Help! My cat viciously attacked me last night!!!

[karenrhyne]

So far she has not attacked me again, but I will admit that I am a little afraid of her.  If it comes down to it, I would rather try to find her an outside home on a farm,etc. with someone who does care for cats.  I can't bear the thought of having her put to sleep. 

I've been out of town and have done a lot of thinking...and praying!  I am having trouble with the pills. My vet still says the pills are better than the liquid, but I have read other opinions.  I could not half them with any of my pill cutters.  I took them to walmart  the next day and a guy in the pharmacy agreed to do it. It took him an hour and he said it was the hardest thing he had ever done!  They are small, and scored on one side only. He made a real mess with them....some are barely 1/4 and others are nearly whole. She is to take a half twice daily, which I am assuming means 12 hours apart.  I'm not sure if they are helping.  She still goes on rampages, but maybe fewer times.  I think giving her liquid would at least be more accurate. I may try pill pockets, but I'm not sure if she will even eat those.  Any suggestions?

She is still sleeping at the bottom of my bed. I always wanted her to sleep closer to my head, but now I guess I am glad she doesn't.

Karen

 

[karenrhyne]

The vet said I should be able to see a difference in about a week, and it has been almost 2 weeks.  I don't know if the fact she has not attacked me means the med is working or not.  Sigh....I know I would know for sure if I were to fake a fall, but I don't want to risk that. I am still healing from my wounds.  One thing I am worried about is that she is falling more, when she tries to jump.  She does not always land on her feet, either. 

 

[karenrhyne]

 
This is an inside cat?  Friends had one similar.  She got better when they moved to a 20 acre property and it was safe(r) to let her outside.  Outside she seemed able to burn off more energy and be calmer with them BUT they still could not go on vacation as were unable to board her and she still attacked strangers like the neighbour who tried to come in to feed her and change her litter.

FWIW I agree than in a matter of life and death I would try to remove teeth and claws.  My own old girl lost all her teeth naturally and was still able to eat kibble.  Declawing is a horrendous thing to do to a cat, but I'd try it before death by euthanasia.  Some cats are fine after the operation.  I wish a colleague who was marrying a new man who didn't want her two cats to scratch his leather chesterfield had tried declawing instead of PTS.  Then the wedding was called off, she never married him, and she had no cats.  So sad.

I keep forgetting to use quotes, so I guess maybe my replies are misdirected.

Yes, she is inside only. I am in the city, but I believe too many things can happen to outside cats, BUT....before I would ever have her put to sleep, I would do all I could to find her a farm home. She does seem to have a lot of pent up energy. I do play with her and she does have toys, but she seems to become over-stimulated very quickly....which usually results in a rampage.  If she were an old cat, I would not cringe about having her teeth removed. Still, I am sure it would be painful for her and that would hurt me.

Many years ago, I had a cat declawed.  I did not know it was a painful procedure, BUT....when I was bringing her home (she was spayed and declawed at the same time. I never mentioned it. My EX vet suggested it) I sat the carrier down on the front porch, fully expecting her to run through the front door, but NO...Lol, she ran OFF the porch and up a tree. It took me awhile to get her down. She never ever acted as though her paws hurt. I do not condemn anyone who has that done, but I would never allow it again unless it came down to a matter of life and death.  Too many people treat cats and other animals like they are replaceable. I know of people who try to match animals with their furniture.  It is my opinion that these people do not deserve an animal.

It sounds like your friend may not be deserving of a cat. While I understand her not wanting the cat to scratch his leather chesterfield, no telling what else she may have done to oblige him. I have a friend who married a man who did not like cats. The two of them have several dogs inside their home, but they built a building for the cats-heated, cooled,.etc. I am not sure I could marry someone who didn't like cats.  It seems there is no in between. People usually either love them or else they hate them.

 

[mservant]

I see from your most recent post that you do have concerns about a surgical answer to what recently happened and have to admit I am relieved to read this.   I agree with Mani and talkingpeanut, I can not see how removing claws and also teeth can help the situation, and would not address what ever has been the cause of this sudden behaviour.    Further more, unwanted behaviours left open to your cat such as inappropriate urination and soiling, and other stress responses would be very likely.     It seems the most sensible thing to do is to seek further veterinary advice and to look in to what might be happening for your cat - whether the attack was as a result of redirected aggression, shock and confusion when you fell, or some underlying health problem.   Along with thoughts there may be some underlying health problem, did your vet say the medication might have an effect on your cat's mobility and coordination, or could this further change be another sign of a health problem @karenrhyne?     In the long run, if you felt you had to rehome your cat due to not feeling able to re-build trust, at least then you would feel you had done everything you could for your cat, and in turn this would help you with the loss of your feline friend.

