Introducing Betty White

[daftcat75]

I’d say this is within a poop’s margin. But she’s packing. Her last poop was dinner time. If I’m lucky, she’ll unload one before I leave for the taproom. Otherwise, her poops don’t stink and she’s usually good for 10-12 hours between box trips.


That’s 10.94, not 10.54 like it looks. A little glare.

And while I have her captive for a few treats, the overhead shots.

It looks like a bald spot forming on her right hip/back. I assure you that’s just lighting. She’s sufficiently floofy ALL OVER!

 

[daftcat75]

I don’t know yet if the Cosequin treats are helping. When we started them, her weight was closer to 10 lbs than 11 lbs. I was both in denial that she was a larger cat and fearful of giving her too many. So instead of the 10 lbs and over loading dose of 4 a day, I started her on 2 a day with the intention to reduce to 1. That’s the under 10 lbs dose. For cats over 10 lbs, I was supposed to give her four treats a day for a month and then reduce to two. Instead of all that, I just started her at two and I’m going to leave her at two. I hope she’ll still reap benefits without the loading dose.

Is it working? Hard to tell. I still medicate her twice a day with gabapentin. She gets where she wants to go and I have seen her play a little on her own again. Last night I saw her having a fruit salad party: she was biting her pickle while bunny-kicking the banana. The little shedonist!

But she also still walks deliberately and slowly and still has the Eeyore swagger.

 

[Tobermory]

But she also still walks deliberately and slowly and still has the Eeyore swagger.

That’s such a perfect description of the way 19-year-old Iris walks. It makes me so sad to watch her. (She also gets Cosequin and gabapentin.)

 

[tarasgirl06]

Is this of interest, daftcat75 and Tobermory ? Cosequin vs. Dasuquin: What's The Difference? | PetMD
Betty is, uh, well-padded and well-furred. As long as she's looking and feeling well, so much the better. *Pickle and banana? Hmmmmm.*

 

[daftcat75]

Is this of interest, daftcat75 and Tobermory ? Cosequin vs. Dasuquin: What's The Difference? | PetMD
Betty is, uh, well-padded and well-furred. As long as she's looking and feeling well, so much the better. *Pickle and banana? Hmmmmm.*

I started her on Cosequin because that’s what I could get at PetSmart. The vet’s original suggestion was Dasuquin Advanced which is only available through the vet. Actually her original recommendation was Solensia. But I can’t afford that on a monthly basis for the rest of her life. We’ll start more conservatively. Solensia is always an option if Betty has more trouble. I did find that Daauquin (not Advanced) is available without prescription. We may try that.

 

[daftcat75]

I also still have an Assisi Loop. It is one of the things that Lil Bub's owner used. It took several applications a day over a year or two to really make a difference for Lil Bub. But he was a rather extreme case. If Betty doesn't mind it--she will sit for hours in my lap--I could easily loop her twice a day. That's if she doesn't mind it. Krista always skipped out from under the Loop before it finished its cycle. I'm thinking if I wanted to try Dasuquin, I should try that first so that I can tell if it's working and we should keep spending money and calories (3 calories a chew!) on it. Two chews a day is like one extra meal a week. No wonder why she's been gaining weight.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I also still have an Assisi Loop. It is one of the things that Lil Bub's owner used. It took several applications a day over a year or two to really make a difference for Lil Bub. But he was a rather extreme case. If Betty doesn't mind it--she will sit for hours in my lap--I could easily loop her twice a day. That's if she doesn't mind it. Krista always skipped out from under the Loop before it finished its cycle. I'm thinking if I wanted to try Dasuquin, I should try that first so that I can tell if it's working and we should keep spending money and calories (3 calories a chew!) on it. Two chews a day is like one extra meal a week. No wonder why she's been gaining weight.

Huge Lil(lian) BUB(bles) here. Oh yes. The Loop made a big difference in her comfort and yes, she was about as extreme an extreme case as it's possible to get. Sounds like Betty might benefit from the Loop and be a good candidate for it! It would be amazing if she'd take this therapy -- you won't have to spend additional, and she'll be a happier cat! Worth a good try, yes?

