Introducing Betty White

[daftcat75]

First poop pill was picked up without issue. Pilling herself like a pro. Now first breakfast…after eating from the plate all night without issue, she’s pawing food off the plate once more. I really wish I knew what was going on there. But if she finishes, I guess I don’t mind.

 

[daftcat75]

First breakfast is in the books. It took some carpet feeding. Then she nibbled a little from the plate before walking off. So I put the plate back on the book for later and she comes back to it like, “Ooh! New food! Don’t mind if I do!” Cats are weird! But at least we both have full bellies. Now she can sleep all morning and I don’t have to worry about her not waking to eat. I am going to have to run around town over lunch looking for her I/D food. I have one can left. I think I should subscribe to this food. But I’m nervous that the minute I do, she’ll stop eating it.

One poop pill in her. Poop samples dropped in the mail yesterday. She will finish 30 day course the day before her specialist consultation. Hopefully we’ll get an ultrasound to see if she is among the 83% of cats who saw significant improvement from a course of the FMT pills.

 

[Natalie Cataline]

She’s shy. I’ll post better pictures when she’s had more time to acclimate. It took me about an hour to get her all settled in to her room with cameras only to realize there are significant blind spots. I’m out of practice with my cat surveillance. In any case, I don’t want to keep interrupting her. She did a lap or two of the room, used the box, dug to China, and now she’s back under the tree.

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What a doll love the start of your story together
Tell us more

 

[daftcat75]

What a doll love the start of your story together
Tell us more

There's 50 pages of "more." What else would you like to know?

Three months on, she has a bit of a hairball problem and still undiagnosed reasons for not eating as well as one would expect. The vet--she's a really good one--but she kind of left us with a cliffhanger: inflamed intestines. She doesn't throw up food or have poop issues so neither one of us wants to leap directly to IBD. We have a specialist appointment next month where she will decide next tests like endoscopy and/or x-ray contrast study. In the meantime, she's stable with an appetite stimulant, an anti-nausea drug, and an acid reducer. If we can reduce the hairball frequency, she can most likely regain lost weight and perhaps put on a little insurance padding. Not too much. She has old girl joints that I would like to address after we figure out her gut.

That aside, she's positively a love bug who loves to snuggle up next to me on the bed. She gets high up in my armpit nook, stretches an arm across my chest, and rubs her face into mine. It's pawsitively heart-melting. And a touch gross wondering what wet streak she just left on my face. Probably nose dew but sometimes she comes straight from the food dish to my chest for a snuggle and a face smear. She's also become a lap cat finally. I do believe she's making up for lost lap time wanting to sit there during breakfasts, dinner, and my nightly baseball game. We watch a few innings in my lap before lights out routine that includes a second dinner for her and then we'll finish up the game from the bed. When the game is over, I can usually gently roll her off me and she has a few different places she likes to sleep besides my armpit that gives me freedom to move and roll about in bed without rolling over her or otherwise disturbing her.

Gut mysteries aside, she's a lovely cat. Now if we can just cut those claws... (work in progress)

 

[artiemom]

Geoffrey sees the Specialist, tomorrow morning... Asking for some type of testing.. I fear a motility/allergy issue: Vomiting, eyes tearing, ears really gunky--no, not yeast--junk gunk; occasional sneezes.. Stools are good.

I really wonder about so many cats being put up for adoption. I do not always believe the story: Oh, the owner moved to a place that does not allow pets.... My critical nature tells me this is bu~~...They just cannot deal with the cost/time it takes to correctly diagnose and treat kitties with issues. The easy thing is to give them up...

 

[daftcat75]

Geoffrey sees the Specialist, tomorrow morning... Asking for some type of testing.. I fear a motility/allergy issue: Vomiting, eyes tearing, ears really gunky--no, not yeast--junk gunk; occasional sneezes.. Stools are good.

I really wonder about so many cats being put up for adoption. I do not always believe the story: Oh, the owner moved to a place that does not allow pets.... My critical nature tells me this is bu~~...They just cannot deal with the cost/time it takes to correctly diagnose and treat kitties with issues. The easy thing is to give them up...

Report back. I'd love to hear what the specialist thinks.

I wonder if Geoffrey couldn't benefit from the FMT program that Betty just started (aka the poop pills.)
Restore Cat and Dog Gut Health - AnimalBiome

 

[artiemom]

Report back. I'd love to hear what the specialist thinks.

