10/23 Cinco AMPS 244 +4.25 120 +6 78 +7 88 PMPS 218 +3 233 +6.25 238

[Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey]

10/22 Recap:
1.25 units bid
AMPS: 272
AM+4.25: 168
AM+6: 95
AM+7: 89
AM+8: 96
PMPS: 183
PM+3.75: 140
PM+6.25: 134
PM+7.5: 160

Cinco and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Thanks to all who visited us this morning and offered sympathy and encouragement. I have to admit I'm a bit embarrassed to be complaining about my day yesterday after all that Marje and Amy have been through today. Tons of vines and prayers are headed to both of them from us.

Cinco showed up for work again today. This is the most green we've seen in a month. Sure helps me deal with everything else to see that!

Dr. R called this afternoon and said that all Cinco's blood work looked good - no real changes from his last panel, and the urinalysis did not reveal any infection. We'll wait for the culture results, of course, but we expect them to be negative. She did want me to continue the AB because of the mess he made of his leg. She couldn't believe what a number he did on it. Neither could I. I can't turn my back on him for a minute! So we know that his peeing outside the box does not have a medical reason. I'm clueless. He's gone 24 hours without doing it (ANTI-JINX), but he's done that before, so it doesn't necessarily mean anything. I just wish I understood what the problem is.

Today was litter changing day, so all the boxes are clean with fresh litter and fresh pee pads and the carpets are vacuumed and floors swept. I'm beat.

Despite my stalking Harvey all day, I was unsuccessful in catching him "in the act", so when I changed the box in the guest room, I put a very small amount of litter in it and then I shut Harvey in there with food and water. Two hours later, when I opened the door, he raced out (which I expected). He had peed, all right (and pooped), but he managed to get all of it in the tiny bit of litter, so there was no liquid to test! Guess I'll have to get something non-absorbent to put in there and try it again tomorrow - if I can catch him!

Minka was appyless all day. After all the usual meds and supplements and five cans of cat food and a jar of baby food opened without success, I syringed about 10 cc of Purina NF. She was very cooperative, even licking the excess off the syringe! When I had finished she looked like she wanted more, so I gave her another 5 cc or so! Then she was done. A couple of hours later I did another 7 cc. It's so strange, like she wants to eat but isn't sure how to do it. I just now got her to eat a little of one of her previous favorite flavors, but it took her forever to actually make contact with the food with her tongue, and she only ate a little. Maybe she is getting senile.

Sasha didn't like this morning's entree, but the baby food Minka didn't want was just fine with her! I got her to eat snacks all day of the other rejected foods. Harvey is still hoovering on high.

Well, guess I'd better go get our dinner started. Before you know it, it'll be time to get the cats' meds ready, and do fluids, etc. It never ends.

Thinking of Ann and John.

Sending healing vines to all in need and hugs to all their beans, especially Carla & her civvie Baby, Wendy & Neko & civvie Theo, and Marje & Gracie. Prayers continue for Amy's DF, Lyresa's DF and DH, Marje's DM, Chris' DM, Molly's DM, and Elise's DM.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Cinco!! So nice to see you back on duty!! Especially with me not feeling so good right now....guess all that swimming in chilly water got to me! Ahhhh...CHOO!!

Sure does sound like something strange is going on with Minka! So very weird that she'll eat it off the syringe but refuse it any other way! If it wouldn't take forever to get her to eat, I might suggest pushing it very slowly out of the syringe and seeing if she'll keep eating as long as you're pushing....of course it would take most of the day to get enough food into her and it's not like you have lots of spare time in your life!!

Enjoy the lagoon time for Cinco!! At least you know something good is happening!!

 

[Marilyn and Sheldon]

Just catching up. Yesterday was a stinker all around for you. I'm constantly amazed at your ability to manage it all. Vent whenever you need. It's an important part of the coping mechanism.

Thank goodness Cinco's decided he likes being the "good" kitty. Nice numbers, using the box. Hey, looks good.

Minka. Goodness girl. What a mystery with the foods. 'Bout time for one of her ok-I'll-eat-from-a-plate and even CPC days. Random, I know. But seems 'bout time.

