Wolf's Den

Caena loves playing in the leaves. This time of year, it's hard getting her to come back inside.



An almost the picture of health Max kitty. He's probably about 98% back to normal. Well, what passes for normal for him, anyway.

Took Max to the vet this morning. It was originally just a check up to see how he was doing.

Well, Tuesday I noticed that he appeared to have an abcessed wound on his neck, right at the edge of the bandage wrap. So I started cleaning it as best I could with peroxide. That night the feeding tube clogged again. Spent all of Weds trying to get it unclogged.

Well, because he was fully eating on his own, with me only supplementing with the feeding tube, I was too concerned about the clog. The wound on the other hand, bugged me. Especially when I pulled GRASS out from under the wrap!

Took him in, got him weighed. He's at 11.3lbs. Last week was 11.7lbs, so he's maintaining his weight, more or less. This is what we want! This is good!

Addressed the wound, Dr Nelson asked if he was eating, etc.

Because he IS eating and eating well, because his color is very good for a cat his age, she went ahead and removed the feeding tube today. Yay!

Cleaned his neck up really well. He was arching his head back, thoroughly enjoying the scrubbing.}:) Looks nasty, but she says it'll close over in a day or so, though it will bleed if he scratches it- which he does, and it has, so I have to keep cleaning his neck.}:/

So now, we don't need to take him back for at least a month. As long as he continues to eat, then we're good to go.

Yay, Max kitty!

It takes a lot to get me to admit defeat and here I am. Admitting defeat.

Tomorrow, at Max's vet appointment, I'm going to ask for a feeding tube to be put in. It's a last resort, of sorts, honestly. But he's NOT improving with me just force feeding him every 5 hours. He fights me so much, that now, the tip of the syringe cuts his mouth because he's chewed it into roughness.

He threw up MORE with the meds, mainly Flagyl, than he ever did before this started. That means he's not keeping enough down to really do much good. He hates me, he thinks everytime I pick him up, I'm going to force nasty stuff down his throat, so he starts drooling and gets himself so worked up, that he pukes anyway. Then he pukes up the food as well, 3-4 hours later. It's a no win cycle.

He peed on himself again yesterday. I feel like my cat is wasting away in front of me and there's little I can do to stop it. Believe me, I've tried.

So, yeah. Feeding tube and asking about what else we can do to stop the vomiting. I just don't know what else to do anymore.

So Max had a vet appointment this morning. Checkup, few shots, that sort of thing.

Except, Dr Fleming says he's still a touch jaundiced. I KNEW I'd seen a shade of yellow a few times, I always shoved food in his face at those times, and he ate willingly, soo...

Because we still don't know what caused him to stop eating, etc, she wanted to run blood tests again and see if we could detect anything now.

So no vaccinations today. Possibly, depending on the results from the bloodwork, no more other than rabies, ever. He IS 12 yrs old after all, and extremely low risk for Feline Aids, etc- goes outside maybe once a week tops and NEVER unsupervised, nor for any longer than 10-15 minutes.

His weight is down again. In August when this all started, he was 15.5lbs. A few years before that, he'd been nearly 20lbs. So yeah, he was a big cat.

Today, he's at 13.5lbs. Which Dr Fleming says is a good weight and what we want to maintain, to keep the Fatty Liver Syndrome from coming back again. He just looks... odd to me, as I'm used to seeing a roly poly Max instead of this slimmer version.

He's still eating on his own, just no where near as mush as he used too- he doesn't gorge himself anymore, Aries does though, need to watch that.

So, we're in a holding pattern right now, waiting for blood results and where we go from there.

Update, 1215pm-
Max's ilbuterin (sp?) is still way too high. To put it shortly, things that shouldn't be high are still 6 times as high as normal, and things that should be normal, are way low.

So, he goes back on antibiotics for 3 more weeks.

Vet wants to suppliment with 1/2 of a 200mg tablet of Sam-E as well. Then we do more bloodwork in a couple weeks, see where we are from there.

He can't lose anymore weight. He loses more, we may have to have a feeding tube put in.}:/

Puck
Netherlands Dwarf Harlequin Rabbit
1996?- Sept 8, 2009

Rest easy, little guy. Tell Dante and Nyx hello for me. I'll miss you.

Yes, Puck was 13-14 years old. Seriously.

Sure signs that Max is on the road to wellness again-

1- He's eating on his own more and more, especially at night when no one else is around. Still not as much and not as much as he should be, but it's a start.

2- Yesterday, he came flying out of the kennel where he's been camping out and snarled and hissed at Caena as she ran past, playing.

3- He's now coming into the kitchen looking for tasty treats again.

4- This morning he wandered into the kitchen and rolled on the floor, wanting his belly rubbed. He then went and chased Caena around the living room.

