Author Topic: Mazy cat's arthritis  (Read 50024 times)

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Offline Middle Child

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Mazy cat's arthritis
« on: September 30, 2016, 06:10:18 PM »
Mazy cat is starting to get a bit wobbly with her back legs. I noticed it a little last year when it first got cold, and in fact remember mentioning it to the vet, but I don't remember her saying anything useful.

Last Sunday it was chilly but sunny and Mazy cat spent the whole day on the porch.  I was so happy for her to be able to spend the whole day out there (when it's hot I have to bring her in by midday) I didn't even think about it being chilly.

She stiffened right up, that night and the next day she was really stiff and reluctant to move much at all.

I got the self warming beds out, and she's using them and doing much better but I still have some concerns.

My biggest worry is Queen Eva has been playing really rough with her, well they've always played that way, after all Queen Eva learned how to play from Mazy cat and Mazy cat was a rough player.  But now she can't hold herself against Queen Eva and Queen Eva is rolling her. It's really started to worry me, especially as I've noticed Mazy cat hesitating and not jumping down from someplace, or not coming up the stairs, if she sees Queen Eva lurking. So I know Queen Eva must be hurting her.

Mazy cat still initiates Games with Queen Eva though.

Mazy cat is doing better now with the warming beds to keep her warm during naps, but I've been calling Queen Eva away when I see her stalking Mazy cat or barring the way for Mazy cat to get down or come up the stairs.

Now I've started talking to Queen Eva and telling her she needs to be more gentle with Mazy cat.  I talk to her about it when she comes under the covers for her early morning cuddle after the alarm goes off, and at night when she comes under the covers for her bed time cuddle.

I told her about how when Ootay got old and fragile how gentle Tolly was with her, pretending to pounce on her but never even touching her, just landing over her.  Then he would wrap his arms around her and bring her down, on top of himself.  Of course Tolly was almost twice Ootay's size, and Queen Eva is much smaller than Mazy cat, but I wanted to give her an idea of what I meant. I pictured it in my mind as I was telling her about it.

I tell her it's okay to keep playing with Mazy cat but she needs to be careful and stop rolling Mazy cat because it hurts her.  I tell Queen Eva she can pounce, but be gentle and just hop over her instead of knocking her down. 

And incredibly, I just saw Queen Eva do exactly that.  Mazy cat did a side stepping come-and-get-me prance, and Queen Eva threw her self at Mazy cat, but at the last minute, as Mazy cat ducked, Queen Eva's body kind of slid over Mazy cat's ducked head, instead of knocking her over in a roll! Maybe it was a fluke.  Or maybe she really does understand and is going to try to be more gentle.  I praised her highly for it.


Offline Pookie

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2016, 09:38:12 PM »
As I read the first part I was thinking:  talk to Queen Eva.  And then I got to the rest and saw you did.   DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy  I don't think it's a fluke at all.  I think they understand a lot more than we give them credit for.  You may (or may not) have to keep reminding her, but I do think she understood you, esp. when you were picturing Ootay and Tolly in your mind.


I'm sorry about Mazy's arthritis.   :(
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2016, 08:28:50 AM »
Thanks Pookie.  I will continue to talk to her about it at both cuddle times.  She comes up to the top of the covers and pulls at them with her claws until I lift them for her.  She comes under then climbs over my body and curls herself into my stomach chirping and murmuring. That's the only time I get to rub her little tummy.  She loves a tummy rub at this time.  As she is getting her rub I talk to her about Mazy cat. Last night and this morning I brought up how I had seen her jump over Mazy cat instead of knocking her down and pictured it in my mind for her.

I had the heating pad out last night for my back, and of course Mazy cat uses it when I am not (when I am home, of course I unplug it when I go out)

I turned it on for her this morning and waited for her to find it.

She did  love1

Offline DeeDee

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2016, 09:18:54 AM »
Since they've proven that dogs understand more than has been thought before, why wouldn't cats?

http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/31/health/dogs-words-mri-study/

Quote
(CNN)Do you ever wonder whether Fido really understands what you're saying?

