I booked Abby for a senior check up

I can't believe that my baby girl is now 11 years old! It seems like yesterday that she was carried through my door as a 4 month old skittish kitten!

I had her at the vets a couple months ago to have a lump on her head checked out. It was as I thought, a benign epidermal cyst and nothing to be concerned about other than cosmetic.

I booked her for the 25th to have all of the standard stuff done:

blood pressure
thyroid
electrolytes
CBC
Urine
Her teeth checked

I'm also going to book an appointment for next month to have her teeth cleaned and that cyst removed.

Wish me luck that there isn't anything serious with her health. Chynna takes her daily medication easily because she likes soft food and I mush it up in that.

Abby hates anything but her dry food, so medication would involve giving her pills/liquid every single day and that wouldn't be easy at all. She's skittish and trying to give her daily medication would result in her being stressed and upset and not trusting me. So unfortunately if she does require daily pills (blood pressure, thyroid etc), needless to say that she won't be getting them and it would be a matter of just enjoying the time that her and I have together and letting nature take it's course.

So I'm hoping my baby girl checks out ok. I'm all stressed out about taking her though. The last time I took her she was literally throwing herself against the inside of the carrier trying to bust out. She was so upset and terrified. I've never seen anything like it. I was so sad for her that I was crying

Hang tough! Be strong for her! This is a very good thing you're doing for her. It may not help her fear at all, but maybe start explaining to her now why she needs to go?

all will be well (and go well!). ...and All of our kitties were always so good about going to the vet... until Ming Loy and Billy, who howl and howl and howl and it does just break your heart!

Hopefully she won't need medications, but if she does, you could try pill pockets.

Linda, are there any vets in your area that do house calls? That might be less stressful for Abby. Anyway, good luck on the senior check. Hoping all is well with the lovely little girl.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

Linda, are there any vets in your area that do house calls? That might be less stressful for Abby.

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Yes, there is, but only 1. Unfortunately he isn't accepting new clientelle because he's so busy. When I first got Chynna 16 years ago I used him, but the last time I tried calling to have him come out, he said he can't. So I guess he dropped me as a client after so many years of not having contacted him

So far as Pill Pockets ago, I wish it were that easy. Abby absolutely will not eat anything other than her regular dry cat food. She won't eat cat treats, people food no matter what type it is, or wet food. She will occasionally lick something a few times, but she won't eat it.

When I am giving Chynna her wet food, Abby is right there milling about with Chynna. So I put some on a plate for her and she licks it a few times and that's it. Chynna goes over and eats it later.

So the only way to get pills into Abby is through injection or forcing her to take them. And I won't force her because she's skittish enough and I'm the only human that she likes and trusts. So I'm not going to destroy that by restraining her and forcing her mouth open and shoving pills down her throat. I just can't bring myself to do that to her.

The only thing that gives me a bit of hope is if she needs a renal diet. They have a dry kidney food that she may take too. I used to have Abby on a veterinary dry but when I was off work I couldn't afford to buy it anymore and went to Purina Cat Chow Hair Ball Formula. She took to that right away. So maybe she would take to the dry kidney diet if she needs it.

With Chynna I'm giving her medication for low potassium, high thyroid and high blood pressure. She has renal failure but I can't get her to eat a renal diet, so I'm letting her eat whatever she wants because she will stop eating and starve herself rather than eat something she doesn't like. The vet agrees that it's the best thing to let her eat what she wants.

I hope everything goes well with her vet appt. Rescue Remedy and Feliway spray really helps to calm animals, most animals, anyway.

If by chance she needs any meds, call around to compounding pharmacies. They can do all kinds of things with medicines. Eliminate certain things someone might be allergic too, etc. and also make it into different forms.
I just had some allergy meds compounded for my dog that all I have to do is rub a tiny amount onto his ear.
You just have to call and find out all the forms they can make that specific medicine into (if she needed any).

Also, if the Rescue Remedy/Feliway is something she doesnt respond to, you can call your vet and go by the day before and get something that will mildly relax her.

It's terrific you are getting Abby a senior check up and having a dental done. The dental alone will imporve her overall health.

if there comes a time when Abby needs a maintenance medication, don't despair. Many medications can be compounded into a transdermal cream these days, it gets rubbed into the leather part of the ear.

On the other hand, cats do seem to learn to accept these kinds of things easier as they get older. But there will be a way, so don't worry!

Let us know how everything goes.