1/9 Ivy Amps 323, +3 195, + 6 216, +9 320, Pmps 315, +1 292, +3 267, +6 147, +8.25 73 Libre

[Staci & Ivy]

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...-7-257-10-224-pmps-315-3-25-163-libre.285421/
Good morning,
Amps 323
Yesterday was somewhat flat on the Libre in mostly yellow. A few dips to high blues and a few jumps to pink.
I eliminated the dried beef liver (for anemia) yesterday, hoping that makes her less itchy. I don’t think it will, she was itching before we added it in October. Let’s see.
She was so itchy last night I put a soft cone on her in the pm and overnight. She looked so miserable, but she needed to stop biting her tee shirt.
She bites holes in the tee then her tooth can get caught. Not good. (So many things to watch her for).
This morning I took the tee off and put on a tube top. (This girl has quite a wardrobe to cover her Libre sensor so she won’t pull it off.)

She’s licking all the fur areas she hasn’t been able to lick in months like a crazy woman this morning. This is a test and I will have to see if it works or the tee has to go back on. I will watch her closely today to see how she does.

At +2 she’s coming down to 250s on Libre.
I’m working at home and watching her closely today.
Safe surfing everyone!

 

[Mikanmama (Mikan GA)]

Hi Staci!
Poor baby - itching is one of the worst things!
Hope the tee-off experiment works. At least, maybe she can have a tee-off holiday every now and then?
Not sure what tube tops are like, but it reminded me of what I had on Mikan after the spaying procedure.
It was like an apron - I didn't have a heart to put on cone so I opted for this:

Hmm. Now that I look at it, the backside is open - that's where the libre is attached?

Hope you will find a good solution soon - this must be so stressful for you as well.

Have a great day, Staci and Ivy!

 

[Mikanmama (Mikan GA)]

Oh, the image didn't show up. Here it is.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Hi Staci!
Poor baby - itching is one of the worst things!
Hope the tee-off experiment works. At least, maybe she can have a tee-off holiday every now and then?
Not sure what tube tops are like, but it reminded me of what I had on Mikan after the spaying procedure.
It was like an apron - I didn't have a heart to put on cone so I opted for this:

Hmm. Now that I look at it, the backside is open - that's where the libre is attached?

Hope you will find a good solution soon - this must be so stressful for you as well.

Have a great day, Staci and Ivy!

Hi Kit, that’s the cutest pic with the striped suit!! It is such a frustrating situation. I just want her to feel better. Keep trying different things. We shall see if this experiment works or not. I lie awake at night trying to think of solutions to all her problems. I know I’m not alone in that feat.

Here’s the tube top this morning. It may be short lived!

 

[Mikanmama (Mikan GA)]

I lie awake at night trying to think of solutions to all her problems.

Gosh, I feel for you, Staci!
The tube looks great certainly less coverage but does protect the libre. Cutest thing, with honey bees
Wish they knew how cute and adorable they looked with those things; however cute tings they get, they just want to be buck naked

 

[Alicia & Kit cat (GA)]

Hi Kit, that’s the cutest pic with the striped suit!! It is such a frustrating situation. I just want her to feel better. Keep trying different things. We shall see if this experiment works or not. I lie awake at night trying to think of solutions to all her problems. I know I’m not alone in that feat.

Here’s the tube top this morning. It may be short lived!
View attachment 68728

She's so fluffy and cute with her bee tube top! I'm impressed you're able to get any clothing on her - I think Kit would murderalize me in my sleep.

 

[Fistuk & Shelly]

Hi Staci
Poor little Ivy. I can't imagine how tough it is for her to suffer from ongoing itchiness.
You choose such cool clothes for her
You're taking such great care of her. You're an amazing mum.
I know you've been giving her so much energy and thought to try and figure out how to help her best. you're amazing. I'm sure you'll get to the bottom of this and find the right answer.
I hope you're having a good day at home. must be easier to be able to take care of Ivy.
Wishing you a great day

 

[Deb and Tiger]

Hi Staci. Poor baby itching! I don’t have any remedies but maybe a way to soothe it temporarily. I have terrible allergies myself and itchy spots, then I irritate it more by scratching, even tho I know better. I have found a cool compress or ice pack applied will soothe it and relieve the itching for a bit. If I do this again when it itches it eventually stops that vicious itch for a while. It’s a terrible circle, itch, scratch (which makes it itch more) itch….
I know cats hate cold but in this case she may like it. Worth a try…

 

[Jack & Mopem'sMom]

Oh poor Ivy, it's so tough for them, and us to watch them suffer with things we can't fix for them. My vet told me it takes 4-6 weeks to see a difference when trying to figure out food allergies, which to me seems an outrageously long time, but this is why my Pumpkin takes cetrizine 2x a day. I'm not happy that he is on antihistamines, but he was scratching himself bloody and would not stand for clothes, cones, or any type of covering. I really hope you figure out what the cause of her itchiness is, and are able to treat it. In the meantime, sending you both tons of love and hugs

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Poor girl. I don’t have a lot of experience with the kind of allergy you are talking about so I hope you can find some answers.

