I feel like I made a mistake

@Angels mommy  Oh that's a good idea too! Next time I see one I'll give it a shot. He's so strange about what he likes to play with but that sounds like it might be right up his ally. He's likely just getting a plump belly from the food and I believe he was neutered within the past couple of months so that could definitely have had an effect on his hormones and weight distribution. I posted a couple pictures to try and give you guy's an idea of his body type, it's a bit hard to tell with his fluff though and he wasn't the most cooperative model. 

@Rachbu  Okay I'm glad FIP is unlikely, that sounds like the worst thing ever. I admittedly have really bad anxiety so I can work myself into a tizzy over this sort of thing. 

I'll definitely try giving catnip again before I give it away. It would be really funny to see him all hyped up on it. 

Okay that's good to know. I'm glad I don't have to worry about the anal glands, that didn't seem pleasant. Cleaning his ears like that seems totally doable, do you think apple cider vinegar would work as well? 

He's gained weight all over, but it seems to me like it is disproportionately going into his belly area. I posted a couple pictures to give you a better idea. Some times he seems to have a bigger belly than others, I wonder if he could be gassy or something? 

I free feed him Purina One and he gets a total of about half a can of wet food a day, I feed him Friskies pate divided into 2 meals. I've been giving him a smidge of pure pumpkin puree mixed in with the wet food because I read it's good for loose stool. I'm open to suggestions about food but I'm on a pretty tight budget. I gave him Fancy Feast wet food which he liked as well, but it's nearly twice as expensive as Friskies when you factor in the can size. He's also really picky about his food. If I give him food he likes, he purrs while he eats it, if I offer him food he doesn't like he looks at it disdainfully and meows at me. 

I actually heard that about the food water thing, but I've been afraid to move his water because I worry he won't know where it is. Did you have this problem? 

Aww I think we just gave each other eye kisses :]

@DreamerRose  That actually sounds pretty adorable!

@ermentrude  Thank you! He is definitely becoming quite the cuddle bug, it just took a little while. 

It was great of you to take in your kitty. I'm sure she definitely appreciated it, she was lucky to find someone like you. I'm horrified people can be so heartless and just dump their animals like that. Aww I know, kitty bellies are the greatest.

I keep a bowl of water with their food (which I know they drink out of) and a dedicated glass on my nightstand. They kept drinking out of my glass of water every night so I just admitted defeat and provided them their own where they expected it. I got one of those very big unbreakable glasses (Working Glass) - they can nearly fit their head in it and I do think they prefer it.

For maintaining the ears, my vet always tells me if it isn't a problem, don't mess with it, let their body self regulate. I'd ask your vet.

As for the anal glands, you'll know that's a problem when he scoots across the floor like a dog or you come home to little trails where scooting happened and you missed it. I had one cat who had a problem with them, but even the vet said that was rare.

You're doing such a great thing and he's such a handsome little man!

ermentrude said:

As for the anal glands, you'll know that's a problem when he scoots across the floor like a dog or you come home to little trails where scooting happened and you missed it. I had one cat who had a problem with them, but even the vet said that was rare.

 

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Though this kitty looks like his fur is pretty long, so scooting can also be a sign of a dingleberry, or a messy #2 that is too gross for them to clean themselves.  In those cases (the messy ones), you'll need to bring him in a bathroom, and clean his butt in the bathtub, which I am thinking wouldn't be as big of a nightmare since your cat is declawed!

At any rate, scooting can mean many different things, so don't panic if/when it happens (as it inevitably does--particularly after you've JUST had the carpets cleaned!)

kristenann said:

 
@Rachbu  Okay I'm glad FIP is unlikely, that sounds like the worst thing ever. I admittedly have really bad anxiety so I can work myself into a tizzy over this sort of thing. 

I'll definitely try giving catnip again before I give it away. It would be really funny to see him all hyped up on it. 

