Artie and his Issues

[zed xyzed]

Thanks for sharing the handsome boy's pictures with Artie's Army. We can't get enough of him

 

[artiemom]

Artie update:
An easy one:
Artie is Artie!! He is eating fine.. he does not care for duck, from any company. I tried the Merrick Duck today. He ate a bit, but not much, after first refusing it completely. He only ate because he was hungry. As soon as I took it away and gave him some Purina One Beef, he devoted 1/4 can.

He popped twice yesterday.. both were hard. I have a bit of an experiment going on with him. All of the 'junk' food contain chicken. Artie is allergic to chicken. I noticed the difference in his stools from the Prescription dry Fiber Response and the part from the canned food. A huge difference, in texture, color, size...

The Fancy Feast Classics are true to label.. do not contain added chicken.. I can tell from his poops, also.

I concluded that the junk food effects his IBD. I was wondering if I should use that as a kind of laxative, instead of extra miralax and a colace pill..

I asked NVet about it on Friday. He was so impressed!! He said, "She is on to something!!! YES, Do IT".... so that is what I am going to do, after Artie has pooped a good amount.

He was getting a bit harder and infrequent stools with just the FF Classic. Yesterday, I added the junk food into the mix. He should be pooping ok tomorrow; or late today.

Then I will just give him FF Classics, with a bit of junk food, and the Prescription Fiber Response at night. It seems that as long as he has a variety, and his junk food, he is ok..

He is playing, wanting to run around, play chase.. loving his brushing.. shedding a ton.

I know refer to him as "PigPen" from the Charlie Brown Cartoons.. a cloud of fur fluff left in his wake!!!

I cannot believe how blessed I am to have Artie.. he is so good about all his meds; except for the lactulose which caused the elevated calcium level... never mind the taste of it...I wonder if he sensed that it was doing more harm than good to him?? Animals are amazing...

He is so good at sub-q's.. I really cannot believe it. I wait until he is resting; I warm the fluid, and stick him.. not even a flinch.. once in a while a very low me-owww because it hurt a bit.. but on the whole he is so patient...

I feel embarrassed that he has a unexpected bite warning on his chart.. in HUGE Lettering!!!
OMG>> At his first visit with NVet, he bit the Tech.. I was so embarrassed. He was feeling poorly and going for umpteen enemas. Of course, he was scared.. and when he had his last blood test, for the calcium level--he was feeling poorly, so he snapped at the tech!!
I wonder if they use muzzles, there??

No wonder, NVet has me hold him for most things.. except blood drawing. I feel bad...

Yes, he can try to bite if he does not get his way.. it is usually precipitated by an angry growl and hiss, so fair warning..

Artie is sleeping with me, in bed.. if not by my legs, on top of my pillows.. and he is napping for a bit, each night, on my lap as I watch TV.

Right now, he is having his beauty rest: napping, all afternoon... even after his 3:30pm dose of cisapride.. perhaps we can reduce that a bit also???
If this current experiment pans out, that will be the next thing I will work on...and adjusting his miralax dose...

Poor Artie; My Test Subject... sigh..

 

[abyeb]

So glad that Artie is eating, pooping, and playing!

 

[artiemom]

Yup.. Shush-- fingers, toes, paws all crossed... we are in a good place right now...

Artie has an appointment with the NVet in 2 weeks.. not certain if we will keep this.. It seems he either gets sick after a NVet appointment or the NVet discovers something...Will check it out with NVet Sec.. We discussed it on Friday. She said we can decide up until the DAY of the Appointment.. an hour before.. she knows all about Artie.. and loves him too, without ever meeting him... all that through me and my descriptions of him...

On one hand, I would like to see what his calcium level is at, now... but, on the other hand,
I feel: Do NOT Tempt Fate...

I would also like to get a skin lump evaluated.. originally, I thought it was a skin tag.. now it has tripled in size, and a bit of bleeding (could be from scratching-- along neck line)...

Honestly, I do not want to go through any more issues with Artie.. I am exhausted with it all, as I know he is... I just want to love him as a NORMAL cat...which he is not, but I can pretend...

I would post more pictures, but Artie is very Camera Shy.. he sees me with my phone, trying to take a picture; and he immediately turns his head or walks away...
He is too DARn smart!!

 

[artiemom]

This is from a few years ago...
One of my favorite pictures of him..

 

[abyeb]

How could handsome Artie be camera shy? He needs to know how adorable he is! Please tell Artie that I always love seeing his pictures!

 

[artiemom]

How could handsome Artie be camera shy? He needs to know how adorable he is! Please tell Artie that I always love seeing his pictures!