You know, I got to thinking about the CKD. If you have her labs when the vets dx’d it, you might look at them. You know cats can have acute kidney injury that might have been misdiagnosed? I don’t why I didn’t think of this earlier because I actually had a cat that went through this when she was 12. Her kidney values returned completely to normal over a few months and she lived to be 21 and passed away in her sleep. Just brainstorming.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Poor girl. I don’t have a lot of experience with the kind of allergy you are talking about so I hope you can find some answers.

You know, I got to thinking about the CKD. If you have her labs when the vets dx’d it, you might look at them. You know cats can have acute kidney injury that might have been misdiagnosed? I don’t why I didn’t think of this earlier because I actually had a cat that went through this when she was 12. Her kidney values returned completely to normal over a few months and she lived to be 21 and passed away in her sleep. Just brainstorming.

Hmmmm. I’ll see if I can dig them out!!

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

@Staci & Ivy @Mikanmama Thank you both for the dose of clothed kitty cuteness!

Staci, I feel for you and Ivy with the itching problem. Chispa went for YEARS licking off every bit of fur she could reach while the vets and I tried every test and remedy under the sun, to no avail. Prednisolone was the ONLY thing that ever worked, but of course they didn't want to put her on it long-term because of the risk of diabetes. And then she got IBD and started taking pred for that, and she's had a beautiful, thick, soft coat ever since. If her current chicken-free diet works, the hope is that she'll be able to go off pred -- but I don't know what I'll do if she starts licking her fur again. Guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

 

[Karolina & Nestle]

Hi Staci and Ivy

Glad to see she finally broke the streak of 400 amps. And that pic of her in her tube top is adorable.

Also if she's still itching after you eliminate the beef litter etc etc I just thought of something. If you wash her tshirts, did you consider that purrrrhaps she could be allergic to the detergent you use? Might still not be it but worth considering/researching?
Don't mean to add to your plate that's already full but hey maybe worth a shot.

Wishing you and tube girl a nice evening

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Hi Staci and Ivy

Glad to see she finally broke the streak of 400 amps. And that pic of her in her tube top is adorable.

Also if she's still itching after you eliminate the beef litter etc etc I just thought of something. If you wash her tshirts, did you consider that purrrrhaps she could be allergic to the detergent you use? Might still not be it but worth considering/researching?
Don't mean to add to your plate that's already full but hey maybe worth a shot.

Wishing you and tube girl a nice evening

Hi Karolina, I actually use Dreft, which is for babies and never use dryer sheets for her stuff. But good idea. I will buy some unscented, detergent to be sure!! Thanks for the great idea

 

[Staci & Ivy]

@Staci & Ivy @Mikanmama Thank you both for the dose of clothed kitty cuteness!

Staci, I feel for you and Ivy with the itching problem. Chispa went for YEARS licking off every bit of fur she could reach while the vets and I tried every test and remedy under the sun, to no avail. Prednisolone was the ONLY thing that ever worked, but of course they didn't want to put her on it long-term because of the risk of diabetes. And then she got IBD and started taking pred for that, and she's had a beautiful, thick, soft coat ever since. If her current chicken-free diet works, the hope is that she'll be able to go off pred -- but I don't know what I'll do if she starts licking her fur again. Guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Hi Karen, I’m sorry you’ve had to go through the licking and itching with Chispa also. What a nightmare this has been. I noticed it started after we got the libre and the T-shirt went on, so I don’t know if it started as a behavioral thing and she just didn’t like the T-shirt or what but it just seems like it’s gotten worse. I just can’t tell if it’s allergy or behavioral. So much to figure out, and the vets don’t seem to really have too much of a clue so I have to do a lot of of the detective work myself.
I hope you never have to go through this again with Chispa, but thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

She's so fluffy and cute with her bee tube top! I'm impressed you're able to get any clothing on her - I think Kit would murderalize me in my sleep.

