Adopted cat struggling to settle in (we think)?
Discussion
Mobile Chicane said:
Patch1875 said:
HarryFlatters said:
We had all sorts of issues getting our cat to drink water, until I caught her drinking from my pint glass of water that I left on the coffee table. Now I just leave a glass of water on the table, and she drinks from it regularly and ignores the water bowl next to her food 
Our cats drink from my glass of water by the bed at night.
Now much as I love Bob, I don't want to be drinking the same water as a creature that licks it's arse.
My solution is to put some no sugar fruit squash in my bedside water, and a bowl of plain water underneath the bed for Bob.
An update:
Ted is like a new cat! He looks brighter, is more spritely and is jumping up on anything he thinks he can (he's never been a climber). He is wolfing down his new food, so much so that you'd think he was starving - it even looks like he might be putting a bit of weight on (the vet said he coudl stand to gain a kilo).
We took him back to the vets this morning for another blood test, so will see what that says, but she was really happy with his progress and amazed at how he had sprung back. Fingers crossed for a couple of years like this!
Ted is like a new cat! He looks brighter, is more spritely and is jumping up on anything he thinks he can (he's never been a climber). He is wolfing down his new food, so much so that you'd think he was starving - it even looks like he might be putting a bit of weight on (the vet said he coudl stand to gain a kilo).
We took him back to the vets this morning for another blood test, so will see what that says, but she was really happy with his progress and amazed at how he had sprung back. Fingers crossed for a couple of years like this!
Well, Ted has been unwell again - he had a short stay in the vets on an IV drip which perked him up a bit, but he isn't eating too well now - this has further negative effects on his kidneys. It seems his poor blood is making him feel a bit sick, which he is linking to his food.
We're all set to try a few different foods to try and get him to eat, but if he won't then he will probably go downhill fairly quickly, which isnt something we want to put him through
Its a crying shame, as he is still playing around a bit and still enjoys a good cuddle - but he's sleeping more and just seems a bit confused about his food; he cries for food in the mornings still, but then doesnt really want to eat it when we put it down. Very sad.
Any tips to get him to eat? We've tried wet and dry renal food in various flavours and brands - with water and without, and hot and cold. We've buried treats in his food (he digs them out). I'm going to buy some salmon and sardines later, which the vet suggested yesterday.
We're all set to try a few different foods to try and get him to eat, but if he won't then he will probably go downhill fairly quickly, which isnt something we want to put him through
Its a crying shame, as he is still playing around a bit and still enjoys a good cuddle - but he's sleeping more and just seems a bit confused about his food; he cries for food in the mornings still, but then doesnt really want to eat it when we put it down. Very sad.
Any tips to get him to eat? We've tried wet and dry renal food in various flavours and brands - with water and without, and hot and cold. We've buried treats in his food (he digs them out). I'm going to buy some salmon and sardines later, which the vet suggested yesterday.
bexVN said:
Kidney problems cause feelings of nausea due to the toxin build up in the blood, it can also cause mouth ulcers. What meds is he on?
Sardines are good to try.
He is on a phosphate binder (when he eats it, as that goes on his food) and some tablets to control protein (Fortocor). We also have a subcertanious fluid kit which the vet showed us how to administer - he'd had a few goes on that to (and is fine having it done, just sits there getting fussed).Sardines are good to try.
The vet did say he could have an anti nausia medicine, but one type involved a daily trip to the vet for an injection and the other type (metacolpromide) he kind of glossed over.
I think part of the problem is that we keep being thrown 'lifelines' - in that the vet decides that it could be something else making him worse and not his kidneys, so they screen for other things which gets our hopes up. His blood chemistry isnt goodn and his phosphate and amonia levels are elevated - although his cretanin has reduced to about 300 (from 330).
We dont want to put him to sleep then worry it could have been something else making it seem worse than it is, which if cured could have given him more time. Although he clearly has renal disease, there seems to be lots of evidence of cats living for long periods of time with it, especially with cretanine levels like his.
Edited by Maxf on Tuesday 10th March 10:44
Edited by Maxf on Tuesday 10th March 11:11
I'm sure everybody is bored to death of reading about Ted, so this will probably be the last update.
The vet called earlier in the week and they'd been through his blood tests, which showed elevated immune levels (non technical term), and possible pancreas issues. They now suspect the poor thing also has a tumour of some kind as well as his dodgy kidneys. We decided not to investigate further as even if the tumour could be found/removed, then his kidneys wouldnt become properly functional again (no kidney tumour, as he'd been scanned for that already) and it would just cause him a load more stress and discomfort. So, we are now just looking after him at home.
Sadly there isnt anything else we can do to help him, so he'll have to be put to sleep at some point in the very near future. We dont want him to decline massively more, as he already isnt his old self and just looks 'tired' and wants to be around us a lot less.
The vet called earlier in the week and they'd been through his blood tests, which showed elevated immune levels (non technical term), and possible pancreas issues. They now suspect the poor thing also has a tumour of some kind as well as his dodgy kidneys. We decided not to investigate further as even if the tumour could be found/removed, then his kidneys wouldnt become properly functional again (no kidney tumour, as he'd been scanned for that already) and it would just cause him a load more stress and discomfort. So, we are now just looking after him at home.
Sadly there isnt anything else we can do to help him, so he'll have to be put to sleep at some point in the very near future. We dont want him to decline massively more, as he already isnt his old self and just looks 'tired' and wants to be around us a lot less.
Well, a lovely Friday night and Saturday were spent with Ted and for a few hours he was just like his old self - going mental and pouncing on toys he'd walked past for days; but on Sunday he wasn't well at all which was a stark reminder that he was actually really quite sick - despite the brave face he put on it all.
Sadly, we made the decision and took him to the vets this morning and he was put to sleep with us giving him lots of strokes and chin rubs. I'm genuinely the saddest I can remember being for years.
Thanks for everybody's support and help on this journey. I'm sorry it wasn't a happier ending.
Sadly, we made the decision and took him to the vets this morning and he was put to sleep with us giving him lots of strokes and chin rubs. I'm genuinely the saddest I can remember being for years.
Thanks for everybody's support and help on this journey. I'm sorry it wasn't a happier ending.
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