Author Topic: Mazy cat's arthritis  (Read 50061 times)

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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #45 on: November 22, 2016, 05:04:53 AM »
Mazy cat is getting a tiny dusting of the GLM every day.  It has a strong smell and she appears to like it okay.  I am eager to get her on the full dose but am being very careful about not rushing it.  Since this snow storm moved in she's been in a very bad way.

She's using her stepping stools now finally but she needs one more, downstairs at the litter box platform.  I'll pick it up after work today.

I could squeeze a litter box in my bathroom for her but I hate to do it.  It's important for a cat, for anyone with arthritis, to keep moving so I want her to continue to use the stairs.  She doesn't seem to have any trouble with them really. 

I hate having a box in my bathroom, and when I had one in there for Ootay, Mazy cat was very upset about it.

Offline Lola

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #46 on: November 22, 2016, 04:32:02 PM »
Glad to here the GLM arrived!
I'd skip putting a litter box in the bathroom if at all possible... for the reasons you stated and more!   
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #47 on: November 22, 2016, 06:54:51 PM »
Thanks Lola.  I did get the tote just in case.  But it can live in my car for now (no place for it in the house) I'll have to cut out an entrance for her if it comes to that.

Tonight I just gave her a half scoop of the GLM in a small serving (.3 oz) of chicken breast and EZc.  She ate it right up.  Now to see if how her digestion handles it.

The scoop is very small, meaning a ful daily dose is not a large amount, thankfully.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #48 on: November 23, 2016, 04:31:41 PM »
I put the new stool down stairs last night.  She wound't use it.  Tonight she's using it as if it was her own brilliant idea, both up and down.

I was thinking of  some little self adhesive carpet squares to put on them.  The tops of them aren't bad, rubber with little no slip bumps. But carpet would be warmer on her feet. 

What do you think? 

Offline Pookie

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #49 on: November 23, 2016, 09:45:51 PM »
I put the new stool down stairs last night.  She wound't use it.  Tonight she's using it as if it was her own brilliant idea, both up and down.

I was thinking of  some little self adhesive carpet squares to put on them.  The tops of them aren't bad, rubber with little no slip bumps. But carpet would be warmer on her feet. 

What do you think? 

Sounds like a great idea!  Would the carpet squares stick since the surface/bumps?
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #50 on: November 27, 2016, 08:49:17 AM »
She can't sit on her haunches any more.  She lies down or stands up, or sits on her tailbone. She walks okay, gets up and down with her stools, but never sits.

Also, she's having some constipation and that is probably something to do with being unable to crouch for long enough.

I'm starting to understand why people are willing to use metacam in their cats. I wouldn't use it in a younger cat, but with Mazy cat, I am starting to....weaken. Quality of life being more important than quantity, will I risk kidney failure to give her a pain free life?

 I know I need to give the GLM time to work.

I know there are other alternatives, cold laser and adequan injections. But of course those (and metacam too) involve bring Mazy cat to the vet. And we all know what that's like.

She plays every day.  She likes to chase the Yeeow tomato. I roll it, she does a point and wiggle then trots after it. She no longer kicks at it with her hind feet, just kind of lowers herself to the floor and grabs it with her front paws.

She'll play with a string or wand toy, batting at it, even chasing it for a few minutes, but inevitably lies down and bats at it that way.

It's even more difficult taking her to the vet now that my vet is so anti-raw and blames everything on the raw diet.

<edit>  I just watched her scratching on the cardboard X scratcher.  You'd never know there was a thing wrong seeing her do that.  So why can't she sit?

Offline DeeDee

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #51 on: November 27, 2016, 11:31:13 AM »
Get her in your lap and go through her fur in the area that she normally uses to sit. Go through it VERY carefully. Make sure there's nothing stuck in that area that you can't feel with just a quick rub.
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Offline Pookie

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #52 on: November 27, 2016, 11:41:57 AM »
Dee makes a good suggestion.  It doesn't hurt to check the area where she'd sit for anything unusual.

 :(  I really wish I knew of something to say that would help.  All I can think of is to ask her what's going on, and to remind her to draw on the Reiki energy when she needs it.  Is it possible that the constipation is actually causing her not to crouch, rather than being the result?   :-\

Sending purrs and good vibes to you both:  GoodVibes GoodVibes GoodVibes
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #53 on: November 27, 2016, 01:08:18 PM »
Thanks you guys.  It's only today that she seems to have constipation.  Pushing out some hard little balls. I don't know if you are aware, but round balls are terribly hard for cats to pass.  The ball acts as..well a ball joint, spinning instead of being expelled.

 I will try to feel around her hind areas, but I risk getting bitten.  I do think it is just her hips hurting her, or maybe just too stiff. I would rather think of her being stiff than in pain. :'(

If you could see the way she rises now.

I recognize that stop and hitch because I have it myself. Oh it's so awful when they start aging.  though this is the first time I ever thought of 12 1/2 as aging.

On the other hand Ootay's arthritis started when she was around 11, and she was a tiny cat.

I do remind her to call on our Reiki practitioner friend if she needs.  M is very busy just now with a new kitten, but maybe I will write and ask her to start helping Mazy cat on a regular basis like she did with Ootay.

I have written to M.

Offline DeeDee

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #54 on: November 27, 2016, 03:40:01 PM »

I have written to M.

Glad to hear that. If something has helped in the past, it's definitely the thing to do when things happen again.
"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 #55 on: November 27, 2016, 04:12:39 PM »
She has replied that she will start sending to Mazy cat again. She helped Ootay so much in her last six months.

  fingerscrossed fingerscrossed

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #56 on: November 27, 2016, 06:56:55 PM »
How is it she can do this, this, and this and this (see pictures, all taken today) but cannot sit in the Statue Cat position?

Offline DeeDee

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #57 on: November 27, 2016, 07:48:10 PM »
A lot of times, joint issues are only apparent when a certain movement is performed. My knee only hurts when I move it a certain way.
"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 Pookie

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #58 on: November 27, 2016, 10:03:38 PM »
She has replied that she will start sending to Mazy cat again. She helped Ootay so much in her last six months.

  fingerscrossed fingerscrossed

multistars multistars multistars multistars

 fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Mazy cat's arthritis
« Reply #59 on: November 28, 2016, 04:54:50 AM »
A lot of times, joint issues are only apparent when a certain movement is performed. My knee only hurts when I move it a certain way.

Okay.  I hadn't thought of that.

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