That is why I posted a picture of him...

His Birthday is upcoming.. a few more weeks, and he will be 14 years old...

and a month later it will be our 6 year "Gotcha" Day

 

[angels mommy]

Awww, sweet, sweet Artie! I'm finally dropping by to catch up a little. I still haven't gotten thread updates through emails, even after posting on them again. It's a rainy Sunday here in NC, so thought i'd visit my TCS friends!
I'm so happy to hear that Artie is doing well. Great discovery on the junk food making him poop! It does make sense.
Cindy, you are doing such a great job with him! Keep hanging in there!

 

[artiemom]

Awww, sweet, sweet Artie! I'm finally dropping by to catch up a little. I still haven't gotten thread updates through emails, even after posting on them again. It's a rainy Sunday here in NC, so thought i'd visit my TCS friends!
I'm so happy to hear that Artie is doing well. Great discovery on the junk food making him poop! It does make sense.
Cindy, you are doing such a great job with him! Keep hanging in there!

Awwww.. thank you!! You are too kind..

Yup, the experiment is working successfully!!! Artie did not poop yesterday, but this morning did a 11 x 1/2 inch of grey poop ~~ from the junk food!!!

He got Purina One Turkey this morning... Later, I will give him some FF Classics Beef.. and he will have his Prescription dry FR tonight.
**********
Little brat!!
Last night, I had a bad night sleeping.. I went to bed at 11pm.. just could not fall asleep.. around 11:45pm I heard Artie's claws running on the laminate, and jumping onto something.. afraid of the TV getting tipped over, I got up.

I put one light on, calling, "Artie, Artie??" softly, "Meow"... looked on floor, no where, Called out, "Artie, Artie".. again, "Meow"... looked up a bit more, under table, in his tent.. not found.. Called out a third time, "Artie??" " MEOW" this time.. He was on the very top of his huge cat tree, looking at me!!!! CRAZY CAT!!!

I ended up on the recliner, covered in a throw, with Artie on my lap until after 1AM...

Got up for early Mass... Artie pooped, and ate.

I had to lie down around 11AM for a nap.. Of course, Artie was with me.. cuddling up... after an hour, he decided to wake me up-- MEOW, in the ear.. I ignored him... He waited a few minutes, then started walking over me.. again I ignored him.. I could still sense him in the room.. Thinking that he may have to poop again, I finally got up..

He was at the doorway to my bedroom, Sitting, Looking At me, Opened his Mouth as wide as could be, and really YELLED< MEOW!!!! took me to the litter box, to----PEE!!!

The he ran, jumping back ontop of the huge Cat Tree.. now that I am up, he is content, on top of his quilt-- out like a light for the rest of the day...

 

[angels mommy]

Silly boy! He was up in his tree like "What mom?!"

They are funny aren't they?! I made Sammie stay in today because it's a rainy day, & she was meowing at the door of course. She hadn't used her litter box yet, so I figured that's what it was about. I said, "You're going to have to go potty in your box today. Go potty if you need to. She just meowed. So I said, look, mommy's going to go potty, Sammie go potty like mommy, & sure enough I could hear her digging in her litter box while I was in the bathroom!
I gave her a "good girl!" ......Silly kitties!

 

[artiemom]

Silly boy! He was up in his tree like "What mom?!"

They are funny aren't they?! I made Sammie stay in today because it's a rainy day, & she was meowing at the door of course. She hadn't used her litter box yet, so I figured that's what it was about. I said, "You're going to have to go potty in your box today. Go potty if you need to. She just meowed. So I said, look, mommy's going to go potty, Sammie go potty like mommy, & sure enough I could hear her digging in her litter box while I was in the bathroom!
I gave her a "good girl!" ......Silly kitties!

Yes, they are Silly, and Smart!! Keep us laughing and on our toes!!!!

 

[artiemom]

angels mommy Sammy's description is what I go through daily!! except our 'buzz" words are: "Dig, Dig, Dig... go Diggy"....

 

[angels mommy]

LOL!!!

 

[rubysmama]

So glad things are going well with Artie boy. And artiemom you're turning into a chemist with the variations of cat food you're preparing for your silly boy. But it's working! And food, even junkie stuff, has to be better for his system than all the meds. Or at least easier to get into his system!

 

[tarasgirl06]

angels mommy Sammy's description is what I go through daily!! except our 'buzz" words are: "Dig, Dig, Dig... go Diggy"....

