $50 on something they won’t eat. Finally, why don’t pet stores carry small bottles of Pedialyte? There is no way my cat will drink a whole bottle by dropper in 48 hours. I love my kitty but I don’t love wasting money.
Sorry to hijack your thread, but I needed to share my frustration with others who understand.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Wow...this is a loooong thread so I’ve kinda skipped through. I stopped when I saw you post about the deceptive labels. How aggravating! I just bundled up about $100 worth of food because of this labeling practice. Once my Abbey is stable ( she just started on the Prednisolone yesterday) I’m going to sit down and write letters to these companies. It’s my opinion that if the label says “Venison” that it should be listed no further than second on the ingredient list. I have some of the more expensive brands where what’s listed on the label is the SIXTH ingredient. If these foods include chicken, it should say “chicken” as the variety. For example, I’m holding a can that says “Lamb and Turkey” but it contains more chicken than turkey. Very deceiving. My other pet peeves...pardon the pun... is why these pet stores don’t carry more of the more raw or natural foods like Tiki. It would be so much better to be able to buy one or two cans to try than to waste $20 or in some cases $50 on something they won’t eat. Finally, why don’t pet stores carry small bottles of Pedialyte? There is no way my cat will drink a whole bottle by dropper in 48 hours. I love my kitty but I don’t love wasting money.
Sorry to hijack your thread, but I needed to share my frustration with others who understand.

*Just want to say I agree 100% and that it should be crucial for truth in labelling to be the law of the land!*

 

[artiemom]

Hey guys.. just a short post.. I am not feeling well today, or even last night.. Kind of feel like a small virus/flu-ish... weird.. but I am ok..

Artie is ok.. We got through yesterdays Major Storm. I was lazy all day, afraid the power would go off. It did flick off completely last night, but immediately came back on.

17.7 inches in my city with major flooding.. I mean major flooding..

Artie ate well, no poops yesterday.. a small hard poop today, so he is getting more miralax, a colace, no probiotic.. let's see if that helps. He had the zoomies while I was talking on the phone with NVet's Secretary. She could hear him run from one room to the next-- feet flaying on the laminate, like a cartoon cat running a race..

I did go out last night to clean the junk off my car.. got a bit nauseous, headache, and achey after.. cannot tell what my body wants to do..
I am still not right.. no fever, but feeling a bit flush..

I did go out today, to run my car, re-charge the battery, and got some chicken soup at the Italian Deli. It was mobbed. Lots of submarine sandwiches, soups being ordered and pick up...
It was actually a lot warmer, in the city than it is along the beach. It is frigid out there

We are ok... just waiting for the intense cold tonight.

I came home and put my pj's back on...

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey guys.. just a short post.. I am not feeling well today, or even last night.. Kind of feel like a small virus/flu-ish... weird.. but I am ok..

Artie is ok.. We got through yesterdays Major Storm. I was lazy all day, afraid the power would go off. It did flick off completely last night, but immediately came back on.

17.7 inches in my city with major flooding.. I mean major flooding..

Artie ate well, no poops yesterday.. a small hard poop today, so he is getting more miralax, a colace, no probiotic.. let's see if that helps. He had the zoomies while I was talking on the phone with NVet's Secretary. She could hear him run from one room to the next-- feet flaying on the laminate, like a cartoon cat running a race..

I did go out last night to clean the junk off my car.. got a bit nauseous, headache, and achey after.. cannot tell what my body wants to do..
I am still not right.. no fever, but feeling a bit flush..

I did go out today, to run my car, re-charge the battery, and got some chicken soup at the Italian Deli. It was mobbed. Lots of submarine sandwiches, soups being ordered and pick up...
It was actually a lot warmer, in the city than it is along the beach. It is frigid out there

We are ok... just waiting for the intense cold tonight.

I came home and put my pj's back on...

Glad you both got through it and sounds like you've provisioned yourself well with the good soup!
A lot of people aren't feeling great right now -- I guess it's the typical winter stuff going around. Hope you get plenty of C.A.T. (Cat-Assisted Therapy) for that!
Don't you love when they run through like that? We've got a long hall that runs the length of the house and even though it's carpeted, sometimes it sounds like a herd of buffaloes in here -- and there are usually only 2 participants in the Indy 500 Cat Races!
PJ's sounds perfect. Hope you have a big fluffy robe, too. I kept all 3 of my mom's faux-fur ones -- red, turquoise, and purple. They ARE warm.
Wishing you a warm and cozy afternoon/evening/night and to feel much better!

