Having trouble with our old Bagpuss
Discussion
We've had our cat for around 10 years now, we used to have her daughter too but she sadly died just over a year ago. Recently our remaining cat has developed a phobia of anything reflective. She woke us up in the night having a full on fight with her reflection, so we covered up that mirror. Ever since then she keeps finding shiny or glass surfaces in the house and it starts with a stare, then the tail puffs up, then there's hissing too. It's not a huge issue to cover or remove these surfaces, but I'm worried there's a deeper issue causing it. Has anyone else been through this?
She has been at the vets a few times recently as she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism at the end of last year. They did lots of tests and blood work then, nothing came back apart from the thyroid thing. Although I don't know whether they'd test blood pressure?
Taking her to the vets is hugely stressful for all concerned as she's a rescued stray, and not good with strange situations and people, she jumped off the table at our most recent vet visit and tried to get behind the bins.
I probably should have said that the cat we lost around a year ago was quite mean to her, she'd constantly jump out and surprise her when she walked past. Maybe this is a hangover from that as it's all stemmed from the encounter with a recently introduced mirror.
I should say she has no issue seeing birds flying past the window (through voile curtains) and can see bits of food etc.
Taking her to the vets is hugely stressful for all concerned as she's a rescued stray, and not good with strange situations and people, she jumped off the table at our most recent vet visit and tried to get behind the bins.
I probably should have said that the cat we lost around a year ago was quite mean to her, she'd constantly jump out and surprise her when she walked past. Maybe this is a hangover from that as it's all stemmed from the encounter with a recently introduced mirror.
I should say she has no issue seeing birds flying past the window (through voile curtains) and can see bits of food etc.
She went back after a month on the tablets, her weight had gone up and the thyroid reading had gone down, so they are working in that respect. She's also being sick a lot less than she was. Appetite is hard to judge as she's always been a greedy bugger, but at least it makes giving her the tablets easy.
If there is something wrong with her eyes, would it be treatable? We obviously don't know her exact age but I'd say minimum of 12.
If there is something wrong with her eyes, would it be treatable? We obviously don't know her exact age but I'd say minimum of 12.
Probably around end of February time when she last went. She'll probably need to go back in around 2 months as the repeat prescription will be due again, and they didn't see her last time.
It wouldn't surprise me if it was something mental, she's had a very hard life. Two litters of kittens while still very young. The first litter the RSPCA took the kittens and left her as a stray. Thankfully she was saved by a rescue centre with some morals after she got pregnant again.
We also wondered how much she's aware of our other cat (her daughter) having passed away? She cried at night for a few days, and would suddenly wake up from being asleep and start crying, but I don't know how they grieve, if at all.
It wouldn't surprise me if it was something mental, she's had a very hard life. Two litters of kittens while still very young. The first litter the RSPCA took the kittens and left her as a stray. Thankfully she was saved by a rescue centre with some morals after she got pregnant again.
We also wondered how much she's aware of our other cat (her daughter) having passed away? She cried at night for a few days, and would suddenly wake up from being asleep and start crying, but I don't know how they grieve, if at all.
Sorry for your losses, the heartache is almost unbearable.
I will get her in again when we need more tablets and mention the "finding cats all over the house" issue with her.
We did consider getting a kitten when we lost the younger one, but we thought she was probably too old, and she's come out of herself a lot more now she's on her own.
I will get her in again when we need more tablets and mention the "finding cats all over the house" issue with her.
We did consider getting a kitten when we lost the younger one, but we thought she was probably too old, and she's come out of herself a lot more now she's on her own.
We bit the bullet and took her to the vet tonight. She bit the OHs hand while he was manhandling her into the box. Drew blood too. When she was in the box with the lid closed she was actually trying to fight her way out, never done that before! Disgraced herself in the box on the way to the vet even though the journey is less than 5 mins. Then escaped the vet's grasp and jumped off the table (again). They've taken blood to check thyroid levels but she has lost s bit of weight so we're going to up her food a bit. I mentioned her eyes and he checked them with a light and said everything looked fine.
This was 2.5 hours ago and she is still yelling at us
This was 2.5 hours ago and she is still yelling at us
It's just a tiny hole, I think she only caught him with one tooth. She doesn't have that many teeth left.
The vets have rung this morning and said that her thyroid levels are going up again so we have to up her tablets to two a day. Also we're going to have to go back again for more tests sooner than we'd like.
The vets have rung this morning and said that her thyroid levels are going up again so we have to up her tablets to two a day. Also we're going to have to go back again for more tests sooner than we'd like.
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