Introducing Betty White

[daftcat75]

I think that’s reached its peak and all the colors of the bruise rainbow have been painted in now (Monday bruise!) It looks like a geyser pool—something out of Yellowstone Park.

That’s a bruise on my upper thigh that took one for the team off the corner of the litter box enclosure taking that turn from bathroom to office a little too sharp. 🫣

That’s the corner.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I think that’s reached its peak and all the colors of the bruise rainbow have been painted in now (Monday bruise!) It looks like a geyser pool—something out of Yellowstone Park.
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That’s a bruise on my upper thigh that took one for the team off the corner of the litter box enclosure taking that turn from bathroom to office a little too sharp. 🫣
View attachment 482797
That’s the corner.

Major OUCH!!! Looks like a laceration in the middle, too, yes?
Just make sure that doesn't explode.

 

[daftcat75]

Major OUCH!!! Looks like a laceration in the middle, too, yes?
Just make sure that doesn't explode.

Yes. That laceration in the middle was where my thigh caught the corner. The rest is just my thigh being dramatic. None of that ring actually caught the enclosure.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Yes. That laceration in the middle was where my thigh caught the corner. The rest is just my thigh being dramatic. None of that ring actually caught the enclosure.

Looks painful. Is it?

 

[daftcat75]

Looks painful. Is it?

Happened on Monday. So not painful anymore.

I used to do yin yoga (and myofascial release performed by the same sadist as the yin yoga instructor.) I have learned that pain is like a child seeking acknowledgement and validation. If you psychologically lean into the sensations without judgment, the pain tends to dissipate quickly even if the sensation lingers. I'm no masochist. But if I breathe into pain, it passes more readily than if I try to grit past it. So that's just a long-winded neuro-spicy way of saying, "It hurt like a mother... for a second or two. Then it remained "spicy" for a bit longer than that.

 

[daftcat75]

Shoot! After doing well on breakfast and lunch for several days now, we had a bouncing dose. Some amount of it did not go in her and came back at me instead. Since there’s no way of knowing how much that was, she just has to ride it out until morning dose.

And until then, I expect more paw scraping.

 

[tarasgirl06]

A new day and hopefully, a better one for Betty!
Yeah, I didn't learn it by that name, but I learned it nonetheless and it is true. Glad you're through the discomfort! and hope the bruising is fading.

 

[daftcat75]

Dinner last night was a miserable paw scraping affair that only removed 1/3. I sneaked a drop of CBD oil onto her dental treat that she gets after her dinner and during my dinner prep. I don't think it would do a thing for acute dental pain. But if there was still some amount of gabapentin onboard, I am hoping it would lengthen or deepen its effects. It was given in the spirit of "might help, probably won't hurt." I also trimmed the open deck door by half so that it wouldn't be so chilly if she did want to leave the warm confines of cave or bed to grab an overnight snack. She returned 1/3 uneaten portion by morning. In total, her bouncing dose last night caused her to skip a meal. Perhaps half a meal because she hasn't been finishing overnight meal in awhile now.

I believe this morning's dose went much better. But when I woke from third sleep, I saw a paw scraped breakfast with a lot still remaning. Ooof! Not this again. Still. She ate enough for me to give her her dental treat. Shortly after I left for the office, she came in to visit licking her chops. I checked on the camera and she had finished her breakfast. Hopefully she'll finish the next two and half meals and we'll be back on track again.

 

[Margot Lane]

What is the deal with paw scraping? I always thought it meant whisker sensitivy, so elevated my cat’s dish, which helped. I see in the photo you’ve done that. It’s looks cute but what the heck’s it all about? Are they trying to stay tidy? Look for the good bits?

 

[tarasgirl06]

Dinner last night was a miserable paw scraping affair that only removed 1/3. I sneaked a drop of CBD oil onto her dental treat that she gets after her dinner and during my dinner prep. I don't think it would do a thing for acute dental pain. But if there was still some amount of gabapentin onboard, I am hoping it would lengthen or deepen its effects. It was given in the spirit of "might help, probably won't hurt." I also trimmed the open deck door by half so that it wouldn't be so chilly if she did want to leave the warm confines of cave or bed to grab an overnight snack. She returned 1/3 uneaten portion by morning. In total, her bouncing dose last night caused her to skip a meal. Perhaps half a meal because she hasn't been finishing overnight meal in awhile now.

