Struggling With Play Time

[calicosrspecial]

That is very normal for cats (both Ash's reaction and Ember's). Cats react differently. But the fact they bounce back so fast is great.

It is difficult to know. You would know best if it is stress. The "go to" for a vet would be stress but she doesn't seem stressed given what I read and your feelings. But it makes sense the vet thinks that first. The point on allergies makes sense. One would think the skin would be rashy, red, etc. It is very hard to know the changes. It could be an internal immune response thing maybe or would that show up with irritated skin I wonder? I am glad to her the vet wasn't concerned. I would be more concerned if she was not eating or lethargic etc. Vets are tricky because it depends on their experience etc. And some are better at certain things than others. At this point I would keep an eye on it but I wouldn't worry too much. As long as she is acting normal then it can't be too serious but it can get really expensive (and sometimes it doesn't even help much) to go further and do all these tests etc. It is really hard to know what is best to do since it is not obvious.

Oh I know, it is just awful. SO scary. I have gone through that as well. It is interesting that the vet is seeing an increase in reactions as well. How is she doing today? I hope better.

:/ Yep, never fails. They just know.........................

 

[Animal Freak]

Yeah, I figured Ember probably had more of the survival instincts that told her silence was safer. I was just happy she wasn't completely shocked.

Well, I think everyone with cats knows they can be highly sensitive and very subtle. Maybe she isn't extremely stressed, but it's more constant rather than the high stress over short periods like usual. I'm certainly willing to try to limit any stress. I don't know about allergies. The vet didn't say too much on them. She didn't seem to believe allergies were a big possibility, but wanted to treat for them before doing anything major. I don't know what I'm going to do about it if we have to do a bunch of testing. I want to get it figured out and sorted, but I don't have tons of money to spend on it. Well, I have money. I can pay for it. But there's just a lot of other things I have to spend that money on as well.

It was really weird. Of course Stella is quite sensitive and it wouldn't have surprised me that much if it was just a bit sore and my mom touched it. She usually gets over things a bit quicker though. Even when her knee would go out of place, she'd act terribly, but then would get up and be ready to play again. She is better though. I think she just needed to sleep.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Yes. I think she did great. And her reaction when she came home tells me everything went well.

So true. It is possible as you point out. Maybe the ferals outside have been more active around the house causing her some stress that maybe itsn't really showing up. Yes, just do your best, give her extra love and play. That makes sense, it is always good to try if needed as it is fairly inexpensive to go that route (allergy). Well, don't worry at this point. We don't know what might be causing it, she doesn't seem to be showing any ill effects and the vet doesn't seem too worried so I think there is time. It is always a challenge to figure out what to do but I know you will make the right decisions.

Yes but this sounds more severe and probably related to the shot. I am so glad she is doing better so she must be strong and healthy to be able to overcome the reaction. I know how scary that is. And it happens more than we realize. :/ I am just glad she is doing better.

 

[Animal Freak]

If I were going to guess, I still wouldn't say she's stressed. I don't want to take it out entirely, but it doesn't seem like she is. I'll take the steps the vet gave and we'll see. I'd rather rule it out as an option than act like it isn't an option. I still have not seen her overgroom, itch at, or pull the fur though. It's just so weird. It's seems like there should some other symptoms.

Definitely more severe. Unfortunately, I forgot to give her Benadryl this morning. We're supposed to give her half a tablet every 12 hours for three days. Today would be day three. She started shivering. Then panting. Then pacing. I went ahead and give her the pill, but it went on for a while. It was sort of on and off. She got quite restless. The vet is closed. I think she's finally calmed down. She's still trembling a bit, but not as bad and no panting or pacing.

 

[calicosrspecial]

I trust your opinion so I am guessing you are right. A lot of strange things happen so it is not all that surprising. Even for humans ho can talk and explain it is hard to figure out even with advanced tests etc. The main thing is it doesn't seem to be bothering her or affecting her life in a negative way.

Poor Stella. So awful. That was a bad reaction. I am glad the benadryl helped. I hope she is even better now. Hopefully it will start dissipating soon. This is so awful I hope she gets better soon.

 

[Animal Freak]

Well, I am looking into more enrichment and things to help her feel more secure. The vet gave me a couple of sites to look at that were interesting. I'm just not sure how quickly I'm going to be able to implement everything though because I'm going to be ordering and making things. Both will take time. Right now it's mostly trying to keep things normal and calm, give her attention, and get the house back in order now that we're done with yard sales. Hopefully it'll help. If not with the fur loss, then maybe with her confidence levels and her relationship with Ash. At this point I'm pretty sure her fur loss bothers me more than it bothers her.

