Conference misery::feline_v1

    Sounds like Bandit has found a sure fire way to get lots of attention
    from Mom.
    
    I'd check under the flea collar by the leg he limps on to see of
    the collar is causing a sore of some kind.  I once had two cats
    who were very allergic to flea collars; the first, and only, time
    I put one on them, they developed terrible rashes and sores.
    
    Ande

    
    Karen,
    
    It probably is a bruise.  If he doesn't show any discomfort when
    you handle him, he's probably ok.  Watch him for a while, though.
    
    As for those little "jokes", well, I knew a dog who pulled that
    kind of thing.  Chelsea belonged to a roommate of mine.  My roommate
    had acquired her from a shelter. Chelsea had been abused as a pup,
    and at one time had most of her major bones broken (sick people).
    Puppy bones may heal, but she was real needy for attention for ever
    after.
    
    If Chelsea was being shooed from one part of the house, she would
    limp pathetically - "Look, I'm a poor crippled beagle".
    
    If a cat happened by, though, she would forget the sympathy-catching
    limp and go tearing up the stairs - "Look, I'm a mighty hunter beagle".
    
    (The limp changed sides pretty suspiciously, too ;-)
    
    She also had, "I'm a starving beagle who hasn't been fed in fifty years
    so let me eat the cat food, alright?" and "I'm gonna roll over and
    die right now if you don't pet me IMMEDIATELY!".
    
    Now if a mere DOG can think up these little tricks, just think what
    your kitty might be capable of ;-)
    
    Rita
    
          

    DejaVu hated her collar so much that she managed to get her back
    paw (complete with nails) caught in such a way that she tore the
    side of her mouth open.  I cut that one off (the collar).  Another
    time (another collar) she lay on the floor panting like she couldn't
    breathe.  Out came the scissors again.  Now that she is older (18
    months) she seems to tolerate her collar a LITTLE better.  At least
    she isn't pulling any of her stunts with this collar.
    
    There is no such thing as a DUMB animal, be it dog or cat.
    
    They just have a different way of communicating.
    
    Sandi
    

    Re: .5
    
    Are these flea collars?  Perhaps the chemicals are causing her
    distress and she shouldn't be wearing them.  If it's a plain
    id type collar, are they too loose or too tight (two fingers underneath
    is the rule of thumb), or perhaps too heavy a collar?  It doesn't
    sound like it has an expandable section in case she gets caught
    on something....

    Speaking of "faking it":
    
    My beloved Morgan, when he'd just emerged from kittenhood, was injured
    slightly through my carelessness (I knocked something off a desk
    that hit him on a hind leg).  He limped for a day or two, and,
    naturally, I fussed over him.  
    
    Later, whenever I did something that he thought was unfair, he'd
    start limping the same way.  He used that trick for _years_, though
    he'd never suffered an injury since.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    Maybe Bandit pulled a muscle doing his reverse rabbit imitation.
    Heck, if you tried that, you'd probably pull a muscle, too!!  If
    he doesn't improve in a couple days, I'd give the vet a call.  Since
    he allowed you to touch and massage his leg, I'd suspect it's just
    a strained somethingorother.  And, of course, T.K. won't give him
    a moments rest.....
    
    Speaking of faking it...I had a dog who once discovered that limping
    brought her a great deal of attention (she had broken a leg and
    got carried everywhere and was very spoiled).  When she'd really
    want lots of attention, she'd start to limp.  Suspecting that she
    may have re-injured that leg, we'd dash her off to the vet where
    she would make a remarkable recovery.  That happened twice; she
    soon got the idea that limping=vet instead of limping=attention!
    
    Mary

    err, I feel compelled to bring this up. You mention that Bandit
    is a kitten. How old is he? Flea collars shouldn't be put on kittens
    under a certain age (6 or 8 months, I'm not sure which). Read the
    flea collar package.
    
    Deb

    Oh poor T.K.!!  It sounds like he really is hurting!  Let us know
    what you find out right away!  I am sure that everyone would want
    to know.  He sounds like such a wonderful kitten!
    
