Ah, Charlie you tough little fighter, hang in there!!
I hope he does, too..and you! You both have been through plenty.Furballsmom Jcatbird 1 bruce 1 @Elfilou basschick
So Charlie is back - I'm grateful to the vet as she stayed later to try to let his bladder fill more in the hopes she could get a sample. She did it!
It will take a few days for the results of the blood, poop and pee but the x-rays do confirm everything I've said to the vets all along about his constipation (relieved a bit as makes me feel less insane) and it confirmed inflammation in the small intestines too. It also confirmed with certainty the his heart condition is not just his heart being too big for his chest but, what was suspected, and decided on, but never confirmed until now, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. It's mild so that's good.
@jacatbird - I had to chuckle a bit as the vet said "We're getting all the pieces of the puzzle together."
Now we wait and hope for something minor.
Thank you guys / Gals for the encouragement and support to get him a second opinion. I think we're finally going to have it figured out and hopefully it''s something easily treatable and Charlie will be on his way happier. :-)
I agree about the music! I found harp music specifically helped calm a rescue. Straight from google. Give it a try...Hey! Got some suggestions for you. First , get him checked to make sure there is no physical pain. When pain hits an animal they often don’t understand what caused it and they lash out at the nearest thing in the mistaken idea that this is what hurt them. It could be a bad tooth, urinary pain, arthritis or anything that strikes him. If he is physically okay I would then suggest you make sure that there are no male or female mating scents around. Even if cats are fixed they can exhibit mating behavior. I see it a lot. Scents trigger it.
Cats also have a pecking order. The term top cat says it all. Each group of cats has a ranking of who is top and then down from there. Charlie may be trying to tell everyone, I was here first and I am top cat. When this is established with all, then he should relax. ( but I don’t think that is what is going on)
Now, a bit of a different thought that I have dealt with recently and previously. Cats can get jealous of you devoting your attention to others. Both people and cats. Since I know a bit of your history I am thinking he has seen a lot of your time being spent on others. I am suggesting a form of jealousy or just feeling a bit neglected or lost in the shuffle. It happens. I have a female feral who never bit, scratched or exhibited any aggressive behavior before. She sleeps by my head. A young male sleeps beside me and a female at my feet. The male had come from an abusive situation and I had been giving him , much needed, snuggling and attention. The feral observed this for some time. I failed to notice the signs of her back turned , ears held down and twitching tail until she became aggressive. She was getting scary! She was really biting me. Then it hit me that I had turned my attention to the young male every night and had stopped making a fuss over her. I started making a fuss over her again. At first she continued to bite and scratch as I petted her. I just spoke calmly to her and if she bit I told her no and put my hand down from petting but almost immediately resumed. I scratched behind her ears and under her chin where it was harder for her to bite. I persisted with her. Over a period of about a week she stayed angry but then she gave in and started enjoying the attention again. She forgave me. She is back to being the sweet ,but wild, kitty she was. Of the many, many kitties I have had in my life, I have never had one with an emotional upset that could not be solved. Charlie may be trying to dominate you right now but I think you can fix this. I know you have the love and patience. Respect him but don’t let him think you fear him. If it isn’t a physical problem causing pain then you have the power to beat this. I have every confidence in you. Let me know how things are going. If I can calm a cat named Thrasher, you can calm a cat named Charlie. Lol I really think it’s going to be okay. Try some music.
At the risk of sounding like a total sissy, harp music and any classical music is nice for us humans too.I agree about the music! I found harp music specifically helped calm a rescue. Straight from google. Give it a try...
For a moment so did I1 bruce 1 I started playing a little of the music you posted above, my cat started snoring
thank you so much for the update.So Charlie is back - I'm grateful to the vet as she stayed later to try to let his bladder fill more in the hopes she could get a sample. She did it!
It will take a few days for the results of the blood, poop and pee but the x-rays do confirm everything I've said to the vets all along about his constipation (relieved a bit as makes me feel less insane) and it confirmed inflammation in the small intestines too. It also confirmed with certainty the his heart condition is not just his heart being too big for his chest but, what was suspected, and decided on, but never confirmed until now, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. It's mild so that's good.
@jacatbird - I had to chuckle a bit as the vet said "We're getting all the pieces of the puzzle together."
Now we wait and hope for something minor.
Thank you guys / Gals for the encouragement and support to get him a second opinion. I think we're finally going to have it figured out and hopefully it''s something easily treatable and Charlie will be on his way happier. :-)
:-) He says to tell you he is working hard on it. :-)Ah, Charlie you tough little fighter, hang in there!!
That is very true about Secretariat! :-DI hope he does, too..and you! You both have been through plenty.
Secretariat, the famous horse, had a "too large for his chest" heart and look what that dude accomplished.
With heart problems of any degree, from the most innocent and minor murmur and beyond, let them play, move around, and walk and do their thing but don't let the over-do it and stress themselves.
Most human cardiac doctors will tell patients to stick with low key exercises to keep their heart as strong as possible without making it over-work. No decent doctor would tell an (especially young) cardiac patient to go home, sit in a chair, do nothing and wait to die. That's crazy talk.
The best news is most animals are very good about ceasing activity if they feel something is "off" inside. If you're playing and he decides he needs a rest, respect it and initiate the game a bit later.
I'm sorry you're dealing with all this, but it feels much more empowering a way better to have actual answers, doesn't it.
He loves that music. :-)I agree about the music! I found harp music specifically helped calm a rescue. Straight from google. Give it a try...