In addition to the links offered by msserena a few days ago, the following article here on TCS may also be of interest.

 http://www.thecatsite.com/a/why-cats-should-not-be-declawed

 

[stacci powers]

Karenrhyne, whatever you decide to do, I hope it works out for both you and the kitty. It sounds like redirected aggression to me, but I am no veterinarian. I can tell you that I do not believe killing her is the answer, I want you both to be happy and fear-free! I believe that my previously- stated idea is valid, and it is definitely something that I would consider under your circumstances, but of course, it can only be your decision. Making her a farm cat if necessary? My cat still tried to attack me even after he was outside, and he meant business!!!! Maybe she would be ok out on a farm, who knows? On the other hand, you already love her and she loves you and she is safe inside, it's YOU that's not safe and secure. I'd like to see her stay with you , because you seem like a kind, caring person, but you have to consider the security and safety of each of you. Maybe the medicine will work out??? Maybe try the liquid to see if it works out better for her than the uneven dosage of pills. Let me know what you decide, please. Thanks.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Karenrhyne, whatever you decide to do, I hope it works out for both you and the kitty. It sounds like redirected aggression to me, but I am no veterinarian. I can tell you that I do not believe killing her is the answer, I want you both to be happy and fear-free! I believe that my previously- stated idea is valid, and it is definitely something that I would consider under your circumstances, but of course, it can only be your decision. Making her a farm cat if necessary? My cat still tried to attack me even after he was outside, and he meant business!!!! Maybe she would be ok out on a farm, who knows? On the other hand, you already love her and she loves you and she is safe inside, it's YOU that's not safe and secure. I'd like to see her stay with you , because you seem like a kind, caring person, but you have to consider the security and safety of each of you. Maybe the medicine will work out??? Maybe try the liquid to see if it works out better for her than the uneven dosage of pills. Let me know what you decide, please. Thanks.

Again, this does not help the cat at all. She may get to live, but she does not feel safe and secure. What kind of life is that? She is suffering! They are trying to address the issue with medication.

Removing her teeth and claws will do nothing to make her feel safe and secure. She will be in severe pain, perhaps chronically, and will have to totally readjust to the world.

It's not a life either way.

 

[grizzlysapien]

OK, so I am just gonna leave this here..

http://www.pawproject.org/faqs/

Up until a few days ago, there was the PawProject Documentary which could be viewed for free. Now, anyone who wants to see it they have to pay. The woman who's conducted the research is a veterinerian and tries to raise awareness regarding declawing.. I had the chance to watch it a few days ago, although I wish I hadn't.. I was already against declawing, but the documentary graphicly explained what declawing really is and what it can cause to a cat's bone structure and psychological balance.. 

The link I am giving you is a Frequently Asked Questions section which does explain a lot too.. 

FYI people take teeth out and don't hurt when a tooth is decayed or loose (like a small kid's teeth). When it is a healthy tooth and someone extracts it to put on braces for example (like I did), you're in for a world of pain and antibiotics.. BUT, at least you're a human who knows what's going on and you don't get traumatized.. For a CAT, it won't be the case, cause she/he will not know what happened and why she/he are in a such excruciating pain..

Taking advice from a behaviorist, will solve a lot of problems.. A veterinerian is NOT always the solution because it's not their field of expertise, BUT they can give you advice according to their experience..

Taking claws and teeth away from a cat, is just going to cause a whole new set of problems..

I really hope you'll figure out a way to coexist with your cat and solve this problem in collaboration with her, instead of making decisions without her. 

 

[mani]

@GrizzlySapien, karenryhne is far from 'making decisions without her'.  She is trying very hard to do the right thing by her cat so that they can still be together.  The clawing/dental options were a suggestion which have created a lot of discussion and concern, and you have made some good points regarding them.

Let's now support Karen and look at other ways of helping her and her cat. 