Okay that's good to know. I'm glad I don't have to worry about the anal glands, that didn't seem pleasant. Cleaning his ears like that seems totally doable, do you think apple cider vinegar would work as well? 

He's gained weight all over, but it seems to me like it is disproportionately going into his belly area. I posted a couple pictures to give you a better idea. Some times he seems to have a bigger belly than others, I wonder if he could be gassy or something? 

I free feed him Purina One and he gets a total of about half a can of wet food a day, I feed him Friskies pate divided into 2 meals. I've been giving him a smidge of pure pumpkin puree mixed in with the wet food because I read it's good for loose stool. I'm open to suggestions about food but I'm on a pretty tight budget. I gave him Fancy Feast wet food which he liked as well, but it's nearly twice as expensive as Friskies when you factor in the can size. He's also really picky about his food. If I give him food he likes, he purrs while he eats it, if I offer him food he doesn't like he looks at it disdainfully and meows at me. 

I actually heard that about the food water thing, but I've been afraid to move his water because I worry he won't know where it is. Did you have this problem? 

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I wouldn't give anything away just yet.  Kitties are so fickle in that one day, something is the best EVER, and the next day they turn their nose up--when it comes to food, to treats, to toys, etc.  He might ignore something for a YEAR, find it again, and be in love!

Go look on Chewy.com.  Seriously.  You'll find much better deals on food, and at least save on tax, if not shipping, depending on how much you order.  I have auto-ship orders set up for food and litter, and save a bit more that way too.  Friskies Turkey pate is great cheap food, but it made my boy very gassy, so we switched to Wellness, which comes in big cans so I feed both of mine the same thing.  When you say half a can, do you mean the tiny, 3 oz cans or the 5 oz ones?  You can actually give him a whole 5 oz can, and cut back on the dry food (you don't have to eliminate it--but my two cats graze on the same 1/2 cup for several days before needing a refill). That might help with his stools too (they should be soft--just like your dog's--not like pudding).

Just put a second bowl somewhere and see which one he prefers.  you'll know!  I still have one next to the food (which they never use) and a second one in the living room.

I'm not sure about the apple cider vinegar.  My vet said to use white vinegar, so that's what I've used.  You really don't have to do it very often, but sometimes their ears start to smell, which is a tell-tale sign they need a cleaning.  I would do it maybe once a week or so, not religiously, and more if I notice them scratching their ears.  I just have the little bottles around, and when they're really calm and i'm rubbing them or brushing them, i'll gently put some of the solution in their ears.  Once you do, you want to grip the ear at the base, and rub it, almost like you would imagine milking a cow.  Do this for about 30 seconds, if possible (my older boy, Moe, actually starts purring), while speaking to him in soft, soothing, gentle tones.  i really think it's good hygiene to do this at least sometimes, you aren't using any kind of chemicals, and if they do come down with a more serious ear infection at some point, it will be a lot easier for you to give medical drops or clean for health reasons.

I don't think he has a pot belly.  That's just how cats look!

@ermentrude  That is hilarious! Your cats are so lucky, you're such a good sport about it. I carry a water bottle around the house, so I don't think he'll try drinking out of it, but I would definitely be amused if he did. I think you're right about them liking bigger bowls though. I originally bought one of those cute little food/water stands but I've since changed to our dinner bowls and it seems to work way better. He was flinging food everywhere trying to eat out of such a small bowl so this is way less messy.

I'll ask the vet about his ears, I only have AC vinegar anyways. I'd prefer to mostly leave them alone, but it probably is good practice if he does ever get an ear infection.

Well thus far he hasn't scooted his butt, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Our carpet is like a darkish tan so it wouldn't be a huge deal (plus it's a rental so I'm thinking they'll just pull it out when we move out anyways, that seems to be their policy).

And thank you! I really appreciate the kind words, adopting a cat has been really rewarding and we're stuck together now, but it can definitely be overwhelming. 

