Pet(s): Photos & Discussion

[Mindthinkr]

@JTMacc99 was correct. Pigs are smart. She now cuddles, comes when called in the house (she can’t resist running wild in the soybean fields), and is litter box trained. I was astounded at the latter. They actually make a litter for pigs (pine pellets) that my daughter buys at the tractor store. Who knew! 

P.S. All the balls are toys that she likes to play with. She also has baby toys and my daughter’s next step is to teach her how to fetch. 

Also when outside, so we don’t have a repeat of the escaping and chase, she has a harness and a leash. 

Edited October 12, 2018 by Mindthinkr
Added a P.S.

[walnutqueen]

16 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

@JTMacc99 was correct. Pigs are smart. She now cuddles, comes when called in the house (she can’t resist running wild in the soybean fields), and is litter box trained. I was astounded at the latter. They actually make a litter for pigs (pine pellets) that my daughter buys at the tractor store. Who knew! 

P.S. All the balls are toys that she likes to play with. She also has baby toys and my daughter’s next step is to teach her how to fetch. 

Also when outside, so we don’t have a repeat of the escaping and chase, she has a harness and a leash. 

Too stinkin' cute!!!

P.S.  I've been told pigs are smarter than dogs - but I won't dip a toe into THAT debate!  ;-)

[tiftgirl]

It makes me feel better that so many of you have difficulty medicating your cats.  Shana's kidney disease has progressed to stage 3 and her phosphorous is really high.  We tried the powdered binder and it doesn't matter, on top of the food, under the food, mixed in with the food, I even tried putting the powder in her bowl the night before and putting another bowl on top of it so all she saw me do in the morning was put food in her bowl.  She just refuses to eat, period.  And she is only a little over 5 lbs, so, not eating is not an option.

The liquid was even worse.  I wound up having to put her in a pillow case and it was traumatic for both of us.  Seriously, I am not exaggerating it was bad.

The Dr said they will give it to her when she gets her fluids and that two doses a week is better than none.  She also said that Shana fights it so hard that she did not want it to damage our relationship because she runs from me thinking I'm going to give her medicine.  I feel like such a failure as a pet parent, but, the Dr said it is hard when there is just one person and one of the techs said she can't medicate her cat by herself.

The Dr also said that she will not be here next October.  Very sobering and upsetting.  She said it won't be in the next few weeks and that as long as Shana still has her personality that is a very good thing.  She said when she just lays there and lets them give the fluids we will have a serious talk.  (it takes two of them to do it and as the Dr said, "she gives them what for" about it.

I am trying to deal with this news.  I knew it would happen at some point.  I just thought that point was a long way off.

[isalicat]

Thank you all so much for your helpful advice on the flea medication. I have decided to call my vet on Monday and see if he will let me just use the stuff that goes in between the cat's shoulder blades as nothing I have tried has enabled me to get the oral medication into my Louis, and again I am highly suspicious of giving this stuff regularly as a preventative.

Tiftgirl: You are being such a great cat parent, please don't beat yourself up about not being able to give your cat her meds - again, I can barely get my cat into the carrier with the help of my husband (wearing major gauntlet gloves) so the idea of holding him down and stuffing anything into his mouth is a non-starter and I don't want to keep hauling him off to the vet as his life before us was hard enough apparently. Enjoy and love your Shana as long as you can - you'll know when its time to be the best and let her go as impossible as that might be to think about now.

[DeLurker]

It is probably too late, but I clearly should have named my cat Buddy...or more appropriately, Butt-y.

[Bastet]

22 minutes ago, tiftgirl said:

We tried the powdered binder and it doesn't matter, on top of the food, under the food, mixed in with the food, I even tried putting the powder in her bowl the night before and putting another bowl on top of it so all she saw me do in the morning was put food in her bowl. 

