4/23 Tyler AMPS 157 +4 fail PMPS 247 vet visit this AM

[Brian & Tyler]

Yesterday's Condo

Good afternoon everyone.

Update on Tyler: I fed him this morning, but started with a 1/2 a can of FF Classic Chicken with added water & 1mL of Orbax (prescribed 2mL, but he doesn't care for the stuff). He was reluctant to eat, but consumed most of it. I noticed him go to the litter-box on his own this morning and though, he did look like he was straining a little, there was no visible sign of blood in the urine. I tried to feed him the other half of the can with water added and the other 1mL dose of Orbax. He didn't touch it, so I pulled it up to keep Marla out of it while I was at school. When I returned, I tried feeding him again and he passed it up.

We went to the vet this morning after my math class, and the vet said his bladder is not swollen, and gave him a shot of... (I didn't quite catch the name of it) and said to keep trying to use the Orbax. If signs do not improve by morning to bring him back. We got home and I put a couple of treats on the rest of the medicated food and he nearly cleared the bowl! That's my good buddy! So Hopefully, when I go home for PMPS, he'll be hungry and I can go to my second job with no worries.

 

[Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey]

Re: 4/23 Tyler AMPS 157 +7 fail ears don't bleed well on Orb

Hi Brian:

I'm glad you got him to eat and got the AB into him finally. I haven't noticed if you've mentioned this - are you warming his ears? It really makes a big difference in getting the blood out. Massaging them helps the blood flow, too.

Sending appy and healing vines for Tyler. Hang in there!

 

[Brian & Tyler]

Re: 4/23 Tyler AMPS 157 +7 fail ears don't bleed well on Orb

I noticed that you said Tyler's "quiet world" has changed. Is the new roommate a bit, well, loud? Does he or she listen to music at a high volume? Well, you wouldn't know so if you are not around, but I suspect the person may be blasting his iPad, stereo, whatever it is, he is doing it pretty loud when you are not home. It might even be the TV

Roommate works 3 jobs and is gone a lot, and is not home when I am not home about 80% of any given day. He is pretty quiet. But the cats don't know him from Adam, he is not someone who has ever been to my house to visit before.

You need to relax Tyler, A LOT. It may mean that you put Tyler on some type of anti-anxiety medication for more than a few weeks until he can get used to your new roommate since the roommate is not leaving. The other thing is, you must spend some time getting your roommate and Tyler acquainted with each other. It is likely that Tyler sense some uneasiness around this person.. :roll: Your home belongs to Tyler equally, or more so, than your roommate. Tyler doesn't feed that way any longer.

Well, he can probably sense that my stress is through. the. roof. I am moving to a new city, which is why I took on the roommate. I have put a Calming Collar on Tyler for now. I have had the roommate give him a couple of treats and give him some catnip.

The other thing is, you need to majorly reassure Tyler that he is still the love of your life. You need to pick him up and pet him, love on him more than you ever did before. It's the only way that his anxiety about this new situation is going to be relieved. Being mad at him or ignoring him for peeing on the bed will only make things worse.

I don't get mad at him for being a kitty. Nor, do I ignore him, though I am not home often. Lately, I have been involved with school when at home, so the Tyler time has been limited, and to him, he may think I am ignoring him. I still love on him, but usually he would come and lay on my chest while I'm on the couch, and he gets lots of pettin'. I just have been so busy lately, I have not even had time to myself, which is also time with the cats. Last night, I did just that and we sat there for a moment.

Tyler needs a private rest area like he had in that other bedroom. I suggest that you get him some type of house for your room that can go to and be alone. It needs to be big enough that he can really stretch out in it.

I have 4" lifters on my bed, so under my bed is his little hidey-hole. I want to build a cat tower, however, extra funds are non existent right now.

Is Tyler confined to your room now too, a good part of the time?

No, they are strictly indoor kitties, though. The only places they are restricted from are the laundry room, and now the roommates room. I told him not to leave his room open when no one is home.

Diet, or the food that Tyler is eating can also pay a role in the UTI.. Magnesium in cat food is still suspected as causing inflammation and leads to crystals in a cat's urine. What type of food were you MOSTLY feeding him when he peed on your roommate's bed?

They eat FF Classic Chicken Feast for AM & PM meals, and I rotate the "snacks" at lunch and before bed. The foods fed are in the notes field on his SS. The roommate moved in. I read last night that phosphorus as well as magnesium could be contributors... any suggestions on which foods to stay focused on to keep this from reoccurring?

You've got to try to find a way to stay calm yourself. I think maybe you are a bit freaked out about Tyler's diabetes and he is also sensing that too.

I am not stressed about the diabetes, that's easy for the most part. It's the 50 other things going on that I can't control. School ends in two weeks! But then I pick up more shifts at my second job to save for the move that is coming on July 1st. My laptop took a dive this morning, and won't boot. I will have to go get my desktop from my folks house this weekend.

I'm glad you got him to eat and got the AB into him finally. I haven't noticed if you've mentioned this - are you warming his ears? It really makes a big difference in getting the blood out. Massaging them helps the blood flow, too.

I keep forgetting about warming the ears. I do massage them though but he seems to be sensitive while on the AB's.

 

[Tina & Rocky]

Re: 4/23 Tyler AMPS 157 +4 fail ears don't bleed well on Orb

Thanks for answering all of my questions, Brian. I was just trying to determine Tyler's stress level. It does sound like you are not the same person that you were with him and that he is feeling your stress. Hard to believe but our cats really do miss those lovin' things! :lol: Being "restricted" from their normal stalking grounds is also most likely causing him a good deal of stress too.

I would just do as much as you can to normalize Tyler's environment. It sounds like your "my time" might have to be "my Tyler time" instead to help him get through all of this. Maybe you need to meditate or take a yoga class too. I can sense the anticipation and worry over the move in your writing voice. What do you do to calm yourself?

 

[Brian & Tyler]

Hello all,

Tyler urinated on schedule, and in the litter box! Orbax seems to be doing it's job! He's his usual, hungry self!

Also, after one day of probiotics, my civvie, Marla (who has chronic eye conjunctivitis and always has a bad runny nose, looks very pretty today! Her face is clean, and I can't remember the last time I saw her like that!!!

We'll, I found out that I'm off tonight!!!!!

I'm going to have a night with the kitties to help ease some of the tension they may have been feeling lately

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

i would guess that Marla and Tyler are used to your schedule by now.

Glad you were able to get him in to see the vet. Hopefully the ABs are going to kick in soon. The probiotics can be really helpful - i gave them to punkin every time he had to have antibiotics. YAY on them helping Marla too!

You're doing well, Brian. We all work with what we've got! Enjoy your evening at home!