Author Topic: Mazy cat's arthritis  (Read 50075 times)

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Offline Pookie

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #150 on: July 15, 2017, 04:52:19 PM »
I hope the GLM continues to provide this benefit for her for a long long time.

I hope so, too!   fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed  :)
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Offline Lola

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #151 on: July 16, 2017, 04:22:44 PM »
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #152 on: July 16, 2017, 06:39:56 PM »
Thanks you guys.  I just can't believe it.  She's making jumps I haven't seen her do in years.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #153 on: August 05, 2017, 09:14:42 AM »
Mazy cat has a MAT.  I'm posting this in her arthritis thread because mats along the spine are not uncommon in cats with arthritis.  This is because they have trouble bending and reaching certain spots.  But with the amount of activity Mazy cat shows, and her ability to leap and fly around, I never dreamed she might be having trouble reaching certain spots on her body for washing.

Anyway I felt the mat one day when she was on my lap here, while I was on the computer.  Well at first I thought it was an -almost mat- The hair there felt a bit stiff, not soft and flowing like her normal fur.  She let me scratch there, and work the fur through my fingers, and then underneath I felt a sure enough mat.

Mazy cat allows very little in the way of grooming and I've let her slide on this.  For years I worked on getting her to accept a few strokes down her back with the comb when she's on my chest when I'm reading on the couch at night.  But I've let that slide over the past few years.

My reasoning was, I want her purring as long as possible (good for digestion and well being) and when she sleeps on me like that she purrs.  When I start with the comb she tolerates two or three strokes then growls and gets off me.

Anyway, so knowing the mat was there, one time I picked up the comb while she was walking past me and swiped it down her back.  She swore at me, and I missed the mat.  So last night while she was on me purring and petted her until I found the spot. It wasn't right where I remembered it.  I forgot to say she doesn't like a lot of petting when she is on me either.  She just wants to lie on my chest and purr and doze (after kneading for a few minutes)

Anyway I had her comb at the ready.  After finding the spot I stealthily reached for the comb and resting my hand where the mat was I quickly swiped the comb down, moving my hand at the last minute.  I got a bit of the mat and stroked again, and again, each time the comb would snag on the mat and then come through. It wasn't very big, just a few tangled spots, which would have become a big mat if I hadn't found it.

In the tangled spots there was a bit of dandruff/skin flakes mixed in.

SHE LET ME DO THIS! Mazy cat let me comb out that mat.  I couldn't believe it!  I gave 7 strokes in all and I think I got all of it.  She never growled or protested, even when the comb pulled a bit. And she stayed on me.  I put the comb down and she went back to her snooze.

Obviously she knew she had a mat and needed help with it from me.  However I've told her that she is now going to have to let me comb her down her back and especially in that area, again.

She's just been up on my lap here as I was typing. (left because I was typing too much) and allowed me to feel all over the area where the mat had been, and there's no more, so I did get it all.

Offline Pookie

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #154 on: August 05, 2017, 10:58:02 PM »
I'm so glad she let you do it, and you're right, I'm sure she knew she needed help with it, which is why she didn't protest.  She's a smart girl.

It always amazes me, the relationship you two have.  Not just that you know her limits, but that she knows when you're trying to help her.   HeadButt HeadButt
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #155 on: August 06, 2017, 01:27:05 PM »
Thanks Pookie.  I, too, am often amazed at our relationship and bond, though I don't know why I should be.  It's the type of bond I am used to with my cats, but still...she never fails to astound me. I guess it's because I remember her early days when she was not socialized.  I also know that that scared wild cat is still lurking just under the surface even after all these years, it's only that she controls it.

Mazy cat is an amazing cat. I am honored daily by the trust she puts in me.

On to more practical things.  I am keeping a close eye on that spot (much to her annoyance haha) I see it tends to flake there, too. Not a lot, but now that I am looking (after noticing the flakes involved in the mat) I see them.

I hope she will let me run a comb over her, especially over that area, now and then to keep control over it. I did try last night after warning her what I was going to do, but she refused after the first stroke. And she let her back claws out a little when she jumped off me too. That's how much she disapproved!  funny2

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #156 on: August 07, 2017, 05:43:37 AM »
I got the back claws again last night.  funny2

This morning I found another mat, in her neck ruff.  :( It's very thick there.  She has such heavy fur.

Offline Pookie

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #157 on: August 07, 2017, 12:59:17 PM »
This morning I found another mat, in her neck ruff.  :( It's very thick there.  She has such heavy fur.

 fingerscrossed that she lets you help her with it.  fingerscrossed
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #158 on: August 07, 2017, 04:46:08 PM »
Thanks Pookie! Not yet.......

Offline Lola

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #159 on: August 07, 2017, 08:10:08 PM »
Quote
I'm posting this in her arthritis thread because mats along the spine are not uncommon in cats with arthritis.  This is because they have trouble bending and reaching certain spots.

Since she isn't fed dry, I was wondering why the mats.  Thanks for the explanation! 

Sorry about the back nails.   Silly7  I have no doubt she WILL let you help her... once she gets entirely used to the idea.   HeadButt
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #160 on: August 08, 2017, 06:07:17 AM »
Mazy cat never stops surprising me. I got the mat under her ruff last night. It was driving me crazy that it was there. It was tiny, like I said but I didn't want it to have a chance to grow. She wouldn't let me even feel for it when she was on my lap anymore, she was getting so annoyed with me about it.

 I just picked her up and carried her into the bathroom and shut the door talking to her about it all the while.

I put her in between my knees in the holding position and combed the ruff out and got it out. She let me do it without even a growl! Of course I praised her and thanked her, released her, opened the door and she trotted off without another thought about it.

She is just the most amazing cat.

It was very small, just a little bit of fur twisted. Felt much bigger before I could see it.

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #161 on: August 08, 2017, 11:01:04 AM »
I put her in between my knees in the holding position and combed the ruff out and got it out. She let me do it without even a growl! Of course I praised her and thanked her, released her, opened the door and she trotted off without another thought about it.

multistars multistars multistars multistars multistars
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #162 on: August 09, 2017, 04:43:23 AM »
That mat on her back/spine is back again already!  I combed it off last night and Mazy cat was greatly annoyed. I keep telling her she's going to have to let me swipe that spot every day now.  She Does  Not Agree.

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #163 on: August 09, 2017, 03:47:28 PM »
That mat on her back/spine is back again already!  I combed it off last night and Mazy cat was greatly annoyed. I keep telling her she's going to have to let me swipe that spot every day now.  She Does  Not Agree.

I got the back mat off, just now, that I found this morning.  It wasn't QUITE a mat yet, but almost.  The fur was thickened and twisted. I had to just hold her still and comb it out with her screaming bloody murder.  I was NOT hurting her!

I also found one on the left side of her thick ruff, to match the one on her right side that I removed the other day, and a new tiny one on the right side.  I got them too. 

 Maybe I should have started a new mat thread after all.  What the heck is going on with these mats?  Her fur is just superior in quality, thick soft, shiny, couldn't be nicer.  But she is getting these mats.

Offline DeeDee

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #164 on: August 09, 2017, 04:55:36 PM »

 Maybe I should have started a new mat thread after all.  What the heck is going on with these mats?  Her fur is just superior in quality, thick soft, shiny, couldn't be nicer.  But she is getting these mats.

Barkly will get mats if I don't watch it. It's always places that he likes laying and rubbing on--we call it the wiggles--his sides of ruff, bottom of ears and chest.
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