I believe this morning's dose went much better. But when I woke from third sleep, I saw a paw scraped breakfast with a lot still remaning. Ooof! Not this again. Still. She ate enough for me to give her her dental treat. Shortly after I left for the office, she came in to visit licking her chops. I checked on the camera and she had finished her breakfast. Hopefully she'll finish the next two and half meals and we'll be back on track again.

That's happening here, too, but I attribute it to the heat and the ants, in our case.
Hoping everyone has better appetites when Autumn finally comes!!!

 

[daftcat75]

What is the deal with paw scraping? I always thought it meant whisker sensitivy, so elevated my cat’s dish, which helped. I see in the photo you’ve done that. It’s looks cute but what the heck’s it all about? Are they trying to stay tidy? Look for the good bits?

My two theories on paw scraping are:

1. Nausea (or heat or whatever makes them a little less hungry than usual) This could explain why otherwise healthy cats are scraping at their meals during heat waves (or ants?)
2. Tooth pain. I see Betty scrape more on the middle meals or early first passes before the meds kick in. Or when I bounce a dose and she is inadequately medicated like last night.

Last time Betty was at the vet for a dental, the doc said she had some teeth actively being resorbed--but not in a condition that the doc could have extracted them. So I've honestly been waiting for her eating to drop off. I was just hoping I would have her on the dentist's calendar by then. She sees the regular vet this Saturday. At this time, we'll take blood and urine, cut nails, and whatever else the doc thinks is a good idea for our supposed senior of unknown age. Next week, I'll call the dentist and get her on that calendar. I don't have any reason to suspect anything other than dental pain. But I kinda want to get all those results back first and rule out all those things they can rule out before I sign up to part with another $2000-$3000.

 

[tarasgirl06]

My two theories on paw scraping are:

1. Nausea (or heat or whatever makes them a little less hungry than usual) This could explain why otherwise healthy cats are scraping at their meals during heat waves (or ants?)
2. Tooth pain. I see Betty scrape more on the middle meals or early first passes before the meds kick in. Or when I bounce a dose and she is inadequately medicated like last night.

Last time Betty was at the vet for a dental, the doc said she had some teeth actively being resorbed--but not in a condition that the doc could have extracted them. So I've honestly been waiting for her eating to drop off. I was just hoping I would have her on the dentist's calendar by then. She sees the regular vet this Saturday. At this time, we'll take blood and urine, cut nails, and whatever else the doc thinks is a good idea for our supposed senior of unknown age. Next week, I'll call the dentist and get her on that calendar. I don't have any reason to suspect anything other than dental pain. But I kinda want to get all those results back first and rule out all those things they can rule out before I sign up to part with another $2000-$3000.

Didn't get this update, once again. Just seeing it now. Yeah, #1, definitely. My boyz are now steering clear of the breakfast room even with my diligent mopping up of ants and their food being high off the trays in their regular stainless bowls inside of Fool-A-Bug bowls. They do come in, but they really like how they're training the servant to bring their food wherever they are and keep them company while they eat. They KNOW they've got me wrapped.
Wishing/praying/thinking all the very best for Ms. Betty for her CATurday appointment. And for you to get her a good dental appointment scheduled.
*Poor Taylor!*

 

[daftcat75]

I think we both sleep better when it's colder at night. But I also think she's less motivated to visit the food dish overnight when she has to leave the warm bed or warm cave. I don't blame her. The past couple of nights she's been skipping overnight altogether. But she's been finishing the other three meals. I guess we'll find out tomorrow at weigh-in if it's a problem yet. I will move up weigh-in by a morning so that I know what she weighs before the vet weighs her. This morning she didn't leave the warm bed for first pass on breakfast. When it was time for me to get up and brush teeth and get my breakfast on, she still hadn't first passed. I plopped her on the edge of the bed. She took the hint and jumped down. Then a sniff and snub. So I got down there with her and got her to eat about half the plate worth about three or four carpet morsels. "That'll do, Donkey. That'll do." I wanted to stave off the sour stomach but not overload her either. She's got plenty of time to return to that plate for the other half.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I think we both sleep better when it's colder at night. But I also think she's less motivated to visit the food dish overnight when she has to leave the warm bed or warm cave. I don't blame her. The past couple of nights she's been skipping overnight altogether. But she's been finishing the other three meals. I guess we'll find out tomorrow at weigh-in if it's a problem yet. I will move up weigh-in by a morning so that I know what she weighs before the vet weighs her. This morning she didn't leave the warm bed for first pass on breakfast. When it was time for me to get up and brush teeth and get my breakfast on, she still hadn't first passed. I plopped her on the edge of the bed. She took the hint and jumped down. Then a sniff and snub. So I got down there with her and got her to eat about half the plate worth about three or four carpet morsels. "That'll do, Donkey. That'll do." I wanted to stave off the sour stomach but not overload her either. She's got plenty of time to return to that plate for the other half.