Did you use plain aluminum hydroxide powder, or something with other ingredients?  The plain stuff does not have much of a taste or smell, so sometimes you can get away with mixing that into the food.  But sometimes they can still tell you're up to something.  It's better they eat more phosphorus than not eat.  So you just do what you can; if you can't add a binder, just feed the lowest-phosphorus food she'll eat and know you're doing the best you can under the circumstances.

28 minutes ago, tiftgirl said:

I wound up having to put her in a pillow case and it was traumatic for both of us.  Seriously, I am not exaggerating it was bad.

Some cats you truly cannot medicate without it causing more stress than it's worth, because chronic stress exacerbates their disease.  And, as you said, you don't want the dynamic of your relationship to be one in which she's perpetually running from you, lest you wrangle her and give her meds.  Again, you just do what you can, and don't beat yourself up over not being able to do more.  Loving her and making her final final months, however many they may be - and I hope it's many! - happy is what she'll value most. 

[Mindthinkr]

@tiftgirl I’m very sorry to hear about your kitty Shana not doing well. I know that you are doing your best, so please don’t get upset with yourself when the going gets tough. I hope she surprises you with some appetite soon. She sounds like a tiny thing at 5 lbs. 

[walnutqueen]

3 hours ago, tiftgirl said:

It makes me feel better that so many of you have difficulty medicating your cats.  Shana's kidney disease has progressed to stage 3 and her phosphorous is really high.  We tried the powdered binder and it doesn't matter, on top of the food, under the food, mixed in with the food, I even tried putting the powder in her bowl the night before and putting another bowl on top of it so all she saw me do in the morning was put food in her bowl.  She just refuses to eat, period.  And she is only a little over 5 lbs, so, not eating is not an option.

The liquid was even worse.  I wound up having to put her in a pillow case and it was traumatic for both of us.  Seriously, I am not exaggerating it was bad.

The Dr said they will give it to her when she gets her fluids and that two doses a week is better than none.  She also said that Shana fights it so hard that she did not want it to damage our relationship because she runs from me thinking I'm going to give her medicine.  I feel like such a failure as a pet parent, but, the Dr said it is hard when there is just one person and one of the techs said she can't medicate her cat by herself.

The Dr also said that she will not be here next October.  Very sobering and upsetting.  She said it won't be in the next few weeks and that as long as Shana still has her personality that is a very good thing.  She said when she just lays there and lets them give the fluids we will have a serious talk.  (it takes two of them to do it and as the Dr said, "she gives them what for" about it.

I am trying to deal with this news.  I knew it would happen at some point.  I just thought that point was a long way off.

My heart aches for you, and brings back so many memories of going through those similar tough times with my boys.  It is an unimaginable pain, and a most horrible loss.  I cannot begin to offer you words of comfort, so I won't even try.  But I AM here for you, and will mourn with you. now and forevermore.  Feel free to PM me anytime of the day or night you need to vent or cry on a stranger's shoulder.

[deemac]

What's wrong with this picture?

 

[DeLurker]

Depends on who you ask.

[tiftgirl]

I am sitting here with tears in my eyes.  You all are amazingly comforting and supportive. Thank you all so very much.

The nurse that gave her the binder yesterday said she purritoed her and that Shana didn't give her tooooo much trouble.  It was in her inflection but there was a bit of a struggle.  She is fantastic and has a special love for geriatric cats.

I did call the local compounding pharmacy and the binders cannot be compounded. They compounded Shlomo's thyroid medicine into a cream I rubbed in his ear membranes and that worked great.  I was really hoping they could to that with this too.

In my mind I've come to the conclusion that as her being happy and behaving like herself is the most important thing.  So, as some of you said, let her eat what she will eat and whatever makes her happy and not stress her (or me because she does react to me emotions) by fighting with her to medicate her myself or offer her only the prescription food.  I do leave it out since it is dry and she nibbles some, but, for her main meals just give her what she wants.  Getting my heart ok with the ramifications of what that means is a different story.

