Just Rescued 2 Ferals... Questions

shadowsrescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
7,022
Purraise
5,083
Location
Ohio
My time with my son and kittens is nearing the end. I will be sad to leave but I really miss my brood at home. Here are some pictures. Meet Abbott(mostly gray) and Costello (mostly white).


Sorry the images are side ways. I am on my phone and not sure how to get them to change direction.
 

Avery

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
459
Purraise
1,299
Oh, they are adorable! Thanks so much for posting the photos. And I love their names! I'm sure you had lots of fun with the kittens and really enjoyed visiting your son, but it is always good to get home! Safe travels.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #164

KrisinOhio

Kristin
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
154
Purraise
286
OK experts - I need your advice! I am taking both cats to the vet next Tuesday (T for her spay and MK because she has been scooting her butt (?!)) I talked to the vet, told them my concerns about getting them into carriers and asked about Gabapentin. The vet gave me 100 mg capsules with instructions to give one the night before and one the morning of the appointment. Their appointment is at 6:15 pm. If I give them the 2nd pill in the morning will it still be effective that evening? The vets' office said yes, but from what I've read in these forums Gabapentin is most effective 2 - 3 hours after it is given. What do you guys think? The last thing I need is for it to wear off before their appointment!

Another question for the moderators/advisors - should I start a new thread for each question? I would prefer to keep it all on one, like some of the great long threads I have been reading. Let me know.

Finally (and sorry for the lengthy post again), the cats are out overnight!!! Last weekend, T seemed to be mostly over her heat cycle, no spraying. So we gave it a go. It went so well! Of course I got no sleep, but it was so worth it. Tortellini comes in and out of the bedroom, I think Miss Kitty just sleeps in the family room on a big chair. Both come running in the morning for breakfast and I put them in their room when I go to work.

Thanks in advance for the great advice to come! i'll be back for virtual hand holding after T's spay.....
 

shadowsrescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
7,022
Purraise
5,083
Location
Ohio
As for the gabapentin, I have found it takes about 2-4 hours to be completely into the system, them it gradually starts to fade. With my feral boy, I have given a 100 mg capsule around 9pm and then another around 6 am for a 10 am appointment. It has worked well for him. I would think if you give one at night and then another in the morning, but 6:30 pm, it would be worn off. Does your vet do spays at night? If it were me, I would give one the night before but as last as possible. Then not another until 1-2 pm. I guess it just depends on her size too. My boy is around 11 lbs. If T is small, then it might not take much and it might last longer. With my boy, he was loopy almost drunk like within 90 minutes. Around the 2 hours mark, he was so calm. I was able to hold him for the first time ever. He was like a limp noodle.

Wow, you had them out all night!!! That is fantastic news.

I would just keep this thread active. If you make a new one, others will not know the back story.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #166

KrisinOhio

Kristin
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
154
Purraise
286
Thanks shadowsrescue shadowsrescue ! I was thinking the same thing on the gabapentin timing. T is small, but I don't want to run the risk of it wearing off before the appointment! She will be spayed on Wednesday morning. Since I need to get Miss Kitty looked at for the scooting, I wanted to try to take them at the same time, to avoid upsetting everyone twice. The vet will keep T overnight and do her spay first thing Wed. They are also going to keep her an extra day to recover so I will pick her up Friday. I feel bad she has to be away, alone and scared, but I think it is for the best for her. I'm hoping all is forgiven when i bring her home to cooked chicken and baby food treats!
 

Avery

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
459
Purraise
1,299
For Rosie, my little 15-year-old kitty who is about 6 pounds, the vet had me give her half of the 100mg gabapentin. (Rosie is small, but feisty and hard to deal with at the vets! Even with gabapentin, there was no way she was going to let them take her temperature!) For semi-feral Ruby, who is a bit over 9 pounds, I gave her the whole amount. I have done it two different ways: emptying the capsule and mixing with a little food (for Rosie, that is how I had to do it, estimating what half of the powder would be), and coating the capsule itself in butter and wrapping it in a tiny piece of ham. That worked for Ruby.

