Re: Sassy - 19yr old (close to 20) - Not eating / Very Lethargic + losing balance

[Furballsmom]

Oh, by the way, you might want to clip her claws a bit

 

[iPappy]

miguel99nyc , I'm thinking of you and Sassy and hope you're all doing good!

 

[miguel99nyc]

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for the lack of updates. Work has kept me busy plus Sassy stabilizing somewhat in terms of overall behavior/lifestyle hasn't prompted me yet to get on here.

So currently Sassy is stilll on the Amolodpine 0.625mg twice a day - I'm assuming it's for the rest of her life? Just sent out an email short while ago to vet to ask. Her blood pressure has been stable - under 200 a least right before dosage. I think at this point - her vision will never come back - being now 2 months since losing it. Her right eye has cleared up a bit - nowhere near entirely red filled as a month ago. Just seems some leftover blood on the clear anterior part of the eye but not as much. Rest of her eye is cleared up. I guess that will still take time to further clear up or perhaps will just remain there? Definitely an improvement though since my last posts for sure.

Today however, and a reason why I emailed vet, Sassy since early morning seems to be acting up in terms of her appetite again as she would in previous times over past year or so. Id put the bowl there and give her food, she'd sniff and just walk/run away from it. Though this time, she'd be bumping into things sadly as shes blind...and so far this morning she's been refusing to eat. Each time I try to make her eat food she just sniffs and runs away. She has been drinking water today just fine and even overnight last had several meals of dry food. Acutally, she did return to her bowl at around 6am this morning, tried to feed her again and i guess she had calmed down or something and then ate decently and went to sleep. Now throughout later in morning - she got up and tried to eat but just would run away each time. So now I'm in the process of asking vet if she keeps this up - since its so similar to the past, could I still apply mirataz to one of her ears? Problem is, I apply Amolodpine twice daily - 8am roughly left ear, 8pm roughly right ear. Since Mirataz goes into her ear, I'd imagine I got to wipe one ear and then apply mirataz? If i do it before her 8pm dose of Amlodpine in her right ear, should I apply it to her left ear - wiping off any Amolodipine in there from morning? I figure I would only need to apply Mirataz once as that would set her on her way to be eating again for a week or so...but with her requiring med in each ear, not sure how to go about it?

It's EXTREMELY frustrating Sassy goes through this moment of trying to eat but runs away from her food. It's worse off now because she can't see. And Frustrating since I have no idea what would cause her to dramatically act such way to run from her bowl. Hate it.

 

[louisstools]

I understand the frustrations that come with getting a cat routinely figured out and then it changes. I've been dealing with eating issues with my girl cat ever since her brother cat died a year ago. It's not easy.
All I can stay is hang in there...sassy needs you.

 

[fionasmom]

Thank you for posting the update and I am glad that there is some good news with the right eye becoming more clear and the BP stabilizing. My guess is that her vision may not return, but only time will tell. Your logic about applying the mirtaz makes sense; to apply it in the ear which had the other med in the morning and which has probably been absorbed. Ask the vet to be sure when he responds.

 

[miguel99nyc]

Right. I mean I'm already getting used to navigating Sassy around the apartment with her being blind and all. But I can't just afford her appetite to act up as such.

Is it possible for me to even apply two different meds in her ears? I just tried giving food again to Sassy but she just sprints away. I don't get it.

 

[miguel99nyc]

Thank you for posting the update and I am glad that there is some good news with the right eye becoming more clear and the BP stabilizing. My guess is that her vision may not return, but only time will tell. Your logic about applying the mirtaz makes sense; to apply it in the ear which had the other med in the morning and which has probably been absorbed. Ask the vet to be sure when he responds.

Oh ok. Just saw your reply - came in as I typed mines.

I cleared off the the left ear of any residue/med from this morning. Just awaiting vet's response, hoping soon. She's just reluctant to eat from her bowl and I know she's done this several times over past years. Why I have nooo idea why she does this. I just hope vet won't say it some issue to have the med in each ear like such

 

[miguel99nyc]

Well seems I jumped the gun a little maybe...