Also, apparently feline kidney transplants is not a thing, and really if it was, would I want her to go through that.   Since the meds were helping Shlomo I opted not to do the radiation because I felt it wasn't fair to him to have to be way from home for so long and them isolated when he came home.  If only you could make them understand.

[Mindthinkr]

@tiftgirl she will understand the love that you will be giving her. She will understand that her life is going back to normal...well as normal as it can be. She’ll also be grateful not to have to fight to not get that bad tasting thing into her mouth anymore . She will be happy to see you relaxed and share a snuggle with you. Cans are finicky. She would like a menu of her daily options. I hope that you have a long time of enjoying each other left. Purrs from the Mindthinkr kitties. 

Edited October 14, 2018 by Mindthinkr

[MargeGunderson]

@tiftgirl, I’m sorry to hear about Shana’s troubles. You are doing the best you can with her, and it’s clear to me that you are putting her needs and comfort first. That’s the most important thing you can do for her. Leg rubs from Kitty Gunderson the Younger.

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, tiftgirl said:

Also, apparently feline kidney transplants is not a thing, and really if it was, would I want her to go through that. 

It's really involved, and expensive, if the cat is even a candidate in the first place and there's a donor (and that's an ethical dilemma in itself), and then you're simultaneously seeing two cats through recovery (because you adopt the donor cat), which is a stressful environment not terribly conducive to healing.  It's a whole lot to put the cats through.  I might consider it in a young cat, otherwise healthy and strong, with a congenital kidney defect, but in the usual CKD scenario, I wouldn't.

You're doing right by her.  If the phosphorus level is really high, diet, binders, and fluids are only going to do so much, anyway.  If those things would all cause stress, it's just not worth the little bit of extra time they'd give, because it's better to have a little bit less time, but better time; quality over quantity is very much at play here.  Shana doesn't know what you know -- she doesn't know she has a progressive disease, it's stage three, she probably only has months, etc.  That knowledge is only your painful reality, and it sucks, and you have my heartfelt sympathy.  But the bright spot is Shana's reality is this: she's home, she's happy, she's loved, she's getting whatever she wants to eat, and her mommy isn't poking her or forcing meds down her throat.  She has a great life, and has no concept maybe it could last longer if things were different.  She just knows how she feels, and she feels good.   When the time comes, it will be awful for you, but you'll know you let her go out on a high note.

Take care of yourself while you're taking care of her, because she does understand the important thing in all this, which is that she's loved beyond measure.

[tiftgirl]

Thank you all for the purrs, leg rubs and sage words

@Bastet the Dr. said the same thing about quality over quantity.  And thank you for laying it out simply what Shana'a reality is.  In my mind I do that know and that's the struggle that I am having to accept that its is enough and it is right.

Several of you have said that this approach is right for her and deep in my heart as much as it hurts all I truly want is to do what is right by her.

I am so lucky to have found this group whose experience and understanding is helping me accept I can't fix or change her path but I can make it as easy and happy for her as I can and that is enough for her.

[emma675]

tiftgirl, unfortunately many of us have been through it before. When I lost my sweet dog Olivia last year, this group was a wonderful support. We'll help you through it.

[DeLurker]

@tiftgirl - I can only imagine how difficult this is on you and I am very grateful that there are others here who are able to share their wealth of knowledge and seemingly endless compassion.  It has literally taken me days to string together a few words to say that I wish you both peace and comfort, but I mean them sincerely.

[tiftgirl]

Who knew a message board about television would build communities of comfort and support for people needing it (not just pets, I see in the work thread and the family thread among others!  I am so glad they allow the off-topic areas.  :)

I am so sorry about Olivia @emma675.

@DeLurker I know you mean them, and there is no need for more.

I see the likes to my posts and I know those are all well wishes and encouragement.  Sometimes that's all I do because I don't feel I have the words to help someone.  Conversely, sometimes I forget to like posts to me because I get so emotional about them :).

