Weight Loss Wednesday

This week Tanner crept up a couple more ounces bringing his total to 15lbs 12 oz.  He is still at a net loss of 4 pounds 2 ounces, so not too concerned.  My focus at this point is getting him healthy again and over this crazy URI.  He is improving more now, the eye is looking better, and the sneezing has all but stopped.  Of course, we are on antibiotics, so we are dealing with diarrhea now.  I've started back up with the probiotics to help calm his digestive tract.

 

So while, Tanner has been out of commission some and not wanting to fully play with Ollie...Ollie has found a way to entertain himself, at Tanner's expense, I might add :)

Tails are great fun!



Mojo - 5 Years

Mojo, you've been gone for 5 years now.  It doesn't seem real.  You were only with me a few short years, but I'll never forget that time with you.

You were laid back and wise beyond your years.  You always seemed to know that we were only trying to help you.

 I'm so sorry that you were dealt a bad hand in the health department, but you rose to the challenge and showed us all how to live for today, and live life to the fullest!

 

This video was taken almost two weeks prior to Mojo crossing the bridge.  He had been on steriods for a few days and was feeling much better.  The weather was beautiful, so we allowed him some time in the yard.  WARNING:  His tumor is quite large, so if you are squeamish and don't want to see it, then don't click!  At this point, we were still able to control his discomfort, and his spark for life was still there!

 

 Our last photo, it was almost time for you to journey to the bridge.  You were sweet to the end and loved to snuggle.

 Fly High Superman...you are missed everyday.

Mancat Monday

This mancat seemed to be getting over his very persistant cold, but ended up this weekend with a very swollen eye, with lots of discharge.  He earned a trip to the VET this morning, and is now on antibiotics and more eye ointment for the next 10 days.  Hoping this will do the trick, and he'll be back to playing with his favorite crinkle puff balls before long!

Thirsty Thursday

Today, Smokey is showing off a few drinking spots around the house...We have had to move a few glasses and bowls because of wild kittens, but that's ok.  Everyone is adjusting! 

This glass does not sit here normally...Smokey was being spoiled this day! 

We have had to move this container to the sink, so if it gets knocked over, it isn't a big deal.  This container collects the cold water that runs before it turns warm when doing dishes.  We then give it to the birds.  Of course, the cats like to drink from it too!

 

Medically, Smokey is doing pretty well.  We just rechecked our blood work, and his thyroid is in the normal range now, so we will keep going with our pill.  He is eating pretty good, but did lose an ounce last week, so I'm giving a couple of appetite stimulants each week to help encourage eating.  He is still getting fluids a couple of times a week, and tolerates that ok.

 

He has started going downstairs at night and just talking and talking!  I used to think he was lost, and would go get him, but now I'm thinking he is being a brat.  I don't go down to get him, and he comes back to bed in about 15 minutes.  We snack and snuggle, and sometimes he'll go back downstairs and talk some more, and sometimes I can get him to go back to sleep.  Has anyone else experienced this?  I can't tell if he is being forgetful about where his food is located (we have two cages for him), if he is wanting to play because he slept all day, if he just wants attention, or what...I'd like to figure it out, so I can get a good nights sleep again!

 

I've thought about closing him in my bedroom at night and just leaving his bowl of food on the floor and see what happens.  Of course, this would mean, Tanner wouldn't be able to sleep with us, so that isn't ideal. 

 

I welcome any suggestions you may have...

Weight Loss Wednesday

Tanner gained a couple more ounces this week, bringing his weight to 15 lbs 10 ounces. 

 

As you can see from the photo, he is still dealing with a runny eye.  The eye became quite irritated looking over the weekend, with big yellow goobers.  He is now on some eye ointment for this, and will hopefully be feeling better soon.

 

This has been the most persistant, lingering cold we've had to deal with in a long time. 

 

Ollie and Smokey are sneezing some, but everyone is getting extra Lysine each day, so I hope we can keep it to just a few sneezes, and not a full blown cold like Tanner had.  Fingers Crossed!

 

I'm not worrying too much about Tanner's weight gain...I am glad he is eating well, and just want him to start feeling better.

Weight Loss Wednesday

Tanner is almost back to normal after his terrible cold.  Right now, we just have a runny eye...still treating with Lysine.

 

As for weight, Tanner took the old wives tale of "feed a cold" to heart, and gained a couple of ounces this week.  Current weight is 15 lbs 8 oz.  I am still very pleased with this weight, and so happy that the boy is feeling better.  He even asked to play this morning, which is the first time in two weeks!

 

We appreciate all the healing purrs we have received while Tanner was recovering.  