@Rachbu  His fur is pretty long, I actually think they shaved his tail because it's slowly getting fluffier. And don't most long/medium haired cats have poofy tails? I was thinking about doing a sanitary trim around his bum if he'll tolerate it. He did drag his tail, just the end of it mind you, through a pile of poop the other night so I decided to give him a bathe. It was probably my fault, I don't think I had put enough litter in his box to cover it. I tried to rinse it off, but he was still smelly so he just got a full on bathe. He didn't enjoy it, but he tolerated it alright and I blew dried him after which he seemed to enjoy. 

That's a good point, they are quite particular. I'll probably donate foods he doesn't seem to like still just to help other kitties, but I'll hold on to the rest. I bought some Temptations treats which he seems immune to as well, I even offered him a little plain chicken which he turned his cute little pink nose up at. I offered him wet food and he purred up a storm, haha such a weird cat. 

He really likes the Country Style Pate and the Poultry Platter Pate, he's so so about the Turkey and Giblets Pate. It could very well be making him gassy, he'll sit on my lap and then I'll randomly get horrible silent fart smells. He gets half of a 5.5 oz can a day. My finances should improve drastically in May when I graduate so I'll likely up his wet food content then. I would like to leave dry out all the time too though.I'll check it out, I'm always up for a good deal.

Oh good, I'm glad he looks normal I'm just paranoid. It makes me realize that I really have no idea what I'm doing so I really appreciate the stream of advice keeping me sane. 

He has a little feline acne under his chin now. He has only used stainless steel and glass bowls so I'm a little confused about why he got it? How serious is acne? I mean, I get acne and it's NBD but I looked it up and it sounds like some cats might need antibiotics? Anyway, I washed his bowls and I'll probably run them through the dishwasher daily now and I rubbed his spot with a little hydrogen peroxide. If it gets worse we'll go to the vet. Any advice? 

It's so cute that he enjoyed the blow dryer! And even just "tolerating" a full bath is pretty awesome. What a good boy!

I think some cats are just acne prone. If it gets really bad that's when you'd need a vet visit and they might prescribe something more serious, but the regular cleaning with hydrogen peroxide sounds fine for now.

I think you're a really wonderful pet parent and Tiberius is in very good hands!

@Kat0121  I purchased a Da Bird toy today and he loves it. Thanks for the recommendation!

@Molly92  He is a good boy, I'm lucky :] Today we tried to do a sanitary trim on his bum and we was much less impressed and made sue we knew. It really needed to be done though, especially because he doesn't tolerate grooming there very well. If anyone has any advice on how to make it good better I'm all ears. 

Okay, I'll keep treating it for now. It doesn't seem too bad, just a little black spot. 

Thank you!

kristenann said:

 
@Kat0121  I purchased a Da Bird toy today and he loves it. Thanks for the recommendation!

@Molly92  He is a good boy, I'm lucky :] Today we tried to do a sanitary trim on his bum and we was much less impressed and made sue we knew. It really needed to be done though, especially because he doesn't tolerate grooming there very well. If anyone has any advice on how to make it good better I'm all ears. 

Okay, I'll keep treating it for now. It doesn't seem too bad, just a little black spot. 

Thank you!

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I'm so glad to hear that! Most cats can't resist Da Bird. You're doing great! He's a gorgeous boy.

I agree with the answers above about feline acne.  I had never experienced it before either until I rescued Leo a few weeks ago, so of course, I rushed to the vet, fearing it was ringworm.  $176 later, it is, indeed, acne.  I bought the wipes and ointment from my vet.  The wipes basically look like Stridex pads and the ointment resembles Neosporin.

I know for sure you can use these drugstore items safely to treat feline acne as well, so if the hydrogen peroxide isn't doing the job, you might try that and save yourself the trip!

@Kat0121  I even got it in hot pink and he doesn't seem to mind haha. Thank you!

@Rachbu  I'm glad to hear he didn't have ringworm! I asked my vet and she nixed the hydrogen peroxide and said to just use water for now, but those wipes sound like a good idea. I forgot to bring it up yesterday but if his current regimen isn't clearing it up then I'll ask about those. 

