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Caring For Your Cat / Re: Queen Eva threw up with a pink tinge
« Last post by Middle Child on February 24, 2024, 09:44:50 AM »
Another little update.  After I stopped the psyllium and resumed the 2nd lactulose dose she didn't poop at all for a little over 48 hours. This morning she finally had a great big poop, very firm and long, another anal gland clearing type, if she needed any additional clearing out.

I'm still watching how she moves like a hawk, at the first sign she's going back to that painful hobble, instead of that free and easy trot, I'm upping the pred again.
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Caring For Your Cat / Re: Queen Eva threw up with a pink tinge
« Last post by Middle Child on February 24, 2024, 06:28:36 AM »
So maybe put a reminder on your July calendar to go over the medication regimen with D?


If I used a calendar lol. I am the little slips of paper all over the place type haha. Anyway it's very simple.  Prepare 1st meal.  Separate about 0.3 oz of the 1st meal, add the lactulose and the prednisolone, stir to mix well, dust forti flora over it and put it in front of her.  If she leaves any (she usually doesn't) dust a little more forti flora over it to ensure she gets it all.  Then put the remainder of her meal in her meal spot.

Hopefully, she won't need to know. I've medicated her cats at various times over the years when she goes away, but she goes away, on vacations, long ones. I never do that. She's a lot more casual about things than I am.

 Once I started my job at the city, and didn't have the flexibility, she started using a cattery instead. She used to try to get me to take the cats to my place, I always refused. I told her cats are happier in their own homes.  Even this time, she asked me several times wouldn't I rather she brought Queen Eva to her house and I said no, Queen Eva will be far better off, even alone, at her own house, than in a strange house with a strange cat.  Funny how some people really don't seem to understand that.

But she is a very good friend and I am grateful for her in my life. I am grateful to myself too, for her in my life, because I was the one who initiated the friendship. She responded favorably and now we've been friends for 19 years.

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Caring For Your Cat / Re: Queen Eva threw up with a pink tinge
« Last post by Pookie on February 23, 2024, 05:14:11 PM »
So maybe put a reminder on your July calendar to go over the medication regimen with D?

A nap . . . sounds nice!  And it's the weekend, so you can rest more!   thumbsup1
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Caring For Your Cat / Re: Queen Eva threw up with a pink tinge
« Last post by Middle Child on February 23, 2024, 03:24:17 PM »
No I won't be able to do that. It exhausts me to have company. That's not new of course, I've always been like that. But now, it's going to be even more so.  Once I return to work I won't be doing anything on weekends at all for a very long time.

D and I switch off our visits. She has me at Christmas time (not always on the day, depending on when it falls, because if it's on a weekday I have work the next day), I have her midwinter.  Her turn next for Easter, I go there on Saturday rather than Sunday for Easter Sunday because I can't do anything on Sundays, since I have work on Monday. Then I have her over July 4th during my week of July vacation, then she has me in the fall, then she comes here on Thanksgiving, then it is Christmas at hers again. :)

Queen Eva and I have both been exhausted today. I would even say, Wiped Out. She slept in a Burrow under the bottom sheet before I could even make the bed, while I was doing laundry and taking off my heart monitor (ouch!) and showering, and having my lunch. Once I settled on the couch she came out of her Burrow and joined me under the cover that I pulled over us both.  I read until I dozed off and slept for real maybe a half hour but dozed a bit longer before I got up.

Queen Eva did not get up when I did and is still under the covers on the couch, 2 hours later. The sun came out so I went out and had a very gentle walk, I couldn't manage my usual vigor and I didn't bother to try to reach a certain goal, I just walked until I got tired and came in and it was 24 minutes. Now I'm heading back to the couch. :)
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Caring For Your Cat / Re: Queen Eva threw up with a pink tinge
« Last post by Pookie on February 23, 2024, 11:48:18 AM »
Yeah, those "senior moments" are so much fun, aren't they?   ::)

Maybe you could have D over again in a few weeks and show her then?
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Caring For Your Cat / Re: Queen Eva threw up with a pink tinge
« Last post by Middle Child on February 23, 2024, 09:24:15 AM »
I know, hilarious isn't it?  When I was a kid, we used to say the cat's nose was "working overtime" when we saw a cat sniffing the air like that.

I think she cleaned them out, it looks normal now, and I'm going to stop the psyllium and go back to the lactulose. I had company today, just a quiet friend she's known all her life, the friend who took care of her while I was in hospital. But we're both exhausted. Company, even this friend, is exhausting.. :)

She's a bit clingy this morning and I wonder if it has something to do with D being here yesterday. I wanted her to come over but I didn't want to have to cook so we decided to get McDonalds as a rare "treat" for both of us. Neither of us eat that kind of food normally, but there is a McDs right down the street.