 

[inkysmom]

No I didn't know about those. Thanks for telling me. I've found a Purina kind of chicken treat they seem to like for now but they're so picky.
They love temptations but I've heard bad things about those so I stopped giving them.
I'll look into those.
He's allergic to so many things I have to carry the list with me as I can't remember everything. The vets and dermatologist say the food allergy tests aren't accurate but why would I deliberately feed him something that he tested as reacting allergic to? Seems stupid to me when he's obviously so miserable he's literally scratching himself raw. Allergic to pork, salmon, potatoes, venison, lamb, milk, rabbit, oats, and that's just the food ones. Plus ants, roaches and flies. I don't have roaches but he loves to catch flies that get in and always sits in the windows and purposely makes holes in the screens (jerk) so flies can get in. He'll catch and eat one with one shot of a paw in less than five minutes. His favorite summer hobby. I actually insisted the dermatologist include flies in the immunotherapy injections because he loves to eat them so much and I can't control what he does when I'm not home. He probably thinks I'm crazy but agreed it made sense.
He takes off cones, donuts, clothing, bandages, sleeves, everything within seconds. Spits out pills, stress drools awfully with liquid meds so never gets the full dose and is so little and thin with big doses of subcutaneous meds they literally don't absorb and come out. I can't explain it but I've given subcutaneous fluids and injections to many cats before and he's the only one I've had trouble with. Doesn't help that he hated it and squirms and runs and fights the whole time. He's really a two person cat for any kind of medicating but there's only me. Go figure he loves nail trims. Gets jealous when I trim the other cat's nails and comes racing on purring and rubbing against the clippers pushing the other cat out of the way so I almost cut him. Little pita. Has to sleep curled up next to my head all the time. No animal or human can take his spot.
Lol if I'm in a relationship, he'll race and jump back and forth over the guy's head and land on his head repeatedly and even tap him on the face, mouth or nose first with his paw, then with nails out to say "move out of my spot". He has to sleep right there no matter what. Doesn't help dating life!
Follows me everywhere, as does the dog, even to the shower. Cat has jumped in the shower a few times. I'm always tripping over both him and the dog. I have a little train of followers everywhere I go.
Until it's time for an allergy shot. He somehow knows. Hides, don't see him for hours. Not for food, treats, nothing. Trying to get him out means a prolonged chase around the place with me climbing under every tiny nook and cranny there is, under the bed, cabinets, behind the TV, under shelves, he goes from one to the under and I need a broom as he won't move. Takes an hour and I feel like I've run a marathon. I usually grab him when he's asleep and put him in a carrier and then get meds ready and take him in bathroom and close door. If he escapes during med process I won't see him for days.
Good Lord he's the worst! When Inky was feral he used to fight and draw blood and stress drool and attack so was pretty bad but never hid. No he was always ready for a confrontation lol. Even when I tamed him he never minded injections so I just had to fight with vets to give me all meds in injectable form so as not to fight with him. I'd rather fight with vets than him he was a panther. Plus at the end he was so sick I couldn't stand causing him any stress. Got up to eight to ten injections a day at one point.
Hope Artie's doing well and playing, eating and pooping normally!

 

[LTS3]

Stay warm artiemom ! I'm sure you've heard what the temps will be like tonight and for the rest of the weekend

Try not to go out if you don't have to. Are you still stocked up with groceries? I have to make a supermarket run tomorrow I would have gone today but I figured the shelves would still be empty from everyone mobbing the stores on Wednesday like it was the end of the world

I wish NVet had more ideas for Artie If he's out of ideas, then Artie really has his stumped with his complicated isses

 

[tarasgirl06]

