Artie and his Issues

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katlady-18

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I'm so sorry to hear this, especially after he'd been doing better. I know you've done everything possible for him. Only you and Artie can know when the time has come. I just wish it wasn't so soon. Sorry again. :(
 

artiemom

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Artie is very "happy" tonight. I asked him if he wanted to leave me. He jumped down. Guess I got my answer
 

margd

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Aww, Cindy, I'm so sorry things look so bleak right now. My heart aches to think of what you're going through right now. It's easy for me to say, but try not to let the events in the past make you worry about what might happen this week. That's a worry you don't need - you've got enough on your plate. I can understand why this week is hard for you, though. You've got a lot of painful memories coming to the surface right now, just when Artie is not doing well.

As for him jumping down when you asked him if he wanted to leave you, he probably did want to leave you. For a few minutes to do some cat thing, not forever. That boy loves you and loves being with you. cat-hug-and-love-smiley-emoticon.gif

hugging-079.gif :redheartpump::redheartpump::redheartpump: hugging-079.gif :redheartpump::redheartpump::redheartpump: Ginger cat hugs.gif :redheartpump::redheartpump::redheartpump: :grouphug:
 

foxden

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Cindy,
I think Antonio65 Antonio65 said he gave psyllium seeds to Lola. That would add the fiber, but not the slime in the food. I'm not 100% sure I remember that correctly.

If there is a way to give seeds, that might go in wet food.....
 

DreamerRose

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Cindy, snip a bit off the end of the capsule of stool softner and squeeze some of it into whatever he's eating. There is no way you will get the whole amount into the food, so it will probably be about the right amount for him. Just an idea until you can get the cat-size capsules. Hugs to you and Artie.
:alright::hearthrob::redheartpump:
 

Columbine

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Oh Cindy - just :hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs:

This is a really rough week for you anyway. Try not to jump to conclusions about Artie - he's had far rougher patches than this, and has bounced back before. There's no reason at this stage to think that this time will be any different :hugs:

Building on DreamerRose DreamerRose 's suggestion, what about snipping the end off the stool softener capsule and squeezing half of it into an empty gel cap? That way you could just pill him as you usually do without risking giving him a double dose. For this kind of med, a rough half would likely be just fine.

Hang in there hun :hugs::vibes: Artie - you keep fighting too, and do some nice drinking, eating and pooping for your mom. She's really worried about you! :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes:
 

Margret

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Cindy, it never even dawned on me that you were getting Miralax in a liquid form. It comes in a powder as well, so it's just a matter of finding out the equivalent dose and putting that much powder in one of the empty capsules you already have. When I've used it for myself I've simply stirred the powder into a drink. It didn't change the consistency of the drink, and it didn't change the flavor. You should be able to get the powder at any grocery store; it doesn't need to be some kind of expensive prescription. One container should be enough cat-sized doses to last you for a year, at least!

If it's time, you'll know it. And then, knowing you, you'll obsess about whether you did everything you could, did you just worry yourself into it or was it really time, or did you wait too long, or probably something else I haven't thought of yet. (The correct answers to the above list of questions are: Yes, you did everything you could. No, you didn't just worry yourself into it. No, you didn't wait too long. You love Artie with all your heart; you would never do anything to hurt him, and he knows it, and we know it. And we're behind you all the way.)

There's something I read once, that goes like this:
(Paraphrased):
I wish I could tell you that you'll never make any mistakes taking care of the people you love, but I can't because it isn't true. What I can tell you is that you'll do your very best for them, and they'll know that, and when you make a mistake the people who love you will forgive you for it.
Artie is a valiant soul. You have done, and continue to do, your very best for him, and Artie knows that, and he loves you as much as you love him. If you make a mistake, he forgives you for it. The challenge is always, do we forgive ourselves for our mistakes? Even harder, do we forgive ourselves for the mistakes that we may have made, when we're not even sure whether they were mistakes at all? You're not God, no matter what Artie may think. And that is the thing that you must forgive yourself for.

