I need a ramp

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vexedgirl

Member Since 2015
So with Edgar's back legs kinda weak, he's not able to get up on my bed, which has in the past been his favorite spot. I already have stairs next to the bed, which both kitties use exclusively (my older cat had leg surgery about a year and a half ago). But even though the stairs are AWESOME, if a bit ugly (these ones), he seems reluctant now to use them. I'm wondering if a ramp might be easier for him. Problem is my bed is HIGH. I just measured it and the mattress is up at 32".

I'm having trouble finding a ramp that is A) high enough and B) skinny enough to fit in a NYC apartment. That's the other thing, of course. *sigh* If I was handy with the woodwork (and had room to build!) I could just make one myself.

Anyone have any suggestions or links? Price isn't an issue, so all ideas welcome!

(Oh, also one option is this ramp or get the company to custom make one for me.)

Thanks!
 
probably yes. I'd like it to be more like 10" wide than 12" though. It may seem negligible, but trust me, in a city apartment, two inches makes a difference!
 
Friends of mine, a disabled veteran couple in Chantilly, VA. has a company called 'Kool Kitty'. Joel custom makes whatever anyone needs to help their kitties navigate the world. Because he makes every one by hand, he can make whatever kind and size of whatever you need. If you're on facebook, their site is Kool Kitty Toys. If you're not a facebook user, their email address is koolkittytoys@ gmail.com (remove the space before gmail). You will find him and Ronda very easy to talk with and have wonderful suggestions. They also have diabetic kitties - we adopted our current diabetic from them 2 years ago. When you have a minute, you might drop them a line and let them know what you need!
 
Squeaky and KT said:
Friends of mine, a disabled veteran couple in Chantilly, VA. has a company called 'Kool Kitty'. Joel custom makes whatever anyone needs to help their kitties navigate the world. Because he makes every one by hand, he can make whatever kind and size of whatever you need. If you're on facebook, their site is Kool Kitty Toys. If you're not a facebook user, their email address is koolkittytoys@ gmail.com (remove the space before gmail). You will find him and Ronda very easy to talk with and have wonderful suggestions. They also have diabetic kitties - we adopted our current diabetic from them 2 years ago. When you have a minute, you might drop them a line and let them know what you need!
Click to expand...

Oh AWESOME. I'm going to go check their site out right now. Thanks!

(update: I've sent them an inquiry email!)
 
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I made my own
1-DSC00899.JPG
 
BJM said:
Google search on pet ramps for high beds
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Hahaah. You're kidding, right? Um, yeah, of course I did that! I'm kind of a Google ninja. Plus, I thought the whole thing where I included links to ones I've already found maybe sort of implied that was literally the first thing I did.

I looked via Google, per used Amazon, checked out every pet seller website I could find, peeked at DIY websites, hinted through etsy, and ogled Pinterest pages. I was thinking that a post here might lead me to places not easily picked up by Google webcrawlers. And thankfully it did! I spoke to Joel from Kool Kitty earlier (thank you Squeaky and kT!) and looks like that might work out. Yay!
 
OK.
I liked the pictures to give me some perspective.
Measuring the specific location may be useful, too, so it fits.
 
BJM said:
OK.
I liked the pictures to give me some perspective.
Measuring the specific location may be useful, too, so it fits.
Click to expand...

Yep. I sent Kool Kitty a plethora of photos from all angles (also to get a sense of my aesthetic), as well as measurements of literally every relevant portion I could think of!

I also decided during my long internet hunting today that I also needed a couch ramp so I'm going to get one of those made as well. Just haven't been able to find any available pre-made that I don't find tacky or hideous...or if they're manageable, then they just don't fit the space. I'm hoping Joel is my guy!

On a side note, Edgar had another big seizure tonight. It definitely wasn't low BG, because I was actually able to test it during a lull in the seizing. I wanted to make sure I didn't need to run and get the karo. Thank goodness my awesome vet lets me text him. We decided he recovered well enough that he didn't need to go to ER. But I sent a long email to his neurologist. Maybe Edgar's Wobblies and leg weakness isn't neuropathy from the diabetes and might be related to his seizures. It has certainly progressed rapidly and severely. But regardless, he's now too weak to do the bed stairs properly. Sad.
 
BJM said:
Have they done an x-ray to see if its a tumor?
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Well, when he first started having the seizures a couple years ago, the neurologist was planning on taking a CT scan. But bloodwork and ultrasound showed that Edgar's only working kidney is functioning at only about 25%. So he didn't want to risk anesthesia if he didn't absolutely HAVE to. Now we might have to, but we'll see.
 
What is he on for the seizures? Phenobarb can cause ataxia when used for a long time but it's more of a slow and chronic progression. Also, if this happened almost overnight, I'd get electrolytes checked. It's hard not knowing what's causing the seizures.
 
hes on Keppra 3x day for seizures, because it has hardly any side effects and doesn't tax his kidneys or liver.
Electrolytes and all blood work was just checks Wednesday and at least in that regard he's lookin good.
 
Yeah keppra wouldn't really cause the ataxia. It's rough with the seizures. Max has them, had one this morning and almost bit my face. He's always had seizures (probably from birth), but I always worry that he'll have problems later from them.

Does your cat lick his legs/flank a lot like there is any pain? Any indications that he might have pain. My other older cat has some arthritis, and is wobbly at times when she's not feeling well.
 
If he only has 1 working kidney and he now has weak back legs that happens in kidney failure cats as they get worse. If this has just started since his last blood work you might want to take him back to the vet to check his kidney numbers again, or maybe they were only very slightly worse last Wed than the other times you have checked him but now that has thrown him over the edge... Also see if he is getting dehydrated and needs sub q hydration as on one kidney list I am on people sometimes report that enough hydration helps with the weak rear leg issue...
 
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