Meanwhile, she has been grumpy and demanding all day - this is a good thing as that is her normal.  When her daughter passed in June from cancer, my best friend said, "oh well, it's just two grumpy old women over at your place now"  :)

[Mindthinkr]

These two rarely if ever sleep together. Yesterday they got groomed (by me) with the Furminator and a horse’s face brush (very soft and good at getting dander and dandruff off). They got their flea treatments today and are consoling each other for the sheer trauma it caused them lol. He gets Revolution and she gets Cheristin. She’s allergic to most brands and I don’t blame her for fighting it. I think it hurts her, but she is also allergic to flea bites. If I don’t keep her treated she scratches until she gets scabs all over. 

[bmasters9]

11 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

These two rarely if ever sleep together. Yesterday they got groomed (by me) with the Furminator and a horse’s face brush (very soft and good at getting dander and dandruff off). They got their flea treatments today and are consoling each other for the sheer trauma it caused them lol. He gets Revolution and she gets Cheristin. She’s allergic to most brands and I don’t blame her for fighting it. I think it hurts her, but she is also allergic to flea bites. If I don’t keep her treated she scratches until she gets scabs all over. 

Somewhat of a lesser-of-two-evils situation, I take it?

[Mindthinkr]

3 hours ago, bmasters9 said:

Somewhat of a lesser-of-two-evils situation, I take it?

It’s terrible and all three of us hate treatment day. The girl who comes to do it began (after a bite that required 2 antibiotics) using welding gloves. I was bitten twice requiring antibiotics. They hear her coming and go underneath the furniture. Now Baby Boy isn’t so bad...just clearly annoyed. His sister is a nightmare. They used to make an injection that worked for 3 months but the vets don’t use that anymore. Unpleasant yes, but better that these shenanigans. 

[DeLurker]

@Mindthinkr - I had no idea a domesticated cat would have such a strong reaction to the treatment - yikes! 

[tiftgirl]

Yall not good.  Shana has only days left, maybe tomorrow.  There have been several set backs this week and the Dr just said it depends when she see's her tomorrow.  She said she was afraid she was going to tell me to bring her in when she called, but, Shana is doing better today and she said since was having a good day just love her and enjoy our time and her weight and demeanor will determine tomorrow, but, she said within the week.

I am not sure I can make it through, but, I will not leave her to be alone when it happens.

[Mindthinkr]

@tiftgirl I’m so sorry. Enjoy your time together. We will all be with you in spirit when the time comes to give you strength. Purrs from the Mindthinkr kitties and a hug from me. 

[bilgistic]

Gentle purrs and headbonks from the girls and me, @tiftgirl.

[theredhead77]

I'm so sorry @tiftgirl

[Bastet]

@tiftgirl, when the time comes, know that while the vet may be the only person physically there with you, the thoughts of everyone here will be embracing you in comfort and strength.

[theredhead77]

Shout out to SmartyKat brand customer service! I bought a toy on Prime Day and about 8 weeks later the motor died. I emailed them and they sent a replacement out right away.

I emailed them last night to see where I could buy the kitten-cats favorite kick toy and they replied it had been discontinued (which I figured since I couldn't find it anywhere) but they'd let their product team know there was interest. I thanked them and said if they came across any in their warehouse I'd be happy to buy them off of them. Turns out they don't sell directly to the public but they found two left and are mailing them out next week free of charge!

[AgentRXS]

@tiftgirl I am so sorry. Bastet is exactly right---we will all be here for you when you need us. Non-creepy hugs to both you and Shana.

 

Came here to share photos of some of my parking lot cats at my job, Aren't they adorable?

 

[bilgistic]

I don't know how you manage to not take home armfuls of cats every day! So many pretty kitties!

[walnutqueen]

21 hours ago, tiftgirl said:

Yall not good.  Shana has only days left, maybe tomorrow.  There have been several set backs this week and the Dr just said it depends when she see's her tomorrow.  She said she was afraid she was going to tell me to bring her in when she called, but, Shana is doing better today and she said since was having a good day just love her and enjoy our time and her weight and demeanor will determine tomorrow, but, she said within the week.