Well we ended up going to the vet yesterday. He has been having an increasing amount of diarrhea and began vomiting, as a result he got diarrhea on his tail again on Thursday evening so I gave him a bathe. During said bathe I found red lesions on his back and shoulder. The vet said she is 90% sure it is not ringworm and he's additionally lost a pound in the past 3 weeks or so. She actually suspects he never had ringworm. I took him to a different vet for the original diagnosis, but the first vet did not culture him she simply used a black light. He was given Prednisone and Albon which I am to administer. Pilling him is really difficult as he has no interest in treats. So I could use advice on the manner. I hate trying to shove it down his throat. I'm going to pick up some baby food today to see if I can tempt him into indulging. I tried hiding it in his wet food but he spit them out. We did blood work and a urinalysis, so good thoughts please! I'm getting really worried :/ 

(Also, should I start a new post for this since now it's health related?)

kristenann said:

 
@Kat0121  I even got it in hot pink and he doesn't seem to mind haha. Thank you!

@Rachbu  I'm glad to hear he didn't have ringworm! I asked my vet and she nixed the hydrogen peroxide and said to just use water for now, but those wipes sound like a good idea. I forgot to bring it up yesterday but if his current regimen isn't clearing it up then I'll ask about those. 

Well we ended up going to the vet yesterday. He has been having an increasing amount of diarrhea and began vomiting, as a result he got diarrhea on his tail again on Thursday evening so I gave him a bathe. During said bathe I found red lesions on his back and shoulder. The vet said she is 90% sure it is not ringworm and he's additionally lost a pound in the past 3 weeks or so. She actually suspects he never had ringworm. I took him to a different vet for the original diagnosis, but the first vet did not culture him she simply used a black light. He was given Prednisone and Albon which I am to administer. Pilling him is really difficult as he has no interest in treats. So I could use advice on the manner. I hate trying to shove it down his throat. I'm going to pick up some baby food today to see if I can tempt him into indulging. I tried hiding it in his wet food but he spit them out. We did blood work and a urinalysis, so good thoughts please! I'm getting really worried :/ 

(Also, should I start a new post for this since now it's health related?)

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HAHA Good for him. He's too cool for stereotypes. I wish my Henry would play with toys. He just has no interest. Once in a while he'll toss around a catnip stuffie but other than that, nothing. 

A lot of cats and dogs are hard to pill. Many people use a pill gun to essentially shoot it down the throat. It's quick and fairly easy. 

I think it's fine to continue posting here. Please let us know what the vet says! Does the vet think it could be food related?

@Kat0121  Haha I know! My boyfriend was horrified, I also picked out a lilac harness and leash for him. In my defense, the colors look really pretty with his light blue eyes. Does Henry like catnip? That's a good idea, perhaps I'll look for one today. I don't think I'm going to be able to trick him into it.

@talkingpeanut  I will, she said we should get the results tonight and be able to decide where to go from there. It's getting really stressful financially, but I want to know whats wrong with him. She was really hesitant to speculate (although I admittedly pressured her to try) and lots of scary things came up. She suggested it could be IBD, hyperthyroidism, organ failure, cancer, even possibly Giardia? She didn't think the fecal sample was fresh enough to test for Giardia though and it seemed a low probability so we'll see how the blood work goes before circling around back to that. She looked at microscopic slides of his lesions and said they're not bacterial infections.

kristenann said:

 
It's getting really stressful financially, but I want to know whats wrong with him. She was really hesitant to speculate (although I admittedly pressured her to try) and lots of scary things came up. She suggested it could be IBD, hyperthyroidism, organ failure, cancer, even possibly Giardia? She didn't think the fecal sample was fresh enough to test for Giardia though and it seemed a low probability so we'll see how the blood work goes before circling around back to that. She looked at microscopic slides of his lesions and said they're not bacterial infections.