 

[karenrhyne]

 
I see from your most recent post that you do have concerns about a surgical answer to what recently happened and have to admit I am relieved to read this.   I agree with Mani and talkingpeanut, I can not see how removing claws and also teeth can help the situation, and would not address what ever has been the cause of this sudden behaviour.    Further more, unwanted behaviours left open to your cat such as inappropriate urination and soiling, and other stress responses would be very likely.     It seems the most sensible thing to do is to seek further veterinary advice and to look in to what might be happening for your cat - whether the attack was as a result of redirected aggression, shock and confusion when you fell, or some underlying health problem.   Along with thoughts there may be some underlying health problem, did your vet say the medication might have an effect on your cat's mobility and coordination, or could this further change be another sign of a health problem @karenrhyne?     In the long run, if you felt you had to rehome your cat due to not feeling able to re-build trust, at least then you would feel you had done everything you could for your cat, and in turn this would help you with the loss of your feline friend.

In addition to the links offered by msserena a few days ago, the following article here on TCS may also be of interest.

 http://www.thecatsite.com/a/why-cats-should-not-be-declawed

I am well aware of the reasons for not declawing.  I am currently seeking further vet advice.  I am not sure the Phenobarbital is even working. She is still going on rampages, but maybe it hasn't had a chance to fully get into her system.  The vet said I would not see any changes for at least a week, and it's been 2 weeks.  The bad thing is, now I do not know if her clumsiness if due to the underlying problem, or the drug. She seems to be worse in that area. She becomes over-stimulated VERY quickly. Playing with her only seems to excite her more. Her pupils stay enlarged a great majority of the time. I got a few samples of  "calming" treats" that some of my cat friends find very useful, but Cissy will not touch them.  Someone else suggested Rescue Remedy (I tried this years ago, and it worked....but that cat never attacked and was just a little nervous) or Feliway. I do not have the $$ to get into a lot of blood work, an MRI,etc. BUT, if she continues on the Phenebarbital, she will definitely need liver tests done. Sadly, if her problem IS mental, I am afraid there will be no treatment. She is still sleeping on the bottom of my bed. She still insists on jumping on my night stand and knocking things off.  In the morning, she will do this continually, until I get up....then she stops. That sounds behavioral. She still tries to chew on cords, anything plastic or paper. I had a cat once who liked to lick plastic grocery bags, but she did not try to actually EAT them. The vet says he does not think it's PICA, but rather, behavioral. But he thinks the aggression is neurological.  Also, she is gaining weight. For the past 4 weeks, she has only eaten science diet for weight control. She looks pooched out on both sides. It has more fiber and she does poop twice daily instead of once. I wish she would eat canned. Vets used to recommend dry only, but now it's the opposite.

 

[karenrhyne]

 
@GrizzlySapien, karenryhne is far from 'making decisions without her'.  She is trying very hard to do the right thing by her cat so that they can still be together.  The clawing/dental options were a suggestion which have created a lot of discussion and concern, and you have made some good points regarding them.

Let's now support Karen and look at other ways of helping her and her cat. 

Thank you, Mani!  I spoke with several people today, who are totally against declawing, but they all said if it came down to a life or death situation, they would have it done.  But...the teeth are the real problem. Cat scratches are very bad, but I believe bites are more dangerous. The fact is, EVEN if I were to have that done, she may be end up being not only maimed, but still "sick."  Even though she could not physically hurt me, she could still be in pain herself, from whatever may be wrong with her. As many people as I have spoken to over the past 2 weeks, not one soul has ever heard of a cat doing this, unprovoked.  The animal control officer said it was not uncommon. I do not have cable, but if I did, I would watch every episode of "My Cat From Hell."  

 

[karenrhyne]

 
Karenrhyne, whatever you decide to do, I hope it works out for both you and the kitty. It sounds like redirected aggression to me, but I am no veterinarian. I can tell you that I do not believe killing her is the answer, I want you both to be happy and fear-free! I believe that my previously- stated idea is valid, and it is definitely something that I would consider under your circumstances, but of course, it can only be your decision. Making her a farm cat if necessary? My cat still tried to attack me even after he was outside, and he meant business!!!! Maybe she would be ok out on a farm, who knows? On the other hand, you already love her and she loves you and she is safe inside, it's YOU that's not safe and secure. I'd like to see her stay with you , because you seem like a kind, caring person, but you have to consider the security and safety of each of you. Maybe the medicine will work out??? Maybe try the liquid to see if it works out better for her than the uneven dosage of pills. Let me know what you decide, please. Thanks.