5- His color is very nearly normal. The yellow tinge is barely perceptible anymore. The sparkle is back in his eyes again.

6- Aries is more willing to come downstairs and be around him more often during the day now, and not just when Aries wants a treat.

7- HE PURRED LAST NIGHT AND KNEADED MY HAIR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2 WEEKS.

Max actually ate a little bit on his own this morning!

I wanted to try just one last time, before we had to have the feeding tube put in. And he ate a bit.

It's 'Fancy Feast', aka junk food for cats, but still, it was something.

We took him down to the vet anyway, to see what they said and see if there was an easier way to get his meds into him. They made all sorts of notes as to how he was doing- his stool, the fact he ate, the fact he was HIDING UNDER THE COUCH this morning (seriously, I couldn't find him. And when we'd pull the couch out, he'd move with it!), and so on.

Then they left it up to me.

Well, I figure that since he's eating, not much, but he is eating, we'd wait until Thursday when Caena has her vet visit and see how things are going then. So that's what we're doing as far as the feeding tube goes.

Got a new feeding syringe, since he's chewed the crap out of the end of the other and I had to have a 1/4" cut off to get anything out. One of the vet techs there gave him his meds this morning. I warned her that he'd fight. She popped both pills in and off he went- snarling, spitting, clawing. She squirted water in his mouth to make him swallow the pills and he lashed out at her. Got me instead, but did manage to hook her once, before I grabbed ahold of his paws enough that he'd stop clawing at us.

THIS IS WHY WE USE TOWELS. I have 3 new scratches, 2 of which drew blood this time. Goober cat. We think his reaction surprised her though, we don't think she was expecting THAT much of an attitude from him. Well, I did try to warn you.

So that's where we are. Working our way up to 3 oz of food a day-we're at roughly 1.5oz right now, and him just now starting to feel well enough to eat on his own. He'll still need a bit of force feeding, just not as much now. And we can't put his meds in his food, cause the vet says he might start associating the taste with food and we don't want that! So, back to the cat milk and tuna juice for the meds.

Have to call the vet tomorrow and let them know how the tuna juice worked with the meds.

Max has to go in tomorrow morning and have a feeding tube inserted.

This morning, he fought me tooth and nail, when I tried to force feed him. He got more on him and the towel he was wrapped in, than he actually did IN him. Which was bad as that meant very little of his meds actually got in him. That has been a battle from the start- getting his meds into him in their entirety.

Yes, we've achieved poop, twice now, and yes, he's still peeing fine and drinking water on his own. But it's the food part that can kill him if he doesn't start doing it on his own.

So as a result, he had a bath today. He's not happy now, but he looks and smells better. I even gave him some mushed Wellness food and the juice it was in, he licked at it but didn't actually eat any.

I don't know what else to do. I'm so damned frustrated now and running out of patience, that after I called the vet back (they'd called earlier and I didn't hear the phone), and they said he needed a feeding tube, I broke down and cried.

I don't know if I'm crying from relief that SOMETHING that might actually work is going to be done, or from frustration that it had to go to this result.

All I really know for sure is that I just want my Max kitty back to normal.

We have achieved poop.

Never thought I'd say those words in my journal, let alone document the bowel movements of my cat.

He's still being force fed. He licks at the food when I put it in front of him but doesn't actually eat anything. So I take some of his favorite flavors of wet food, and puree the crap out of them with a bit of pure pumpkin for extra fiber. Then he gets force fed that and his meds.

He's starting to fight more, which is a good sign. I'm sporting 'war wounds'- a scratched back of the hand, a punchered tip of finger, and a bruised/scratched shoulder where he turned his head and got me when trying to spit his meds back out. (Yes, yes, I've thoroughly cleaned each one afterwards.)

The puppy is thoroughly enjoying the force feeding sessions, as that means she gets to be a vacuum cleaner and sweep the floor for bits of food that fall- which, about 1/4 of it does. Aries is hiding out upstairs much of the time, he comes down and checks on Max sometimes, but then goes right back upstairs.

Max is currently sitting by the front door- he wants to go outside.

Later, buddy, I'll sit outside in the sun with you later. First you need meds and feeding.

Earlier today- Home with the Medical Mystery, aka Max. He now has 2 pills to take, twice a day for the next 10 days. AND I have a syringe to feed his stubborn butt with if he decides not to eat.

Max is hanging out in the kennel. Came out for water, ate a freeze dried shrimp & went right back in. Alrighty then, at least he ate something.

Stubborn butt wouldn't eat. So I smashed the pills and mixed them into some wet food and filled the syringe.

