Looking for Advice

[Kflowers]

unadoptables are the best, they grow right into your heart in a matter of minutes. That you have one and won't give up on her makes my heart sing.

One thought since you said she hates being picked up. Some cats do and some cats hate it due to old injuries. Has your vet done a full body x-ray of your cat? One x-ray plate will cover most of the cat. We insisted on this for our aggressive bite you when you pick me up cat. It turned out that at age not quite one year she had arthritis on three vertebra. The x-ray let us know where not to touch when picking her up. Once we got her medicine for that OTC the aggression stopped. She still doesn't like being picked up, but just brushes against our arms and hands with her teeth no biting. Note, had another x-ray done 9 years later and the arthritis is on her sternum.

I don't know it this will help for this visit, but it maybe time to start offering her human food in the never-ending search for treats to stuff pills. We have one who won't touch human food right now, so this is a maybe. Long ago I had one who wouldn't touch it until she saw me eat it. We started with cottage cheese, which is apparently scary looking to someone who ate mice. Think 'can I stuff pills in this' with each offering. Dog food is bad for cats, they love it, but I understand it's not as hygienic as cat food, per a vet tech at my vet. Some cats like whipped cream (Reddi- whip, remember that?) and some like canned cheese. You just never know.

 

[happilyretired]

Thanks so much for all this advice! At our next visit, I will ask the vet about x-raying her--it makes sense that she may have had some injury from being thrown from that car. We'd both assumed she just feared being picked up because of that trauma, but it's worth it to check.

As for 'people' food, she often sits on my lap while I'm eating, and she's never touched any food I've offered her, but I'll keep trying with things I can 'stuff pills in.'

 

[Kflowers]

I knew a vet who did chiropractic adjustments. She mentioned a little dog came in screaming. It turned out he had a rib out of alignment. she put it back, he stopped screaming. she was shocked it hurt him that much. As someone who has had a rib out of alignment, I wasn't shocked at all.

Still, I'm thinking injury arthritis, good that you're going to check it. For some reasons vets don't seem to think of it in younger animals, but it certainly happens to young people.

Okay, you totally lucked up on the food situation except for pilling. I've know a couple of cats who like peanut butter, the kind with a bit of sugar, not the all natural stuff.

 

[happilyretired]

My first cat lived to almost 20, and when she was about 15 appeared to have trouble moving. My vet did an x-ray and found arthritis in her spine that he guessed developed from an earlier injury--perhaps a fall--that didn't seem apparent at the time. Fortunately, he gave her an Rx (I forget now what it was) that eliminated her pain almost overnight and gave her a few more years.

 

[happilyretired]

Update and thanks to all who responded so helpfully!

Today was our vet visit, and it couldn't have gone better. I was able to get her 'mellow' with the gabapentin because I discovered:
1. I buy a tuna that's not packed in either water or oil but in its own juices. I discovered that she LOVES the tuna juice, and I crossed my fingers that the strong tuna scent would mask the gabapentin. It did--she licked the plate clean!

2. Although she won't touch pill pockets for some reason (she used to love them), she has a treat that's catnip flavored that she really loves. So I bought catnip flavored pill pockets--which she rejected--but I smoothed out the pockets (like rolling pie crust dough), sprinkled the gabapentin on and then made a 'sandwich' with the treats--i.e., one side of the treat was the smooshed pill pocket. She ate them.

The gabapentin 'mellowed' her, so I thought I'd be able to pick her up to put in the carrier, but I hoped I wouldn't have to, as I'm 81 with mobility issues. I need to use a cane to get around but can't if I have to hold her, so picking her up is not optimum.

As I've mentioned, I keep the carrier on the kitchen table and feed her treats in it. I made our appointment for 11 am because if I'm working in the kitchen, she usually saunters in for some treats between 9 and 10 am. Happily, she arrived at 9:30, went for the treats, and I quickly closed the carrier.

We were an hour early for our appt., but the staff don't mind, and I was willing to wait, but they took us within 15 min, and we were back home by 11. She's healthy--and had her nails clipped--and I'm happy.

Thanks again for all your helpful advice.

 

[Kflowers]

That's wonderful!!! What a good girl you have there.

Reading your post, it occurred to me if you have a cane, you might have a little trouble with the weight of the carrier throwing you a bit off balance. Particularly if she starts to pace while you are carrying her.

We bought wheeled cart, which lets us put the cat carrier in it, door toward the top, to wheel her to the car and from the car to the vets. The carrier fits exactly and slips in and out of the wheeled cart.

If you're interested go to Amazon and put "wheeled cart" in the search.

the picture below is similar to what we have only we left the pink top off. It is kinda pricy, but I use it a lot for lots of stuff. The handle is retractable for storage.

Amazon.com: dbest products Quik Cart Collapsible Rolling Crate on Wheels for Teachers Tote Basket 80 lbs Capacity, Made from Heavy Duty Plastic and used as a Seat, Standard, Red : Office Products

 

[happilyretired]

Thanks for your suggestion! But I have a 'kitty stroller.' The top part is the carrier which goes onto a wheeled base when I need to take her to the vet. Then I take off the top carrier to put in the car, and the wheeled base folds and fits into the car, too.

 

[Kflowers]

Wow! She's one lucky cat. Sweet Gum has mentioned the slid to the end of the carrier is something she could do without. But we live rough and ready out here. You guys are elegant. pets to your girl.

 

[Alldara]

Update and thanks to all who responded so helpfully!

Today was our vet visit, and it couldn't have gone better. I was able to get her 'mellow' with the gabapentin because I discovered:
1. I buy a tuna that's not packed in either water or oil but in its own juices. I discovered that she LOVES the tuna juice, and I crossed my fingers that the strong tuna scent would mask the gabapentin. It did--she licked the plate clean!

2. Although she won't touch pill pockets for some reason (she used to love them), she has a treat that's catnip flavored that she really loves. So I bought catnip flavored pill pockets--which she rejected--but I smoothed out the pockets (like rolling pie crust dough), sprinkled the gabapentin on and then made a 'sandwich' with the treats--i.e., one side of the treat was the smooshed pill pocket. She ate them.

The gabapentin 'mellowed' her, so I thought I'd be able to pick her up to put in the carrier, but I hoped I wouldn't have to, as I'm 81 with mobility issues. I need to use a cane to get around but can't if I have to hold her, so picking her up is not optimum.

As I've mentioned, I keep the carrier on the kitchen table and feed her treats in it. I made our appointment for 11 am because if I'm working in the kitchen, she usually saunters in for some treats between 9 and 10 am. Happily, she arrived at 9:30, went for the treats, and I quickly closed the carrier.

We were an hour early for our appt., but the staff don't mind, and I was willing to wait, but they took us within 15 min, and we were back home by 11. She's healthy--and had her nails clipped--and I'm happy.

Thanks again for all your helpful advice.

Really wonderful to hear. I'm glad it went smoothly for you both.