Vet just responded - Place the Mirtaz ointment in the opposite ear that you are putting the Amlodipine in and 12 hrs later, wipe the Mirtaz ear gently clean to place Amlodipine again. Hope this info helps.

I had wipped the ear I gave her med this morning...which made sense. But to the vet's point, it would still be the same thing. Mirataz would get wiped off so she can then receive the Amolodipine which makes sense. placing it now in her left ear small amount. Lets see how today goes.

 

[Furballsmom]

Lets see how today goes.

Hang in there!!

I assume that during the times she seems to be uncomfortable in some way regarding her food, that you've tried changing bowls and maybe even the food? .. .. realizing that changing anything for a blind kitty might not help at all, but thinking out loud, does the bowl need to be cleaned or something?

 

[iPappy]

Hang in there!!

I assume that during the times she seems to be uncomfortable in some way regarding her food, that you've tried changing bowls and maybe even the food? .. .. realizing that changing anything for a blind kitty might not help at all, but thinking out loud, does the bowl need to be cleaned or something?

If I have cats boarding that don't want to eat, there's something about putting the food on the floor vs. in a bowl, or even a plate. 9 out of 10 will eat at least a little. Also, slow gentle petting all the way down their back seems to relax most of them enough to at least take a few bites. Maybe this would help Sassy.

 

[miguel99nyc]

Update for this evening.

So the Mirataz - although put nearly just half the amount of strip required (indicated on box), seemed to have worked within an hour or so. She had awaken from a nap on the floor, I guided to her bowl and she ate a good amount. Then went to sleep in her bed. Then pretty much since, has been eating every hour almost. Seems a bit restless...just the difficult part is that because shes blind, shes just walking all over the place and bumping everywhere so Im just watching out for her. But at least shes eating form her bowl and isnt running away for now...

In the past, yes, I thought would be mayb dirty bowl...but each time she'd eat I always clean it and wipe it too just with water. Occassionaly id use dish soap to clean it. Sometimes I'd think its the food so Id try another can and that sometimes worked too. Today, just rejected initiallly the two canned foods she been eating past weeks (fancy feast beef gravy and friskies salmon beef prime filets), and woudl just run away from her bowl each time i tried to feed her. She'd sniff her bowl , look both ways as if she would get ready to run, then off she went - crawling like because she scared I guess and plus being blind didnt help. So that is why I used MIrataz - half amount to just get her starting to eat again. So seems like its working for now.

 

[iPappy]

Update for this evening.

So the Mirataz - although put nearly just half the amount of strip required (indicated on box), seemed to have worked within an hour or so. She had awaken from a nap on the floor, I guided to her bowl and she ate a good amount. Then went to sleep in her bed. Then pretty much since, has been eating every hour almost. Seems a bit restless...just the difficult part is that because shes blind, shes just walking all over the place and bumping everywhere so Im just watching out for her. But at least shes eating form her bowl and isnt running away for now...

In the past, yes, I thought would be mayb dirty bowl...but each time she'd eat I always clean it and wipe it too just with water. Occassionaly id use dish soap to clean it. Sometimes I'd think its the food so Id try another can and that sometimes worked too. Today, just rejected initiallly the two canned foods she been eating past weeks (fancy feast beef gravy and friskies salmon beef prime filets), and woudl just run away from her bowl each time i tried to feed her. She'd sniff her bowl , look both ways as if she would get ready to run, then off she went - crawling like because she scared I guess and plus being blind didnt help. So that is why I used MIrataz - half amount to just get her starting to eat again. So seems like its working for now.

You are such a great owner miguel99nyc , Sassy is one lucky cat.
Did you notice her having any poop problems? Maybe a certain food gave her a tummy ache and she associates the smell of that food with an upset stomach? I'd let her eat what she wants, as as much of it as she wants.

 

[miguel99nyc]

So I just noticed something odd from Sassy this evening.

She been eating fine all day today - mostly from Mirataz I'd assume.

