The Vent and Rant Thread

[Cinisajoy]

A kitty straight jacket?
My mom made one for one of her cats.

[Breathinlady]

Ugh! How can I get Maisy to take her pill. I've tried the pop down the throat method. Doesn't work! I've tried pill pockets. Doesn't work. I've tried grinding into fine powder and hiding it in Liquid, food, treats. Doesn't work.

Maisy is SMART. She needs the Pepcid but this cat refuses to eat anything she doesn't like.

It's such a tiny pill which makes the pop in mouth method not work.

Neffie, my sphynx, will take a pill balled up in cheese. I do treat once in awhile just a bit of cheese (American) balled up.

Give it a try, hope it works.

[Rumpelteazer]

Yesterday afternoon a bladder infection suddenly came on. And to make it even more fun my period started today.

Eight years ago I also had a bladder infection, after about a week it went away without anti biotics. But it wasn't fun. Luckily Sunday and Monday are my weekend. Tomorrow my sister's friends have organised a surprise brunch to celebrate her 30th birthday. I have to lure her to the restaurant, luckily it's nearby so if I feel sick I can easily and quickly go home.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Yesterday afternoon a bladder infection suddenly came on. And to make it even more fun my period started today.

Eight years ago I also had a bladder infection, after about a week it went away without anti biotics. But it wasn't fun. Luckily Sunday and Monday are my weekend. Tomorrow my sister's friends have organised a surprise brunch to celebrate her 30th birthday. I have to lure her to the restaurant, luckily it's nearby so if I feel sick I can easily and quickly go home.

Cranberry Juice. And oh yuck on the other.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Breathinlady

Ugh! How can I get Maisy to take her pill. I've tried the pop down the throat method. Doesn't work! I've tried pill pockets. Doesn't work. I've tried grinding into fine powder and hiding it in Liquid, food, treats. Doesn't work.

Maisy is SMART. She needs the Pepcid but this cat refuses to eat anything she doesn't like.

It's such a tiny pill which makes the pop in mouth method not work.

Neffie, my sphynx, will take a pill balled up in cheese. I do treat once in awhile just a bit of cheese (American) balled up.

Give it a try, hope it works.

We had a fabulous, very smart Ragdoll female, some years back, that was the Houdini of "I ain't takin' no pills," no matter what nefarious disguises we put them in. She had developed cancer, and the pills weren't negotiable. The only way I ever got the larger of them in her was to use a very largeish syringe, grind 'em up in a small amount of (liquid, or food) and squirt it down her throat.

That's all that ever worked. She'd spit out the others. Small enough, however, and I could pop it back there, rub her throat, and she'd swallow. The biggie was getting the original insertion point FAR enough back the throat. If the pill is tiny, a straw and a tiny (TINY!!!) puff of breath works wonders.

Hitch

[CRussel]

In my experience, you can fool dogs, but your only hope with cats is to force it. Though we had a lovely Himalayan named Alfie (short for Alfredo No-Nose Fettuccine, the gangsta cat from Red Hook) who would happily lick a pill off my finger if it was wrapped in cream cheese. But he was the exception.

[cromag]

Back when I had Shadow (a dog) I could put the pill in a little blob of ice cream.

Good luck!

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Cranberry Juice. And oh yuck on the other.

It's hard to find cranberry juice that is mostly cranberry juice, so I'm taking cranberry pills. I'm also drinking a lot; tea, water and iced tea.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Hitch

We had a fabulous, very smart Ragdoll female, some years back, that was the Houdini of "I ain't takin' no pills," no matter what nefarious disguises we put them in. She had developed cancer, and the pills weren't negotiable. The only way I ever got the larger of them in her was to use a very largeish syringe, grind 'em up in a small amount of (liquid, or food) and squirt it down her throat.

That's all that ever worked. She'd spit out the others. Small enough, however, and I could pop it back there, rub her throat, and she'd swallow. The biggie was getting the original insertion point FAR enough back the throat. If the pill is tiny, a straw and a tiny (TINY!!!) puff of breath works wonders.

Hitch

Thank you! The blowing in her face worked! Success!! She took her pill! I was able to pop the pill in her mouth then stroke her under chin and blow in her face and she swallowed and the look on her face when she did was priceless. I immediately followed it up with kitty treats and fresh water. She is giving me glares still but I could tell she was nauseous so she needed that pill now. She'll forgive me eventually.....