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First of all, take DEEP BREATHS.  I know that seems impossible, and I don't know if I could necessarily do it myself, but I feel like I have to remind you (as others have reminded me) that stressing isn't going to change anything, nor is it going to help you or your little boy.  That said, I TOTALLY understand if that just goes in one ear and out the other.  It's naturally stressful to know your pet is ill and feel out of control to help him or at least explain to him what's happening.  He looks to you for calm though, so just try to be your usual self.  Be nurturing and comforting and do your best to help keep him relaxed and calm.

I can't believe your first vet told you to treat for ringworm without even doing a culture!!  I thought the black light was just a preliminary test, but should ALWAYS be confirmed by a culture before aggressively treating--as you did with the sulfur dips etc.  I would never take my cat or any other pet back to that person.  Stick with the new one, who is at least doing proper labs.

I completely understand the financial burden.  It's awful.  Just try to think positively, knowing you are in better, more competent hands, and won't be wasting time or money on unnecessary treatments.  Hell, it's possible he's having some kind of allergic reaction to the ringworm treatments themselves!

Why did you get a leash and harness?  do you plan to walk him outside?  A 7 year old cat who has never been on a leash before might find that highly objectionable!  Personally, I've never tried to walk my cats, but I can't imagine any of them would tolerate that, and if your guy gets so stressed about pilling, I'm not sure it would be the best idea to try to train him to use a leash.  Definitely not now.  He's probably feeling like crap, and isn't in the right frame of mind to attempt that.

Try to keep everyone as calm as you possibly can, and don't introduce new stresses now.  Try to keep everything as consistent and stress-free as you possibly can in the circumstances.

Above all else, REMIND YOURSELF THAT YOU'RE AN AMAZING KITTY MOMMY!!!

Did the second vet say to continue with the meds?  I guess it's just one day so not such a big deal, but it's worth asking if he even should continue his current pill regimen, or stop for now pending an official diagnosis. 

@Rachbu  I'm trying to stay calm. My vet told me not to go crazy Googling his symptoms until his results come in back in at least, as it could really be anything at this point. He doesn't seem nearly as concerned as me which is good. No vomiting today or yesterday either, so I'm happy about that.  He seems slightly less interested in his wet food, but I think that could be because he found the hidden pills.

Yeah I wasn't pleased with that vet and I won't be going back. I felt really rushed while I was there and they didn't take time to answer questions or explain things to me. I really like my new vet though.

I really wasn't prepared to deal with a financial crisis off the bat. I figured I'd at least have a couple months where I could get situated with my next stage in life before everything went wrong. I can deal with some now, but I'm terrified this is going to be really expensive. We're around $400 in so I'm hoping the blood work will say whats wrong. The new vet seems really understanding of financial constraints which is really nice.

He hasn't had any ringworm treatments in around 3 weeks and the lesions just appeared so I don't think it's a reaction to the treatments. I looked at the paperwork I got when I adopted and he's down about 2 pounds total since November so that's not good. 

 I bought the harness awhile ago when things were looking better. I had been slowly introducing him to it, but that's on the back burner for now. He was tolerating it really well, he's pretty confident and easy going.  I'm not sure if he's as stressed as I am about pilling. The vet seemed sure I could just trick him into eating them, but that doesn't appear to be the case. I do hope to eventually take him for walks outside, but alas, this will have to wait.  

Thank you :]

I'm really trying, I just didn't imagine so much to go wrong off the bat. Regardless, I love my little guy so we'll give it our best.

I haven't been back to the first vet since I first got him. The first one told me he had ringworm and what to do so I did it. I don't really blame her for making the diagnosis without a culture though because I did say that the rescue suspected he had it. After a month I took him to the second vet and that's where we've been going since. So it was the second vet that give me the pills last night and told me to give them to him and who did his exam. 

She said we're just treating him symptomatically for now, to help his lesions and his diarrhea. I suppose that could change as soon as he results come in though.