Around 630pm or so, she had done a sneeze and looked like her nose had some drip to it as I saw some wetness on floor after she sneezed. Was just one single sneeze though. Since she'd been sleeping. Usually she'd get up to eat at least around 8pm or so but hasn't...now its 10pm and still sleeping. Just only changed bed position. However, she sneezed one more time, and again her nose dripped - clear liquid no blood or anything. She looks...sick again. She should have asked for food by now. Could she be getting some cold? I never seen where her nose would drip after a sneeze before. I just have a feeling something might be up that now she doesn't want to get up to eat. Reminds me back in May when she just remained in bed all day - took her to vet same evening and had high fever. no sneezing or anything - was deemed some type of infection. Maybe that was causing her to not eat yesterday...but Mirataz helped. Even through most of today. Just ever since she did 1 sneeze at 630pm that was it. she remained in bed since. What could it be?

 

[Tigger's Mum]

Oh ok. Just saw your reply - came in as I typed mines.

I cleared off the the left ear of any residue/med from this morning. Just awaiting vet's response, hoping soon. She's just reluctant to eat from her bowl and I know she's done this several times over past years. Why I have nooo idea why she does this. I just hope vet won't say it some issue to have the med in each ear like such

Just a thought. I wonder if she's got "whisker stress"? This is when a cat's sensitive whiskers touch the side of the bowl. As she's going/gone blind, her whiskers will be more sensitive than normal as they will compensate for her lack of sight and that could be why she's running away. Try giving her meals in a wide, shallow bowl or flat plate and see if that makes a difference.

 

[miguel99nyc]

Awaiting for vet place to open. Had some emergency this morning.

Left home around 6am to take family to work. Sassy was fine, ate well, and decided to wait for me around living room area like she typically would. Came back on hour later, she was in my room sitting (unaware I guess from being blind) and I saw her began to drip blood from her nose. She had used her litter box while i was out I noticed, but I wonder if she hit her nose or something. She was dripping blood from one side of her nose for a good 45 minutes or so and just now its finally starting to dry out a bit. Could this have been something other than hurting herself somehow? This is the first i ever experience this. Now shes just laying in bed sleeping but even while laying down she was bleeding so i placed tissues under her nose as such. Also, that half of her nostril is dark red/pink area while other half of nose is light pink.

What could it be?

 

[iPappy]

Poor Sassy, what time does the vet open?

 

[miguel99nyc]

Opens at 9 am but I dont think I will attempt to wake her up. Either the bleeding has dried up and clogged her nose or her bleeding has let up where it isn't dripping out as it was initially. She's now resting in her bed with blood dried up around that area of her nose but isn't dripping as she was before. I think i will let her sleep and see how she wakes up later. Need to go into work for a few. Scheduled off this entire week but needed to oversee something at work this morning. Hoping she gets up later but with no bleeding. For now seems like its letting off though or it has dried up. Just so hard to tell what could have caused it. I doubt its blood pressure...as her eye been making improvement and been on med everyday since October. I feel like either she hit her nose hard somwhere while I was out or something in that 1 hour time frame this morning. But it did concern me that it took nearly an hour for her to stop the blood dripping from her nostril.

 

[iPappy]

Opens at 9 am but I dont think I will attempt to wake her up. Either the bleeding has dried up and clogged her nose or her bleeding has let up where it isn't dripping out as it was initially. She's now resting in her bed with blood dried up around that area of her nose but isn't dripping as she was before. I think i will let her sleep and see how she wakes up later. Need to go into work for a few. Scheduled off this entire week but needed to oversee something at work this morning. Hoping she gets up later but with no bleeding. For now seems like its letting off though or it has dried up. Just so hard to tell what could have caused it. I doubt its blood pressure...as her eye been making improvement and been on med everyday since October. I feel like either she hit her nose hard somwhere while I was out or something in that 1 hour time frame this morning. But it did concern me that it took nearly an hour for her to stop the blood dripping from her nostril.

Maybe you could call the vet just to let them know what is going on. They might have some suggestions for you.

 

[Furballsmom]

I agree with Ipappy, especially since she was sneezing earlier.

 

[fionasmom]

I agree that the vet needs to be told. It may have a clear explanation, but I would not let this ride. That amount of blood would have required quite a hard hit on the nose.