I wonder if Geoffrey couldn't benefit from the FMT program that Betty just started (aka the poop pills.)
Restore Cat and Dog Gut Health - AnimalBiome

I am following Betty's story very closely. I have not tried the EYL. I have it in the house. I am just waiting to see what the Vet has to say. He did strongly suggest using the laxatone, almost daily. That does make G's stops soft if done more than 3-4 times a week.

I am wondering about the poop pills...

Since I had an IBD kitty before (Artie), I immediately put Geoffrey on the Rabbit food, exclusively... thinking it may be IBD..

Last time we saw the specialist was last year. All his tests: labs--pancreas, ultrasound, even heart worm tests, were negative. Dr B puzzled. He said that it "could" be IBD, but without weight loss, and diarrhea, he is hard pressed to diagnose it as that.
Personally, I am about 95% certain that it is a motility issue... or IBD or the proximal GI system.. ilium/jejunum.

 

[Natalie Cataline]

Geoffrey sees the Specialist, tomorrow morning... Asking for some type of testing.. I fear a motility/allergy issue: Vomiting, eyes tearing, ears really gunky--no, not yeast--junk gunk; occasional sneezes.. Stools are good.

I really wonder about so many cats being put up for adoption. I do not always believe the story: Oh, the owner moved to a place that does not allow pets.... My critical nature tells me this is bu~~...They just cannot deal with the cost/time it takes to correctly diagnose and treat kitties with issues. The easy thing is to give them up...

I think your right on this issue

 

[daftcat75]

Betty’s I/D food is on back order. Thankfully there are many VCA’s here and I only had to call three to find one that still has a couple cases to sell me.

Just one more reason I feel good having her with a vet chain instead of a single practice.

 

[cat nap]

...I am going to have to run around town over lunch looking for her I/D food. I have one can left. I think I should subscribe to this food. But I’m nervous that the minute I do, she’ll stop eating it.

Betty’s I/D food is on back order. Thankfully there are many VCA’s here and I only had to call three to find one that still has a couple cases to sell me.

Just one more reason I feel good having her with a vet chain instead of a single practice.

Ask them if Hills still has that 'money back guarantee' policy?
And how it would work through a Vet.

Someone on another thread, mentioned this before, but I don't know if all Vet places do this.
Would be good, if they did,... in all areas where our cats' tastes are concerned.
Hill's Pet Nutrition | 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

 

[tarasgirl06]

*Prayers* and best wishes of wellbeing for Geoffrey, Cindy artiemom !
And Baby Su has these things from time to time, but at 17 1/2 she's doing quite well. I would like her to gain, too, and I encourage her to eat, eat, eat!
Very exiting learning about those test results, daftcat75 and really nice to know Betty is turning into a real lap cat!!! *Does she have a favorite team?*

 

[cat nap]

Geoffrey sees the Specialist, tomorrow morning... Asking for some type of testing.. I fear a motility/allergy issue: Vomiting, eyes tearing, ears really gunky--no, not yeast--junk gunk; occasional sneezes.. Stools are good.

Report back. I'd love to hear what the specialist thinks.

I wonder if Geoffrey couldn't benefit from the FMT program that Betty just started (aka the poop pills.)
Restore Cat and Dog Gut Health - AnimalBiome

artiemom ..I'd also like to hear what the Specialist will suggest.
Could you also ask the Specialist...about possible Nasal or Ear polyps...and if they can be causing any of the symptoms you mentioned, above?
Good Luck tomorrow.

 

[cat nap]

....*Does she have a favorite team?*

Yeah, I'd like to know if your Betty is rooting for the 'underdogs'?...'under-cats'?
...as far as teams go?
Or does Betty just choose the 'favorite winners/strongest team'?

 

[daftcat75]

Betty is a baseball fan like Krista was a baseball fan. She doesn't care who is playing as long as it presents a long-lasting lap or armpit for her to snuggle into. I'm usually cooking or eating dinner for the first three innings. She will sit in my lap for about three innings. And then usually we'll finish the game on the bed for the last three innings.

 

[daftcat75]

Realistically, she’s a cat. Of course she doesn’t have a favorite. The Detroit Tigers (because cats) and Chicago White Sox (because she has two pair) are probably the most logical teams for her to root for. But those are division rivals with my Royals. She knows better!

 

[cat nap]

Betty is a baseball fan like Krista was a baseball fan. She doesn't care who is playing as long as it presents a long-lasting lap or armpit for her to snuggle into. I'm usually cooking or eating dinner for the first three innings. She will sit in my lap for about three innings. And then usually we'll finish the game on the bed for the last three innings.

Well I did see Betty meowing at you, when you posted those photos in post #811, during a baseball game, so I thought that Betty might be 'chatty' throughout the games.
It makes more sense, that she far prefers the lap, and snuggle time, to any televised sporting event.

