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The chemo worked, for a few days! Normal litterbox usage, quality, behavior, and appetite for 3-4 days after the first dose. Aaand then the symptoms gradually returned to pre-chemo levels…so we probably won’t see relief until the next time he gets the pill. And then I have no idea if it’ll even stick. I ain’t a doctor and I’m useless at bio/med. Is this normal, or does it mean something’s not quite right with the dosage?
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May 19, 2023 21:59
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| # ¿ May 17, 2024 00:51 |
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Why do cats like chewing up audio cables so much? It’s like specific cables too. Jet is uninterested in my 1/2 inch TRS cables, but is absolutely infatuated with my headphone cables and has gnawed one of them to death, apparently just for the gently caress of it. I ordered a new one and hung the old one from a doorknob so he can play with it, but man this poo poo is so weird. I’ve heard that apparently there’s some sort of animal product used in plastic that pets will chew on? Is that real or a myth?
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Jun 16, 2023 15:54
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Yeah, it’s possible that it’s an attention/frustration thing too. Which makes me wonder what makes audio cables in particular such a common target.
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Jun 16, 2023 16:00
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Have you considered…more springs 
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Jun 29, 2023 19:27
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Lanky Coconut Tree posted:Sisal rope is really really cheap. Much better alternative to carpet. Agree. Sisal good. I’ve been considering a sisal rug for the dining and/or living room, though my main concern is keeping it clean and wiping up barf.
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Jun 30, 2023 13:56
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Teriyaki Koinku posted:How is she so amused by ripping up paper and leaving a mess everywhere? You aren’t?
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Jul 18, 2023 15:15
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Dienes posted:So is Rexie. We had to do sweeps like in a hospital to make sure it was swallowed. I think sometimes I had to lightly coat the pill in vaseline so it was too slilppery to stick to her tongue. Over time that stopped, though, thank goodness. Jet gets one of his meds in turkey oil form, which he doesn’t like but will at least not gag on and spit up.
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Jul 27, 2023 16:15
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This feeder any decent? https://a.co/d/fphRb3S
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Sep 19, 2023 20:23
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I can’t even find that brand on Amazon anymore, place is such a loving cesspit now. That looks similar enough to the one I found, so I’m not too worried. Thanks!
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Sep 20, 2023 15:33
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It occurs to me that despite being with him for over a decade, I still have no idea what exactly Jet wants when he meows at me while I’m at my desk. If I get up and follow him, by default he walks to his food bowl (which is rarely if ever empty). As far as I can tell he either wants me to watch him eat, or to pet him while he eats??? I wish I could know exactly what he’s asking for.
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Oct 25, 2023 15:13
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I usually blow air at my cat when he does that, often gets him to stop. But also: cats. You don’t need to sniff.
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Dec 16, 2023 19:46
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Jet is already almost 15 years old with heart disease and either an immune disorder or cancer, he ain’t getting covered. Too late. I’ve saved up the entire time I’ve had him for this eventuality and I’ve already come to terms with how much he costs to keep healthy. If I adopt again, insurance for sure.
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Dec 23, 2023 15:26
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An update on Jet’s health! Wednesday night, I noticed that despite a sunny and friendly disposition and mood, he was breathing with more effort than usual. I counted his respiratory rate and it was higher than 30 breaths per minute. Out of caution I brought him to the e-vet, and unfortunately he had fluid in his chest and lungs. No fluid around his heart at all, which tracks with his clean echocardiogram a couple weeks ago, but he still needed emergency treatment. After a night in the oxygen tank and an IV full of Salix, the fluid went away, his breathing went back to normal, and he went home with a new and stronger daily dose of diuretics. No symptoms since then. The whole time he was awake and alert and vocal and demanding pets and attention from the techs, just like the adorable little poo poo he is.  Jet was fine. I was not. I had trouble keeping it together after getting news of the fluid returning, and had a breakdown in the parking lot afterwards. I barely managed to sleep at all until I got the call in the morning about his improved health. That was like a solid 12+ hours of sheer awful. I genuinely thought I was going to lose him that very night, and having just come back from almost a week out of town and being so close to the new year…the world didn’t feel fair at all.  He’s back to normal now. Normal for a cat in their mid-teens, anyway - he’s noticeably slowed down recently and certainly loves his naps. I’ve been spoiling him ever since he got back home (except the meds, sorry buddy but you need those), so I hope he’s enjoying the pampering. But things have changed, and this event marks the progression of his condition. The cardiologist says that heart disease snowballs and gets tougher to fight over time, with fluid buildup events happening more and more frequently and requiring higher and higher doses of medication. Every event comes sooner than the last and eventually the meds will stop working. Jet will see the inside of the e-vet again. Given that, 2024 is likely his last year. So I’m gonna make it a good one.  