Yeah, it was scary. I was afraid we were going to be making a trip to the emergency clinic. She got better though. She was very clingy afterwards, however. Wouldn't even eat if I so much as left the room. She got over it around mid-day today.

 

[calicosrspecial]

That is great. Cats do like routines so maybe that is something that changed a little. And it could be their (Ash and Ember's) relationship might be a cause though it doesn't sound like it is too bad and that she hasn't really changed in her behavior (but maybe I am wrong). I know you will be able to improve things. Let's hope it is just a bit more stress that is causing the hair loss. I know, it is very easy to worry. Hang in there, all you can do is your best. The main thing is she is happy (which it sounds like she is).

VERY scary. Yes, that is so hard to figure out. It is normal for them to be more clingy as they aren't feeling "right" so look for comfort and protection. I am SO GLAD she is doing better. Let's hope she is past the worst of it now.

 

[Animal Freak]

Who knows with her. Ember can be so sensitive at times. She doesn't seem stressed, but I know there are times where there's something continuous just lingering in the back of my mind. It might not always affect how I act or anything, but it probably affects my mentality more than I even realize. Like her fur loss. Maybe it's the same for her. Some concern that doesn't directly affect her at all times, but is still on her mind. I hope it's something as simple as stress. It's not something I would usually hope for, but it's better than some major medical problem.

I think it has her a bit freaked out too. She's still been just a little clingy. Not bad, but she likes to know where I am and prefers to be there if possible. It seems to vary though. Sometimes she's completely fine with me leaving her view. Sometimes she won't let me get off the couch without jumping up and following me.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Cats can be very subtle so it is very possible. Cats are "routine" animals so when things change cats can get out of sync. I too hope it is stress rather than medical etc. But remember, cats take on our emotions so if it starts to stress you out she could pick up on it. Just do your best to reduce her stress and let's see how she does. Right now she sounds like she still is loving life and is happy so it doesn't seem to have any negative effect (other than aesthetics and being colder) up to this point. Just try to make her as happy as possible and get her purring and having fun. The vet doesn't sound too concerned so I would just do your best and kept on eye on her and try not to let it bother you too much (I know easier said than done).

Totally. It is understandable. It is good that she is not 24/7 clingy so maybe she is getting over it. Let's hope.

 

[Animal Freak]

Yeah. Hopefully it'll be simple and she'll grow her fur back. It really is a sad sight to see. I'm not even sure why, especially when it doesn't seem to bother her in the slightest. I don't want to see her keep losing fur though. I don't think I'm overly stressed about it just yet, but I am a bit concerned and definitely eager to figure out what's causing it.

I'm continuing the crate training as well. She enjoys the time to herself with treats, but we seem to have gone backwards in the actual training. Ember prefers rubbing on the crate, me, the walls, and everything else rather than actually getting in the kennel. She didn't immediately start doing that after going to the vet and still seems comfortable once it, so I don't think she's afraid. I think she's either bored of it or testing me to see what else she can do to get a treat.

No more allergic reactions, but Stella is still quite clingy. Sometimes she's so close she brushes against my legs when I walk. Sometimes she just wants to know where I'm at and is fine with that.

 

[calicosrspecial]

It is understandable. It will be interesting to see if things can improve. In the mean time just give her a lot of love and make her as happy as she can be.

I think she is "owning" the crate and you and that area and probably seeing what more she can get from you. Hahahaha, she is intelligent, no question.

That is GREAT news!! I am s happy she is better. It is understandable she is still a bit clingy. You helped her through it and protected her. That is a good reason to be near the one you love.

 

[Animal Freak]

I certainly will. At least I'll try. We'll see how it goes. The only thing I'm unsure of is how long to give it. Fur grows pretty slowly, so it's not like I can see a dramatic difference very quickly. The vet said a couple of weeks, but that's a bit vague and some of the things I need/want to implement take a bit of time.

Sometimes a little too intelligent. We'll see how long she keeps this up. Right now we've gone back to me having to put my hand in the crate and keep it there until she's at least mostly in it. We had gotten to me just gesturing to it and giving the command. Heck, she'd even go in on her own while I was getting more treats. I could hardly keep up with her.

