Just need to express some sadness (a rant, but not really...) - UPDATE IN COMMENTS

atraveller

It's been a rough week. I at first want to apologize to my fellow bumpies on here for being a bit more absentee this week. Work has been nuts and I just haven't had time to really keep up with posts the way I had been. But I've also been emotionally drained. Besides the half dozen smaller things going wrong (keurig breaking, baby dresser not fitting the room the way we thought, 5 things on my registry getting discontinued, etc...) we've been having big cat trouble again. This cat is mine - she is just shy of 13 years old and about 7-8 months ago started having bad arthritis - three-four months ago - it got real bad and things were nuts. But we got her finally on the right pain med combination and set up a place for her to sleep at night that would encourage litter box usage and for a whole month, she seemed better and life got back to normal. Now, it's a big mess. She has days where she won't sleep (and anyone who knows cats, knows they sleep like 16 hours a day) - but she will pace the room she's kept in while we can't watch her all day. And she has a blanket on a couch, food, water litter box, etc.... But that's not the worst - she has decided the room is her litter box and will pretty much go wherever she feels like it (both poop and pee), sometimes its the box, sometimes its the pad we keep in front of the box, sometimes its the middle of the room and then she'll walk through it and track it all over. I've mopped three times in there this week.

The vet thinks its early cognitive disorder and essentially kitty Alzheimers. He has prescribed a medicine that might help (no guarantees) but here's problem #2 - she won't take her pill pockets anymore. She used to be on two a day (two doses of thyroid meds) but now its four a day - the thyroid meds, the pain pill and now this new mood pill. And no matter what we do - wrap it in salmon cream cheese, recently wrap in a piece of ham or turkey (which she loves), she'll maybe take one pocket or two,but not all four (we give them at different times of day) and the new pill, must have a really bad odor as no matter how we try to give it she won't take it. So now we have to see about transdermal - and the issue with that is she'll need to be kept away from me for at least an hour whenever she gets meds as they are all dangerous to me - and well I'm mom - the one she wants pets from all the time, the one whose lap she wants and now more than ever I want to give her attention because I know she's going to be deprived when the baby comes. And the peeing and pooping issue is getting worrisome. It's looking like we are going to have to shut her up for days on end in a tiny little powder room to try and retrain her and I work from home, so will get to listen to the daily yowling which will break my heart.

And emotionally I'm just beside myself as I feel so bad for having to try to force feed pills to hear and shut her up in small rooms, and on the other hand I am feeling resentment towards her for making me mop every day and having to deal with her poop (which I try to avoid) when DH is not here to clean it up and that she just will turn her head up at a pill pocket that has medicine she needs. I love her very much, but I feel lately I'm not emotionally equipped to deal with how special needs she has become and how fast it happened.

Sorry for the long post - think I just needed to vent. Not looking for any advice (though won't turn a blind eye to it) - maybe just some kind words and some forgiveness that I've been less than around recently and may be less involved on here than I would like during the week - as my free time when not working is being eaten with taking care of her.

Thanks for listening (reading)...

Emerald27

Aww. I'm so sorry. Watching the pets we love age is one of the hardest things we go through as pet owners. ((hugs))

A vet once taught me a technique for giving pills that holds the cat very gently still and uses a pill popper, and they can't spit it back out. Sure, it's no fun, but it's over very fast and it's for their own good. Takes 2 people. If you lay her like a sphynx (laying down but not on her side, elbows bent and front legs out straight), you can wrap fingers around her legs where her elbows meet the floor/counter/table, to gently hold her so that she can't stand. Then DH can tip her head back and use the pill popper to give her her medicine. Worked well for us in the past, but maybe other posters can offer even better ideas!

Wishing you and your kitty the best!! Hang in there.

ladybug0088

Sorry I have no advice since I haven't had to deal with this personally with out cat. So sorry you are having to see her deteriorate like this. It's just as heartbreaking when it is a pet. *hugs*

Sockgnome78

#1) You are doing the best you can. When it comes to pets we do all we can do. When they don't want to take meds that will help it is just hard. One thing that maybe stopping her is the mood you are in when gving her the meds. If you are stressed she can feel that. So go in happy to see her. Try giving her the pocket leave. Then come back in to the clean the mess. My dog can tell when I am down, which in fact now that I think about it today I have shut down. She has been so clingly to me.