I need a plan for his senescence. I’m gonna do monthly quality-of-life questionnaires, and learn to catch signs of fluid buildup. I also gotta figure out the watershed point for euthanasia, and ensure that I’m present and ready to take care of him at home when it’s time to say goodbye. I don’t know when that will be - no one ever could know - but I’ll drat well be ready to make it a soft landing. Anyway thanks for listening. Getting clinical about this gives me a break from the emotional tempest and makes it easier to handle. Don’t let this get you down or anything either cause right now my dude is living large on the couch cushions and fuckin go off king you earned it   Cats. Both the worst and the best. Pollyanna fucked around with this message at 19:25 on Dec 30, 2023 |
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Dec 30, 2023 17:05
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kaom posted:I’m glad Jet has you to care for him. I love seeing him pop up in the black cats thread. I’m glad I’m here to care for him, too. Speaking of, he’s migrated to some bullshit GI and V/D symptoms because his chemo is delayed and won’t come in until next week  so he hasn’t been eating much recently and is in a terrible mood. Internal medicine vet prescribed some anti-nausea meds and appetite stimulants, so let’s hope those will keep him stable until next week…
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Jan 4, 2024 18:14
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Unfortunately, despite what I hope to god were my best efforts, Jet passed away on Friday. Shortly after this post, he started showing GI symptoms again. Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, bad mood. But he also stopped eating. Most of his time was spent either loafed up on the bed staring off into space, or hiding somewhere looking very sad. I tried all sorts of things to get him to eat, but he wouldn’t have any of it. Over the next couple days, he would lose a large amount of weight. He was also constantly in and out of the box, with frequent but very barely productive diarrhea, which would never look like normal stool should. He went to the vet again for his cardiac checkup and his heart and lungs looked great, so I figured he was just having some bad guts days. We got sent home with nausea meds and an appetite stimulant. They worked for that one night, and he had a little burst of energy and even got to eat some mashed up tuna and kibble. But the next morning, he was sulking and refused to eat again. I checked the litter box, and now his stool was dark and black. Internal hemorrhage. Somewhere between the stomach and the small intestine, blood digested by the large intestine. His mood had tanked, his behavior was abnormal, and although I’m not a vet nor do I speak cat it was clear he was in a heavy bout of illness, if not serious pain. He was so very light when I picked him up, and he entered his carrier without much of a fuss. The e-vet took a look at him. The car ride and exam room was giving him a rush of adrenaline-fueled energy, but even then she told me that he looked like a sad, sick cat. She said that everything they could do to try and help him had either already been tried and failed to improve his condition, or would have been drastic measures that were far more likely to put him in even more danger due to his heart condition. Feeding tubes, stimulants, etc. - none of them were any way to live a good life. Jet was actively wasting away, and there were no reasonable medical interventions left. I was offered a choice for that very moment, or an unknown number of days until a home visit. I chose to let him go before he suffered any more than he had to. As you can probably tell, I’m still not over it. It’ll be a long time until I am. I don’t have all my thoughts in order yet, but I figured the thread deserved to know what happened, so here I am reporting in. I could make all sorts of guesses to what happened, but in the end it doesn’t matter. Thank you all so much for the kind words you’ve given me and Jet over these many months and years, and we’ve appreciated each and every one of them.  Goodbye Jet. I hope you forgive me someday. And next we meet, you can yell at me all you want.
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Jan 7, 2024 02:31
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Yeah, that sounds like issues with physical touch. Which I totally get, not everyone is big on that. But cats loooooove to groom and cuddle as a way of showing affection, so that’s how it’s gonna go with them.
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Jan 10, 2024 04:27
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khy posted:
Hooray, IMO. Cats need time to get used to each other and they take it at their own pace and in their own way. You aren’t in control of how it goes, you’re just the referee - blow the whistle if blood is drawn or if one of the cats begins to truly suffer. Otherwise, this is their game.
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Jan 12, 2024 19:34
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Anyone here ever make an outdoor cat shelter? Winter’s going to get real cold soon, and I’ve seen cats every once in a while in my area (no idea if they’re feral or just indoor-outdoor). I figured building a shelter could be a good way to take my mind off of things. That said, just because I build a shelter doesn’t mean a cat will magically appear and make use it. I actually don’t know how common feral, stray, or indoor-outdoor cats are in my area. I saw a few prior to winter, but they’re always super elusive. Worth a shot, right?
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Jan 15, 2024 21:21
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I feel a little better.    (I need straw instead of a blanket, but that’s coming sometime later this week. It’ll do for now.)