I've never seen something have such a lasting affect though. The only other time something stayed with her was when her knee went out on the dining room floor and she's still a bit wary of running after a toy on that floor, but even that didn't make her clingy like this. She's also taken to trying to go to my mom's room at night if I go to the bathroom and I'm not sure why. Maybe she just doesn't want to me alone? But then she stays in the living room by herself after I feed her in the morning and the bathroom is only a couple of steps from my bedroom, between the two rooms.

 

[calicosrspecial]

That is the tricky part. I always listen to the vet since they are experts but I agree behavioral can take more time. Just do what you think is best. I would also ask the vet what it could be if it wasn't stress or allergies (meaning an immune issue etc) and what could be done if it was something other than stress or allergies. Always feel free to ask the vet any questions. Sometimes it is an easy solution and sometimes there is no solution so depending on the potential remedies that can help in making a decision.

She is!! So funny and cute. I am really impressed because that is one of the hardest things to teach a cat in my opinion. Well done!!

I have seen it before. It was a scary and traumatic experience for her. It could be she is more afraid of the dark as well. We don't know exactly what happened to her senses during that reaction so it could be her sight was affected or she just wasn't as coherent as usual and the dark reminds her of that? The good news is she seems like she is going to get better from here. I have seen bad reactions and it is really scary. Poor Stella. Let's hope she is going to be 100% soon.

 

[Animal Freak]

I'll certainly keep that in mind and try to remember to ask. I know my mom brought up hypothyroidism. Or was it hyper? I think I hypo. The vet said it was really unlikely, but that would be part of they'd be testing for if it came to that point. I really don't know what could be causing it. I tried doing a quick search on possible causes, but it didn't match anything. Nothing really described this sort of localized fur loss. Of course, it's spread to other places now, but in the beginning it was just her lower abdomen. It wasn't like she was losing patches of fur all over.

It really wasn't that hard. She's very food motivated and didn't have a whole lot of negative experiences with the crate. Not to mention, we use it for the dog, so it's left out all the time. It's a normal part of their lives. The hardest thing to teach them is to back off and wait for me to get the treats ready! She's always rubbing on my hands, patting my hands, and trying to take the treats from me. She did show me just how smart she is the other day. Really impressed me. For as much as she uses her paws, I've never been able to time it to teach her high five. Somehow I actually managed to do it. It just barely a tap of her paw on my hand, but I rewarded for it immediately. And after that she did it fairly consistency. Not 100%, but enough to prove she understood. All it took was one time. That's not something you come across even in dogs. Even really smart dogs usually take a few repetitions before making the connection. I can't say I've heard of anyone, cat or dog, learning with only one repetition. It's the cutest high five ever too. She just barely pokes my hand really quick and pulls away. Like a little flick of her paw.

I suppose that's true. I didn't think of that. It didn't seem like her vision was affected considering she was pacing quite a lot, but I can't say it wasn't. It's still been really back and forth with her. Usually she jumps off the couch at the first sign of me getting up even if I'm not actually getting up. I hope she gets over it soon. Her following me doesn't bother me, but I worry about her mental/emotional health and how she'll handle being alone since I haven't had to leave her alone for long periods of time in a while.

 

[calicosrspecial]

It is hard because one would think there would be other symptoms. It has spread, hmmmmmmm. Keep looking and talking with the vet and watching for any other symptoms. It is so hard.

WOW, that is amazing. She is highly intelligent, no question. On the crate, well, cats typically shy away from enclosed places that are mostly unknown BUT you are there so you give her security, you have that trust. I think it is still very impressive she is so good with the crate regardless of her prior exposure to it. I know exactly what you mean on how gentle she is on the high five, she doesn't want to hurt you. Another sign of how aware and smart she really is.

I wouldn't worry too much. It sounds like she is getting better. But I know what you mean. But I think she will feel better more often and she will get her "sea legs" soon. It is traumatic for both of you sadly but she will get better. Dogs are resilient and I am sure she will be as well. I think you will see more progress soon.

 

[Animal Freak]

I will. I definitely want to figure this out. Even if it's nothing major, I'd rather know than wonder. I don't want to see her lose all of her fur.

She really is an intelligent cat. They do surprise me at times. Not that I don't think they're smart, but they pick up on things quicker than I expect. It's funny that cats don't typically like crates. It's on Ash's list of favorite places to sleep that he rotates through. Not his most common place and only sticks with it for a couple of days or so, but he sleeps in there. Frost has been sleeping in it quite a lot since Ember went to the vet. And Ember holds no fear towards it despite her recent trip to the vet in it. Her high five really is just about the cutest thing. It's so soft and delicate.

