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Conference misery::feline

Title:Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected
Notice:purrrrr...
Moderator:JULIET::CORDES_JA
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1079
Total number of notes:28858

862.0. "Abby" by USCTR1::SPINETTO () Thu Feb 23 1995 09:49

    I having a real hard time now, but I know all of you out there will
    understand.  Abby (male) is 19 years old....I've been following Marvin's
    experience seeing he is an old gentleman too.  Last October, a kitten
    found me and we decided to keep him rather than have the dog officer
    take him away.  Anyway, Abby has tolerated (like in his own way) Vinnie.  
    
    January, I took Abby to the vet for his yearly check-up.  The vet said
    that he looked great and that he didn't even look 19 years old.  Said
    whatever I'm doing, keep it up.  Well, just this week Abby took a real
    bad turn for the worse.  You see, he has arthritis in his back legs but
    that never stopped him from jumping on "his" lazy-boy chair.  All of a
    sudden, he couldn't make the chair, or bed.  Abby has this certain
    personality....that is he's a mean old coot!  You try to help him (by
    picking him up) and he growls and tries to bite you - but its okay,
    cause he's missing a lot of his teeth.  
    
    Abby has managed to go downstairs into my daughter's bedroom.  There he
    stays...sleeping....  
    He has his own litter box there, food and water. I noticed that he does use
    the box but I don't know when was his last bm.  For all I know he might
    not be constipated after all.  It's hard to tell
    seeing both he and Vinnie use the same box before.  Anyway, I called the
    vet to see what to use and they said a kitty laxative...so I gave it to him
    last night.  I tried to get into version 1 of notes because I saw that
    there were a couple of notes on constipation, but I can't get into the
    file.   I was hoping to hear from fellow noters on their experience
    about this.  
    
    I don't know...I believe this maybe Abby's way of saying its time.  I
    don't think I've described how horrible it is to see Abby wobble.  The
    only time he gets up is to use the box....possibly eat & drink.  A lot
    of times we put the food under his nose and he eats.  In fact, since
    Monday, he has improved in his looks.  I guess what I'm also looking
    for is to hear from people who have/had cats that are cripple (that's
    the only way I can describe it) and how it worked out.  I'm really
    looking for a miracle.... 
    
    thanks for listening,
    Faith
    
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862.1USCTR1::MERRITT_SKitty CityThu Feb 23 1995 10:5917
    Faith..have you spoke to your vet.  From your note it seems like
    Abby has lived pretty well with arthritis...but yet something
    else happened this week to make him very wobbly!   It might
    be worth talking to your vet because he could have had a semi-stroke
    or possibly something happened with the vestibular nerve which
    is normally treatable.  Don't give up hope yet....
    
    I did have a cat that had a MAJOR constipation problem...and we
    had tried mineral oil, Metamucil, cat laxatives, etc.... but with
    our cat anytime he was consipated he would throw up and stop
    eating completely.
    
    My heart is with you...I pray all my cats live to be Abby's age...
    but yet I do know how difficult it is when they do get up in years.
    
    Keep us posted....Sandy
    
862.2TOOK::GASKELLThu Feb 23 1995 13:5115
    
    My guess would be constipation, or maybe he has hurt himself.
    Try a little massage on his back.  It may help and they usually
    love it anyway.  He may have tried to jump on the chair and slipped,
    straining his back muscles. 
    
    It has taken me nearly a year, but Tigger is finally using a stool
    to help him climb on my bed.  He's an ornary old kitty too.  
    
    We have been having barometric swings just lately, that upsets my
    arthritis, and my guess is it's upsetting Tigger as well, your kitty
    also perhaps.  If they can't squat they can't poo very comfortably.
    
    Try everything and keep hoping.  Best of luck.                     
    
862.3SYUPPY::SECURITYSecurity @LDOThu Feb 23 1995 14:265
     CTRL/Z
    FAITH,
    I HOPE ABBY IS FEELING BETTER,
    A NEW READERS WISHES ARE WITH YOU
    
862.4PADC::KOLLINGThu Feb 23 1995 15:167
    I think before I would fear the worst, I'd make a vet visit to find
    out what's going on with the constipcation, etc.  Arthritis can come
    and go in terms of how disabling it is, sometimes I have a lot of
    trouble moving when I wake up, other times it's no problem.  And the
    weather does matter a lot.  I'd visit the vet pretty soon, as I think
    the constipation problem needs prompt attention.
    
862.5HELIX::SKALTSISDebThu Feb 23 1995 16:267
    RE: <<< Note 862.4 by PADC::KOLLING >>>
    
    Is that you Karen?
    
    Are you back at DEC?
    
    Deb
862.6Wobbly cat healed, there *are* wondersBPS025::EGYEDPer aspera ad astraFri Feb 24 1995 07:4010
    Faith, we have an old Lady (Liza) who lives in the Big Machine Hall of
    the Hun. Aluminium Research center. She turns 19 now. At 17 she was
    quite ill, with a nonhealing wound at her back and becoming wobbly. We
    'vetted' her and in 2 months the wound went away, the wobbling too, and
    Liza is up and running again. So the *are* miracles. She can hardly
    meow (so old), but comes up grinning every time I visit her. (Yes, she
    is definitely a workshop cat. Yes, we tried to adopt her. Yes, she
    decided NOT to adopt us and WANTS to live in the workhall).
    
    Nat
862.7keeping crossed fingersUSCTR1::SPINETTOFri Feb 24 1995 08:409
    Thanks everyone.  Its reassuring to hear from everyone especially about
    Liza.   Abby is going to the vet at 10:00 today.  My husband is taking 
    him.  I hope the prognosis is good.  I'll let you know.
    
    Faith
    
    p.s. I'm having a hard time finding the right words to say so that's
    why this is so short and I sound so abrupt and cold - I don't mean to
    but its just coming out this way.
862.8USCTR1::MERRITT_SKitty CityFri Feb 24 1995 08:512
    Deb...Karen is back as a permanent employee...isn't that GREAT!!!
                                               
862.9PCBUOA::LPIERCEDo the watermelon crawlFri Feb 24 1995 09:3416
    
    I happend to know Faith and her family and Abby!  they are wonderful
    people.  Faith's oldest daughter is 20 - and Abby is 19.  Abby has
    grown up w/ Faiths 2 childern.  Even thou Abby is an "old coot" he has
    allwasy been a member of the family.  Abby getting sick is like her
    kids getting sick.
    
    I know her daughter is having a hard time w/all of this.  She treis to
    keep in inside and I really don't know what to say to her - so far we
    have just skimmed over the subject.
    
    But my thoughts are w/you and your family.
    
    Keep us posted on Abby
    
    Louisa
862.10he'll be coming homeUSCTR1::SPINETTOFri Feb 24 1995 10:2019
    Hi Lou & everyone,
    
    Just heard from my husband.  He left Abby at the vet.  He is definitely
    bound up and the vet is going to give him an enema, wait 45 minutes and
    possibly give him another one.  He is also going to do some blood work
    on him to see how his kidneys are doing.  Abby does drink a lot of
    water so I'm pretty sure his kidneys are functioning.  The vet said
    that he should be home at noon today!  I'm so happy!  I'm especially
    glad that we saw the vet just last month, too so that the vet knows how
    healthly Abby was to start with.
    
    I asked my husband to stop by my daughter's place of work to let her
    know what is happening, too, so that she won't worry all day long.
    
    Thanks everyone...I truly needed the support and you're all truly
    special people.
    
    Faith