Realistically, she’s a cat. Of course she doesn’t have a favorite. The Detroit Tigers (because cats) and Chicago White Sox (because she has two pair) are probably the most logical teams for her to root for. But those are division rivals with my Royals. She knows better!

"The Detroit Tigers (because cats) and Chicago White Sox (because she has two pair) are probably the most logical teams for her to root for."
Yup, makes the most sense...according to 'cat logic'.

But I don't understand the 'human logic' now?
Kansas City Royals?
Not any California teams?

(I have no idea which baseball teams are good, at all. (I just watch world series finals.) Watching it live, would be okay....On a screen,...the game is so long.)

 

[daftcat75]

Well I did see Betty meowing at you, when you posted those photos in post #811, during a baseball game, so I thought that Betty might be 'chatty' throughout the games.
It makes more sense, that she far prefers the lap, and snuggle time, to any televised sporting event.

"The Detroit Tigers (because cats) and Chicago White Sox (because she has two pair) are probably the most logical teams for her to root for."
Yup, makes the most sense...according to 'cat logic'.

But I don't understand the 'human logic' now?
Kansas City Royals?
Not any California teams?

(I have no idea which baseball teams are good, at all. (I just watch world series finals.) Watching it live, would be okay....On a screen,...the game is so long.)

Most likely the chirping in her lap photos was a mirtz reaction. Since starting the mirtazapine, sometimes she gets the chirps.

I’ll let my other Instagram account tell the story of my Royals fandom. It started with baseball cards but it was sealed with a parental conspiracy.

 

[daftcat75]

Betty all curled in for the last two innings before I nudge her on so I can sleep. I’m not a back sleeper. Sometimes she’ll spoon with me. But generally if I’m on my side, she’s moving on to one of her now many sleeping spots: her corner cloud, her floof poof, or lately, she likes to sleep in my recliner when I’m not in it.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Betty all curled in for the last two innings before I nudge her on so I can sleep. I’m not a back sleeper. Sometimes she’ll spoon with me. But generally if I’m on my side, she’s moving on to one of her now many sleeping spots: her corner cloud, her floof poof, or lately, she likes to sleep in my recliner when I’m not in it.
View attachment 419049

All cats are Royal, so why not both support your team?

 

[daftcat75]

In a strange irony, she's having less problems with these larger poop pills than the repacked capsules I use for her other medications. There's a small chance that she didn't take her ondansetron and famotidine this morning. Only after she pretty much finished her breakfast, I noticed something that looked like a half dissolved remainder of the repacked capsule. But I looked for that capsule before plating her breakfast. I (almost) swear that she picked up both. The poop pill was taken up with no issue. I'm not worried about that one. Today's poop will be the first one since we started the poop pills. I mean we certainly should have had a sneak preview by now if things weren't going well. I'm sure it will be great and I look forward to seeing what a month of these pills does for her. I skipped her morning A/D portion because it's unnecessary now that I'm not using it to hide dirt. And then I spitballed out the calories for the day in her journal and realized that either that portion gets added back or we add those calories to other meals. Unless I add some extra calories somewhere, she's going to come in around 192 calories today. That's good enough for a 9.5 lbs cat which is not quite there yet. 190 to 200 calories is my goal for her. I'd like her to grow into a target weight without having to reduce portions when she gets there.

I like that first breakfast is already in the books. I like that she sleeps a good chunk of the morning now and isn't crying for food or fuss most of my workday. But I would like to see her up and about a bit more. I would like to add a little more enrichment in the office for her. Sometimes I'd like to poke the bear. And other times, I'm grateful that the Betty alarm hasn't gone off yet. Although Krista had her needy moments, I feel like she was an easier cat to please. But she also liked laps, desks, and food more than Betty. Betty's getting there though. There's some five (plus?) years of history I know nothing about. I really wonder about her previous home training. This morning she came right to the edge of the kitchen, started to reach a paw in, and then pulled it back under her. "I promise you the kitchen floor isn't hot lava." But she's not yet convinced. Not unless she's really hungry and I'm taking a long enough time for her to ignore that training. It's the same with the kitchen counters. She's getting bolder and joins me up there some of the time. But she also retreats back to the floor like she's remembering prior training and possibly previous scoldings. Betty, you can get away with more than you know in this home. It's also the same with the desk. But some of the desk is now coming down to clutter. I had a bigger desk with Krista. And while I try to clear away space for Betty, she's like, "nah. that's okay. I just took a wrong turn at the window sill."