For some reason, the vet told me again that the pills were better.  In the meanwhile,  I am consulting with 2 other vets. 

I have been praying for this situation. Cissy is the only cat who has slept with me since I lost my soulmate several years ago. She was 19 years old and one week. I had rescued her when she was just a kitten. She was diagnosed with FUS when she was 7, and took Tumil-K for over 10 years. I still miss her! 

 

[karenrhyne]

 
OK, so I am just gonna leave this here..

http://www.pawproject.org/faqs/

Up until a few days ago, there was the PawProject Documentary which could be viewed for free. Now, anyone who wants to see it they have to pay. The woman who's conducted the research is a veterinerian and tries to raise awareness regarding declawing.. I had the chance to watch it a few days ago, although I wish I hadn't.. I was already against declawing, but the documentary graphicly explained what declawing really is and what it can cause to a cat's bone structure and psychological balance.. 

The link I am giving you is a Frequently Asked Questions section which does explain a lot too.. 

FYI people take teeth out and don't hurt when a tooth is decayed or loose (like a small kid's teeth). When it is a healthy tooth and someone extracts it to put on braces for example (like I did), you're in for a world of pain and antibiotics.. BUT, at least you're a human who knows what's going on and you don't get traumatized.. For a CAT, it won't be the case, cause she/he will not know what happened and why she/he are in a such excruciating pain..

Taking advice from a behaviorist, will solve a lot of problems.. A veterinerian is NOT always the solution because it's not their field of expertise, BUT they can give you advice according to their experience..

Taking claws and teeth away from a cat, is just going to cause a whole new set of problems..

I really hope you'll figure out a way to coexist with your cat and solve this problem in collaboration with her, instead of making decisions without her. 

I wish there was a cat behaviorist close by, but I am sure one would be very expensive. But if they could determine the cause, it would be well worth it!  

 

[talkingpeanut]

Thank you, Mani!  I spoke with several people today, who are totally against declawing, but they all said if it came down to a life or death situation, they would have it done.  But...the teeth are the real problem. Cat scratches are very bad, but I believe bites are more dangerous. The fact is, EVEN if I were to have that done, she may be end up being not only maimed, but still "sick."  Even though she could not physically hurt me, she could still be in pain herself, from whatever may be wrong with her. As many people as I have spoken to over the past 2 weeks, not one soul has ever heard of a cat doing this, unprovoked.  The animal control officer said it was not uncommon. I do not have cable, but if I did, I would watch every episode of "My Cat From Hell."  

Yes, exactly! There is something deeply troubling your cat and you are working to get to the bottom of it. Removing her claws and teeth could potentially make you feel safer, but imagine what it would do to her. AND she would still be sick.

 

[tcarter525]

Animals are super sensitive to everything around them, especially cats. You may all think I am crazy for what I am about to say but here goes. We have had 2 dogs and 2 cats in the last 20 years, while raising 5 children. In November of 2004 our 18 year old daughter was killed in an auto accident, after that our dogs would get really strange sometimes. They would be playinf and wrestling and all of the sudden they would just stop and both would just stare at the same spot in the room. Now during this time there were times I was sure I felt my daughter almost physically touch me, I do believe there are things beyond our compression around us. One of our dogs developed arthritis so bad that we finally had to make the decision. Our other dog continued on and we adopted a cat for my mother in law. The cat found places that it absolutely would not go near and would also just stop what it was doing and stare at the same spot as the dogs. Second dog also developed arthritis severe and finally had to be put down due to pain. Then we adopted the second cat. Cats got along, but they would both stop and stare at the same spot at different times. They see and sense on a whole different plane than we do. Sometimes when renovating a house things might be disturbed, chech the history of the houses along with the medical side of things.

And with the pills, if you couldn't cut them and the pharmacy couldn't cut them equally, your cat is not getting a steady dose. Have you ever taken meds that have to stay in your system to help with pain or depression? If you miss a dose it screws up your system. Your vet needs to understand that she is not gepping a steady dose and either write for the exact dose in pill form or give you liquid. I have had doctors write scripts for me and say, take half a pill. Great, the med only comes in a capsule. Get other opinions, and if necessary change vets.

Just my 2 cents. I hope you are able to find a solution and keep your baby.