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Ugh! How can I get Maisy to take her pill. I've tried the pop down the throat method. Doesn't work! I've tried pill pockets. Doesn't work. I've tried grinding into fine powder and hiding it in Liquid, food, treats. Doesn't work.

Maisy is SMART. She needs the Pepcid but this cat refuses to eat anything she doesn't like.

When my parents had big dogs (Dutch and Belgian Shepherds), it was easy. We trained them from a very young age, starting at 10 weeks or so, to catch treats when they were thrown at them during excercies (but only when thrown by us).

When they needed some medicine, we just made a few treats and then had the dog do some exercises.

One of the treats would obviously contain the medicine, but because it was just *throw, catch, swallow*, they never knew what hit them. I don't know if something like that would ever work with cats.

Spoiler:

@cromag:

One of our last dogs was also called Shadow. The postman killed him.

Well... maybe that's a bit too blunt. At 10 years old, he got cancer in his spleen. The entire spleen was removed; a dog can learn to live without one, with a bit of change in his diet. He had to keep quiet for several weeks though, because he was all stitched up inside.

At some point, the postman rang the doorbell (even though there was a big note on the door saying to tap the window *softly* because of a very ill person in the house), and the dog was startled. He jumped up and trashed around, tearing all of the stitches inside. He was rushed to the vet, but died during the operation, because of blood loss, general weakness, and anesthetic.

That's now 15 years ago.

My parent's last Belgian Shepherd (female) had to be put down at 15 because she went downhill fast, both physically and mentally. Half blind, half deaf, unable to to step up or down the sidewalk without pain, and a case of complete paranoia and dementia, attacking anything that even came close. It happened all within less than one year; from a perfectly healthy and active dog (albeit old and slow, obviously), to a physical and mental wreck.

My sister's chihuahua's both died at 15 and 14, last year.

In a few years, my mom is going to be in for a tough time: two chihuahua's aged 12, and two of their offspring, now aged 10. They're all healthy now, although the oldest ones are starting to get some physical problems. Within five years, they'll probably all be dead.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

When my parents had big dogs (Dutch and Belgian Shepherds), it was easy. We trained them from a very young age, starting at 10 weeks or so, to catch treats when they were thrown at them during excercies (but only when thrown by us).

When they needed some medicine, we just made a few treats and then had the dog do some exercises.

One of the treats would obviously contain the medicine, but because it was just *throw, catch, swallow*, they never knew what hit them. I don't know if something like that would ever work with cats.

Cats do not do tricks for treats. They are the master you are the servant. In return for taking good care of them they will curl in your lap and let you love them.

I do not have children. These are my babies. It's been so hard to see Maisy sick. The vet is no help unless you have a lot of money. They just say she is old. She's has lost so much weight in the past two months. We've switch to a sensitive for stomach formula and now I have to give her Pepcid for nausea. They suspect Kidneys which they say there isn't anything you can do. I bought some high calorie paste to give her too. I need to get her to drink more water. She has vomited so much this year I need to keep her hydrated somehow. She use to have a water fountain and would drink from it because cats love running water. I think I'm going to see if I can't find a cheap one for her. She still drinks but I don't think it's enough.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Thank you! The blowing in her face worked! Success!! She took her pill! <SNIPPAGE> She'll forgive me eventually.....

I'm really glad it worked. I've had both dogs and cats as an adult, and there are no two ways about it--cats are bloody harder to pill.

Originally Posted by Katsunami

When my parents had big dogs (Dutch and Belgian Shepherds), it was easy. We trained them from a very young age, starting at 10 weeks or so, to catch treats when they were thrown at them during excercies (but only when thrown by us).

When they needed some medicine, we just made a few treats and then had the dog do some exercises.

One of the treats would obviously contain the medicine, but because it was just *throw, catch, swallow*, they never knew what hit them. I don't know if something like that would ever work with cats.

The dogs that have been my faves, for ages, are Belgians. Love 'em all. The Malinois or the Tervuren, the Groenendael, I've never had a Laekenois. My all-time fave was an uber-smart Groenendael (nicknamed Bear, of course). Nothing like them for SMART, and of course, they are killer at obedience trials.

Originally Posted by Blossom

Cats do not do tricks for treats. They are the master you are the servant. In return for taking good care of them they will curl in your lap and let you love them.

Well, I think it's fairer to say that they'll make you part of their pride. That's about it. A relationship with a cat is a relationship of equals, rather than "pet and master." It's nothing like having a dog, IME. Different, but great.