Mancats Renovate

The mancats have had an exciting week...The downstairs of the house has been crazy messed up, while the new flooring was installed...

 Cousin's Sophie and Georgie enjoyed the new jungle gym of furniture in the breakfast nook...we were thankful everything fit, but it was a bit like tetris tying to get it all in there!

 Ollie quickly tired of the process...moving furniture is hard work

 One day, the floor guys came and ripped out the areas of the carpet where the cats had been naughty!  They covered those areas with a product called "Kilz" to get rid of any remaining odor.  This area outside the powder room was constantly dirty, just from kitty feet tracking litter out of the bathroom.

 This area in the dining room was the main naughty spot.  Before we invested in new flooring, we made sure we had the culprits under control...it was all behavioral, and some prozac is working nicely to keep them happy and worry free and using the litter box appropriately!

 Cousin Pirate is guarding the new wood floor...it has to sit in your home for a few days and acclimate before being installed. 

Cousin Pirate, Tanner and Ollie laying on the new carpet in the den.  We put hardwoods in the front room (where the boxes were sitting), the dining room, down the hall, and then created this faux hall in front of the powder room, to protect the carpet.  Then we replaced the carpet in the den.

 

The boys like it all now, but Ollie was a bit afraid of the new floor for a while, especially the hardwoods in the hall...a few ping pong balls helped to show him how fun this new area was going to be!

 

It took a while, but all the furniture is back where it belongs now, and the house is getting back to normal...Mancats are through renovating for a while!

Three Boys - Thursday

Little man Ollie had his neuter yesterday, and did fantastic!  Everyone at the vet's office loved him, and they threatened to steal him from me.  I don't think he spent much time in his cage for being toted around!  He is a love bug and enjoys attention.

 

At home last night, he was starving, so he ate really well.  I had hoped he would go on to sleep after a hearty meal, but no, he was a wild man!  I think he was so excited to be back home, and to see Cousin Georgie...they played and played.

 

Tanner is feeling better, and did not need an antihistamine this morning!  He is still sneezing some, but does not seem as "stopped up" as he had been.

Smokey has been having a rough time lately, and so another trip to the vet has revealed that he is hyperthyroid now.  We have started on his medicine for that, and I can see improvement in his eating, and overall perkiness.  He is also in the high-normal range for kidney values, so even though he looks good on paper, we have started giving some fluids, twice a week, to see if that will also perk him up.  He seems to stay in a constant state of slight dehydration, and that is enough to make him feel puny. 

 

So, he is getting a thyroid pill daily, a shot or pill of Pepcid daily, appetite stimulant a few times a week, sub q fluids twice a week, and then his arthritis shot and immuno-therapy injection each just every two weeks.  He is turning into a pin cushion/medicine cabinet!

 

My hope is that we get him back on the right path, get his blood values stabilized and can maybe wean from some of these meds/procedures...but we will keep doing them as long as they are needed.

 

That's the news on my three boys this week...

 



Weight Loss Wednesday - Interrupted

We interrupt our regular weight loss Wednesday post for a special announcement...

 

Ollie is going to be neutered today!  This is the final procedure in growing up...my little boy isn't a baby any longer!

Purrs for no complications please...

 

Procedures today: Neuter, microchip, FeLV/FIV recheck

 

PS - Tanner is doing better and therefore will not be seeing the vet today.  I think a couple of more days and we'll be over this cold.  Knock-on-wood, he is still the only one that has gotten sick.

Mancat Monday

This mancat is still sick.  The congestion just won't clear up for him, and he is miserable.  I called the vet, just to see if there was a reason for him to be seen, and they said no.  Unless the discharge changes colors, indicating infection, he just has to work through it.  They did give me some saline drops to put in his nose...BTW, he hates this!

 

Saturday, he spent the day in the bathroom with the humidifier going. 

 

I've given Sub Q fluids a couple of times because he appears a bit dehydrated.  He is getting antihistamines regularly to try and help dry up the gunk in his nose and throat.  He is getting Lysine in every meal...at least 1000mg a day.

 

He is still eating well, and even had a bit of ice cream last night to help him feel better. 

 

We are going on 5 days of severe congestion.  You can hear him breathing in another room!  I wish you could teach cats how to "blow their nose"...I think it would help him!  Has anyone tried the baby nose suckers before on their cat?  Any luck?

 

Fingers crossed no one else gets it...because Ollie is going on Wednseday for his neuter...I need him to be healthy, so it isn't cancelled!

 

If Tanner is still sick, and we aren't see marked improvement, he may earn a trip in on Wednesday too, just to be looked at. 

 

Please keep sending purrs of comfort to my boy.