All six in for their 'annuals'....

auntie crazy

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I brought Allen, Rachel and Meghan in for physicals today. Since they're five years old, I wanted a more in-depth picture of their health, so I also had a Chem panel, urinalysis, and CBC run on them.

Curiously enough, when I asked how we'd do the urinalysis, the doc was all nonchalant, "Oh, I'll just do a cystocentesis." If it's that easy (and it only took him a couple of minutes apiece and cost less than $40), why do so many vets ask cat owners to bring in a urine sample?

I totally heart my vet, he's so awesome. He's always respectful to me (he researched titer testing when I asked him to and is open to the fact I raw feed, 'though he knows nothing about it and is amused that I buy crickets for my clowder), courteous to my cats and has a totally cool low-key sense of humor. I asked him today if he remembered Ralph from last year's visit and his voice, when he replied, "Why, is he gone?" was so full of (fake) hope it was darn near palpable. LOL!! I don't think he quite believes that last year's killer Ralphie is rehabilitated. *chuckle*

I'm a little worried about Spencer and Heather. They've really come a long way since their feral beginnings, but they're never going to be as friendly or as trusting as the other four. Spencer doesn't take guff from no one and I'm a little worried he's going to fight us tomorrow. Heck, I'm not even sure I'll be able to get him in the carrier.


I should get the results back for the blood and urine tests when I bring the second set in tomorrow, and I'll post those after I get home (for anyone curious about raw feeding health implications).

Wish me luck with Spencer, y'all!


AC
 

ldg

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Hope everything looks good!

I do remember reading about your first online purchases of raw... when did you begin feeding a 100% raw diet? Do you supplement at all?

And re: the bloodwork, are you testing for levels of any specific vitamins/minerals?

Hope you were able to get Spencer in the carrier... and if I'm not too late, he doesn't eat the vet or technician!
 

rafm

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I totally feel your pain on getting your problem feral into the carrier. My indoor feral is almost 4 years old and we NEVER pick her up.....she eally needs to go to the vet but im terrified of what she will do to me, and knowing it will break the very tenious trust she has in me, ive been super reluctant.

Im sure you know all the tricks getting them in and out of the carrier but I have always had luck with setting the carrier up on its end, scruffing the kitty and lowering them in backwards. It is based on the premise that a cat will not fight if they can't see where they are going.

Good luck on the visit! Let us know how it goes.
 
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auntie crazy

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I'm so proud of my kitties. Every one of them was well-behaved ('though getting Spencer in the crate was a bit hairy, it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd half-feared). Heather and Spencer were obviously scared during their exams, but as long as they were facing me and my hands were cradling them, they took everything the vet did without even a twitch! How's that for trust and manners?


And Ralph's behavior blew the doc away. He said (not even really talking to me), "This is one for the books." and finally - after the exam - admitted to me that he hadn't believed that Ralph had changed as much as I was claiming. Not only was Ralph purring and rubbing on both of us during the exam, he kept jumping back up on the table every time either of us mentioned his name or looked at him while talking. It made the vet laugh (right after he twitched!
).

(For anyone who doesn't know, Ralph was badly abused and near death when my daughter and I rescued him from the apartment in which he'd been left to die. His first vet exam involved three techs, a Ralph burrito, a short listen to the heart and a solid - unrequested - look at his teeth. Ralph was fiercely determined to fight them off, and he nearly succeeded; he was downright scary.)

Yesterday, Rachel and Allen kept doing the same thing (jumping onto the exam table). At one point, Allen was on the table ready for his turn, the vet turned away for just a second and when he turned back, Allen was gone and Rachel was standing exactly in his spot. Dr. Duckett did the most beautiful double-take.
I saw the whole thing and couldn't help but laugh. He was rather nonplussed and told me that cats leaping up to the table voluntarily was rare in his experience.

I heart my clowder!


- - - - - - - - - -

Laurie, my cats do not get commercial supplements of any kind. As part of a well-rounded diet, they do get half an egg and three quarters of a fresh sardine each once a week, plus however many crickets from a batch of two to three dozen they want.

We did a complete Chem 25, which (you probably know better than I) includes Protein, Bun, Creatinine, Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium and more. (Since these three were all impacted by the 2007 pet food poisoning, some of these numbers are especially important.)

