constant crying

[nanniecat]

geriatric kitty crying and caterwauling for hours. no medical issues. is prozac helpful?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, have you tried anything else, even Cat Music? Can she still hear?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Are there any particular times of day/night that she does this, or is it pretty much off and on all the time? I know you said no health issues, but how long ago was her last full-scale geriatric checkup? Unfortunately, things can crop up pretty quickly with geriatric cats. And as asked above, it could be her hearing, which can be very hard to assess - and often causes this behavior. Being geriatric, this could be associated with arthritis as well if it is causing her any discomfort.

Cat calming products are another thing to try before considering Prozac. I take it this is different cat than the one in your previous threads that was having some medical issues?

 

[nanniecat]

seen 3 diff vets in 3 mo. (2 at same practice) no issues. blood work good. and she has gotten aggressive. i have taken to leaving the house to get away from it. i fix food for her ev time but she is not interested. in fact she lost weight in a couple of weeks! .(not good at her age)i tried picking her up and swaying with her-that works but i cant do that all day long. what does work is me laying in the bed and her getting on the bed and me petting her. she wont sit in a chair with me. then the 3-4am crying and caterwauling. the last vet mentioned the hearing. how do i know? vet #2 suggested felliway. but it didnt work. she was never a needy cat so i am having a difficult time adjusting. i tried yelling, picking her up, feeding her, making sure the litter box is clean, trying new food even the forbidden(for her)chicken. she eats one serving(1/4 can) then loses interest. i wind of giving it to my 2 ferals outside. she is on 25 mg gabapentin 2xdaily. Vet #3 talked to vet #1 about drugs? so she called today suggested 25 in am, 50 mg pm. i wanted prozac? she is not willing. maybe i need to take some. i am on my last nervei did wonder if the Solensia was the problem. so,in desperation, i delayed her most recent shot. for abt a week. but the decline in her movement,her inablility to no longer jump on the bed, the stretching out of her limbs was so fast! it was heartbreaking. so i made the appt for her. i had discussed the change in her behavior w/vet #1 after the first injection. her response was "she is just feeling better" . we proceeded with 2nd shot. she got more aggressive so i called Zoetis. they have had no reports of aggression or crying. (acting out?)after 2nd shot,loss of appetite and constant crying, and now vomiting i brought her to one of her to diff practice w/vet who is familiar with her and works with her onco. and could c her right away, he examined, gave iv, drew blood.and gave her some meds. tests all ok. he did ck her teeth(he was the vet that cleaned them so he ALWAYS cks!)the vomiting stopped, the iv perked her up. honestly, there is a side of me that thinks she loves all that attention. am i crazy? is there some med that will calm her down?

 

[nanniecat]

Are there any particular times of day/night that she does this, or is it pretty much off and on all the time? I know you said no health issues, but how long ago was her last full-scale geriatric checkup? Unfortunately, things can crop up pretty quickly with geriatric cats. And as asked above, it could be her hearing, which can be very hard to assess - and often causes this behavior. Being geriatric, this could be associated with arthritis as well if it is causing her any discomfort.

Cat calming products are another thing to try before considering Prozac. I take it this is different cat than the one in your previous threads that was having some medical issues?

same cat. only child. i am never hesitant abt vet care because of her issues with FGESF. one of her vets calls her onco everytime he sees her(ev few months) to discuss. he has been her pc for over a yr. i only went back to her old vet practice cause they r cat only so they were one of the first ones in the city to get the solensia. but now they all have it. she sees her onco for ultrasound, complete labs(blood)ev 6 mo since surgery(6 yrs ago) she sees a reg vet often. and when she started the solensia, she was examined by vet,not a tech

 

[Furballsmom]

mentioned the hearing.

I'm not familiar with this, but I guess I was thinking they could test for deafness?

am i crazy? is there some med that will calm her down?

Did you have a chance to ask them about prozac? cbd isn't an option in her situation, because I believe it decreases the effectiveness of other medications.

 

[nanniecat]

I'm not familiar with this, but I guess I was thinking they could test for deafness?