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Jan 16, 2024 04:30
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No takers yet - maybe I should move it out from under the deck/stairs-platform? I chose that spot since it’s hidden and protected from snow, but maybe they’re having trouble finding it. Then again, I have no idea how feral cats would even identify it as a place to rest. Camera might be worth a shot!
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Jan 16, 2024 14:59
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That actually makes me wonder what the difference is between a cat shelter, a raccoon shelter, and an opossum shelter. Either way, I do have leftover wet food…oh and when I get home I need to move it a little so it’s on even ground and also maybe figure out how to get the top insulating panel on cuz it won’t stick to the lid. yes this is basically nicotine patches for cat butler withdrawal but consider this: shut up
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Jan 16, 2024 15:13
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This is making me significantly more wary of adopting two cats instead of just one. 
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Jan 23, 2024 14:08
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Lack of appetite is never a good thing. I say vet.
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Jan 23, 2024 14:10
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Yes, my plan is a bonded pair next. Just anxiety and brain problem things I guess!!!
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Jan 23, 2024 14:53
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Rotten Red Rod posted:I've had 2 cats stop eating and change personality suddenly. One of them turned out to be very, very sick with bleeding in his intensities and needed to be put down. I really wish we had taken him in sooner instead of ignoring the signs. Yeah. It sucks, hard, and needs immediate attention. quote:Anyway, yeah, if your cat stops eating and/or suddenly changes its personality, get to the vet ASAP. Quod erat demonstrandum. Lieutenant Dan, I’m glad they got to help her in time. Pollyanna fucked around with this message at 06:53 on Jan 24, 2024 |
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Jan 24, 2024 03:04
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Hello dumbass, we’re glad you’re okay 
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Jan 24, 2024 03:58
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Make sure they get enough water and don’t get too much salt in their diet. Sincerely, A kidney stone sufferer.
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Feb 4, 2024 17:48
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 I replaced the bedding in my cat shelter with new straw, but I have no idea if anything’s used it yet. Should I add a camera or something? Would it fit inside the box, or nah?
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Feb 4, 2024 23:55
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Rotten Red Rod posted:How does the cat even tell how to get in? That entrance looks like it's always covered by the insulation. The insulation is cut 8-ways at the hole to serve as an entrance while still being able to both insulate against the cold and serve as a way to mostly hide the cat inside. It has a circular cut at the tips as a peephole of sorts. Maybe I should remove it outright…? HamburgerTownUSA posted:This is also my concern: it doesn't look like something a cat would know to seek shelter in. All the manufactured and DIY shelters I've seen make the opening very obvious so that a cat would at least consider popping their head in to see what's going on before committing to actually going inside. That’s a good point. I actually don’t know how to communicate to the cats that it’s a shelter…how would I fix that? Remove the insulating blanket flaps? Put down some stinky food, maybe? quote:Yeah, get a camera. Don't put it inside, just have it aimed where the shelter is so you can observe how outdoor cats interact with your shelter so you can adjust as necessary. Get an idea as to which way the wind tends to blow so that the opening doesn't just get a bunch of wind blowing in to it, negating the purpose. Gotcha, I’ll get a camera and keep the wind in mind. Right now though I have it under my backdoor outside deck/staircase:   As a way to protect it from wind and weather. I chose that spot because it’s covered and relatively hidden, though I also worry about how close it is to the cars. Should I move it elsewhere? quote:
I made the opening higher off the ground to avoid getting rodents and other small life to use it instead of the cats (or raccoons I guess :///), and to avoid it getting flooded with rain or blocked by snow. It’s also pretty large already with like a 6” diameter…do you know of any example shelters I can compare against? Agreed on the entrance edges, I chamfered them to make them smooth but maybe another pass with sandpaper or tape is in order. VelociBacon posted:You also don't want them to asphyxiate in there, it's not super clear if any significant amount of air can pass in or out of that front opening. It doesn't have to be a big gap but I think some gap is ideal. poo poo, you’re right. I only made a single entrance so that the cat only has to worry about the one while keeping an eye out, but maybe it’s better to have another? Air holes for sure  Also, I’m wondering if the insulating panels are overkill. Maybe I should just stuff it with as much straw as I can make a reasonable comfy spot out of. What do you all think?
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Feb 7, 2024 19:02
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ded posted:If this was in my area it would 100% get a raccoon in it and not a cat. SIIIGHHHH yeah probably. Well, at least some life is benefitting from it.