    Holly

    Poor baby...I hope he is feeling better...i know how you feel..
    regards
    Kate and Pookie

    Hi my name is Paul, another Kitty Lover from across the water in
    DEC UK (Welwyn Office),
    
    I have two kittys, Sooty and Sox, both sisters 17 months old.  A
    couple of days ago Sooty came home limping much the same as your
    Bandit.  We couldn't find anything either.  Our vet suggested bathing
    her paw in salt water.  She didn't enjoy this much and put up quite
    a fuss.  It appeared that she must have had a cut or graze or something
    but we couldn't see it, nor could the vet !!  However, he gave Sooty
    an antibiotic jab and now she is fighting fit again.
    
    You never know it might be a tiny cut, keep us informed about what
    your vet sais.
    
    Fellow cat lover,
    
    Paul.
    

    Sorry about that Karen!  POOR BANDIT!!!!!!  He too sounds like a
    real sweety!!  From your description of him, he sounds like one
    of the many cats I had when I was small.  His name was also Bandit!:-)
    (R.I.P. :(  )
    
    Holly

Hi Karen

  Sorry to hear about Bandit -- the same thing happened to Snowball when she
was just a few months old -- only she had to be operated on -- and when I
brought her home, the only way I could get her to "soak" her paw for any
time, was to put down a bowl of hot water with ice cubes in it.  She would
then put in her sore paw (because she couldn't stand on that leg) and swish
the icecubes around -- the cubes cooled the water sufficiently and she had
a great time playing while I got what I wanted accomplished much easier!!

Good luck.

    Isn't T.K. a little young to be drinking beer?
    
    I'm glad to hear Bandit is going to be OK.
    
    Sandi
    

    Wow!  I searched the whole file for a note on arthritis.....  Then
    found this topic......  My 8 year old female Mosa starting limping on
    and off about 4 months ago.  Her limping coincided with an appt. to
    have her teeth cleaned, so I asked the vet to check her right front leg
    while she was out.  He found nothing in the x-ray, and decided she must
    have had a soft tissue injury (she's an indoor cat).  He gave her a
    shot, (I am not sure of what) and said that would take care of it for
    about 2 weeks.  Well, exactly two weeks passed and she started favoring
    her leg again.
    
    Her limping takes place after she has been snoozing for a while. She'll
    get up stretch and then limp along for a few minutes.  It reminds me so
    much of arthritis. The vet said arthritis is very rare in cats and
    probably wasn't that at all. We have ceramic tile in the kitchen and I
    thought maybe she was jarring her shoulder when she landed on the floor
    after jumping from the counter.
    
    She is not in pain since she allows me to touch her leg (quite
    vigorously) and she scratches her scratching post very
    enthusiastically with her "wounded" leg.
    
    It never occurred to me that perhaps this was an attention getting
    device, but now I think it might be..  She does sometimes switch legs
    to limp on.  Strange.  Who would have thought it???
    
    Diana
    
    

    Well, it still might be arthritis.  She might be "switching"
    legs because both are becoming involved.  It sure does sound like
    the way I navigate when I first get up :-) :-(  Can arthritis be
    detected on an x-ray?  I didn't think to ask my doctor about that,
    since he said it was obvious what was going on in my case.
     

    I believe that arthritis affects the cartilege in the joints, and
    the cartilege doesn't show up on x-rays.  But, the x-ray will show
    if there is any "fuzziness" around the bones near the joint (can't
    think of a way to describe this) that might be indicative of an
    arthritis type problem.
    
    Jo (who was diagnosed as having "severe degenerative arthritis" before
    having her hip replaced)                                       
    
    

    Hmm, so it could be arthritis?  :-(  Is it more common in cats than the
    vet would have lead me to believe?  Is there anything I can do about it
    for her?  Do you think it helps to massage her front legs now and then? 
    She seems to like it.  I hate to think Mosa is uncomfortable at all.
    

    It is more likely to be arthritis if she is an older cat.  Jesse
    had arthritis for a few years before he died at age 18 1/2.  He
    enjoyed having his paws massaged, and liked me to rub his legs too.
    I also used to keep a heating pad under his cat bed to keep him
    nice and warm.  He would stiffen up after sleeping for any length
    of time, and the warmth helped him.
    
