Introducing Betty White

tarasgirl06

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Dr said 🤷‍♂️ .

He said maybe her gut was hurting and she overgroomed herself or maybe who knows? Maybe it was a bug bite that she overgroomed. Since she's not talking and it's only that one place, there's nothing we can really say for sure. But whatever he put on it or did for her, it looks so much better today. I don't have to shame her on the Internet with nip pics. 🤦‍♂️😾
:whiskers:
Well I guess. :disappointed:
 

daftcat75

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Specialist called tonight. Betty’s lab work looks great. I asked about her body condition and he said she’s a 5/9 on the BCS scale. I do not need to fatten her up any further. I forgot to ask about what he did for her nipple.

We talked mostly about her pred plan. We’ll start at 5 mg/day for two weeks and re-evaluate. If she seems to be doing well at the two week mark, we can try tapering her dose over the next several weeks until we find either the minimum effective dose or we get her off them altogether.

We also discussed the mirtazapine taper. I skipped her last night dose since she was only going to get partial portions on the night. Tonight is the third day since her last dose. So the taper has begun. Since tonight is a dosing night, she’s singing opera. And working on her comedy. What’s the difference? It’s all in the delivery and timing. 😹🤔 Her opera is just constant singing. Her comedy is chatting with pauses. Then she’ll deliver her punchline and wait for an audience response. 🤣

Tomorrow night we start the pred. I can’t believe she’ll be on both pred and mirtz at the same time. 🤦🏼‍♂️ She’ll have a crazy Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday before we try her at every fourth day for a week: Wednesday and Sunday. And then I believe we’re going to try to take her off it altogether on that third week. 🤞

Specialist also recommended Cerenia and sent me home with that. Thought we might want to try her on Cerenia instead of ondansetron. Ondansetron is given twice a day where as Cerenia is just one. But Dr said I can give them both. So if she looks like she needs a little extra help, I can give her an ondansetron to compliment the Cerenia.

Goodness. Help us! She’s already driving me crazy for second dinner right now on a mirtz night. She’s going to be singing all night long when we start pred. 🤦🏼‍♂️🙉
 

daftcat75

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No wonder Betty has hairballs. She likes to groom BEFORE she eats. Then sometimes she grooms after. She likes just a little food with her hair.
🤦🏼‍♂️😹🐷
🍔🌮🍕🍟🐇🐇🐇🐰
 

daftcat75

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We had solid poops last night. No metro needed. Dodged that biome bullet.

Last night my little Murder Mittens had a failed bug hunt. That did not stop her from spending an inordinate amount of time looking and waiting for the bug that got away.

She left a rather large remainder (20 grams out of 37 plated) on the overnight. Let’s hope that means nothing. Then this morning she barely touched breakfast. She was going to walk away after 10 grams. I wonder if it was prudent to skip the ondansetron. So I got her to take her repacked tic tac after her measly breakfast—A/D is great for cutting through the don’t wannas. 😾 She ate that pill and then I got her to take a few more grams of food by mixing in the last of the medicine mound and placing it on the carpet. I could probably add 3 or 4 grams of A/D to her ledger. But I don’t track the medicine mound. She has another 20 gram remainder. But she also has six more hours to finish it.

I can’t believe she’s starting pred tonight. There goes my sleep for the next two weeks. 🤦🏼‍♂️
:hyper::runningcat::dancingblackcat:
 

tarasgirl06

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We had solid poops last night. No metro needed. Dodged that biome bullet.

Last night my little Murder Mittens had a failed bug hunt. That did not stop her from spending an inordinate amount of time looking and waiting for the bug that got away.

She left a rather large remainder (20 grams out of 37 plated) on the overnight. Let’s hope that means nothing. Then this morning she barely touched breakfast. She was going to walk away after 10 grams. I wonder if it was prudent to skip the ondansetron. So I got her to take her repacked tic tac after her measly breakfast—A/D is great for cutting through the don’t wannas. 😾 She ate that pill and then I got her to take a few more grams of food by mixing in the last of the medicine mound and placing it on the carpet. I could probably add 3 or 4 grams of A/D to her ledger. But I don’t track the medicine mound. She has another 20 gram remainder. But she also has six more hours to finish it.

I can’t believe she’s starting pred tonight. There goes my sleep for the next two weeks. 🤦🏼‍♂️
:hyper::runningcat::dancingblackcat:
Yup! But who needs sleep, anyway?
 

daftcat75

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I hope she’s feeling alright. She did revisit breakfast during third sleep. So there’s less of a remainder. But still a remainder. She’s got roughly 30 more minutes before I have to decide to extend breakfast, or book the remainder, and refresh with lunch. She ate her hairball treats. New bag seems to be appealing once more.