Margret
 

neely

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I am venting.. and I do not expect anyone to respond.. Just not having a good day.
Of course, we're going to respond but only in a loving, supportive manner. As one of the soldiers in Artie's Army we care about you, plain and simple! :hugs: Would it harm anything if you waited until the N Vet returns on Tuesday to ask whether or not to make a change with Artie's meds or food?
 

inkysmom

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It seemed like there was huge progress after you saw the vet and stuck exactly to his recommendations of food and medication doses. If you change or improvise meds it's going to affect digestion and poop. That doesn't gave an immediate effect but it takes a few days to move through the whole system so what you give or don't give today could effect what happens in a couple of days. It sounds like Artie has been eating and pooping a lot for him for a while now overall since the last visit and does the most at night. A lot of your panicky posts tend to be earlier in the say and then I've noticed things resolve a bit by night. Cats are naturally nocturnal creatures this is instinct. If you're a morning person you may not get that but you're not going to change his natural patterns. As a lifetime night owl I completely empathize. I never want to eat or function early in the morning and late at night is when I come alive and function at my best. I've long given up on taking jobs that require early hours because I'm chronically late no matter what I do and exhausted and cranky. I try to work later shifts as I do much better.
Also Artie was pooping every other day consistently without panic for a long time before his last appointment so look at the big picture. A day occasionally of little or no poop does not mean imminent death. I know it's a tough week for you with sad anniversaries so try to take care of yourself and maybe do some church things or pray and maybe take a break from Artie so he doesn't feel all that negative intense emotional pressure. He might not understand it and it could just scare and confuse him. A cat in his last week is not trying to get happy as you put it. They're not active and running around and eating and drinking. They're barely functional. Google signs of dying pets if you want some truly depressing reading. Trust me I've been there so many times I could recite all the signs to you, both for people and pets.
Try to relax and take care of yourself to deal with your grief and stress and take a break. Call the vet to check in. Especially if Artie isn't peeing or not much, since uti is common in neutered males and that sounds like a new symptom. Keep the food and medicine exactly to what's prescribed and try to just enjoy Artie one day at a time without panicking.

No cat eats and poops 24/7 constantly. Some of the sizes of poop you've recently described, 7 inches, 8 inches, that's over half a foot! Artie must be a monster!!! I've had large cats and I never noticed anything that big in my litter boxes! My 11 or 12 pound cat who looks like a Maine coon never does anything near that size or I'd think I had a lion in the house!!! My biggest cats were 18 pound Mandy and Inky got up to 16 pounds but they were botg overweight at those weights. They never pooped 8 inch things! I would have seriously thought who let a monster wildcat in my place lol. My 75 pound dog maybe, but he poops like a frigging horse lol!!!
 
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Margret

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Artie is very "happy" tonight. I asked him if he wanted to leave me. He jumped down. Guess I got my answer
I believe Artie's answer to that particular question translates "Well, if you're going to ask me stupid questions just when I'm having fun, maybe I should go have my fun elsewhere!"

Margret
 

tarasgirl06

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Hello Army, It is the week-end and this forum is very slow.. also the summer..

Please pardon the typos, and rambling.. Artie is having another bad day... sigh

He is constipated... how can that be!!! on the Prescription Fiber Response diet!!!
I am kind of beside myself about this.. I was thinking this, but did not have confirmation of it until late this afternoon..

Artie was coaxed into the litter box. It took a while, producing only a 1/2 inch piece, which was a bit harder that it has been.....sigh....constipation... hence, not eating, hence the foamy vomit from Friday....
I really give up... I do not know what to do...

I had an idea of this, so I gave him one dose of 1cc of lactulose this morning. After seeing this, I tried to get in 3 cc late this afternoon. Before I realized this, I gave him a Cypro, and a Cerenia... neither seem to help him...

The fact is, he is not getting the appropriate dose of miralax, due to the dry food. I should have immediately started the stool softener..but I did not.. sigh.. another mistake and another expense for meds. I have the adult dose in the house; but he needs half that dose. It is gel in a capsule, so I cannot split the dose...wonder if an adult dose would hurt????I have to special order the pediatric dose for him....

I hate to say this, but I am thinking this may be his last week....I know, I am thinking negatively... but there are many reasons why I am thinking this..

The week we are in, and getting into, has notoriously been a horrendous week for me...
My mom's anniversary is today, the 22. I tripped at work and broke my arm, 5 years ago on Sunday-23, , and my parents Wedding Anniversary is on the 27th... a lot of bad memories... why not add to it?? (sarcastic).....also had a hit and run (to my car) a year ago this week.