No I didn't know about those. Thanks for telling me. I've found a Purina kind of chicken treat they seem to like for now but they're so picky.
They love temptations but I've heard bad things about those so I stopped giving them.
I'll look into those.
He's allergic to so many things I have to carry the list with me as I can't remember everything. The vets and dermatologist say the food allergy tests aren't accurate but why would I deliberately feed him something that he tested as reacting allergic to? Seems stupid to me when he's obviously so miserable he's literally scratching himself raw. Allergic to pork, salmon, potatoes, venison, lamb, milk, rabbit, oats, and that's just the food ones. Plus ants, roaches and flies. I don't have roaches but he loves to catch flies that get in and always sits in the windows and purposely makes holes in the screens (jerk) so flies can get in. He'll catch and eat one with one shot of a paw in less than five minutes. His favorite summer hobby. I actually insisted the dermatologist include flies in the immunotherapy injections because he loves to eat them so much and I can't control what he does when I'm not home. He probably thinks I'm crazy but agreed it made sense.
He takes off cones, donuts, clothing, bandages, sleeves, everything within seconds. Spits out pills, stress drools awfully with liquid meds so never gets the full dose and is so little and thin with big doses of subcutaneous meds they literally don't absorb and come out. I can't explain it but I've given subcutaneous fluids and injections to many cats before and he's the only one I've had trouble with. Doesn't help that he hated it and squirms and runs and fights the whole time. He's really a two person cat for any kind of medicating but there's only me. Go figure he loves nail trims. Gets jealous when I trim the other cat's nails and comes racing on purring and rubbing against the clippers pushing the other cat out of the way so I almost cut him. Little pita. Has to sleep curled up next to my head all the time. No animal or human can take his spot.
Lol if I'm in a relationship, he'll race and jump back and forth over the guy's head and land on his head repeatedly and even tap him on the face, mouth or nose first with his paw, then with nails out to say "move out of my spot". He has to sleep right there no matter what. Doesn't help dating life!
Follows me everywhere, as does the dog, even to the shower. Cat has jumped in the shower a few times. I'm always tripping over both him and the dog. I have a little train of followers everywhere I go.
Until it's time for an allergy shot. He somehow knows. Hides, don't see him for hours. Not for food, treats, nothing. Trying to get him out means a prolonged chase around the place with me climbing under every tiny nook and cranny there is, under the bed, cabinets, behind the TV, under shelves, he goes from one to the under and I need a broom as he won't move. Takes an hour and I feel like I've run a marathon. I usually grab him when he's asleep and put him in a carrier and then get meds ready and take him in bathroom and close door. If he escapes during med process I won't see him for days.
Good Lord he's the worst! When Inky was feral he used to fight and draw blood and stress drool and attack so was pretty bad but never hid. No he was always ready for a confrontation lol. Even when I tamed him he never minded injections so I just had to fight with vets to give me all meds in injectable form so as not to fight with him. I'd rather fight with vets than him he was a panther. Plus at the end he was so sick I couldn't stand causing him any stress. Got up to eight to ten injections a day at one point.
Hope Artie's doing well and playing, eating and pooping normally!View attachment 212846 View attachment 212847 View attachment 212848 View attachment 212849

Not meaning to go OT but just wanted to ask inkysmom if you've tried putting your cat in a top-loading cat carrier on the bathroom counter and putting the IV bag on a hanger, hung on the shower frame, then giving the sub-Q's that way? This is how I always did for my Moti angel and she was very patient and good for them. Just a suggestion.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Wow...this is a loooong thread so I’ve kinda skipped through. I stopped when I saw you post about the deceptive labels. How aggravating! I just bundled up about $100 worth of food because of this labeling practice. Once my Abbey is stable ( she just started on the Prednisolone yesterday) I’m going to sit down and write letters to these companies. It’s my opinion that if the label says “Venison” that it should be listed no further than second on the ingredient list. I have some of the more expensive brands where what’s listed on the label is the SIXTH ingredient. If these foods include chicken, it should say “chicken” as the variety. For example, I’m holding a can that says “Lamb and Turkey” but it contains more chicken than turkey. Very deceiving. My other pet peeves...pardon the pun... is why these pet stores don’t carry more of the more raw or natural foods like Tiki. It would be so much better to be able to buy one or two cans to try than to waste $20 or in some cases $50 on something they won’t eat. Finally, why don’t pet stores carry small bottles of Pedialyte? There is no way my cat will drink a whole bottle by dropper in 48 hours. I love my kitty but I don’t love wasting money.
Sorry to hijack your thread, but I needed to share my frustration with others who understand.

 

[Cojakama]

I was afraid Abbey would hide so until I have a better grip on the situation I put her in one of those travel pens. They unzip on the side and on the top and are large enough to put her food and water, litter box and her bed in. She still can move around but I can monitor her more easily and it’s easier to get her out. I put her in there for an hour or so if she is going to the vet so she won’t run from the carrier. The carrier sounds like a great idea for the sub-Qs.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I was afraid Abbey would hide so until I have a better grip on the situation I put her in one of those travel pens. They unzip on the side and on the top and are large enough to put her food and water, litter box and her bed in. She still can move around but I can monitor her more easily and it’s easier to get her out. I put her in there for an hour or so if she is going to the vet so she won’t run from the carrier. The carrier sounds like a great idea for the sub-Qs.

*Worked for us.*

 

[neely]

I am not feeling well today, or even last night.. Kind of feel like a small virus/flu-ish... weird.. but I am ok. Artie is ok.. We got through yesterdays Major Storm.

I'm sorry you are not feeling your best, hope it passes and the chicken soup from the Italian deli helps. I'm convinced this kind of weather affects everyone in one way or another. I love that Artie had the zoomies when you were talking to NVet's secretary. He was merely making his presence known.

 

[artiemom]

Stay warm artiemom ! I'm sure you've heard what the temps will be like tonight and for the rest of the weekend

Try not to go out if you don't have to. Are you still stocked up with groceries? I have to make a supermarket run tomorrow I would have gone today but I figured the shelves would still be empty from everyone mobbing the stores on Wednesday like it was the end of the world

I wish NVet had more ideas for Artie If he's out of ideas, then Artie really has his stumped with his complicated isses

Dress warmly for your trek.. Yesterday, I was feeling poorly, dressed like a ragamuffin:
LLBean Thermal underwear ~ tops and bottoms, ski pants, heavy sweatshirt, hat,
LLBean boots, and LLBean ski gloves.. I looked like a horror show, but I do not care.