He might be catching on to more than you think -- and your intonation when saying certain words is just as important to him as the words themselves, according to a small study published in the journal Science on Tuesday.

Dogs use the left hemisphere of the brain to process words, similar to humans, said Attila Andics, a research fellow at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary and lead author of the study.

Meanwhile, the study also suggests that dogs use a right hemisphere brain region to process intonation independently of words, which means they may separate what you say from how you say it.
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2016, 09:34:54 AM »
Thanks Dee, yes I've always been a big believer in talking to them and telling them what's going on and what you expect from them. But I think it's a matter of building that bond too.  You know, if you want your cat or dog to understand you, you have to put in the time and effort to communicate with them, and, most importantly, to pay attention to what they communicate to us.

Offline Pookie

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2016, 08:22:06 PM »
I had the heating pad out last night for my back, and of course Mazy cat uses it when I am not (when I am home, of course I unplug it when I go out)

I turned it on for her this morning and waited for her to find it.

She did  love1

I love her expression in that picture.  It looks like she's saying, "Thanks, Mommy.  HeadButt"
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2016, 06:25:51 PM »
I don't know why I am so amazed at the way Queen Eva has responded to my request that she be more careful with Mazy cat.  But I am seeing it over and over. Instead of rolling her, Queen Eva will pretend she's going to roll her and jump over her instead.  Or rush up to her and instead of jumping on her she just runs her body along side Mazy cat's.

it's just incredible!

Offline Pookie

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2016, 11:13:37 PM »
You're a good communicator, and she's a good listener and a good girl!   DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2016, 04:54:51 AM »
Except this morning.  She was feeling rebellious for some reason.  She was having her morning combing in the bathroom while I was telling her how proud I was of her and she bit me.  Then she proceeded to run out into the living room and roll Mazy cat.

Hope she got it out of her system, haha!

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #9 on: October 07, 2016, 09:15:29 PM »
Oh I wish I could catch on video how careful Queen Eva is with Mazy cat now!  She's perfected the Non-roll!  I just don't know how to describe it.  Before she would throw herself at Mazy cat going into a kind of somersault-ish move, knocking Mazy cat over and rolling over with her. 

Mazy cat would flinch (if she had time) squeak and hiss, before extracting herself and running away.

When I first started talking to Queen Eva about stopping this, she started doing kind of a half roll over Mazy cat's head instead.  Also the brush -by.  But now she has it down pat, she flings herself over Mazy cat in a roll, but barely touches her! It's incredible and remarkably like what Tolly used to do with out the hug and hold at the end.

It's almost like she does a flip over Mazy cat.  She still does the brush-by too.

 Mazy cat isn't flinching away from her any more either!

Ugh, have to go to bed.  I had already shut the machine down, I booted it back up because I wanted to share this while it was still fresh in my mind, having just seen her do it again.

Offline Pookie

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2016, 09:18:08 PM »
That's wonderful!  Thanks for sharing!   thumbsup1
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Offline Lola

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #11 on: October 08, 2016, 02:08:27 PM »
What an adorable picture!! 
Glad Queen Eva and Mazy are still playing... just softer.  :) 
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #12 on: October 10, 2016, 11:21:01 AM »
I have taken some steps to keep her more comfortable as the weather gets colder.

I have designated one of the warming beds to a porch bed.  I thought I was going to have to make a new one, because they don't take kindly to their beds being moved around, but since I put them away for the summer, and only just got them out, a couple weeks ago, I had forgotten one.  Since it hadn't been given a permanent inside home yet this year, it's been turned into a porch bed.  I bring it in, not leaving it out there, but I don't place it anywhere usable. (more to come)

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #13 on: October 10, 2016, 11:23:49 AM »
Mazy cat has three Box Beds in the house.  I have rigged them up with yoga mat and reflective blanket.  I have put a piece of reflective blanket between the box and the mat, and a piece of yoga mat between the bed and the floor.

So the Box Beds are now cushioned, off the floor, and will reflect her body heat back to her.


Offline Lola

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #14 on: October 10, 2016, 08:58:33 PM »
I got a kick out of the edges of the box in the picture on the bottom. 
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