I am not sure I can make it through, but, I will not leave her to be alone when it happens.

The ONLY reason you can, and will, make it through is for your Shana, because you are a good and loving Mum, @tiftgirl.

We all empathize with you, and there are just no adequate words of comfort or wisdom to help you through these terrible times; but I know full well we are all here for you, and are feeling your pain.  Please know that these PTV animal lovers are THE most compassionate, giving and loving people on the planet I've ever "met", and they will do everything in their power to help you through the darkest days of your life.  I know this - because they've done it for me.  More than once.

Sending you both peaceful and loving thoughts.

[MargeGunderson]

@tiftgirl, I’m so sorry. As @Bastet said very eloquently, we are supporting you in spirit. 

Edited October 22, 2018 by MargeGunderson

[bosawks]

Helllooo Fall!!!!

[bilgistic]

Alli walks on water, too?! What can't she do?!

[tiftgirl]

I had to let Shana go yesterday.  The Dr said her body was tired and was starting to shut down.  They had to stick her twice to get the catheter in they couldn't even get a vein in the first leg.

In what could only be a God wink, when I called my best friend Friday night to tell him what was going on his plane had just landed in Atlanta to get his connecting flight back home to N.C.  He change his flight to Sat afternoon and came out here and was with me and her Friday night and yesterday when she left.  We were roommates when Shana found me in 2000 and though he is allergic to cats he never had a reaction (except for visits to the vet with other cats around) until he moved in 2004.  So he was there when she came into my life and he was there when she left it.

I have not been alone in the house for over 18 years.  I keep thinking I hear her in another room.  I guess because she was the last, I didn't have this feeling when the others passed.  They are all together now.

I know I should pack up all the food and clean the litter boxes so I can donate them, but, I just can't seem to make myself.  I look at her stuff and just break down.

I feel like crap emotionally and physically, my muscles hurt, my chest is congested.  My nose make sense because I keep crying.  I just want to go to bed and snuggle up but there is no one to snuggle with me.

[walnutqueen]

I am so very sorry for your loss, @tiftgirl.  

It is good that you had your best friend with you when the time came.  But the aching loneliness and emptiness you are feeling must be excruciating.  I wish I could loan you my Babalu - he's an excellent snuggler, and has comforted me through the losses of all my other cats.  Sadly, I believe we've both attained professional mourner status.  :-(

Please try to take care of yourself in the best way you can, and know that we are all mourning with you.  I wish you the blessed relief of sleep, and hope you find small comfort in our inadequate words of condolences.

[DeLurker]

@tiftgirl - Shana's never going to be too far from you, although right now it seems that the space is endless.  Once the very real tangible loss of her presence in your life is accepted, and you do not have to be graceful in that now, Shana will keep tabs on you.   She's been with you for 18 years - your heart beats have sync'd.    I'm not much in the way of a believer, but if there were proof of a Higher Power, I'd say you got it in the best friend's travels overlap.

[emma675]

tiftgirl, take your time dealing with her things. When my Olivia passed, I gave her food and puppy pads to the vet's office pretty quickly but I held on to her toys and pillows for many months. My new pup Bonnie has actually used some of them. 

Take care of yourself, it's hard. 

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, tiftgirl said:

I have not been alone in the house for over 18 years.  I keep thinking I hear her in another room.  I guess because she was the last, I didn't have this feeling when the others passed.  They are all together now.

When Maddie died, it was the first time I'd been cat-less due to death since I was a child.  It is indeed extra hard when you can't comfort yourself by curling up with other cats.  My heart goes out to you.  I'm so glad it happened to work out for your friend to be there with you, and not just any friend but the one who was with you when Shana came into your life.  But I know how lonely, empty, and just plain wrong it feels at home now, and am thinking of you.