Aren't we all tempted to stay in the soft warmz when it's cold?
I do that with Elvis a lot, and more and more often with the kid, too. Getting down by the bowl, which I've put in front of them, and providing sound EFX "Nom, nom, NOM! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, that's so GOOD!" often goads them to take at least a few bites. Or a lick.
CATS.

 

[daftcat75]

She never did come back for second half of breakfast. Which was really more like 2/3 that she left behind. She did finish lunch. I dropped lunch. Went out for a run. Came back and got trapped in the kitchen while she pawed at her lunch for a good 20 minutes. When the pawing stopped, there was still about 1/2 left. Not bad for a first pass. She actually finished it before dinner.

Trying something new-ish here. She never laid on her PetsPEMF pad long enough for it to be useful. Why lay on the mat when she can sleep in the cave or lay on me? So I’m trying to combine the two. Betty looks unconvinced.

 

[daftcat75]

9.18. Oof! That’s a loss. That’s what happens when she skips 1/4 of her meals. It’s a good thing she’s seeing the vet. I’m glad I took the reading this morning rather than getting this shock in the office. Assuming it’s not anything else except maybe tooth pain, I may have to mix things up again and offer her something more appealing for overnight meals.

 

[tarasgirl06]

9.18. Oof! That’s a loss. That’s what happens when she skips 1/4 of her meals. It’s a good thing she’s seeing the vet. I’m glad I took the reading this morning rather than getting this shock in the office. Assuming it’s not anything else except maybe tooth pain, I may have to mix things up again and offer her something more appealing for overnight meals.
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Ummmmmmmmm...I think Betty's telling you something.
"Dad. DAD!!! See those? How about it, Dad?" Betty looks so cute. How can you resist?
If it's any consolation -- and it isn't, I know -- my guys have both had furballs in the past couple of days, and are giving their favorite foods a light pass.
*CATS!*

 

[daftcat75]

Ummmmmmmmm...I think Betty's telling you something.
"Dad. DAD!!! See those? How about it, Dad?" Betty looks so cute. How can you resist?
If it's any consolation -- and it isn't, I know -- my guys have both had furballs in the past couple of days, and are giving their favorite foods a light pass.
*CATS!*

That’s just it. I think we may have finally solved the hairballs. I mean I know two weeks is still just a small respite. But it’s two and counting. I am guessing and want to believe that it’s been the brushes we’ve been using the whole time. Slickers, the glove, the Kong, they all seem to loosen too much hair and leave the remainders for her belly.

I think it’s probably dental pain. But she is seeing the vet today. We can get all the lab work to rule out whatever we can. Then it’s the long wait for a dental—either with the specialist or the general vet. Either way, it’s a long wait.

 

[daftcat75]

Krista liked to do exploratory laps around the exam room. Betty is content staying in her carrier.


Doctor: “And we have some nervous gas. Is she gassy at home? Oh. That’s a poop! It’s a well-formed one though.”

This is why I don’t bring her for a monthly Solensia. I didn’t say that. But that’s what I was thinking.

 

[daftcat75]

They weren't able to get her urine when she was there. They didn't need the stool sample.

Instead, I got sent home with a tiny cup of non-absorbent litter, a pipette, and a sample vial. Ooof! I didn't think to change the litter right away. Sure enough, not five minutes in the door, Betty gave her sample in her regular litter. Not a sample I could use.

In a day, I usually get one poop and two pees. But the VCA isn't open tomorrow. And I'm not available to drive a sample down on Monday. So I guess we'll try Tuesday and hope that her poop comes overnight or early morning so that I can put out the pee tray during my waking hours. Neither of us wants a puddle of pee sitting around in a box longer than it has to and they didn't give me enough of that non-absorbent litter for a poop.

I have 30 days to bring in a sample since I've already paid for the test. The other option I have is to drop her off one morning and let them collect the sample. I'll try my hand at it first.