Attempting to force feed him-

Well, that didn't go as well as I'd hoped. Force feeding Max- about half the food went in him. Heh. But I got food in him, so that's what counts. much was on ME, the FLOOR, and the towel he was wrapped in.}:/ I think maybe half the meds got into him. I also have a scratch across the back of my right hand now. Hrm.

A few hours later, and a few minutes ago...

Max is chowing on the wet food I just mashed up for him. I guess the threat of being force fed again did wonders. This is good as I wasn't relishing the idea of getting clawed again.

Note to self- Wellness Healthy Indulgences in Chicken and Chicken Liver flavor seems to be his fav for now. Good thing I have several packets of that particular flavor.

The yellow tinge has diminished more as well. This is also good. He hasn't gone p to use the litter box yet. Before I head to bed, I'll take his butt up to see if he'll use it myself. Then put him right back in the kennel as that seems to be his current favorite hidey hole for the night. With more wet food, of course.

Well, took Max to the vet this morning, after calling and them saying, yes, bring him in.

He’s a medical mystery.

They don’t KNOW exactly what is wrong with him. He’s negative for lymphoma, diabetes, gall bladder issues- blockages, etc. His liver is enlarged, but evenly so, no one area larger than any other, and appears to be functioning normally.

But given what his symptoms are and how he’s been acting, they THINK he may have Feline Fatty Liver Disease. Because he’s so chunky (hahaha, he’s obese, just say it.}:P, we’ve been trying to get him to lose weight for nearly 3 yrs now with no luck. This was so not how we wanted to do it though), a liver biopsy via needle wouldn’t really show anything, IF they could get a good sample.

To be safe, in case it’s a bacterial issue, they sent him home with 2 meds, and I now have a syringe in case he stops eating, to force fed him with. They said if he did stop eating again, bring him back in immediately. He ate this morning. I made note of which package of Wellness it was, so will get more of that particular flavor, as well as whatever else I can find to entice him with.

He did, finally after bribing, eat a small amount of white albacore tuna, as well as most of the water it was packed in, around 11pm last night. It was better than nothing, and since they rarely ever get tuna water, well, I was just glad he ate.

Now to see if I can get him to eat again…

Called the vet this morning, after I dropped Mark off at work. Explained what Max was doing/acting/looking like. They said definitely bring him in, as the not eating for nearly a day can be an indicator of something bad, as well as the yellow tinge to his eyes and skin.

He did eat a bit this morning, and isn't AS yellow, but is STILL yellow.

So, pulled out the kennal as I called Mark to let him know what was up. He wanted me to come get him from work, so he could go too. Got Max and a blanket in the kennal and into the car.

Max hates car rides, usually he yeowls his head off. This car ride? Hardly any yeowling, very little clawing at the walls to get out. So yeah, something's wrong.

Get to the vet, and take him out of his carrier. Dr Nelson comes out and says yes, definitely jaundiced, good for me for me so observant.

Verdict?

They're keeping him for full bloodwork, possible x-ray of his liver and observation. They'll call me and let me know whether we can pick him back up today or what's going on. I fully expect that he'll have to stay overnight.

Right now, I'm trying not to stress out too much , not more than I already have, and I'm trying NOT to think of worst case scenarios.}:(

More news when I get it.

Appears to be 'jaundiced'.

He stopped, for all intents and purposes, eating today as well. And drinking more than usual.

Max will be roughly 12yrs old in Jan. He's obese. And geriatric. Not eating, even for a day, for a cat his size? Not good.

Yes, I've been keeping a close eye on him today, that's how I know he pretty much stopped eating and how he was drinking so much.

Everything I've looked up in regards to what he's been acting/doing says possibly Feline Fatty Liver Disease. Calling the vet in the morning and taking him in, immediately.

Right now, Mark went to get sodium free chicken broth and tuna in water, in the hopes of coaxing him to eat *something*, anything, to hopefully stop what's going on in my Max kitty.

Gods, I hope he's ok.

Needless to say, this nearly ripe heirloom tomato will be riding to Michigan with us- that is, if Max stops being a crotchety ol' bastard and stressing me out by acting like he's sick.}:(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1vRhoAHl8U

Neither cat, nor puppy were harmed in the making of this video.

Max does not, surprisingly, use his claws, he just intimidates Caena by sheer size and sound.

Caena, of course, thinks it's all fun and games. This is the third time Max has beat her up and she keeps coming back for more.

Max now hides under the end of the bed and waits for Caena to come find him, whereupon, he springs out, hissing and snarling. Never a dull moment here, I swear.

We moved the living room around last Sunday(and cleaned the crap out of the entire room as well). The couch is now under the front window, which means Caena has a new favorite spot. Well, when Max isn't in the window anyway.