Did you have a chance to ask them about prozac? cbd isn't an option in her situation, because I believe it decreases the effectiveness of other medications.

i had discussed cbd a while back b4 the solensia. . all vets(incl onco) were against it because it has not been approved for animals. i dont know how to ck for deafness? i will tell u that the other night i was losing it and i really yelled at her to stop. her ears went up her eyes got big and she did stop for a while, at least. i did bring her to an animal ophthalmologist abt a month ago because of a watery discharge. lots of test, very thorough(impressive!) said her eyes were good. the discharge is clear, no bacteria or anything. said prob a clogged duct but it wasnt worth putting her to sleep to "blow it out" (for dogs it is routine and easy, but not cats)gave me some wipes. said use them when she is calm. i did mention prozac to #1 and again today. she said it has a tendency to cut their appetite so she does not like to use it so she rec increase in gabapentin. that is the second time she said no.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Did the vet say why she isn't willing to entertain Prozac - just so you know why? (EDIT: just saw your new post above.) Any reason why you are reluctant to increase her gabapentin? Tbh, the worse it could do could be the same as Prozac - as in dulling her senses and making her 'loopy'. Do any of the vets have an idea why the IV fluids might have helped her? Seems that might be part of the key in her behavior change since it helped her. Weren't any of them concerned about her vomiting? No worry from them about her losing weight? Anyone check her cobalamin (B-12) level? A low level can attribute to weight loss due to malabsorption, and some who have given B-12 injection to their cats say they act like they feel better afterward.

If you are worried about the Solensia, there is another injection option you could run by the vets - Adequan. It also helps quell pain related to arthritis, but also contains joint support supplements as well.

Feliway is not the only calming product on the market, and not all cats respond to Feliway - as is true for other products for that matter.

I truly don't believe cats can - or do - plan to find ways to get extra attention just for the sake of wanting it. If they are asking for additional attention, there is usually a reason behind it. Did the vets suggest anything besides increasing her gabapentin? For a cat who has issues, and given her age, I would think they would be taking a more proactive approach. Perhaps, they are reluctant knowing how financially draining her situation has already been. Some vets will refrain from recommending repeat tests, and new testing, because of it. But something is amiss - somewhere. I am so sorry it is taking such a toll on you too. You and she have been through a lot.

 

[nanniecat]

Did the vet say why she isn't willing to entertain Prozac - just so you know why? Any reason why you are reluctant to increase her gabapentin? Tbh, the worse it could do could be the same as Prozac - as in dulling her senses and making her 'loopy'. Do any of the vets have an idea why the IV fluids might have helped her? Seems that might be part of the key in her behavior change since it helped her. Weren't any of them concerned about her vomiting? No worry from them about her losing weight? Anyone check her cobalamin (B-12) level? A low level can attribute to weight loss due to malabsorption, and some who have given B-12 injection to their cats say they act like they feel better afterward.

If you are worried about the Solensia, there is another injection option you could run by the vets - Adequan. It also helps quell pain related to arthritis, but also contains joint support supplements as well.

Feliway is not the only calming product on the market, and not all cats respond to Feliway - as is true for other products for that matter.

I truly don't believe cats can - or do - plan to find ways to get extra attention just for the sake of wanting it. If they are asking for additional attention, there is usually a reason behind it. Did the vets suggest anything besides increasing her gabapentin? For a cat who has issues, and given her age, I would think they would be taking a more proactive approach. Perhaps, they are reluctant knowing how financially draining her situation has already been. Some vets will refrain from recommending repeat tests, and new testing, because of it. But something is amiss - somewhere. I am so sorry it is taking such a toll on you too. You and she have been through a lot.

she had been and is till on adequan for a few years. i have never seen an y improvement. solensia is a nerve blocker only but it has given her a better quality of life. they tell me to pay more attention to her. that she is old. they get needy. but thisis not the cat she ever was. it is a challenge. in her sickest times she never meowed or cried out. in my heart i believe it is dementia but i also believe they can give her something. vet 1 is against prozac. i am starting the increase in gab tonie. i am not opposed to it. but my concern is ALWAYS that she may have some side effect or some health issue and i wont be able to tell which it is. that will scare me and i will rush her to er. i have never had any problem getting her medical care. and i have nver seen any hesitancy in any vets because of moneyand i am the one that will req a specialist. it is costly but did i mention she is my only child? i got her after i retired and we have been together for over 18 yrs. she is overly attached. but i never dreamed this would be the result. it is sad sad sad. during the day i can leave or put her on the enclosed sun porch where i can keep an eye on her. but i t is the night and early morning. i havent had a nights sleep in months. and yes we have been thru a lot i guess thats why the bond is so strong? but i have always found a way to help her.i feel so bad that i cant this time.