 

[daftcat75]

I think I finally figured out how to do Betty’s meds. And as a bonus, this is a sitter-friendly system. She has takes ondansetron twice a day and prednisilone once a day. The AM/PM case has orange ondansetron and purple prednisilone (plus ondansetron) capsules. I always keep the AM pointing nearest to me so that if I make a mistake, hopefully she’s skipping a pred dose vs. taking a double. She’s now taking the poo-biotics (KittyBiome Gut Restore Supplement) every other day. That one is safe enough to give everyday. But it’s expensive and it wasn’t moving the needle. I am not ready to give up on it. But I have backed off and not seen any obvious backsliding (yet.) We’re probably another few weeks away from finishing this bottle. We will re-test with the next re-fill. For the every other day dosing, which only happens in the mornings, I have a 7 day pill container that came with detachable AM/PM organizers. On Saturdays, when I cut her pills, I also refill every other day in the pill container. I leave the days that had a pill popped open once Betty has taken it so I know on Saturdays which compartments were filled so I can change which compartments get filled the next week. Finally, her gabapentin and yeasty mix (now a mix of s. boulardii and a fiber supplement), she gets those with every meal so no special system for those. When it’s time for the sitter, I’ll bust out the colored stickers and match the sticker color to the item on the instructions page(s).

There’s one extra pill bottle there that doesn’t sit there anymore. The one without the Sharpie marking on top is her poo-biotics that now reside with her other pills in the cabinet. On Saturdays, I cut pills, pack capsules and compartments, and update my inventory so that I’m always at least a week away from running out of any meds. This week, I have two pred remaining on top of this week’s capsule. I have 12 doses remaining. I will use 7 this week. There’s no reason to wait until next week to request my refill. Similarly, I have this week plus 6 more days worth of gabapentin remaining. I may as well get that refill started too since that needs compounding. I have more than enough ondansetron (four more weeks worth.)


And of course, Betty is just the best at taking meds now. We haven’t had a lick and flick in a long time. She eagerly scoops and swallows on the first try, nudges me to drop it already, and purrs the whole time. She makes waking at 5am for her worth it. But also climbing back in bed with her afterwards for third sleep, I get an extra Betty chest/face cuddle sesh.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I think I finally figured out how to do Betty’s meds. And as a bonus, this is a sitter-friendly system. She has takes ondansetron twice a day and prednisilone once a day. The AM/PM case has orange ondansetron and purple prednisilone (plus ondansetron) capsules. I always keep the AM pointing nearest to me so that if I make a mistake, hopefully she’s skipping a pred dose vs. taking a double. She’s now taking the poo-biotics (KittyBiome Gut Restore Supplement) every other day. That one is safe enough to give everyday. But it’s expensive and it wasn’t moving the needle. I am not ready to give up on it. But I have backed off and not seen any obvious backsliding (yet.) We’re probably another few weeks away from finishing this bottle. We will re-test with the next re-fill. For the every other day dosing, which only happens in the mornings, I have a 7 day pill container that came with detachable AM/PM organizers. On Saturdays, when I cut her pills, I also refill every other day in the pill container. I leave the days that had a pill popped open once Betty has taken it so I know on Saturdays which compartments were filled so I can change which compartments get filled the next week. Finally, her gabapentin and yeasty mix (now a mix of s. boulardii and a fiber supplement), she gets those with every meal so no special system for those. When it’s time for the sitter, I’ll bust out the colored stickers and match the sticker color to the item on the instructions page(s).
View attachment 450265
There’s one extra pill bottle there that doesn’t sit there anymore. The one without the Sharpie marking on top is her poo-biotics that now reside with her other pills in the cabinet. On Saturdays, I cut pills, pack capsules and compartments, and update my inventory so that I’m always at least a week away from running out of any meds. This week, I have two pred remaining on top of this week’s capsule. I have 12 doses remaining. I will use 7 this week. There’s no reason to wait until next week to request my refill. Similarly, I have this week plus 6 more days worth of gabapentin remaining. I may as well get that refill started too since that needs compounding. I have more than enough ondansetron (four more weeks worth.)