As far as timing, I found that 2 hours was not quite enough for Ruby (who also seemed hard to sedate the very first time at the vets) and next time, I'll wait maybe 3 hours before I try to get her in the carrier. I had to chase her around the room and she was terrified. When we got home from the vet, she took a nap, but it wasn't too long before it seemed the gabapentin was wearing off.

So you are giving the gabapentin just to get the kitties safely to the vet and they will take care of sedating T in the morning for surgery, but I don't think the gabapentin timing makes sense! Why would you give her a pill that evening and again in the morning when you aren't going to put her in the carrier until late afternoon?! Of course, your vet is the expert, but I would double-check on that plan!

I know it will be hard to have T at the vets so long, but it will also be a relief that they can keep an eye on her and make sure she recovers well. And what good news about cats out and about overnight. Yay!! You are doing really great with them, and they are lucky to have such a loving home! Good luck and keep us posted about the vet visit.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #168

KrisinOhio

Kristin
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
154
Purraise
286
Thanks to both of you for your input! i'll double check the timing with the vet and will be sure to let you know how it goes!:thumbsup:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #171

KrisinOhio

Kristin
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
154
Purraise
286
THANK YOU!! of course, I am a nervous wreck about everything. I appreciate the advice, wisdom and most of all the kind thoughts! You guys are the best. I apologize in advance for the posts to come... One cute thing, I bought Tortellini a couch cave the other day. She's a "hider" so I am hoping she will use it during her recovery. She seemed to like it the other day... here's a picture.
Tortellini.jpg
 

Avery

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
459
Purraise
1,299
Oh, is she ever ADORABLE in her new cave! What a sweet little face. And of course you are a nervous wreck! I am the same way. In fact, I think I might have to take Ruby to the vets in the near future and I'm already starting to obsess about getting her in the carrier! And it might be weeks away!

Spaying is a super-routine surgery and I'm sure it will all go well. And no need to apologize for more posts! We want to be updated on the adventures of T and MK!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #173

KrisinOhio

Kristin
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
154
Purraise
286
Well that sucked. The Gabapentin wore off at about 5 – we didn’t try to start loading them in crates until 5:45 and both cats were too alert. I corralled MK in the bathroom and got her in a crate (but not before she peed on the floor and me). Tortellini was a much different story. DH and I both have battle wounds – DH finally scruffed her behind a cabinet. It was horrific, we feel terrible. Then we had to leave her at the vets – I’m sure she’s traumatized and scared. If it weren’t for the fact that it would have taken another month or two to reschedule the spay I would have called it off. But this was the only window we had to get it done, so we did it. I feel terrible – guilty, foolish for thinking it would be easy, and more than a little scared about how she will be when she comes home. To make it worse she was very sweet today! She came to me with her back arched for pets :(

There is a silver lining though. MK’s scooting was full anal glands, which they emptied. I hope that does not become a frequent occurrence. When we got home I put some food out, opened the carrier door and let her alone for a couple minutes. When I went back in her room I sat on the floor and she hopped off her perch and came running to me for pets, tail up! I can’t believe this cat – she is so forgiving and loving. I think we’ll be okay. Just praying that T is half as forgiving.
 

Avery

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
459
Purraise
1,299
Oh no. I'm so sorry it didn't work out as you had hoped. It sounds like everyone at your house had such a stressful day.

The main thing is that it is over! You got them to the vets, you will get the spaying over with, and MK's problem was easily taken care of. I understand how awful you feel about having to do this in a more forceful way. You want them to trust you and you work so hard to build that up, it feels like a betrayal. I always feel like such a bully when I have to put a cat in the carrier to go to the vets or even when I have to give them a pill.

It is wonderful that MK is over it so soon. And honestly, I am SURE that little T will be fine in a very short period of time after she gets home. I remember when I had to chase and grab Ruby to get her to the vets when the gabapentin wasn't completely taking hold. She was suspicious of me for a day or two, but it didn't take much longer before she was back to her usual self. I think with a little extra TLC and a few more treats, they forget what happened, certainly sooner than we do!
 

shadowsrescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
7,022
Purraise
5,083
Location
Ohio
This is always the hard part. T will forgive you. She will come home and be happy to be back home. Try to stay calm so she doesn't pick up on your angst. If you act like all is normal, she may too. She may come home with some pain meds and that will help to keep her calm. Use Miss Kitty to your advantage by doting on her so that T may follow suit.