#2) Take a deep breath. You are doing the best you can.

Good luck with it and keep up the good work.

NavyFlyer

I'm so so sorry you are dealing with this. My dog is getting up there in age, and lately I just have been way more stressed about his health issues as well. They seem more daunting, and it makes me so sad whenever he is in the slightest discomfort. 

Sometimes it makes me feel better to remind myself that I am doing all I can to give him the best life possible, and make him as comfortable as possible. That's all you can do! And when you get to a point where money/time/effort cannot keep her comfortable anymore, it might be time to let go. 

Hugs to you, hang in there!

Aurora1181

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! I had a kitty who lived to be almost 19, and her last year was really really tough. She was blind so we had to keep her in one room (our bedroom) and she had similar issues. It's just emotionally draining. I second PP's mention of the pill popper. It sounds bad but you basically put the pill on the end of this thing and then you put the thing all the way in the back of her mouth and push the plunger. She can't spit it out this way. DH would do it by himself, so I know it can be done with one person.

pnwlover12

NavyFlyer said:

I'm so so sorry you are dealing with this. My dog is getting up there in age, and lately I just have been way more stressed about his health issues as well. They seem more daunting, and it makes me so sad whenever he is in the slightest discomfort. 

Sometimes it makes me feel better to remind myself that I am doing all I can to give him the best life possible, and make him as comfortable as possible. That's all you can do! And when you get to a point where money/time/effort cannot keep her comfortable anymore, it might be time to let go. 

Hugs to you, hang in there!

All of this. Hugs to you, I'm sorry you're experiencing this.

griffers

I'm so so sorry you are going through this. I can relate a little. Two years ago I brought home a neglected old cat (I used to be a vet assistant) and we were going to foster her until we found a home (we already have 3 cats). She despised our other pets and basically was confined to her own bedroom and own litter box. But she was so sweet to us and my husband fell in love with her and wouldn't give her to anyone. In the end she was on thyroid medication and then eventually a myriad of other meds because she had cancer. I would hide her meds in tuna or wet cat food, sometimes it worked and sometimes she ate around it. But we did the best we could and though we only got to spend a year with her she was worth it.

It sounds like you are doing the best you can and making her life the best it can be given the circumstances. If she's a big eater maybe you can crush the pills and mix them in. The pill popper is also good like someone mentioned. One way to use it on your own is to sit behind her with her on her stomach between your legs so she can't back up, scruff her with one hand and then stick the pill popper down her throat with your other hand. But trust me I totally get if that's not doable especially if it stresses her out a bunch. Good luck and you'll be in my thoughts

toomanycats1

I'm so sorry for you and kitty. I know how rough it is to have a sick pet, and fully understand you wanting to try everything for her.

We have a kitty that takes ALOT of pills to treat a heart condition, so I'm a pro. What I do is buy empty gel caps, and combine his pills into a couple of those. That way, instead of 5 pills, I'm giving him 2. He doesn't like the pill pockets, so I dip his gel capsules in plain yogurt to make them slimy, lay him on his back in the corner if a chair or between two cushions on the couch, and then just shove it in his mouth. You could try that? Mine is such a docile boy that this was easier than the pill popper, but those work great too! We've been doing the gel capsules for 4 years now, and it works great. I feed him some canned food afterwards, so he knows it's pill first, then good. He even reminds me when it's pill time! Fingers crossed you are able to come up with a system that helps kitty, and makes things easier for you.

sl25219

We went through this when our Max got really sick. It wasn't the same thing because his sickness ended up being lethal but I know how hard it is to handle. You're doing the best you can, just remember to cut yourself some slack. You're going through a lot right now!

Unknown

This content has been removed.

lrobi13

Sorry you are having so many problems with your cat. No advice but wanted to give my support.

ANGnJON

I'm sorry your in such a rough patch OP! You are being a great mommy to your kitty & doing the best you can! Just keep plugging along & loving her! Dealing with pet issues are super tough but so worth it! I hope things get better for you very soon! Hugs!

atraveller

Hi folks - first off I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who posted here - for all your kind words, for your tips and advice, and just for trying to make me feel a bit better.