You're brilliant for figuring that out about the food, which I agree would be far better than the drugs if you can find a "happy medium" that keeps him feeling well and "going" as he should!
And what a gorgeous pic of Artie. It would be a favorite of mine, too. Gorgeous Lion Kinglet! and how wonderful about his upcoming birthday AND "gotcha day"!
All the best thoughts for his health and appointment! and for you both to have a great evening/night!

 

[dustydiamond1]

Awwww.. thank you!! You are too kind..

Yup, the experiment is working successfully!!! Artie did not poop yesterday, but this morning did a 11 x 1/2 inch of grey poop ~~ from the junk food!!!

He got Purina One Turkey this morning... Later, I will give him some FF Classics Beef.. and he will have his Prescription dry FR tonight.
**********
Little brat!!
Last night, I had a bad night sleeping.. I went to bed at 11pm.. just could not fall asleep.. around 11:45pm I heard Artie's claws running on the laminate, and jumping onto something.. afraid of the TV getting tipped over, I got up.

I put one light on, calling, "Artie, Artie??" softly, "Meow"... looked on floor, no where, Called out, "Artie, Artie".. again, "Meow"... looked up a bit more, under table, in his tent.. not found.. Called out a third time, "Artie??" " MEOW" this time.. He was on the very top of his huge cat tree, looking at me!!!! CRAZY CAT!!!

I ended up on the recliner, covered in a throw, with Artie on my lap until after 1AM...

Got up for early Mass... Artie pooped, and ate.

I had to lie down around 11AM for a nap.. Of course, Artie was with me.. cuddling up... after an hour, he decided to wake me up-- MEOW, in the ear.. I ignored him... He waited a few minutes, then started walking over me.. again I ignored him.. I could still sense him in the room.. Thinking that he may have to poop again, I finally got up..

He was at the doorway to my bedroom, Sitting, Looking At me, Opened his Mouth as wide as could be, and really YELLED< MEOW!!!! took me to the litter box, to----PEE!!!

The he ran, jumping back ontop of the huge Cat Tree.. now that I am up, he is content, on top of his quilt-- out like a light for the rest of the day...

 

[inkysmom]

I just discovered my dog's flagyll was actually causing his awful diarrhea. He's been on it for a year for his ibd and it helped at first but the past month or two it's been really bad I can't even pick you after him it's pure liquid. I thought it was because he kept eating snow and ice while loose in the park but I ran out of the flagyll for a couple of days and his diarrhea improved. I got more started it again right back to liquid so now he's off for a few days and every day his poop is better. No other changes.
Sometimes long-term meds can need revisiting. Funny I put his pills in his food and he'd always not want that one and take the rest fine. I thought it was because it was the biggest pill but maybe he was trying to tell me something. He'd eating better too so maybe it made him feel sick.
I get migraines and a lot of foods that u really can't stand and naturally just hate turns out are bad migraine triggers for me. But foods I love aren't migraine triggers for me but can be for other people.
I think out bodies protect us from things that are bad for us if we listen to them and maybe Artie was trying to say the medication was bad for him.
That's funny about the biting he only wants you to medicate him. My cat Tigey was very friendly and affectionate but hated having any kind of restraint or procedure and could be very frosty. He never bit me that I could remember. He had to see a neurologist for an inner ear infection and vertigo and at the recheck was feeling much better. I warned the vet he didn't like being restrained and medicated and she didn't believe me and while she was examining him and saying how sweet he was he bit her lol. She was shocked and yes I did say I told you so. He got all the bite labels after that too lol.

 

[neely]

His Birthday is upcoming.. a few more weeks, and he will be 14 years old...and a month later it will be our 6 year "Gotcha" Day

I bet you are looking forward to a grand birthday celebration. I'll have to make a mental note of Artie's special day.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Just stopping by to wish you both a great evening/night and hope all is well!

 

[artiemom]

Hey guys!!

A very quick update, since I am so late getting my normal day started..
See my new thread: Life With A Cat as to how my morning has gone!!

Artie is ok.. did not eat much yesterday... must have been from the fur, sitting in his tummy...
.. yes, vomiting fur balls this morning.. must have been sitting there. He is shedding and grooming so much. I really wonder if it is the season vs an allergic reaction to junk food, like losing his fur??? sigh

He ate really well, after the vomiting episode.. about a half a can..
He vomited up his morning pepcid and cisapride; there is nothing I can do for that..

Very late day, due to Artie and all the morning mishaps..

He slept with me last night.. on the pillows... yup, new spot for him..

Artie did poop 7 x 1/2 inches of normal poop!!!

Will update further.. later in the day.. really need to get going. so, so, so late....