That’s one thing I’ll enjoy about pred: no remainders.
 

tarasgirl06

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I hope she’s feeling alright. She did revisit breakfast during third sleep. So there’s less of a remainder. But still a remainder. She’s got roughly 30 more minutes before I have to decide to extend breakfast, or book the remainder, and refresh with lunch. She ate her hairball treats. New bag seems to be appealing once more.

That’s one thing I’ll enjoy about pred: no remainders.
Yeah. And you may have to be careful she doesn't gain too much while on it. It's one of the known side-effects of steroids.
 

daftcat75

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Yeah. And you may have to be careful she doesn't gain too much while on it. It's one of the known side-effects of steroids.
Yeah it’s going to be crazy around here for the next month. Hopefully she won’t get too crazy. It’s a lower 5 mg dose, once a day. That was still enough to make Krista crazy. But Krista was a smaller cat. I think she was down to 6 lbs when we finally started pred. Betty is 9.5. I’m also going to advocate hard for the taper at the two week point. She should be nearly off the mirtazapine at this point. 🤞

The camera tells me she’s just about finished with breakfast. I should be blessed with a visit soon.

I just looked at the pred pill. It barely fits into a size five capsule on its own. So it looks like Betty takes an extra tic tac now. Fortunately, she's become such a pro at this. We would not have made it this far if I had to wrestle several meds into her each medicine shift.
 
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tarasgirl06

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Yeah it’s going to be crazy around here for the next month. Hopefully she won’t get too crazy. It’s a lower 5 mg dose, once a day. That was still enough to make Krista crazy. But Krista was a smaller cat. I think she was down to 6 lbs when we finally started pred. Betty is 9.5. I’m also going to advocate hard for the taper at the two week point. She should be nearly off the mirtazapine at this point. 🤞

The camera tells me she’s just about finished with breakfast. I should be blessed with a visit soon.

I just looked at the pred pill. It barely fits into a size five capsule on its own. So it looks like Betty takes an extra tic tac now. Fortunately, she's become such a pro at this. We would not have made it this far if I had to wrestle several meds into her each medicine shift.
Yeah, she's a trooper!
I wouldn't ask for trouble on the pred. Some cats, like some people, don't have side-effects from it. Betty may be one of the lucky ones.
 

daftcat75

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Ugh. Lethargy is one of the side effects. This is already a low energy kitty. 🤦🏼‍♂️

Lunch is pretty much in the books. A couple grams that she can take it or leave it remain. That she ate the entire medicine mound of A/D with breakfast gives us this flexibility.
 

tarasgirl06

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Ugh. Lethargy is one of the side effects. This is already a low energy kitty. 🤦🏼‍♂️

Lunch is pretty much in the books. A couple grams that she can take it or leave it remain. That she ate the entire medicine mound of A/D with breakfast gives us this flexibility.
My beloved angel Sun did not experience lethargy. He did very well on it and it definitely helped give him an almost normal lifespan (FIP) in the time when there was no cure and most lives were much shorter after diagnosis.
 

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Agreed. No lethargy here. Old age, sure, but Zorro’s pretty lively still, even on 5 mg pred. (And a clean plate every time! I do wonder if he gets tired of the same thing every night, but am loathe to change the diet). Rooting for you to be in the 25-30% category! Go Betty!
 

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Betty left a remainder again last night. 🤷🏼‍♂️ My working theory is that the Optagest is making the food less desirable. Since we pulled in the big guns last night, let’s put away the water pistol if it’s getting in the way of her finishing her meals. For breakfast, she ate 20 of 34 grams on first pass. That’s about average for her. That’s better than yesterday. We’ll see tonight if she leaves remainders without Optagest. 🧐🤔😽🍔🍟🌭
 

tarasgirl06

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Betty left a remainder again last night. 🤷🏼‍♂️ My working theory is that the Optagest is making the food less desirable. Since we pulled in the big guns last night, let’s put away the water pistol if it’s getting in the way of her finishing her meals. For breakfast, she ate 20 of 34 grams on first pass. That’s about average for her. That’s better than yesterday. We’ll see tonight if she leaves remainders without Optagest. 🧐🤔😽🍔🍟🌭
Onward and upward! *Wonder how Betty would feel about junk food?*:lol2:
 

daftcat75

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Onward and upward! *Wonder how Betty would feel about junk food?*:lol2:
Her I/D is 35% carbs with white rice and a wheat gluten gravy. I’d say she’s already eating junk food. I know she’s only had one dose. But I’m looking forward to pred munchies making her less picky. Perhaps as early as next week, I may try to transition that overnight meal to something else. I’d like to stop dumping half a can of I/D every night. I’ll probably still be dumping half a can each night (or more if it’s Rawz), but I won’t be going through a case of I/D each week. Saving 7 cans a week will make a case last that much longer.
 

