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A family friend (really a friend of my parents, so a many in his late 60's) had an unexpected and catastrophic heart attack two weekends ago and passed away. I went the same morning and took his cat, Minnie, from his home. I was able to get Minnie into the vet on Tuesday (he used the same vet as me) as I had immediately had health concerns for her. When I took her in she was very skinny- I can feel every bone, bone spur on the shoulders, vertebra, etc; she consumed entire bowls of water when I gave them to her; she was ravenous; she has diarrhea; she wobbled when standing; she tilted her head; she can't jump, even into low window sills which she wants to do. I feared diabetes ad put her on my diabetic cat's low carb food and twice daily feeding schedule. I wondered if she'd had a stroke, or gotten into her owner's medications. I suspected an ear infection.
At the vet appointment, he noted that she had been 13 pounds 2 years ago and was now 6. He did a urinalysis and said she was not diabetic. He took blood and sent us home with tresaderm drops for her ear and metronidazole for her diarrhea. He also told me she is 14 or 15 years old.
Minnie has lived alone with her owner her whole life. I am not sure he really paid all that much attention to her so she is not overly socialized. She has never been with other cats, dogs, etc. The first week she was here I had her in a large dog crate in the basement (it is finished). She had a litter box, bed and food in her crate. She could also see the other cat's food bowls, their litter boxes, toys, beds, etc. We spend time down there, but not as much as the rest of the house so it seemed a slow intro to the rhythms of the house. I brought her crate upstairs to the dining room when she seemed more interested in life outside the crate than in- this room was more in the everyday life, but still used less than most rooms. When I opened her crate to feed her, our dog would extend his nose toward her and she extended back (I was right in the opening feeding, cleaning, etc) Body language was relaxed for both. After a few days in this setup she really wanted out, and when my son opened the crate to put a clean box in and take her dirty box out, she trotted out to the kitchen where I was snacking my own kitties. She walked right past the group over to me. My cats noticed her after a few moments. One trotted off to higher ground..the others decided to finish their snacks and do their thing. The closest one to her noticed she was stretching her neck toward him so he stretched and sniffed back, then finished a snack as she walked away. Not the measured intro I'd planned, but the cats were all completely nonplussed. The dog however clearly makes Minnie anxious. He doesn't chase, or even acknowledge a cat unless it comes to him, but she was not having any of that. She left the room. She has decided she most likes the basement (dog almost never goes there) and has set up camp down there. She will occasionally come sit with me on the sofa. Our feral cat, Lola (a cat hater extraordinaire) LOVES Minnie and will actually SIT IN MY LAP if i am holding Minnie and try to snuggle and touch her. Minnie will lean in to her, but isn't there for the snuggle sleep yet.
Anyway, we got blood results back yesterday and she has a thyroid issue. I have to give her a pill 2x a day for the rest of her life. I was wondering, since the vet was really not very informational, if I should be feeding her a high calorie food? Or maybe some other sort of food regimen to support her condition? How long on this med before she will start to gain weight? Will it likely help with her stamina and ability to get in the windowsill? Anyone with experience to share?
At the vet appointment, he noted that she had been 13 pounds 2 years ago and was now 6. He did a urinalysis and said she was not diabetic. He took blood and sent us home with tresaderm drops for her ear and metronidazole for her diarrhea. He also told me she is 14 or 15 years old.
Minnie has lived alone with her owner her whole life. I am not sure he really paid all that much attention to her so she is not overly socialized. She has never been with other cats, dogs, etc. The first week she was here I had her in a large dog crate in the basement (it is finished). She had a litter box, bed and food in her crate. She could also see the other cat's food bowls, their litter boxes, toys, beds, etc. We spend time down there, but not as much as the rest of the house so it seemed a slow intro to the rhythms of the house. I brought her crate upstairs to the dining room when she seemed more interested in life outside the crate than in- this room was more in the everyday life, but still used less than most rooms. When I opened her crate to feed her, our dog would extend his nose toward her and she extended back (I was right in the opening feeding, cleaning, etc) Body language was relaxed for both. After a few days in this setup she really wanted out, and when my son opened the crate to put a clean box in and take her dirty box out, she trotted out to the kitchen where I was snacking my own kitties. She walked right past the group over to me. My cats noticed her after a few moments. One trotted off to higher ground..the others decided to finish their snacks and do their thing. The closest one to her noticed she was stretching her neck toward him so he stretched and sniffed back, then finished a snack as she walked away. Not the measured intro I'd planned, but the cats were all completely nonplussed. The dog however clearly makes Minnie anxious. He doesn't chase, or even acknowledge a cat unless it comes to him, but she was not having any of that. She left the room. She has decided she most likes the basement (dog almost never goes there) and has set up camp down there. She will occasionally come sit with me on the sofa. Our feral cat, Lola (a cat hater extraordinaire) LOVES Minnie and will actually SIT IN MY LAP if i am holding Minnie and try to snuggle and touch her. Minnie will lean in to her, but isn't there for the snuggle sleep yet.
Anyway, we got blood results back yesterday and she has a thyroid issue. I have to give her a pill 2x a day for the rest of her life. I was wondering, since the vet was really not very informational, if I should be feeding her a high calorie food? Or maybe some other sort of food regimen to support her condition? How long on this med before she will start to gain weight? Will it likely help with her stamina and ability to get in the windowsill? Anyone with experience to share?
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