I am venting.. and I do not expect anyone to respond..
Just not having a good day... Tomorrow, I will stay home due to the extraordinary traffic around this area....beach---SandSculpting Festival, down the other end, but still impacts the entire city...
I know it's tempting to lump things together, especially negative things when we are feeling badly. But in reality, they have nothing to do with one another, and certainly those things you listed, while they are sad events, have nothing to do with Artie and his health issues. His many, many good days bear this out. How many times have you been very upset and thinking negatively, only for him to prove those thoughts unfounded? You are right. It's summertime. Many of us, human, feline, and otherwise, don't have the interest in food that we do when it's cooler. As long as Artie is drinking SOMETHING, and/or getting his sub-Q, eating SOMETHING, and eliminating both ways, I would not be too upset. Try to pray and think GOOD thoughts for Artie. Prayer has a lot of power. And good thoughts do, too. Best to you both for a better day/evening/night. ;):cutecat:
 

artiemom

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Thank you for the kick int he butt. I needed it..

Artie was with me all night long, cuddling both on the recliner and in bed. I was up early, for church. He got up with me, wanting food, but refusing his prescription food. He still did not poop.

I am doing the tough love.. I am not giving in to him. I did give him 4 cc of lactulose yesterday, and another 3 today.

He is getting into the habit of our food 'game'. What did I start!!

Artie is eating only a few pieces of food at a time.. perhaps a total of just over 1/8 cup all day. He is not drinking water.. no poop..

I was restless this morning.. the time really dragged on. Artie was in a very clingy mood. He wanted food, he wanted litter box.. but no on both things... and he did not want to be brushed today.

I did lay down on the bed for an hour or so. No visit from Artie, which I found strange.

When I did get up, Artie was right there with me. I think he was expecting new food.
I went into his bathroom, finding a 4 x 1 inch piece of hard poop. At least he went. Not much for him, but he went! It is a start; now to continue.

He has been sleeping all afternoon.
 

tarasgirl06

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Thank you for the kick int he butt. I needed it..

Artie was with me all night long, cuddling both on the recliner and in bed. I was up early, for church. He got up with me, wanting food, but refusing his prescription food. He still did not poop.

I am doing the tough love.. I am not giving in to him. I did give him 4 cc of lactulose yesterday, and another 3 today.

He is getting into the habit of our food 'game'. What did I start!!

Artie is eating only a few pieces of food at a time.. perhaps a total of just over 1/8 cup all day. He is not drinking water.. no poop..

I was restless this morning.. the time really dragged on. Artie was in a very clingy mood. He wanted food, he wanted litter box.. but no on both things... and he did not want to be brushed today.

I did lay down on the bed for an hour or so. No visit from Artie, which I found strange.

When I did get up, Artie was right there with me. I think he was expecting new food.
I went into his bathroom, finding a 4 x 1 inch piece of hard poop. At least he went. Not much for him, but he went! It is a start; now to continue.

He has been sleeping all afternoon.
...and the day is young. ;):winkcat:
 

nansiludie

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Glad to hear Artie is a little bit on the mend and he's been having fun and his little food game. There are still things that bring light to his days so that is good. Take care of yourself Cindy, Artie needs you and we need you too. :alright: With as much as you both have been thru and also all that has happened, this time of year is especially hard on you. I am sorry for that, try to rest and do something you'd enjoy.
 

Antonio65

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Cindy,
I think Antonio65 Antonio65 said he gave psyllium seeds to Lola. That would add the fiber, but not the slime in the food. I'm not 100% sure I remember that correctly.

If there is a way to give seeds, that might go in wet food.....
That's right, foxden foxden , I would give Lola dry seeds mixed with her wet food. The prescription was for 12-15 seeds each day, but I used to put in the bowl the tiny tip of a teaspoon.
It worked fine for nearly two years and a half, until the moment when Lola wasn't able to eat on her own anymore :bawling2:

The first instructions I received, though, were to put some seeds into a small cup and add a spoonful of water and let it sit for a day. It became something like a jelly that I would add to the wet food.
Because it is tasteless the result was the same, but it was a longer job, so I went for the dry seeds.

I'm still doing the same thing for Pallina which is on a monoproteic wet food which has no fibers in it.
 

Antonio65

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There are also treats and pastes with psyllium in it. I've used them for Maggie when she's constipated. I guess it draws water to the poop to make it come out easier?
Yes, they told me that the seeds have the ability to absorb water and make poop softer.
Of course, in oder for the seeds to draw water, there must be a higher water intake, so an increased water supply.
 
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