I do not have children. These are my babies. It's been so hard to see Maisy sick. The vet is no help unless you have a lot of money. They just say she is old. She's has lost so much weight in the past two months. We've switch to a sensitive for stomach formula and now I have to give her Pepcid for nausea. They suspect Kidneys which they say there isn't anything you can do. I bought some high calorie paste to give her too. I need to get her to drink more water. She has vomited so much this year I need to keep her hydrated somehow. She use to have a water fountain and would drink from it because cats love running water. I think I'm going to see if I can't find a cheap one for her. She still drinks but I don't think it's enough.

Sorry to hear it, I am. A long time ago now, I had a cat--the Ragdoll that I mentioned--that was my baby. I'd acquired a Himalayan Sealpoint for Mr. Hitch, and after a few weeks, we decided that he needed a playmate. Long story short, a young woman at my office said she'd come into possession of a young kitten, and we ended up with her.

Spoiler:

(Poor thing--we were the THIRD home for her, in her short life saga, and she wasn't even 5 weeks old when she came into our possession. She'd come from a home where a 2-y.o. girl kept picking her up by the TAIL. She never lost her absolute terror of children. She was bold and brave about absolutely everything--but even the SOUND of children playing nearby would drive her under the bed. She had worms and fleas when she arrived; first stop, the vet!)

Anyway, the male Himmy lived for a month shy of 20 years; the Ragdoll was with us for 18+. I'd lived longer with those two cats, at that point, than I had with my own parents.

The point I was getting to is: the female Ragdoll became ill. She had cancer. Now, when we discovered it, it was just that she seemed a bit off to me. She still had excellent weight, her coat gleamed...so yes, we underwent chemo for it. It was a very aggressive, very fast-growing, etc., tumor. She did go into remission, and lived for another 18 months or so, after remission.

I wouldn't do it again. I adored that cat. BUT I was wrong. I put her through a lot, just because I was selfish. I realized it when I saw how much more peaceful and content she was, after we were able to cease the vet visits, etc. Her last half-year was quiet and comfortable. But the moment she started to drop weight again...it was time, before she really started to suffer.

The Himmy had kidney issues. Now, those were long-term. We were told he had kidney issues when he was 10, and as I said, he finally left this plane of existence nearly 10 full years after that. But when it came--it came really fast. He went from being fluffy and hefty-ish to little-old-man-thin, and his appetite went. Within weeks, it was time. Keeping him going with this or that wouldn't have helped.

The reason I posted is that because when this was happening, I was earning a really good lick. So, treatment or not wasn't a financial thing--there's really nothing you can do about kidney disease in a cat. It's all managed diet. You are likely doing as much as you can. It's just...he's probably reached the point where there's not much more you can do, other than putting him to sleep, I'm sorry to say. The weight-loss and the vomiting, the reduced fluid intake (because the kidneys are already overstressed)...these are pretty big flags.

You ought to at least know that no matter what your vet is saying, really...the treatment methods are pretty scant on the ground, regardless of budget.

I know that doesn't help. Wish it did. There's probably not much more that you can do, I'm sorry to say.


Hitch

[Blossom]

It's okay Hitch. I really believe if I can't get the vomiting to stop she will be better. She's doesn't act sick at all. She's a happy cat when you're not shoving a pill down her throat.

Her appetite has never decreased. It's increased. Right after she vomits she wants food right there and begs for it but we have to wait for her stomach to stop rebelling. That's is the hardest part. She is quite vocal when it comes to food. I've had to hand feed her these past months or she will gobble it down too fast and it comes back up. We had a two weeks break from the vomiting and she started putting on weight but then they changed her food and it started up again and she lost even more weight. So we just changed it again. This new food seems to staying down with the help of Pepcid. She stop showing signs of nausea (licking lips, licking plastic, agitated) She's sleeping instead of being agitated. This is a good sign.

Your story gives me hope. Thanks for sharing.



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[WT Sharpe]

If only everyone spoke as loud as my ex-DIL's youngest, I wouldn't need hearing aids. That kid has some major league pipes in his arsenal.

[cromag]

Sorry to hear about your dogs -- and in particular your Shadow -- Katsunami.

My Shadow was a mostly black German Shepherd. Probably not "pure" but very close. He was a rescue and had obviously been neglected but once he got used to being in a steady home he really did well. He also died of cancer -- hemangiosarcoma, a very aggressive cancer. He was gone only two to three weeks after the diagnosis.