I will leave that running while I'm at work and see how he likes it. Both he and the girls love the harp music. I was truly amazed on their near instant reaction.At the risk of sounding like a total sissy, harp music and any classical music is nice for us humans too.
Dogs are really good at reading our emotions and copying them, but cats blow them out of the water with expertise in emotion reading.
Nice, calming music might help both human and cat, and if it helps the human, cat will follow.
The harp is a very nice instrument and very relaxing to listen to.
I've heard of the CD "Through a dogs ear" to help calm anxious dogs, but I have no experience, but according to you tube, "through a cats ear" is also a CD.
It's almost 11 hours long. Might be worth a try; sure can't hurt.
(The music is making me sleepy )
Thank you. Here hoping the problems, if they find anymore, are easy fixes for the poor guy.Well, it is very good to get confirmation on something you suspected and needed to understand. Knowing the problem allows you the proper knowledge to deal with it. I’m glad you got a smile from the wording about puzzle pieces! Lol It really is true. Once the pieces are together we can see the whole picture. I am sorry Charlie has problems. I have had a heart murmur ever since I got malaria and a very high fever many years ago. It is something that I am aware of and therefore able to monitor. I was actually relieved to find out what caused that “funny” feeling. Because I am aware and understand it, I know how to work around it. I just stay active and ,as 1 bruce 1 one pointed out, stay out of a chair. I basically ignore it 99% of the time. I am betting it will be the same for Charlie. I hope you find it is something that steady low activity levels will keep in check just fine. The same activity should help the bowel issues too. You are really great to keep up with all this. That second opinion should make things easier for you to mange now.
Sounds like a great vet. They certainly have a way with words!
Exactly!Just to mention and support regarding music, there are more and more shelters putting in speakers so they can have music throughout their buildings to help reduce stress.
It pays out in so many ways, reduced stress means better resistance to disease, better adoption results, it's such a win-win.
MusicForCats . Com is a different approach to it than harp music but is still viable
1 bruce 1 I started playing a little of the music you posted above, my cat started snoring
For a moment so did I
There's a quote out there, something like "music tames the savage beast " or "music soothes the savage beast" or "if you're lucky, music will keep Baby Girl from gouging your eyeballs out if her dinner is late", etc.
But to be serious, it's weird how certain music will calm and other music types will kind of jack them up.
I tell dog owners all the time, look, you hate classical (what you call sissy) music. That's fine, but get over it. If your dog likes shredding your stuff when you go out of the house for 40 minutes, maybe AC/DC's "Shoot to Thrill" isn't the best choice.
They try classical stuff, or slower melodies and their dog greets the without the staircase half eaten and they decide maybe it's not so sissy after all.
Live and learn.
I love AC/DC but wouldn't consider it, uh..."calming". It's great music to hype yourself up on, though!
You're welcome. Thanks for staying with us through all this. XOthank you so much for the update.
btw, my mother had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. the entirety of her treatment was not to run or exercise too vigorously.
LOL Yup. I'm looking forward to more than 5 hours sleep a night. Healthy kitties and no sneak attacks, vet visits, near death experience (kitties), medication... peace and by golly it will come!!Goodness what a saga.
....wait wait, Charlie, not THAT kind of fighter
.
I am starting to think that Charlie is playing head games with Mia for a little amusement. Charlie! Sly cat!Yum. I'm looking forward to more than 5 hours sleep a night. Healthy kitties and no sneak attacks, vet visits, near death experience (kitties), medication... peace and by golly it will come!!
Sleep! Lovely thought! Me too. Lol It is past time for you to do that. Grab a kitty, turn on the harp music and everyone snore loudly!
Peace. Simple - lovely - adoring - peace.
LOL @ not that kinda fighter. Tough guy huh?
He's slowly improving with Mia but if she runs scared - he goes "OH GAME ON! CHASE!" and welp... *smack* yup.
LOL yup - that's why his nicknames are "My little Jerk" and "Resident Badass"Tough guy huh? I am starting to think that Charlie is playing head games with Mia for a little amusement. Charlie! Sly cat!
He had us all going with that!
*sigh* Why did I not think of this!?You mentioned Charlie being upset in the car. Maybe music there too would help.
Soonnn Sonnn...I hope you all get a break now. You deserve it. You really are great with your fur babies. They are very lucky to have you. I will try to send tons of peaceful vibes your way. Sleep..... sleeeep!
And thank you for this XOXOXI hope you all get a break now. You deserve it. You really are great with your fur babies. They are very lucky to have you. I will try to send tons of peaceful vibes your way. Sleep..... sleeeep!
LOL Total Cat Mojo Book
Guilt?Furballsmom Jcatbird 1 bruce 1 @Elfilou basschick
I wanted to say thank you to you all. I picked up the litter kit for the Urine test tonight. Panicked, cried, every emotion from guilt, to fear went through me and one more..
Gratitude.
You guys/gals do realize that you've quite possibly saved his life. Had it not been for the encouragement here his next yearly vet visit it March would have probably go be the same way it's always gone in the past. In the long run or short term - deadly for him.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
People would actually do that to their furry family???!Guilt?
I can understand the panic and fear, but why are you feeling guilt?
Do you have any idea how many otherwise nice people out there would euthanize a cat showing a "problem" or dump them at the shelter, thinking every family in the Northern Hemisphere is itching to adopt an adult cat with health problems?
Cry, be upset, be sad, be afraid, but you have no reason to feel guilty. You're going above the call of duty. Replace that guilt with a bit of quiet "just between you and him" knowledge that you're doing all you can... and pride.