Recent Content by all4mom

My 15-year-old MC was just diagnosed with hyperthyroidism (T-4 is 4.6, which I don't think is a very extreme case, but he has lost weight recently). The vet suggested 2.5 mg medication once a day and suggested regular blood tests to monitor kidney function. Those blood panels, combined with...

I guess I'm the weird one here... Age 16 and probable cancer; couldn't she just be coming to the end of her life naturally? Is aggressive treatment and force feeding the best choice? I'm struggling with a similar dilemma... It bothers me somewhat that we turn to vets and try all these...

I guess the conflict is that I'm reluctant to put him down without a firm diagnosis (with my last pets, it was clear what the problem was and that there was no hope) but, in order to get that firm diagnosis, I'd have to put him through agonies, which I'm also unwilling to do. In the case of two...

I posted a few weeks ago about my boy who, at 15, is at the upper limit of his life expectancy for a Maine Coon. As I said, he was exhibiting every sign of feline intestinal lymphosarcoma. I brought him in the vet at the beginning of it, and nothing specific was found or diagnosed, despite his...

So Gus, being a littermate, is also 15, right? That's pretty old! I'm in a similar situation, as my 15-year-old lost his lifelong buddy (not related, but they adored each other) in November and hasn't been the same since. He was always, like yours, sensitive and clingy and "exploded out both...

My 15-year-old (and 13-15 is the average lifespan for his breed) is definitely going downhill. He's been plagued with digestive problems all his life -- we finally figured out how to manage them so he's done well with me for most of it -- but in the last couple of months, his appetite has...

Especially if she's older, I would definitely have her thyroid checked; hyperthyroidism is very common (is she also losing weight)? If okay, she just really likes her birdfeeder! I always worry about indoor-only cats being bored. Consider a "catio," and she'll really be happy.

I would take her to the vet -- a cat specialist, if possible, and an emergency clinic, if necessary (holiday weekend) -- and INSIST they totally rule out a dental problem. Then go from there. Good luck!

I'm curious if you had a pet-sitter for her when you went to Florida? Even with someone checking in on them once or twice a day, cats don't react well to their people just up and leaving them! I don't know if it's emotional/psychological or not, but please don't just leave, even for a few...

I think we ALL have regrets and second-guess ourselves when a fur kid passes. Even if we have taken them to vets, that doesn't always help - sometimes I think it hurts - and they die anyway. So what you're feeling is purr-fectly normal. At least Petey had a loving home! (My only suggestion...

I was also going to suggest a hidden dental problem. At 15, her teeth could definitely be getting fragile and prone to fracturing. Happened to mine last year (at age 14); he had refused (or been unable) to eat for a day when I took him to a vet who quickly glanced in his mouth when I suggested...

How old is your cat? I was about to post almost the same question... Mine is also on Miralax for chronic feline megacolon (Lactulose did nothing; Miralax saved his life after repeated impactions/obstructions) and has taken it for over ten years now -- or since whenever it first came out. He's...

I finally hit upon cutting the slightly warmed pate first into slices, and then into tiny cubes (like kibble) and distributing them across a plate. He'll pick one at a time up and eat it that way, whereas the "mush" - as you say - was just being licked at and pushed around on the plate rather...

I guess I should've mentioned that I'd rather NOT break the bank on it since he also eats wet food; this is just to fill his belly in between and give him a few extra calories. Not that I would feed him junk, but the ingredients in dry cat food are more alike than they are different, I've...

Oooops.