We also did a Comprehensive CBC and a urinalysis. And I'm happy to say everyone came through in beautiful flying colors.
Some of the numbers are even better than when last checked after their 2007 recovery, so we'll be using these figures as healthy baselines going forward.

I know I offered to post the results, but what I have on each cat is a solid three pages of numbers; more than I expected and way too much to write out.
If anyone is interested in a specific result, please feel free to ask for it.

Anyway, that's my latest kitty adventure...


AC
 
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auntie crazy

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Originally Posted by RAFM

I totally feel your pain on getting your problem feral into the carrier. My indoor feral is almost 4 years old and we NEVER pick her up.....she eally needs to go to the vet but im terrified of what she will do to me, and knowing it will break the very tenious trust she has in me, ive been super reluctant.

Im sure you know all the tricks getting them in and out of the carrier but I have always had luck with setting the carrier up on its end, scruffing the kitty and lowering them in backwards. It is based on the premise that a cat will not fight if they can't see where they are going.

Good luck on the visit! Let us know how it goes.
I've heard of this and have used it on fosters when necessary, but Spencer is one of those rare kitties who don't go limp when scruffed. Instead, scruffing seems to send him into a serious fight or flight mode; the first time I did it, he chain-sawed both my arms and a leg before I got him in the carrier - and he was a kitten at the time. My foster room looked like some kind of crime-scene with blood spattered everywhere.


Over the last several months I've been working pretty strongly with Spencer and Heather on being comfortable when I pick them up and carry them around... it's taking a very long time (of course, I'm not really in any hurry), but they're slowly beginning to accept it. And I put the carriers out several days ago and had been feeding all the cats treats in and around them... I'm pretty sure poor Spence thought we were having another treat session before I scooped his butt forward and shut the door on him. So rude!!


Thanks for the vibes and good luck with your girl! It's all about slow, gentle, never-ending persistence.


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ldg

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Oh I am sorry! I didn't realize your kitties would have been affected by the recall. GREAT news that everything looks so good!!!!!!!!!!


And yes, love and "slow, gentle, never-ending persistence" certainly pays off.
 
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auntie crazy

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Originally Posted by LDG

Oh I am sorry! I didn't realize your kitties would have been affected by the recall. GREAT news that everything looks so good!!!!!!!!!!


...
They were sick for a few months and their brother, Ollie, didn't make it. My passion for feline nutrition is my own, but my desire to tell everyone I can everything I've learned is in honor of Ollie. No one should lose their friends and have to carry the knowledge that something they fed was the cause.

Oliver


It's kind of 'out there' but I wonder sometimes if Ralph wasn't sent to me to help balance out the horror I've felt since I put Ollie to sleep. A cat I saved in body and spirit against a cat I killed, if inadvertently. And except for coat color, they are eerily similar in temperament and body type.

Then again, that could just be me trying to move on or make some sense of it all...


Thanks for the happy thoughts, Laurie! The vet is very pleased with everyone's health so that makes me a happy camper.
That everyone behaved so well for him is just icing on the cake.


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catsallaround

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Just a tip-I have a top loading and side loading squeeze cage. Works wonderful for any cat but a feral its that much better. I have had semi ferals given shots no issue and the vets are happy. I did buy two dollar store dog leashes and cut the keychain looking snap hook to secure it even further.
 

ldg

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Oh I am so sorry to hear about
Ollie!
Wow, that's just terrible and incredibly sad.

I totally believe he sent Ralph to you.
And I understand much better your drive to share what you've learned!


As to the crates... I couldn't survive without the top loaders.
 
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auntie crazy

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Originally Posted by LDG

Oh I am so sorry to hear about
Ollie!
Wow, that's just terrible and incredibly sad.

I totally believe he sent Ralph to you.
And I understand much better your drive to share what you've learned!


...
You're a very kind person, Laurie. Thank you.

AC
 
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auntie crazy

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Originally Posted by catsallaround

Just a tip-I have a top loading and side loading squeeze cage. Works wonderful for any cat but a feral its that much better. I have had semi ferals given shots no issue and the vets are happy. I did buy two dollar store dog leashes and cut the keychain looking snap hook to secure it even further.
Originally Posted by LDG

...

As to the crates... I couldn't survive without the top loaders.
Yeah, should I need more carriers or have the opportunity to replace my current kennel cabs, I'm definitely getting top & side loaders!


AC
 
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