Max has started not only coming downstairs more often, but staying downstairs for upwards of an hour at a time. Usually it's spent in the window, but sometimes, just sometimes, he'll wander into the kitchen and look around. Currently, he's camped out on top of Mark's desk, while I type on the pull out shelf below him. Heh. I think I need a keyboard pullout shelf upstairs. Hmm...



This is her most common position these days. When Mark comes home, she jumps up on the cough, tail wagging madly and watches him walk up the walk to the front door, where she greets him. When he leaves for school in the evening, she'll race him to the front door, then jump on the couch and watch him leave. It's too funny. Birds are a constant source of entertainment for her. Ravens are the bane of her existence though, she threw a fit the other day when one was out back and she couldn't go chase it off. As soon as I let her out, she immediately sniffed every place it had walked and peed on it.



Hard to believe she's almost 11 months old. Hard to believe, it's been nearly a year since Dante left me. Where has this year gone?


I think I cleaned too well, she's now barking(woofing) and growling at her reflection in the glass of the liquor cabinet. Hee.

This is Aries. AKA Aries the Instigator.

When he was a kitten, he wandered into our yard back in North Carolina, the night before we evac'd for Hurricane Fran. Skin and bones, but utterly fearless and wanting nothing but love.

We took him with us when we left. 4 days later, when we were able to get back home, he was a permanent part of the family and he and Max were best buds, both being near the same age and all.



We think he was abused before he found us. His right back leg/hip is oddly shaped as compared to the other, and he would shy, hissing frantically whenever we reached towards his head too quickly.

11 yrs later, he's obviously settled in quite well and is very relaxed. He also likes to get Caena to chase him up the stairs, all so he can rile Max up. Yeah. Max doesn't find it amusing. Neither do I really.

Still a cuddler though.}:P

After 6 months, he deigned to not only go downstairs, but out the back door to lay in the leaves I'd piled up there, waiting to be bagged up. Caena was wrapped around the garbage can and couldn't come anywhere near him, much to her dismay.

So, we moved the shelf portion of Mark's childhood desk back upstairs to the Studio. I needed shelving in here, we want to get a nice 6ft bookcase that matches the new ones in the kitchen for downstairs, as well as rearrange the living room- maybe, still undecided on that part.

His old desk is an antique now. It's a 2 piece corner desk, with the shelf part that is angled across the back, rather than just fitting into the corner. Means less actual desk space, but lots of shelf space. Now, I have a place to put my Bead&Buttons, my QuiltArts, my Cooking Lights, my various papers, and storage containers, etc, etc, so one and so forth. It's also the most organized/cleanest part of the Studio, currently. Heh.

Oh yeah, as well as a space for the Boys to claim as their own without fear of something falling over on them. Yes, a portion of the bottom always HAS to be set aside for the cats. Cat owners know this. Otherwise, they will TAKE it, hell or high water.



Between Mark's old desk and my actual desk, is a 3 drawer fabric storage caddy. On top of THAT, is a quilt in progress and a folded throw. Luckily, Aries and Max are relatively good at sharing a space. Max was the first to claim the new curling/sleeping spot on the desk, where, yes, I placed a folded afghan. I am not stupid after all, and it's either that or sacrifice yet another art quilt in progress to their comfort. When one is sleeping HERE, the other is across the room, in the Box on the makeshift table by the other bookcase. Yes, it is almost an imperative to have multiple sleeping places in the Studio. Otherwise, they'll take over my desk AND the design table. Being large cats, they do both quite easily.





Max likes to think he rules all he surveys. We accommodated him in this thinking and laugh at him when he's not glowering looking. From his vantage point here, he can snarl and hiss at Caena when she stretches up to look out the window. Surprisingly, Max has actually lost weight. This is good. Finally, he has stopped wheezing when he lays on his back. Raw food and Solid Gold Indigo Moon for the win. He's also finally starting to wander back downstairs. This is very good.





Aries... is the Instigator. Don't let this laid back look fool you. He's constantly thinking up new ways to get Caena into trouble. He generally takes over this spot in the evenings, when Max moves to the other Box. From here, he can see precisely when to jump down, nonchalantly walk past Caena sleeping on the floor, and wait in the hall for her to notice him. Then he'll either fly down the stairs, causing her to take off in hot pursuit, or he'll try to worm his way back into the Studio, yeowling at her in the process, waking Max up and causing HIM to come waddling running across the design table to yeowl/snarl/hiss at poor Caena, who just wants to play. He also likes to sneak to the bottom of the stairs, peer around the end of the couch to see where Caena is and when she spots him, go tearing off back upstairs, with her on his heels. This is getting old. He didn't do this with Dante.

Needless to say, much of this is a daily thing. So this, basically, was a Day in the Life of Max and Aries. Heh.