    Jo

    I would be a bit careful not to bend her legs too much when you
    massage them.  Bending the joints may be painful.
    

    I'll be very gentle..  Thanks for the help.
    
    Diana

    My 14-year-old, male, lilac Siamese, Tasha, has arthritis.  It was
    diagnosed at Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston, Mass. about four
    years ago.  There were bone spurs which showed up on the x-ray
    at his top right shoulder joint. 

    His front feet are now turning outward and it is obviously
    getting worse but he still likes to jump around.  

    He is on daily medication and it works just fine.  He also likes 
    gentle massage and lots of petting.  Before the medication he was
    a very crotchety cat and didn't like to be petted or held.  But
    now he is always on my lap at home and sleeps with me. 

    There is a minor problem for me and that is the medication comes
    in a very small round tablet and it must be cut into eight
    pieces.  A new safety razor blade is the only thing that works at
    all well for me.

    He also has asthma and is on predisone every third day since this
    spring; he had a broken front fang removed several years ago. 
    All of these medical interventions helped him to be the loving
    kitty he is today.  He doesn't seem to mind that he is now a
    druggie, he just swallows the stuff right down.

			    -- Julie

    P.S. PLEASEeeeeeeese don't tell him that a boy named Tasha is
    just like being a boy named Sue! 

    Julie -
      It really is amazing what "freedom from pain" does for a 
    cat's purrsonality.
      Nancy DC (who enjoyed meeting you at Marlboro)
    

    re:28
    
    If you need other ideas on breaking little pills, maybe try
    a nail clipper (small size) - I tried it and it really worked
    just fine.
    
    E.T.

    I would appreciate any information on arthritis in cats.
    
    Parker is 4 years old -- last year he was diagnosed as having
    arthritis in his rear legs.  Since last year, I have been giving 
    Parker aspirin per the Vets recommendation (1/4 tablet every three 
    days).  Now the Vet is recommending a hip replacement operation.
    His worst leg would be done this year, the other next year. 
    
    Parker is half Persian.  I have been told that premature arthritis
    runs in Persian cats.  
    
    I have pretty much decided to have the operation done.  Can anyone
    share their experiences?  I've asked the vet about recovery period
    and whether he will be "as good as new".  Parker is an outdoor kitty
    during the summer so I've waited (he would be a very unhappy cat
    if he were locked up INSIDE during his recovery)  but hates the cold
     here in MA (he remembers his BLUE blood).  So, it looks like this 
    winter is the right time.  Parker can still run and jump around, 
    but since the summer, I've noticed that he is in more pain.  
    
    Thanks for any feedback.  
    

    My aunt just had her knee replaced becuse of arthritis.  My understanding
    is that the recovery period is initially pretty painful (seems to
    be true because the physical therapy hurts) and then she will
    be lots better off than before the operation.  
    

    I didn't know they did hip replacement surgery on animals.  That's
    great!  
      My parents' dog, Mindy, had surgery on both her knees. It wasn't
    replacement surgery.  She was in a cast for 3 wks and then my 
    mother had to do physical therapy on the leg 2 or 3 times each
    day.  She's now fully recovered.
      Nancy DC
    

    I don't know about Parker, but I had hip replacement surgery two
    years ago and I am still recovering.  It was very painful, and I
    am sure that he won't want to go outside, or do much of anything
    for awhile afterwards.  Of course, he is probably in better physical
    shape than I was at the time of my surgery, so his recovery will
    probably be easier. :^)  How old is Parker?  If he is young, then
    the surgery might be the best solution for him.  If he is older,
    you may want to think about how he would take the strain of the
    recovery.  Also, your vet should be able to tell you how other cats
    have reacted to the surgery.
    
    Jo

    Well, Parker had his surgery (see .31)
    
    He went in Wednesday morning and I picked him up Thursday afternoon.
    The Vet is optimistic about his recovery but said that it could
    take 6 months before he's 100%.  She (Dr. Moss -- Central Animal
    Hospital in Leominster, MA) said to encourage Parker to walk as
    much as possible.
    