I hope so. I just don't like the thought that she's living in fear, but she doesn't seem outright fearful. She just doesn't want me to leave. She gets over things well. Got over being chased by two pit bulls better than either my mom or I did and wasn't even fazed by her skinned pad, so I know she's resilient.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Very understandable. I will say even in humans it is hard to figure out causes and it is even more difficult with animals. But let's hope we do get a cause and maybe a solution. Fingers crossed.

She is very impressive. You must have created a really positive association with the crate for all of them which is fantastic. That is the goal but a lot of the time it is very hard to achieve. You really have done a great job.

I know but sometimes we think things that may not be as severe as the animal thinks. Because they can't communicate formally then we have to interpret actions which can be misleading. I am guessing there is some fear or unease but it doesn't sound too bad, it sounds pretty normal and understandable. But I am not seeing her. And of course, she may just love the attention so clinginess can be confused. Wow, bouncing back from a pitbull almost attack is really impressive. I think she will be fine, she sounds very strong. I know you will help her be as happy and secure as possible.

 

[Animal Freak]

I sure hope we do. I think she's lost some more fur. It's been at least relatively recently, but might not have just happened. It's not enough to be easily noticeable, but enough that I can see a difference.

I honestly didn't do much of anything. I put a little catnip in it before the vet trip, so that might be why Frost likes it all of a sudden. Ash has always like the crate though and I can't say why. He goes to the vet more than the other two because of his UTIs.

She doesn't act fearful. At least not anymore than usual. She's always been a bit of a coward. Stella's just very clingy now and she hasn't been like that in a while. Not at home anyway. She's actually worse than this when we go to other people's houses.

So Sunday night Ash got sick. He threw up a thick paste of undigested wet cat food. That was maybe an hour after eating. A few minutes after running around like a crazy cat. In the process of cleaning that up, Ember threw up a whitish liquid. Frost threw up his dry snack yesterday and somebody had diarrhea. I've no idea what's going on with them. They all act fine, eat well, have good levels of energy...

 

[calicosrspecial]

I hope so too and I hope it is an easy cause and solution. Hmmmmmm, poor Ember.

Hmmmmmm, I think you did more than that. You did do treat training. But being modest is good. The vet must really be good with the cats since they don't seem to mind going at all. I think it is so great they are good with the crate. I wish all of mine were. :/

That is good. I wonder if she just loves the extra attention you are giving her. They do tend to like that and I am guessing you really made over her.

Oh my, they picked up something. I never know where the can. If it is after a vet visit then it makes sense. But when there isn't anything out of the ordinary. I know I always worry about bringing something in from the ferals. I actually have 2 of mine that threw up yesterday. I wonder if there is something going around. Odd that we both have cats that threw up. :/ Mine too are all acting normal, eating well, etc. I know one of mine if she does get too wild after eating she will throw up but I was surprised the other one threw up. Sometimes they can eat too fast or run around too much (like Ash and my cat) or get into something they shouldn't have or licked something etc. Hopefully it will just pass fast and it is a one off. Ash makes sense to me but Ember and Frost. Hmmmmmmmm. Like my other one, I don't know what was going on either. Let's hope it is just a one off thing for both of us.

 

[Animal Freak]

I hope so too. She's getting so naked.

Hmm... I don't know if I'd say the vet is good with them. Or that they don't mind going. They do bounce back pretty well afterwards, but they hate the trip itself. Ash tries to hide under the posters on the wall when we're there. The vet is good about getting things done and not having to hold on to them too much. She's quick about it, but not necessarily gentle. I can't say I don't know why. Cats can be difficult to hold on to. Ash in particular.

I don't know. I'm hoping she gets over it with time because I worry about leaving her alone in this state of mind, but there's not much I can do to help it right now.

It is weird we both have cats throwing up... I wonder what it's about. Fortunately no other issues so far, but I'm still keeping an eye out. I wonder what could have caused that that was gone so quickly. It's odd that they can all get sick around the same time and then have no other issues after that other than someone did have diarrhea. Haven't seen any more of that though. I could see why Ash did. Frost threw up pretty much immediately after eating, but it seemed weird that he would've eaten too quickly when 1. he has plenty of time since the other two are locked up and 2. it's in a food dispenser that he has to knock it out of.