Newton was just about well enough yesterday to help me with my thank you notes when I got back from work, I'm supposed to have finished them today but haven't quite managed. They are really lovely ones from Paperchase that I was given as a present last year, with a beautiful pattern and such a great contrast of colours.
It's been a really worrying day today though as Newton was completely off his food, the vet said he'd lost a lot of weight when we took him last night, we can't get him to take his heart tablets at all, no matter what we bury them in (and we were trying tiny bits of cheese and ham from our own dinner!) he won't have them, which can't be good. Just half an hour ago he's been eating again after a special new appetite-increaser-pill from the vet, so we may be able to tempt him later with more deceitfully disguised drugs, but cats know when you're trying to give them medicine! He's happy to be stretched out in front of the stove again this evening where he belongs and is still purring at us, but is definitely deteriorating fast. It's a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, a good day followed by a bad day when I try somehow to prepare for being without him, then a better time when we cling onto the hope he might stabilise for just a bit longer. I am grateful for friends who understand how devastating it is to face losing a much-loved pet.
My friend had a special pill popper that shoots the tablets down their throat. They don't like it, but it gets the job done- perhaps ask your vet?. Even Ben (the laborador) who doesn't normally even look at his food before wolfing it down can spot a worming tablet a mile off and spit it out, or even refuse the disguising food.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this, I didn't know such things existed, I'll ask at the vets later!
ReplyDeleteThis morning we've managed to get the pill into him in some food and he's hungry again and looking much happier, so that's a bit more encouraging.
I used to be a veterinary nurse (so long ago i've forgotten most things) but I do remember attending a seminar at a nursing congress that was dedicated to cats with illness triggered anorexia. The nurses would try giving the cats everything that they ate themselves at lunchtime. It turns out they love red sauce. Pilchards in a tomato sauce is a winner and I've used this myself to rescue ferral cats.
ReplyDeleteGive it a try, but if it works, use it only long enough to stimulate an ordinary apetite. its a great trick to use as a magic weapon and for concealing medication & wormers in.
PS I am addicted to felt too :)
Thanks so much Jasmine, I've got some sardines in tomato sauce, I'll try that when he wakes up, I never thought cats would like it! I think it's his heart tablets that are making him feel nauseous in the first place, it's all a bit of a juggling act. I just want to make him as comfortable as possible in these last few days. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteOh you poor things. My heart goes out to you. We are having to give our oldest dog antibiotics at the mo and they have to be crushed up because they are so big and then hidden in something....I've found the best is cream cheese or yogurt so far but she is getting wise of these and this morning's dose was really hard to get her to swallow.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your puss. Big hugs.
A x
Oh it's so so hard. You are doing just the right things, making him comfortable and not stressing him out. My heart goes out to you because it's horrible when a beloved pet is ill and you feel you can't do anything. Thinking of you, give newton a cuddle from me and a chin rub.
ReplyDeleteLove
Lyn
xxx
Thank you all of you for your support in such a difficult time - he's mainly just sleeping now and we'll take a day at a time and see how things go.
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