tarasgirl06

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Her I/D is 35% carbs with white rice and a wheat gluten gravy. I’d say she’s already eating junk food. I know she’s only had one dose. But I’m looking forward to pred munchies making her less picky. Perhaps as early as next week, I may try to transition that overnight meal to something else. I’d like to stop dumping half a can of I/D every night. I’ll probably still be dumping half a can each night (or more if it’s Rawz), but I won’t be going through a case of I/D each week. Saving 7 cans a week will make a case last that much longer.
Every bit helps, right?
 

daftcat75

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I don’t know if it was the pred or the absence of Optagest, but she finally finished an overnight portion for the first time in a few nights. I am not seeing pred munchies yet. If anything, I’m wondering if Cerenia paradoxically makes her nauseated. I am seeing a return of her eating by paw. I will give Cerenia at least once more tonight since tonight is a double whammy pred plus mirtz night. But I may skip Cerenia tomorrow night to see if she is still eating by paw.

Today’s weigh-in wasn’t too bad. Last week was 9.62.
C8C6D725-07A3-41F5-9074-B9CC14CA77F1.jpeg

I expected weight loss. I expected more than this to be honest. If pred does its job of controlling the inflammation, and by extension, reducing the hairballs, then she should have no problem gaining that little bit back even if the munchies don’t show up. We don’t really need any extra munchies. I just want her to eat what I plate more easily and readily. Though I do sometimes think she intentionally leaves remainders so she’ll have some for later. And hey. as long as she maintains her weight and the hairballs go away, I’ll learn to accept her pacing.
 

tarasgirl06

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I don’t know if it was the pred or the absence of Optagest, but she finally finished an overnight portion for the first time in a few nights. I am not seeing pred munchies yet. If anything, I’m wondering if Cerenia paradoxically makes her nauseated. I am seeing a return of her eating by paw. I will give Cerenia at least once more tonight since tonight is a double whammy pred plus mirtz night. But I may skip Cerenia tomorrow night to see if she is still eating by paw.

Today’s weigh-in wasn’t too bad. Last week was 9.62.
View attachment 428611

I expected weight loss. I expected more than this to be honest. If pred does its job of controlling the inflammation, and by extension, reducing the hairballs, then she should have no problem gaining that little bit back even if the munchies don’t show up. We don’t really need any extra munchies. I just want her to eat what I plate more easily and readily. Though I do sometimes think she intentionally leaves remainders so she’ll have some for later. And hey. as long as she maintains her weight and the hairballs go away, I’ll learn to accept her pacing.
Good score, Betty! Keep up the good work!
Cats in their natural habitat revisit their prey and cats in their modern habitat most often graze, returning to eat small portions. My roomies' cat used to eat like a dog, demolishing everything on his plate right away; perhaps because of this, or perhaps not, he grew obese. As with us, many small meals during the day are better than snorking masses once or twice a day. Betty seems to be doing well!
 

daftcat75

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Good score, Betty! Keep up the good work!
Cats in their natural habitat revisit their prey and cats in their modern habitat most often graze, returning to eat small portions. My roomies' cat used to eat like a dog, demolishing everything on his plate right away; perhaps because of this, or perhaps not, he grew obese. As with us, many small meals during the day are better than snorking masses once or twice a day. Betty seems to be doing well!
Krista was in between when she finally came around to wet food. She would most often clean a plate right away. But she would come to me often begging for her next plate. She was also eating several meals a day. I could trust Krista with timed feeders. I haven’t established that yet with Betty.

I am also thinking that I should book a staycation for Betty and me to see how she does with a hotel room. Hopefully she won’t still be on pred by Thanksgiving. But if she is, I think I would sleep easier if she traveled with me. But we’ll see. She may not be a traveler. I need to contact my sitter and start making plans one way or another.

Oh yeah. I just remembered that my car needs a catalytic converter replacement. It’s still there. But the mechanic told me it’s a shadow of itself and it will breakdown sooner than later. We didn’t replace it then because the part was on back-order with GM. And California emission laws forbid me from using an after market part. 🤦🏼‍♂️ So that’s another thing possibly keeping me here this Thanksgiving. 😔
 
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