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Feb 8, 2024 14:41
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seiferguy posted:Anyone with cats on chlorambucil? My cat doesn't have cancer but got prescribed it on top of his budesionide for treating his IBS. When he went on budesionide it was because the prednisone spiked his blood sugar. It's better but my vet internist said his b12 levels are still low and he's not absorbing nutrients well hence the additional treatment. I'm still giving him b12 shots weekly too. Jet was on chlorambucil for a solid year or so, up until his death. In general he tolerated it well, at least he was certainly more tolerant of a single pill once every two weeks compared to twice daily heart meds  I didn’t notice reduced appetite, and towards the end I moreso noticed him being obviously hungry but being in too much pain and discomfort to tolerate eating.I’m very sorry to hear about your cat and his IBD. It’s a difficult condition to handle. Do keep an eye on his quality of life and his appetite, and make sure you’re watching his litter box use too. The more proactive you are, the better. And you must be prompt and on time for every dose - make sure you schedule orders promptly and with reasonable time padding to allow for the long it takes to compound and sup the medicine. Trust me, you really don’t want to miss a dose because you ordered the meds too late and it’ll take two weeks to fill and skjslflaeufbsklfifaofooirhngpakbxjvoeuutacshdkgjaljfhwif fuckin. Whatever.
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Feb 15, 2024 17:57
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I’m glad he’s in a good place now! It seems like you’re following a very different path with chlorambucil than Jet and I did, so now I’m not sure how much help I can be  but regardless I’m hoping for the best for the two of you.Make sure to give him a whooooooole bunch of hugs from me, BTW ❤️
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Feb 15, 2024 18:23
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❤️ to you and your cat ❤️❤️❤️ It’s been about three months since Jet died. I miss having a cat, and I want to adopt again. I’ve been looking at adoption listings for bonded pairs for a little bit, and they’re adorable, but I’m also kinda nervous. Every cat is different, and there’s no guarantee they’ll be as well-behaved and friendly as he was. Like for example, Jet never peed on the bed or in my shoes or anything, but what if he was special and all cats do that to some degree? I still don’t know if I’m actually an experienced cat owner, or just a Jet owner. It’s kinda scary. Also my family is not so subtly hinting that I shouldn’t adopt again but they’re being dicks and only thinking about their week-long+ family vacations and concern trolling over me so too bad.
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Apr 2, 2024 14:57
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I actually already got a video call scheduled about an adult bonded pair in my area!!  oh god this moves fastI also got a callback regarding a message I left about interest in a single cat I’ve been watching for a few months now. I think I mentioned this cat before, but to recap: they’re diabetic and need insulin shots twice daily, and I’m hesitant to say yes and commit before I can really nail down a management plan for the shots. Medical care for a diabetic cat is very strict and both I and the cat would be in a good bit of trouble if I were away for longer than 12 hours. Especially if/when I’m away either overnight or for up to two weeks - I’d need a cat sitter or something to take care of them. How difficult is it to take care of a diabetic cat? How restrictive and rigid? Or maybe the cat deserves a better owner - should the cat simply instead be matched with someone who is diligent and mentally healthy themselves…? This poo poo is worrying. (I also worry about what the next few years might be like. What if I die young or something? What if I have to flee the country because it gets too hostile towards people like me? Having to give up a cat because of some bullshit like that would be devastating.)
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Apr 2, 2024 18:56
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| # ¿ May 17, 2024 00:51 |
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Last week I got it into my head that I was ready to start exploring adoption, and had some interviews with a couple different bonded pairs. Got all the way to providing my lease + proof I can handle them and being asked which pair I wanted to take home. Ended up having a breakdown after the second interview, right when it was time to commit to a pair. My brother and sister and I had some whole-rear end phone convos where I dumped my feelings and emotions on them and in the end I canceled the whole thing. If I’m not 100% ready for and comfortable with adoption, I can’t do it. Something about the reality of adopting again just stressed the absolute gently caress out of me. My guess is that my anxiety and stress brainworms thought that a new and relatively sudden high-commitment decision deserved a whole-rear end panic attack, even though I’m already equipped for cat ownership. My brother and sister say that I’m still in the mourning process and that my life is not in a position to adopt again because of all the poo poo that’s up in the air this year. All of us are right, probably. Regardless, all I know is that when I went to interview the cats, I didn’t feel the right-ness I felt with Jet and the fosters probably thought I was hesitating. I don’t know why that is. In the end, it’s just not time to adopt yet. Truth is that I’ve got a lot of poo poo to work on that I’ve neglected for years - work, social life, physical and mental health, etc. Plus I’m not sure if I’ll be living in the same place next year, or if I’m gonna buy or move to another state (or even another country). There’s just way too much going on. Jet might have to wait for a while before I make some more friends for him to meet in a decade or two 
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Apr 9, 2024 15:12
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