 

[grizzlysapien]

 
@GrizzlySapien, karenryhne is far from 'making decisions without her'.  She is trying very hard to do the right thing by her cat so that they can still be together.  The clawing/dental options were a suggestion which have created a lot of discussion and concern, and you have made some good points regarding them.

Let's now support Karen and look at other ways of helping her and her cat. 

@Mani  of course! The reason why I wrote what I wrote was out of support, not criticism.. I apologize if it might seem that way!

What I meant by "making decisions without her", was mainly about the declawing/dental options. Had I not seen that @karenrhyne  is really trying to solve this, I wouldn't even bother to give any advice or opinion..

It's just that the declawing/dental issues can indeed create a multitude of problems and I had to stress that it is not to the cat's benefit.

@karenrhyne  I truly apologize if I seemed like criticizing or "judging" in a negative way! Trust me, I wasn't! We are all here to help and enlighten you (and everyone else) based on our own experiences 

 

 

[grizzlysapien]

 

Take my word for it @karenrhyne  it IS well worth it. I had a really disturbing incident a year ago, with my Grizzly.. He attacked my mother so viciously, she had to go to the hospital and her wounds were being treated for months, because the ignorant doctros stiched them, instead of treating them to drain.. We went through hell.. Honestly, I can totally relate to what you're going through. The fear, the anxiety, the panic.. all of that.

I was not in a good financial state when it happened, but still I hired a behaviorist. Mind you, here in Greece, there is only ONE behaviorist.. I was lucky enough he exercises his occupation in the same city I live.
I hired him, in spite of all the expense, he cut me a deal, due to my unemployment and we got to work. I will never ever ever regret hiring him. He helped us a great deal.. It was a slow process but we got to keep Grizzly with us and we managed to learn how to handle him from scratch. He is so much better now. We gave him meds to calm him down, but it was not for long, because he would "detect" the pills by smelling them in ANYTHING i put them in! 

 That was hillarious, to be honest! So, I got down to mainly work with him. I stopped the meds, as it was a truly stressful process for both him and me and it ended up not helping.

Now, my cat's aggression was solved with the help of a behaviorist. It is just one case. We don't know if it is the same case with your cat. BUT a behaviorist can identify some traits of your cat, to conclude more safely whether this is a medical issue, or a bevioral issue.. 

My recommendation would be to take some videos of your cat while she's "rampaging" or behaving abnormally.. Try to contact a behaviorist and ask them to send them these videos via email or upload them on Youtube, so they can view them.. Try to make a deal with them and explain to them that you cannot afford their whole fee.. 
If you send them the videos, you will help them identify your problem without making them visit all the way to your house. So, my guess is that they might lower their price, or might even not ask for any money..
It doesn't hurt to try! 

 I hope this helps!

Animals are super sensitive to everything around them, especially cats. You may all think I am crazy for what I am about to say but here goes. We have had 2 dogs and 2 cats in the last 20 years, while raising 5 children. In November of 2004 our 18 year old daughter was killed in an auto accident, after that our dogs would get really strange sometimes. They would be playinf and wrestling and all of the sudden they would just stop and both would just stare at the same spot in the room. Now during this time there were times I was sure I felt my daughter almost physically touch me, I do believe there are things beyond our compression around us. One of our dogs developed arthritis so bad that we finally had to make the decision. Our other dog continued on and we adopted a cat for my mother in law. The cat found places that it absolutely would not go near and would also just stop what it was doing and stare at the same spot as the dogs. Second dog also developed arthritis severe and finally had to be put down due to pain. Then we adopted the second cat. Cats got along, but they would both stop and stare at the same spot at different times. They see and sense on a whole different plane than we do. Sometimes when renovating a house things might be disturbed, chech the history of the houses along with the medical side of things.

And with the pills, if you couldn't cut them and the pharmacy couldn't cut them equally, your cat is not getting a steady dose. Have you ever taken meds that have to stay in your system to help with pain or depression? If you miss a dose it screws up your system. Your vet needs to understand that she is not gepping a steady dose and either write for the exact dose in pill form or give you liquid. I have had doctors write scripts for me and say, take half a pill. Great, the med only comes in a capsule. Get other opinions, and if necessary change vets.

Just my 2 cents. I hope you are able to find a solution and keep your baby.

Oh @Tcarter525  believe me.. you DO NOT sound crazy at all.. At least in my eyes.. I have so many similar examples like the one you're referring to.. Yes, animals do sense what we cannot sense.. At least not conciously.. 