And of course, Betty is just the best at taking meds now. We haven’t had a lick and flick in a long time. She eagerly scoops and swallows on the first try, nudges me to drop it already, and purrs the whole time. She makes waking at 5am for her worth it. But also climbing back in bed with her afterwards for third sleep, I get an extra Betty chest/face cuddle sesh.

I love the color-coded 7-day reminder! I love that you've got everything down to a science, too.
And you do know that your cat is WEIRD, don't you? Lovable, beautiful, sweet, loving, affectionate...but WEIRD. Cats don't like taking pills. Cats certainly don't PURR for pills.
WEIRD.

 

[daftcat75]

Betty isn't weird. (Okay yeah she is because all cats are weird.) She's just the best. She enjoys taking meds. She doesn't wake me for food and largely trusts me on the schedule. She doesn't enter the kitchen on the ground level. She doesn't circle my feet or come up to the stove or otherwise get involved in my cooking. She had to be encouraged, and still needs encouragement to come onto the counter she is allowed on. I put my cheek down to bunting level and tap it like a grandma. "Come give Daddy a bunt on the cheek." She sits in my lap from breakfast to office time and from dinner to bedtime. But between those times, she largely respects my office time. She has her impatient moments. But those can be satisfied with five to ten minutes of good focused attention on her. Then I can go back to work and she'll go back to her very important napping or bird watching or eating duties of the day. Here we are at 4:30. It's about time to feed her. She's probably bird watching waiting for me to say when. Such a good girl! Who taught her all of this? I keep telling her that she can get away with more than she knows.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Betty isn't weird. (Okay yeah she is because all cats are weird.) She's just the best. She enjoys taking meds. She doesn't wake me for food and largely trusts me on the schedule. She doesn't enter the kitchen on the ground level. She doesn't circle my feet or come up to the stove or otherwise get involved in my cooking. She had to be encouraged, and still needs encouragement to come onto the counter she is allowed on. I put my cheek down to bunting level and tap it like a grandma. "Come give Daddy a bunt on the cheek." She sits in my lap from breakfast to office time and from dinner to bedtime. But between those times, she largely respects my office time. She has her impatient moments. But those can be satisfied with five to ten minutes of good focused attention on her. Then I can go back to work and she'll go back to her very important napping or bird watching or eating duties of the day. Here we are at 4:30. It's about time to feed her. She's probably bird watching waiting for me to say when. Such a good girl! Who taught her all of this? I keep telling her that she can get away with more than she knows.

Well, yeah, she's perfect! But I defy you to find a lot of other cats who PURR for PILLS. *Weird in a GOOD way! Not in a bad way!* She's amazing. And beautiful! *SNORGLES* on her!

 

[daftcat75]

My cat runneth over.

 

[tarasgirl06]

My cat runneth over.
View attachment 450377View attachment 450378View attachment 450379View attachment 450380

*They're liquid. Shapeshifters.*

 

[daftcat75]

*They're liquid. Shapeshifters.*

I watched her dripping down my leg like a Salvador Dali clock. I really thought she would have caught herself before the chair did. But she was perfectly content to go ragdoll on me. She's 20% larger than Krista was. It isn't always a neat fit.

What do you all do about nail trims? Betty will let me handle her toes and claws all day long. The minute I pull out the clippers, she pulls her paw back. "No thank you." I'm thinking once a month I may have to double her morning gabapentin and trim them while she's jello.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I watched her dripping down my leg like a Salvador Dali clock. I really thought she would have caught herself before the chair did. But she was perfectly content to go ragdoll on me. She's 20% larger than Krista was. It isn't always a neat fit.

What do you all do about nail trims? Betty will let me handle her toes and claws all day long. The minute I pull out the clippers, she pulls her paw back. "No thank you." I'm thinking once a month I may have to double her morning gabapentin and trim them while she's jello.