I am sorry it was so hard. Gabapentin can work, but the timing for each cat is hard.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #176

KrisinOhio

Kristin
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
154
Purraise
286
In fact, I think I might have to take Ruby to the vets in the near future and I'm already starting to obsess about getting her in the carrier! And it might be weeks away!
Avery Avery - I hope the potential vet visit is nothing serious!

The vet called, T's spay went fine, she is "doing ok". Probably planning her revenge on us for doing this to her! I will pick her up Friday... I cannot wait for the next 2 weeks to be over! When MK was spayed I was a mess. I read everything from "keep her in a dog crate for 2 weeks" to "just let her go". I tried to find a happy medium, but she still was only happy jumping to sleep on her window perch. I felt I was doing her more harm than good trying to keep her down. I am going to remove the tall cat trees before Friday, but even if I block / take down the window seats I believe they will still jump up.

shadowsrescue shadowsrescue - how is your boy doing?
 

shadowsrescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
7,022
Purraise
5,083
Location
Ohio
I am so glad the spay is done and she did well. How great that she gets to stay until Friday! I bet she will do great when she gets home. Will you have to take her back again for a check up or stitches removal? Hopefully not!

Cisco is much much better!!! Diarrhea is gone and he is back to his silly self. I take he and another cat to the vet tomorrow. Cisco is getting a checkup and hopefully urine withdrawal and Marvin needs some vaccines.

Yesterday I took another cat (Jake) in to see the feral boys. Jake has been doing well with them. He was up on one of the shelving perches. All at once one of the feral boys started to come up to him. This scared Jake and he almost fell off the shelving. He landed on a pieces of furniture. I ran over to him and he freaked out. I have no idea why he was so afraid. I guess the short fall startled him. I went to pick him up and he promptly bit me. I have been bitten many many times over the years. This time he really chomped down on top of my hand. I cleaned it up well and it even needed a butterfly bandage to keep it together. It hurt, but got better after an hour. Now today, it's starting to swell and getting red and warm to the touch. I really hope I don't need to get to the doctor.

Keep us updated on T! How is Miss Kitty without her?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #178

KrisinOhio

Kristin
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
154
Purraise
286
wow shadowsrescue shadowsrescue ! I am so sorry to hear about the bite! I think when they are scared they just don't know what they are doing, instinct takes over. Jake certainly wouldn't intentionally bite. Keep an eye on it!

Thankfully T's stitches are dissolvable! That is why I had to wait to get the appointment. My vet is the only one in the practice that uses dissolvable and everybody wants her to do their surgeries. Miss Kitty is ok, she is lonely, following me everywhere. Last night she came upstairs making little "meow" sounds (she never meows), looking for T. Hopefully their reunion will go well and the vet smell won't have any affect. I'm going to take one of MK's towels that she has been sleeping on with me to rub on T before we put them together.
 

Avery

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
459
Purraise
1,299
Well, good news and bad news here. shadowsrescue shadowsrescue - Yay Cisco! I hope your hand will be OK, but it sounds like the start of something that will need a doctor's attention. Please take care of yourself! And KrisinOhio KrisinOhio - good news about T's surgery and the dissolvable stitches! It is kind of sweet that Miss Kitty is missing her and it will be interesting to see their reunion!

That sounds like a good idea to remove the tall cat trees. I remember bringing a cat home after she was spayed and within minutes she was jumping up on things and running around! You just have to do your best to keep them relatively calm!

I talked with my vet a few hours ago about Ruby, who has been doing some over-grooming and has created one or two small sores on her body. Nothing horrible, but something to figure out. We have been trying a few things (like Zyrtec), but my vet thinks it is time for a food trial to see if she has a food allergy. And I'm going to give her an antibiotic pill for a week for skin irritation/infection. The good news is that she doesn't really need to see Ruby and I can continue to work with her at home! So no Gabapentin! No chasing around the room! For now anyway!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #180

KrisinOhio

Kristin
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
154
Purraise
286
Avery Avery - i hope you are able to resolve Ruby's issues without a trip to the vet!! Best of luck!
 
Top