2 hours ago, tiftgirl said:

I know I should pack up all the food and clean the litter boxes so I can donate them, but, I just can't seem to make myself.  I look at her stuff and just break down.

There's no "should" here, because there's no timeline you're obligated to follow.  Do with the stuff what you will when you will; don't make yourself do anything right now.

With Maddie, I did it the same day.  And then I felt like shit, as if I'd erased her.  Which, of course, was not at all what it was about; seeing the stuff was making me cry even more, so I put it away (some stuff I kept for future cats, some I donated).  That's what was right for me, in that moment.  What's right for you in this moment is not to physically deal with the cats' things.  When that changes, you'll handle it then.

One moment at a time, @tiftgirl.  All you have to do right now is keep breathing and put one foot in front of the other.  These early days in the grief process are simply excruciating, and there's no getting around that.  Curl up in a ball, yell, cry, sit bewildered - do it all as it comes, and do it on your schedule.  We'll be here.

I'm very sorry for your loss.

[MargeGunderson]

@tiftgirl, I’m so sorry. You and Shana were lucky to have each other, and I have no doubt that she knew how much you loved her, even at the end. Please take the time to grieve at your own pace and don’t rush into throwing things out. You will know when it feels right. 

[DeLurker]

The next door neighbor periodically have an motor home parked in front of their house - it is quite nice and has tinted windows.  Unfortunately, Kook gets very alarmed when he sees them walking into it - he has never seen one before & he can't see them once they get inside so he's pretty certain they have just been eaten by some beast.  He tries to give them warnings, but they never listen.

[walnutqueen]

2 hours ago, DeLurker said:

The next door neighbor periodically have an motor home parked in front of their house - it is quite nice and has tinted windows.  Unfortunately, Kook gets very alarmed when he sees them walking into it - he has never seen one before & he can't see them once they get inside so he's pretty certain they have just been eaten by some beast.  He tries to give them warnings, but they never listen.

Perhaps you should stop letting Kook watch The X Files with you ... ;-)

[tiftgirl]

Thank you all very much for you words and thoughts.  I don't have the words but all of them mean very much to me.  There are times  I feel like I can't cry and times I feel like I will never stop. In my head I know in time it will get better but my heart just feels like it is broken into a million pieces.

[Mindthinkr]

@tiftgirl I’m so sorry to hear about Shana and glad that your friend made the choice to change her fight plans and come stay with you. Condolences from kitties Mindthinkr and me. I’ve had some great cats pass over the bridge and Shana has a bunch of our well loved animals to keep her company. Do whatever you feel best about doing with her stuff. I wish I had better words to comfort you.  

[bilgistic]

@tiftgirl, my thoughts are with you now. I'm so sorry about Shana. I'm glad you had a friend to hold your hand during Shana's passing.

I was catless for the first time in 30+ years when Bilgisticat passed last September. I slept for days to avoid feeling anything because my grief was so overwhelming.

The loss never gets easier, but eventually you will remember how to breathe again. Be very gentle with yourself and allow yourself to feel what you feel. It's all OK and there's no "normal" or "right" way to feel. Shana was a vital part of your life, and nothing can diminish that.

We are all here for you.

[Moose135]

@tiftgirl, I'm sorry to hear about your little kitty.

We had some great weather on Sunday - a little cool, but sunny - so we took a ride up to the Blue Ridge Parkway to see how the fall colors were coming.  We took Denali along for the ride, as she loves going for rides!

This was at Price Lake on the Parkway:

Let's go! Let's go!

Edited October 22, 2018 by Moose135

[theredhead77]

She's giving Ali a run for their money! I think we need a puppers photo-off!

[walnutqueen]

There's no such thing as a photo-off ... Every damned one of those pics deserves it's own hall of Fame.

AND ... you cannot MAKE me vote for my favorite animal pic  (I'm Canadian, eh!).

[MargeGunderson]

@Moose135, Denali is so photogenic! (And you take terrific pics)

[Mindthinkr]