I lost a very good friend of mine on Friday the 16th.. I'd been trying to reach her for a couple of days, with no answer.. I had the ugliest feeling.. for no reason at all. She was not sick or anything. There had been times that we hadn't talk for several days, but I never had this ugly feeling.. Grizzly seemed a bit "depressed" too.. And on Friday, he was staring at a certain spot in my room.. in the thin air.. there was nothing. I tried to play with him, just to "snap him out of it".. He didn't give me any attention.. He kept staring. I left my apartment to run some errands and when I got back, I got the news. My friend had died of brain aneurysm and had been in the hospital for the last 2 days.. 

When I hanged up the phone, I was devastated, confused.. I hadn't cried yet at that point. But I was in deep silence. What Grizzly did? He came up to me and touched me with his front paws.. In a discrete manner.. Like he wanted to give me my space but also let me know he is there and he understands. He sat like this with me for a while.. But then I had to stand up and finish up some things, I've been dealing with, for some time now.. My world shuttered, but I had to go on.. 

My point is, he knew.. I know, he knew.. I don't know if he knew the particular fact.. But he sensed something was terribly wrong and it would affect me..

So, no, you don't sound crazy 

 

P.S. I am so sorry for your loss.. I'm sure your daughter is looking out for you 

 

 

[msserena]

Do this today!!! Filming dates are next month, they're sure to take you!!!

http://jacksongalaxy.com/press/2016/07/21/now-casting-my-cat-from-hell

 

[basscat]

It's TRUST.

And going from completely trusting a pet that you love, to all of the sudden NOT trusting a pet (that you still love)?   It's gut wrenching.

If you knew WHY your cat attacked you.  Your problem would be solved.  (just don't put cat in that situation again).
If it's play aggression?  You can go back to trusting cat, and just be careful.

If it's just downright trying to kill aggression?  Then you just need to try to figure out what happened to "set the cat off".

And this type of aggression is when a cat latches onto you and sinks it's teeth in to the bone, won't let go, and is, or was growling.  This kind of stuff sends you to the hospital, or makes you think you should go to the ER, even if you don't.
 If it does this for no apparent reason, you have a problem.  If you can figure out ANY possible reason, you have pending solution.
If it does it more than once for just no reason what-so-ever?  You have a tough decision to make because that cat probably isn't a "pet" in the normal sense of the word.  (and removing claws and/or teeth isn't going to help one bit)

AND, one more bit about a trying to kill bite.  If unprepared, a scruff grab and twist with enough force to choke will work to get the cat to let go.  It's not anything to remotely be proud of, but, it's the cold hard truth when you are in THAT situation.
OR, if you by any means ever expect it to happen?  Prepare in advance by carrying a tiny perfume spray bottle (filled with vinegar) around with you.  If in that situation, and you have your wits about you, grab the that bottle and spray point blank on the nose.  Cat will let go immediately.  The only problem with this is actually doing it.   When a cat has you with a kill bite, usually calm collective thinking is nowhere to be found.
But, perfume bottle with vinegar will work. (and don't dilute it)  

 

[stacci powers]

Peanut: I believe a cat feels safe and secure when she is at home with her "Mom."  Do you propose "cat psychotherapy" for her if the meds do not work????? The human needs protection just as the cat does. In this case the owner is looking out for her cat and I believe she deserves to be a "cat Mom" , but she does not deserve to be bitten and I know only too well how painful a cat bite is. The cat also deserves to be with someone who loves her and will take great care of her, and if she suffers very short-term for a general picture of years of mutual happiness, and there is no other way to achieve that, it's definitely a solution to biting, clawing, or hurting her Mom in any way and we already know that her Mom wants the best for her kitty so I am sure she will make the decision she feels best about, whatever that may be. Everyone is entitled to her opinion but the Cat Mom will make the decision and Karen, I am happy to talk with you which is how this began, but I am no longer checking the other updates on this site (about this subject) after today since there is nothing else to say about it to anyone else.

 

[stacci powers]

Karen, it is a shame that the liquid form may not be a great option. I am also a little concerned that your cat is falling and not on her feet, but this is a situation in which one has to choose the lesser of the evils in order to get a long-term solution. Please keep me posted because I am concerned. Although I am not checking for others' posts about this subject any longer, I will read yours. Thanks.