The update is not super positive but take it for what it is. Wish I had better news. This morning was a disaster. We had decided to try putting Luna in our downstairs bathroom - to retrain her on the litter box. So she had a blanket, food and water and the box and not much more room. We gated the room versus shutting the door, so she didn't feel completely closed in.  We came down this a.m. to find litter everywhere in that bathroom (in the water, food bowl, etc...) and poop on the mat in front of the box, on the floor and on her. She had pushed the door slightly forward and was hiding behind it howling. She did pee in the box, but didn't poop. It is now over a week since she has pooped in either litter box she has at her disposal. Essentially for reasons we can't decipher, she has decided no more pooping in the box. Right now she's back in that bathroom but last I checked she's calm and sleeping on her blanket. I can only hope it stays that way.

My DH was at the vet this morning supporting his mom with one of her cats who has renal disease and asked a lot of questions about my cat. They are pretty convinced she has either a serious progressing cognitive condition or a brain tumor but her symptoms suggest the former (thank god). The vet said, that in trying to retrain a cat to use the box - Luna's reaction - which sounds like she freaked out in there is not normal and the vet thinks we may not succeed, but recommended giving it maybe one or two more days. We are going to give it one more day/night and see how we fare. Plan B may be a kennel or the basement but I hate both of those options - it may be we just start cleaning up after her.

Thanks for all of your suggestions on getting the pills in her. The update here is: The meds that we were trying to give her to help with her with this cognitive condition, she simply will not take in pill form. Last night, we crushed it and tried sprinkled it in her food (a pate she adores) and while ultimately she ate it. Later that night she threw up. So we are going to try the transdermal - DH will give it and do it at a time where more than an hour will go by between application and any interaction I might have with her to keep me and baby safe. As for her other pills, since she now associates her treats with the bad pill, we've tried burying the thyroid pill in her food and that did work - it's small and she never had an issue with that one. The pain pill we had to force feed to her yesterday, but it is also very small, so if she won't take it down the line in a treat, we'll just keep force feeding it. (not supposed to eat for a half hour before or after taking it, so can't put in her food). It's not ideal but we're managing.

We should have the transdermal stuff by Monday and our hope is that those meds (may take up to two weeks to see any result according to the vet) will help some. It won't cure her and we may be relegated to picking her poop up off the floor or cat pads daily, but maybe it will make her calmer and give her some better quality of life.

I've had her since she was a tiny kitten and though she's older now, she's still only 13, so I refuse to give up on her until I know that I can't give her any quality of life whatsoever. I love her too much. My heart hurts at the restrictions I have to put on her and every time she howls I want to cry, but I will keep trying.

Thanks for all your support.

lrobi13

Sounds like you guys are doing everything you can...stay strong.

MrsL2B

That sounds so rough. I'm glad there's a transdermal option for this medication. I can get liquid medicine into my cat, but pills are such a battle.

Liss1481

Not sure what pain med she's on, but there's a liquid pain med you can use in cats that they absorb through the gums so they don't need to swallow it.  Maybe that would help.  I'm sorry you guys are going through this but you're doing everything you can.  Hugs

MrsSarahRenee

Sorry to hear your not so great update hang in there!

toomanycats1

Oh Hon, it's obvious you are doing everything possible to help Luna.  I admire your unwillingness to give up on her.  I would feel the same.  FX you find a routine that works for you all.  

BeckyH05

(Hugs) I'm sorry, it is never easy to watch our pets age like that. Hoping your strategies work for her!

griffers

You are such a great kitty mommy. Sounds like your husband is really great with her too. You guys will be great parents. I hope the meds work out. That's great you had a little luck with at least the pain and thyroid meds.

julesdoc

Hi,
Sorry your having such a tough time
I feel your pain as my chihuahua has really started playing up over the last few months everything from peeing when he's left alone for a matter of mins to being agressive with my partner. It's got so bad I've had to give him to my ex full time as I'm scared of how he will be with the baby his issue seems to be behavioural, with regards to the medication I would try just tilting the head back pop it in and hold the mouth closed the cat will have no choice but to swallow! Hope you get things sorted x

SaphireShimmer

Sorry. pet issues aren't fun. Its so hard cause they don't understand what is going on and you can't even try to reason with them. I hope things start getting better with your kitty and she starts feeling better soon.