Yeah. I've clipped a lot of claws in my life. Some have been easy. Elvis is scared of the cat scissors. I might get one or two when he's sleeping or drowsing, if he has his paws accessible. The moment he sees those scissors, he goes into terrified mode. He has scratching posts and pads all over the house, but the ones he actually scratches on are carpet-covered and do very little to shorten or blunt his scimitars.

 

[Margot Lane]

I’ve never trimmed a cat’s claws. Though I (and the furniture) have at times been worse for wear, they never have been.

 

[artiemom]

I trimmed both Artie's and now Geoffrey's nails. It is a real fight for both of them, especially Geoffrey. Geoffrey acts as if he was abused whenever I even try to touch his nails.. He must have had a bad experience, somewhere along the line, mostly with front claws.

Artie was a terror at the Vets and at the Groomers-- tried, taking him, but he eventually, scratched and bit the cat groomer.

I grab G, trap him behind me on the recliner-- in the corner, body blocking him and side/arm of chair blocking him in. He is on my left side.
I am right handed so:
I have to literally pull out a paw, block his face, neck, with my left arm( from bites)-- all with left arm..telling him to STOP IT (his 'magic' phrase).. while pushing down with my fingers on one individual claw, in order to expose it.. and then do a quick clip.

I only do either front or back claws at a time.. sometimes I can only do one paw.

I feel as if I am a contortionist, and that Geoffrey turns into a demon from He@@ when it is claw trimming time.

Sometimes I keep him trapped and take a break for several seconds... taking a deep breath and trying to compose both myself and him.

Reminds me. It is time for his back claws... ugh...

 

[tarasgirl06]

I trimmed both Artie's and now Geoffrey's nails. It is a real fight for both of them, especially Geoffrey. Geoffrey acts as if he was abused whenever I even try to touch his nails.. He must have had a bad experience, somewhere along the line, mostly with front claws.

Artie was a terror at the Vets and at the Groomers-- tried, taking him, but he eventually, scratched and bit the cat groomer.

I grab G, trap him behind me on the recliner-- in the corner, body blocking him and side/arm of chair blocking him in. He is on my left side.
I am right handed so:
I have to literally pull out a paw, block his face, neck, with my left arm( from bites)-- all with left arm..telling him to STOP IT (his 'magic' phrase).. while pushing down with my fingers on one individual claw, in order to expose it.. and then do a quick clip.

I only do either front or back claws at a time.. sometimes I can only do one paw.

I feel as if I am a contortionist, and that Geoffrey turns into a demon from He@@ when it is claw trimming time.

Sometimes I keep him trapped and take a break for several seconds... taking a deep breath and trying to compose both myself and him.

Reminds me. It is time for his back claws... ugh...

Yeah. It's like that with a lot of cats.
My beloved angel Tashi used to try to tear me UP when she saw the cat scissors. Her claws were LONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG and extremely sharp. She was normally the sweetest and most flirtatious of cats, a violet-eyed Birman type rescued from our front yard as a kitten, covered in fleas. But she did NOT think much of manicures or pedicures.Ms. Betty is obviously much more polite about hers.

 

[daftcat75]

I sometimes call her “turkey beans” or I say she has turkey beans. Turkeys snoods change colors with their moods. They have mood snoods. They become deep red when they are content. In this case, Betty just finished several laps around the apartment chasing the red dot like she wasn’t an Eeyore with arthritis. Her beans were pumping with fresh blood supply. But I swear they darken after good fuss sessions too. Turkey Beans, my aren’t you content?

Also you can see the back claws need a trim.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I sometimes call her “turkey beans” or I say she has turkey beans. Turkeys snoods change colors with their moods. They have mood snoods. They become deep red when they are content. In this case, Betty just finished several laps around the apartment chasing the red dot like she wasn’t an Eeyore with arthritis. Her beans were pumping with fresh blood supply. But I swear they darken after good fuss sessions too. Turkey Beans, my aren’t you content?
View attachment 450593
Also you can see the back claws need a trim.

FANGkew bigtime fur educating us on mood snoods and Betty Beansand it's great to read of the red dot session! As for those clawzes, *The better to rake you with, my dear!*