So once D got here and we settled in, and Queen Eva came out to say hello,  I ran out to get the food, leaving D and Queen Eva together in the house.  I was gone about 15 minutes. I thought it was an ideal way to reinforce to Queen Eva that, even if D is in the house with her, and I am not, I am always going to come back.

This morning I realized I missed an opportunity to show D the medication regimen, just in case she needs to know it.
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Caring For Your Cat / Re: Queen Eva threw up with a pink tinge
« Last post by Pookie on February 23, 2024, 08:53:45 AM »
 Hug1 Hug1 Hug1 Hug1 Hug1
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Caring For Your Cat / Re: Queen Eva threw up with a pink tinge
« Last post by Middle Child on February 22, 2024, 03:53:35 PM »
I know, hilarious isn't it?  When I was a kid, we used to say the cat's nose was "working overtime" when we saw a cat sniffing the air like that.

I think she cleaned them out, it looks normal now, and I'm going to stop the psyllium and go back to the lactulose. I had company today, just a quiet friend she's known all her life, the friend who took care of her while I was in hospital. But we're both exhausted. Company, even this friend, is exhausting.. :)
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Caring For Your Cat / Re: Queen Eva threw up with a pink tinge
« Last post by Pookie on February 22, 2024, 11:32:28 AM »
Yesterday I remembered my old "coconut oil on the bottom" trick. It was so funny.  I had a smidge of it on my finger as she was getting her Fly Swatter Game in. As she turned I swiped her bottom with the oil which by that time had turned to liquid, she didn't seem to notice,  then continued to pat her for a second or two, until she suddenly started smelling the coconut.  Her nose started sniffing the air and she kept looking down her side to her bottom hee hee. At that point I dropped the fly swatter (the finger I had used was poking out to not touch anything) and went and washed my hands.  When I came back to the bedroom she had discovered the source of the coconut smell and was busily washing the area. Washing and washing and washing, which was the whole point. She clearly did not associate me at all with it.

 funny2 funny2 funny2 funny2 funny2  thumbsup1

LOVE IT!  I'd forgotten about that, too, until I read it and then I remembered you doing that to Mazy Cat, I think.  That's pawsome that she didn't realize you did it.

 fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed the glands are expressed and that she continues to do well on the lower dose.   HeadButt
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Caring For Your Cat / Re: Queen Eva threw up with a pink tinge
« Last post by Middle Child on February 22, 2024, 07:58:37 AM »
Yesterday I remembered my old "coconut oil on the bottom" trick. It was so funny.  I had a smidge of it on my finger as she was getting her Fly Swatter Game in. As she turned I swiped her bottom with the oil which by that time had turned to liquid, she didn't seem to notice,  then continued to pat her for a second or two, until she suddenly started smelling the coconut.  Her nose started sniffing the air and she kept looking down her side to her bottom hee hee. At that point I dropped the fly swatter (the finger I had used was poking out to not touch anything) and went and washed my hands.  When I came back to the bedroom she had discovered the source of the coconut smell and was busily washing the area. Washing and washing and washing, which was the whole point. She clearly did not associate me at all with it.

later I got a good look at her and it was all clean, and the little dots were very faint, but still there, so I repeated the psyllium last night, including the Reveal broth chaser..

Early this morning I was still in bed and she had just been in for her undercover tummy massage and cuddle. After she left me I heard her jump in the litter box and pee. Then a lot of digging, prolonged silence, then a lot more digging and kicking (sounds which often indicate a bigger than normal poop).

When I got up I had a look and she had a longer firmer poop,  but it didn't have the odor I would expect with clearing anal glands though. I had a quick check and things look better but I'll try later to get a closer look. She's still skittish in the mornings, because I was giving her the pred by syringe. It goes in her food now, but she's still waiting for me to grab her and squirt it down her throat. Plus I did grab her and weigh her this morning, much to her annoyance.  I better cut back, she's gained another two ounces. I don't like her to go over 7 pounds.

We're five days in on the lower dose and she's still playing her active Games, and eating, so fingers crossed! last time I reduced it she had relapsed in only 3 days. But it's the pain benefit I am most concerned about now.  I love seeing her so active again, asking for all her old body-flinging games, and trotting around the house with a free and easy gait. It makes my heart lift to see her move like that.

First sign that's stopped, I'm putting the dose back up.
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