    It's so sad though.  It's obvious that he's in pain but he tries
    so hard.  In fact, the minute he got home he headed for the cellar
    stairs to use his litter box (the litter box is now in an easier
    place for him to reach).  And last night, I made him a nest out
    of his favorite bathrobe and blankets but about 2 a.m. his pulled
    himself up on my bed; I spent the rest of the night comforting
    him.  
    
    I'm hoping I did the right thing.  He's only 4 years old and since
    the first of the year he was having trouble jumping up on the sofa
    and the bed.  But now, he has to learn to walk all over again. 
    He keeps looking at me with his "Help me Mom" look on his face --
    which is better than his "you betrayed me" look.
    
    Hoping for the best.
    
    Lou Ann
    
    
    

         Here's hoping for a speedy recovery for Parker!
    
    					- Andrea
    

    Poor you and Parker.  I'm sure you did the right thing,
    and I expect Parker will be more comfortable in a week or two
    when he is more healed, although learning to use his hip
    again and get the muscles strong will no doubt take longer as
    the vet has said.  Sounds like things can only get better from here,
    and you and Parker will be doing lots of cuddling while they are.
    

    good wishes to parker.  he is fortunate to have you to help him through
    his relearning process....
    
    diane, stanley & stella
    

    Parker had an unexpected trip to the Vet.
    
    Since he came home, he really wasn't interested in eating -- just
    a couple of treats and then he'd walk away.  I tried everything
    from deli meat to ground up chicken.  I took him in yesterday
    afternoon.
    
    It turns out that he was dehydrated.  They gave him some fluids
    and took some blood to determine kidney function.  They really had
    trouble getting blood and it looked really dark (from dehydration?)
    
    Last night he ate some scallops but then later threw up.  Now the Vet 
    thinks that the amoxicillan (sp?) is causing his stomach to be upset 
    so I'm picking up new pills tonight.  The other thing I noticed is 
    that when he does eat, the food falls out of his mouth -- like his 
    tongue is too big!  Could this be from dehydration?
    
    Well, I know he'll get better, but I feel so bad for him and so
    helpless to help.  The Vet said that if he doesn't eat by tomorrow
    afternoon, it's back to the VET for overnight treatment.
    
    Thanks for listening and any advice.
    
    L.A.

    Have they given Parker any subcutaneous fluids to help hydrate him???
    
    cin
    

    Re: .39
    
    yes,  the Vet did this yesterday afternoon -- if that's when they 
    put a needle under his skin (between his shoulders.  I can't think 
    of a better way to explain it).  
    
    In my last note, I forgot to mention that he won't drink water from
    his dish.  I also tried putting him in the bath tub with a small
    amount of "fresh water but that didn't work either; he has a habit 
    of drinking from the bathroom sink but he wouldn't have been able
    to bend down far enough due to his surgery.  I also tried milk.
    
    Thanks to all for all of your thoughts and notes.  They've been
    greatly appreciated.    
    
    L.A.

    That's exactly what Holly does when given amoxillin -- whoops up
    it comes and other things with it.
    
    Have you checked Parker's mouth
    to see if he has some problem there that's causing the food to
    fall out?  Or are you perhaps talking about special food like deli
    treats that its hard for a cat to get ahold of?  If it's regular cat
    food, I would phone the vet and ask about it.
    
    Most cats don't drink out of their water dishes.  You might try
    putting a small anmount of water on his food.  Or try asome milk in a
    dish with a tablespoon of cornflakes and some sugar in it -- that's
    a number one cat attractant.
    
    Please keep us informed.  Kisses to Parker.
    

    Well,
    
    Parker is feeling much better.  He's eating normally and now wants
    OUTside.  Obviously, I'm waiting till he's better.
    
    He's able to put weight on the leg with the "new" hip and last night
    he even jumped up and down off the couch.  His stitches are due
    to come out on Wednesday although I might see if it's OK if they
    do it earlier -- he's pulled one out already!  He's still taking
    his antibiotics (CEFA something?) which he like much better than
    the amoxillian.
    
    Thanks to everybody.
    
    L.A.

    
    way to go, parker!!!
    
    that may be cefatabs he is taking.  stanley was put on them whilst
    fighting that severe eye abrasion.
    
    diane, stanley & stella