Alicia, you should see me wrestle a tee shirt on and off of her. You might think I’m doing harm the way she screams and carries on. And the bites and scratching. She’s like wrestling an alligator

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Hi Staci
Poor little Ivy. I can't imagine how tough it is for her to suffer from ongoing itchiness.
You choose such cool clothes for her
You're taking such great care of her. You're an amazing mum.
I know you've been giving her so much energy and thought to try and figure out how to help her best. you're amazing. I'm sure you'll get to the bottom of this and find the right answer.
I hope you're having a good day at home. must be easier to be able to take care of Ivy.
Wishing you a great day

Hi Shelly, well I’m hoping having her arms and chest free may help her feel better. I’ve been trying to come up with a tee shirt alternative for a while now and then a halter or tube top came to mind. I raced to Amazon and found an XXS teen size, then I stitched up a seam on the side to make it more narrow to fit a svelte Maine coon cat body. The measures we take for our cats.

She spent a lot of time licking her new found areas of fur today and then snoozing.
I watched her on the Ivy cam when I had to be at my desk working. But she does seem more relaxed a bit.
Paws and fingers crossed that she just wanted the tee shirt gone. Time will tell for sure if she stops biting the areas she was biting before.
As you know, there’s so many facets to explore for answers. It just never ends.
I hope you and your boys had a lovely day and you are snug in bed by now! xoxo

 

[cecile & bella]

Bella was licking and pulling her hair, her belly was completely bare for months. she started that in 2020 and did it for a few months, then it got better during the winter and she started again in spring the next year, again, bare belly for months, and again the next year. Our vet thought it was allergies at first (since it was spring and summer), then stress, or hypersensitivity: she would also twitch when we would touch her back and legs. All that got better when we started the Adequan, and it stopped completely after her second dental exam when they pulled almost all of her teeth.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Oh poor Ivy, it's so tough for them, and us to watch them suffer with things we can't fix for them. My vet told me it takes 4-6 weeks to see a difference when trying to figure out food allergies, which to me seems an outrageously long time, but this is why my Pumpkin takes cetrizine 2x a day. I'm not happy that he is on antihistamines, but he was scratching himself bloody and would not stand for clothes, cones, or any type of covering. I really hope you figure out what the cause of her itchiness is, and are able to treat it. In the meantime, sending you both tons of love and hugs

Thank you so much for the love and Hugs. Sending it right back your way Christine. You need it too! I hope things are better today in your world.
Ivy is on Zyrtec, I’ve been splitting the 5mg dose in half and giving that 2x a day. Who knows if it does anything. She also takes Seasonal Allergy drops from Animal Essentials 2x daily.
All I know is she’s been itchy for months and months.

I hope Pumpkin feels better, too. Poor baby! Xoxo
Have a good night

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Bella was licking and pulling her hair, her belly was completely bare for months. she started that in 2020 and did it for a few months, then it got better during the winter and she started again in spring the next year, again, bare belly for months, and again the next year. Our vet thought it was allergies at first (since it was spring and summer), then stress, or hypersensitivity: she would also twitch when we would touch her back and legs. All that got better when we started the Adequan, and it stopped completely after her second dental exam when they pulled almost all of her teeth.

Wow, that’s really quite a story, Cecile. So glad Bella feels much better now! So much to go through

 

[Alicia & Kit cat (GA)]

Alicia, you should see me wrestle a tee shirt on and off of her. You might think I’m doing harm the way she screams and carries on. And the bites and scratching. She’s like wrestling an alligator

I mean, I feel like we need to see evidence of the cute cute Ivy being so ferocious.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Hi Shelly, well I’m hoping having her arms and chest free may help her feel better. I’ve been trying to come up with a tee shirt alternative for a while now and then a halter or tube top came to mind. I raced to Amazon and found an XXS teen size, then I stitched up a seam on the side to make it more narrow to fit a svelte Maine coon cat body. The measures we take for our cats.

She spent a lot of time licking her new found areas of fur today and then snoozing.
I watched her on the Ivy cam when I had to be at my desk working. But she does seem more relaxed a bit.
Paws and fingers crossed that she just wanted the tee shirt gone. Time will tell for sure if she stops biting the areas she was biting before.
As you know, there’s so many facets to explore for answers. It just never ends.
I hope you and your boys had a lovely day and you are snug in bed by now! xoxo

I don’t know if you’ve seen this but one member a while back used this kitty collar, actually designed for a cat with an etube, to cover the Libre sensor because her cat didn’t like t-shirts.

I also use Seventh Generation Free and Clear for all cat bedding even though mine don’t have allergies. I just don’t want them coming in contact with anything scented, etc.

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Staci, I feel so freaking bad for Ivy and you , the itching must drive her crazy. Maybe the tee was really bothering her and she seemed more relaxed with the tube top on .
I wish I had a suggestion for you .
I hope both of you sleep well tonight and Ivy stays relaxed

 

[Jason - Kona's Dad]

I'm always worrying about Ivy hope all the issues go away soon.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

I don’t know if you’ve seen this but one member a while back used this kitty collar, actually designed for a cat with an etube, to cover the Libre sensor because her cat didn’t like t-shirts.