Good luck with Harvey's sample! Darn cat.

Marilyn and Polly

 

[tiffmaxee]

I just got caught up on your yesterday I wish there was something I could do to help. It's so odd that Cinconis going outside the box yet no infection of kidney disease. I'm glad but how to explain this behavior???! His poor leg too. So the USG is normal and the kidney markers too? What a puzzle just like Minka and her appy. So hard on you.

 

[Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey]

Thanks for visiting us, Chris, Marilyn and Elise.

I watched Cinco a little while ago, and he was wandering around the family room like he couldn't find where he wanted to go. Eventually he made it to the bar area, and he started peeing as soon as he got on the pee pads. I think he is getting confused, and it takes him so long to find the box that he has to go before he gets there. That's all I can figure.

Minka has been eating a little bit of that cat food on and off all evening, so I don't think I'm going to need to syringe. I'm already worrying about the week in November that we'll be gone to Phoenix for the NASCAR races, and the two weeks at Christmas. What will Dawn do? She can't follow Minka around all day with a plate. Should I prefill syringes? How long are they good for? Guess I need to focus on now and stop worrying about 3 weeks or more in the future.

Still haven't been able to test Harvey's pee for glucose, but we'll work on that tomorrow.

I just need more hours in the day.

 

[carfurby (GA)]

Vent here if you need to. It was a stressful day for you. Don't feel bad about needing to vent. It nice to see those greens for Cinco. He could be getting confused and thinking the pee pads are acceptable to pee on. I hope that gets better and he starts peeing in the box consistently. Sending appy vines for Minka and Sasha. Good luck getting the pee test with Harvey. Sending prayers.

 

[Vyktors Mum]

I'm so sorry you lost your research and for Harvey's fructosamine test Good luck catching a pee tomorrow and I hope you have one of those get a lottery ticket days when everyone eats well by themselves. Since I started the home deliveries for Vyktor he won't eat any other way if I'm home, and sometimes he insists on hand feeding too. I was also wondering whether he was losing his marbles but I think he just enjoys the extra attention. He'll come out, sniff the food and go back to bed. If I follow after him with the food a few minutes later he'll eat it maybe it's the same for Minka?

I wonder if Cinco has gone off the type of litter you're using. That happened with Vyktor once I swapped from clay to a really soft wood shaving type for a couple of months which got him back in the tray and then after a couple or months I was able to swap back. Maybe some of that cat attract stuff sprayed in the back of the tray could help too - though you've probably already tried that. I do think Carla has a point though, quite possibly he views the pee pads as a part of the lb.

Very interesting about the glucosamine. Makes me wonder if I need to stop giving Cinco Cosequin. Harvey gets it, too, so should I stop giving it to him???? Why is this all so darned complicated??

It can't be turning all kitties that take it diabetic or surely someone would have made a connection by now. I think that Vyktor might have a particular sensitivity to it based on how quickly he responds to it and the 'coincidence' of him becoming insulin dependant within months of starting it both times. Of course I could be wrong, there's no way to know. I am suspicious enough of it to stop giving it to Vyktor while we try for a second remission, his acupuncturist suggested giving him a half dose but I'm too paranoid for now. If Vyktor seemed to be permanently insulin dependant I would start giving it again because it definitely helps his mobility and with Harvey the steroids are clearly a much greater risk factor so I wouldn't worry about it for your guys in their circumstances.

But you might want to check out the discussion on gas drops in Gracie's condo...

 

[tiffmaxee]

When I first joined I bought some fish gravel so I could get a sample from Max. I never used it yet. There is also No Sorb cat litter from Amazon. What I did use to check Max and diagnose him was I put some wax paper in the box and a small amount of litter. That was enough urine on the wax paper to check for glucose. I hope you can get a test today. If Harvey is becoming diabetic it's likely the steroids which are necessary for his treatment. I guess it wouldn't hurtntomstopmany unnecessary supplement to see if the combo is pushing his glucose higher butnImdomsuspectntge steroids.