If I wear a hat, it has to be downright frigid.. I hate hats..

Yes, NVet is kind of stumped about Artie.. He does not know what to do on a daily basis.. as I am already doing it.. If it is something medically altering, as in blood test, or imaging exam, then he know exactly what to do.. but Artie has so many things going on, and there are no cures for him..

As NVet says, we are going day by day, symptom by symptom. There is no clear cut treatment for him.. we are winging it.

Artie's symptoms can turn on a dime.. It happens so quick. I know that is why NVet's Secretary wants the daily updates.. to see if we can catch things before they happen or get severe. Artie is one of his few patients, who can always get squeezed in.. because we all know how severe things can turn, so fast....Yet, he is so complicated, we are trying to keep him out of the ER because, even though all his records are there, they do not know him and what is really happening.. it would be like starting over..

 

[dustydiamond1]

Dress warmly for your trek.. Yesterday, I was feeling poorly, dressed like a ragamuffin:
LLBean Thermal underwear ~ tops and bottoms, ski pants, heavy sweatshirt, hat,
LLBean boots, and LLBean ski gloves.. I looked like a horror show, but I do not care.

If I wear a hat, it has to be downright frigid.. I hate hats..

Yes, NVet is kind of stumped about Artie.. He does not know what to do on a daily basis.. as I am already doing it.. If it is something medically altering, as in blood test, or imaging exam, then he know exactly what to do.. but Artie has so many things going on, and there are no cures for him..

As NVet says, we are going day by day, symptom by symptom. There is no clear cut treatment for him.. we are winging it.

Artie's symptoms can turn on a dime.. It happens so quick. I know that is why NVet's Secretary wants the daily updates.. to see if we can catch things before they happen or get severe. Artie is one of his few patients, who can always get squeezed in.. because we all know how severe things can turn, so fast....Yet, he is so complicated, we are trying to keep him out of the ER because, even though all his records are there, they do not know him and what is really happening.. it would be like starting over..

 

[LTS3]

Honestly it wasn't that cold when I ventured to the supermarket this morning Maybe because I was bundled up and I didn't have far to go. I was actually a little too warm coming back from the supermarket

Artie, keep eating and pooping and not driving your Mom

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Stay in, stay warm, and you and Artie take care of each other! That's my main plan...well...not for you and Artie to take care of me, but you get the gist...

 

[inkysmom]

Tarasgirl, sorry if I was confusing. That's a great suggestion. He only gets subcutaneous medications of the allergy injections now. Thankfully not subcutaneous fluids, that would be a lot for him.
My carriers are all pretty old so I'm not sure how easy they'd be to take apart. I usually put him in the bathroom sink and hold his scruff of neck fairly tight. I've been trying to be nicer with praise and petting so he's less traumatized about it. He's not supposed to eat for an hour before or after the injections so I can't use treats.
Hope Artie's doing well and you're feeling better. Supposed to warm up around here Monday and most of next week!!! Can't wait!!!

 

[nansiludie]

Tarasgirl, sorry if I was confusing. That's a great suggestion. He only gets subcutaneous medications of the allergy injections now. Thankfully not subcutaneous fluids, that would be a lot for him.
My carriers are all pretty old so I'm not sure how easy they'd be to take apart. I usually put him in the bathroom sink and hold his scruff of neck fairly tight. I've been trying to be nicer with praise and petting so he's less traumatized about it. He's not supposed to eat for an hour before or after the injections so I can't use treats.
Hope Artie's doing well and you're feeling better. Supposed to warm up around here Monday and most of next week!!! Can't wait!!!

Does he like fish and can he have it due to the allergies? If he can, bonito flakes are very fine and I don't think they'd count as food really, if he had just a pinch of it. Just something positive at the end. You could ask your Vet if it would be ok. Just to be sure.

 

[inkysmom]

He loves fish but tested severely allergic to salmon, which is the only fish they test for. Since all the vets are so convinced that the food allergy tests are so unreliable they don't believe in them and won't test for any more foods and said the way to tell is trial and error. Stupid with a cat who also has so many environmental allergies that are out of control as how can anyone tell what food he's reacting to when he's still reacting to everything in his environment? And if I'm still treating him for environmental allergies how will I know if the treatment is working if I'm feeding him a food that it's unknown he's allergic to?
It's easy to say just keep him on a strict limited diet, except he won't eat one. So starve him? He had no sores and was doing great for a while on his current diet and the immunotheraoy injections. Then my fridge died and my landlord wouldn't replace it for almost two weeks and the allergy injections stopped working took two more weeks to special order new ones and he basically went a month without effective treatment. Started scratching again during that time.