I also use Seventh Generation Free and Clear for all cat bedding even though mine don’t have allergies. I just don’t want them coming in contact with anything scented, etc.

Marje, you are truly a wonder of the cat world to behold! This is an awesome product and I will check it out fully. Thank you. It may just be a great solution! I will have to take some measurements to see if it will fit her torso.
Thank you for the creative thinking!!

 

[Staci & Ivy]

I'm always worrying about Ivy hope all the issues go away soon.

Thank you so much for your sweet thoughts, Jason. You’re a gem

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Staci, I feel so freaking bad for Ivy and you , the itching must drive her crazy. Maybe the tee was really bothering her and she seemed more relaxed with the tube too on .
I wish I had a suggestion for you .
I hope both of you sleep well tonight and Ivy stays relaxed

Thank you so much, Diane. You’re so sweet. I really appreciate your kind thoughts! She definitely has been more relaxed today. Everything crossed that she stops biting and it was the tee!!!!!! That would be the best news.
I hope you have a good night, too.
Btw, did you lose any power tonight? Nasty storm in our region!
We just got our power back. Been a long night in the dark. So odd.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

I mean, I feel like we need to see evidence of the cute cute Ivy being so ferocious.

Haha. I bet I can catch a video. Then I’d just have to figure out how to post it. That’s the harder part on this forum.

 

[Alicia & Kit cat (GA)]

Haha. I bet I can catch a video. Then I’d just have to figure out how to post it. That’s the harder part on this forum.

True. You can always upload it to youtube as a private video and share the link? Or upload it to google drive and share the link?

 

[Basic's Mom]

When Basic started feeling better and going after the area the libre was, I put a shirt on him. He stayed glued to the floor, but was also just absolutely miserable. I tried different things around his body too, but he never adjusted. That was the last one he had on too. He was far more miserable with all of that than me poking him. He doesn't even mind the poke, he doesn't like his ear being warmed. Go figure.

I'm hopeful you can find a solution that works for her. I'd say if she was grooming her new found hair and relaxing, those are good signs. I often find that when I am worrying about my cat like crazy, he's oblivious to what I'm stressing over.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Marje, you are truly a wonder of the cat world to behold! This is an awesome product and I will check it out fully. Thank you. It may just be a great solution! I will have to take some measurements to see if it will fit her torso.
Thank you for the creative thinking!!

you're welcome but the idea isn’t mine. We had a vet tech on here that worked with endocrinologists and she told the board about it. Here is one of her posts (#4). When you have Ivy’s Libre changed, it will go on her neck and the Kitty Kollar over it.

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Btw, did you lose any power tonight?

No we didn't , but it's pouring out and you can hear how windy it is .
Thank God you got your power back on. It must have been so freaky being in the dark for so long

 

[Staci & Ivy]

you're welcome but the idea isn’t mine. We had a vet tech on here that worked with endocrinologists and she told the board about it. Here is one of her posts (#4). When you have Ivy’s Libre changed, it will go on her neck and the Kitty Kollar over it.

I change the Libres myself. I put them on her back. I don’t think she would like them at all on her neck. She would definitely try to scratch that area with her hind legs and wouldn’t want her neck encased in a collar. But I thought around her torso would work.
It appears they make an XL size that may work. I will investigate

 

[Staci & Ivy]

No we didn't , but it's pouring out and you can hear how windy it is .
Thank God you got your power back on. It must have been so freaky being in the dark for so long

I’m so glad you didn’t lose power. It was not fun. And I was really only worried about Ivy, the libre data and poking her in the dark, and of course preserving the Lantus

 

[Staci & Ivy]

When Basic started feeling better and going after the area the libre was, I put a shirt on him. He stayed glued to the floor, but was also just absolutely miserable. I tried different things around his body too, but he never adjusted. That was the last one he had on too. He was far more miserable with all of that than me poking him. He doesn't even mind the poke, he doesn't like his ear being warmed. Go figure.

I'm hopeful you can find a solution that works for her. I'd say if she was grooming her new found hair and relaxing, those are good signs. I often find that when I am worrying about my cat like crazy, he's oblivious to what I'm stressing over.

You’re so lucky Basic doesn’t mind the pokes. It makes this whole thing easier to have a cooperative cat!!

 

[Marje and Gracie]

I change the Libres myself. I put them on her back. I don’t think she would like them at all on her neck. She would definitely try to scratch that area with her hind legs and wouldn’t want her neck encased in a collar. But I thought around her torso would work.
It appears they make an XL size that may work. I will investigate

I hope you can make it work.