 

[susanm9006]

It may not solve everything but I would try providing her with a heated bed because most cats find them irresistible and soothing; and make sure you leave a night light on for her. Older cats cat don't see as well as a younger cat and between that and dementia they get very disoriented at night.

 

[FeebysOwner]

in her sickest times she never meowed or cried out... she is my only child... but i have always found a way to help her.i feel so bad that i cant this time.

Feeby (18+ yo) has a number of health issues, but not until recently did she start the 'crying out' routine. It isn't necessarily daily, but I can't find a specific pattern to it. She too is my only child, and until her health issues started about 2-3 years back, I never had a problem that couldn't be resolved, or so it seemed anyway.

So, while no help to you, you have my total understanding, appreciation, and sympathy.

 

[Hellenww]

Since the IV helps, I'm guessing she's getting dehydrated. Do you see her drink? Dehydration can cause nausea, which would make her not want to eat or drink, which could cause dehydration. Years ago one of our seniors went for regular subcutaneous fluids. I don't remember how often she went but it did help. I've learned from other parents of seniors to have water bowls and cups all over the house.

Is she still having eye discharge? If so, the congestion could be affecting her sense of smell. Cat appetite very much depends on their sense of smell. Plain eye drops from the drugstore are safe for cats. Just make sure the only ingredient is saline. A drop in each eye could thin any mucous.

My picky senior loves the Delectable Bisque but won't touch the Stew. I'm not sure if they make any chicken free. I add water and heat wet canned for 5-10 sec to make it extra stinky. There's a list of food toppers somewhere on this site but I haven't been able to find it.

2 other calming products are Thundershirts and Heartbeat stuffed cats. I haven't used either yet.

 

[Furballsmom]

There's a list of food toppers somewhere

Is it this ?
Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!

 

[Hellenww]

Is it this ?
Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!

Yes! Thank you, I'm making a copy of that list for Sqeeker.

 

[nanniecat]

It may not solve everything but I would try providing her with a heated bed because most cats find them irresistible and soothing; and make sure you leave a night light on for her. Older cats cat don't see as well as a younger cat and between that and dementia they get very disoriented at night.

she has had a heating pad since last winter. she loves it. BUT then the ear mites? could be fr warm moist environment? that screams heating pad to me. since the solensia is working so well and at the time of last shot(last wk) she still had the mites, i decided she prob didnt need the pad. she is back on ear meds. another battle to fight. this child cant get a break. the older she gets the less toleramt she is

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
But the heating pad isn't moist heat, so I'm confused?

 

[nanniecat]

It may not solve everything but I would try providing her with a heated bed because most cats find them irresistible and soothing; and make sure you leave a night light on for her. Older cats cat don't see as well as a younger cat and between that and dementia they get very disoriented at night.

i wondered abt that so last nite i started with a nite lite in the hallway and one in the guest bathroom where her litter box is. i hope it helps but even with 50 mg gabapentin last nite and a lit runway for her to go to litter box. she started caterwauling around 3 am.

 

[susanm9006]

I really don’t think ear mites can come from using a heating pad.

 

[nanniecat]

Hi
But the heating pad isn't moist heat, so I'm confused?

i think the inner ear is by nature somewhat moist. so the heating pad would generate moist heat, creating a yeasty environment? thus mites?????it occured to me when i asked vet 3 how does she get them and she mentioned age,inactivity,"yeast". so i started thimking abt it. she never had mites for 17-18 years. NOW she does. first discovred 5 mo ago when getting 1st solensia shot by vet#1. i asked her how she got them and she said age has a lot to do with it cause they dont groom as well blah blah. we came home and i did research. mostly fr other animals. ! she is NEVER around other animals except at a vets offc. and i know one time that is how she got fleas. "the summer of her discontent" as much as i try to protect her i cant 100% because she has to go to a vet. a lot. does it make any sense to u? i am just trying any angle

 

[nanniecat]

I really don’t think ear mites can come from using a heating pad.

whre do they come from?