Artie and his Issues

This is wonderful news!  And it gives hope to those of us who dread having to do it ourselves someday.  It sounds like it was even less traumatic for him than giving him medicine orally even if he is in a snit now. So happy to hear this!   

Yaaaaaay Cindy!! So proud of you! I know exactly how you feel. So I am doing the happy dance with you!
Yep, a little leaking afterwards, & the camel hump, lol, is normal until it absorbs.
Good job!

Well done. Give yourself a pat on the back. We are proud of you

Artiemom said:

 
       I DID IT!!!   I DID IT!!!  I DID IT!!!     Happy dance!!!

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Doing the happy dance right along with you!

Artiemom said:

 
       I DID IT!!!   I DID IT!!!  I DID IT!!!     Happy dance!!!

what a relief!!

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HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Re: leakage, I usually hold off the injection site by pinching it gently with thumb and index finger for a full minute to prevent leakage.

With any luck, he will get like my friend's, Jane's, cat, Deacon John, who is diabetic and sometimes gets dehydrated.  He has, over the past year, learned that he feels significantly better after getting fluids, and now lies quietly for Jane.  He figured the insulin shots out even faster, but that's such an immediate relief!

Yay!  Once you get that under your belt, it should be smooth sailing . 

Hoping Artie forgives you sooner than later.  I'm sure he will once he figures out that it makes him feel better.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!   High Five - 

This is a nice surprise today.  Like everyone else is thinking,  I think Artie too is realizing he may need a little help and is now letting you.  

When Simon and I figured out the changes and we became in sync, it truly was a moment of peace, and I usually took these days to really enjoy him and just relax worry free.  Now it's time for you to enjoy the winter weather, hot soup and cuddle with Artie.  So glad you didn't postpone the hvac installation,.

I'm very happy for you and Artie.  Oh Wow, this really is great news. 

Hugs to Artie

Warmest regards, as always - Hope

Excellent!  We knew you could do it! And now that you have, it should go a lot easier from now on because you have that confidence.

Time for rewards for you and for Artie!  Around here, we love our brushies 

StephenQ said:

 
HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Re: leakage, I usually hold off the injection site by pinching it gently with thumb and index finger for a full minute to prevent leakage.

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thanks Stephen, I will have to remember that the next time.. Wednesday....

And thank you all for all your support.. I really needed it...

Artie did forgive me, after a while. I was watching "The Maltese Falcon" on Turner Classics--but getting sleepy an hour into it. I turned over, on the recliner, covered in his fuzzy throw. Sure enough, Artie came over and curled up with me...

I was putting the bed back, sheets, and Artie was there, trying to help me!!  Not eating all that much.. tired of his food..still ate some so I am ok...and he is still on the cyproheptadine...

Had another tiny diarrhea... sigh..he does pee a lot when he takes the cypro.....weird..

Of course Artie would forgive you..... he loves you!

Artiemom said:

 
thanks Stephen, I will have to remember that the next time.. Wednesday....

And thank you all for all your support.. I really needed it...

Artie did forgive me, after a while. I was watching "The Maltese Falcon" on Turner Classics--but getting sleepy an hour into it. I turned over, on the recliner, covered in his fuzzy throw. Sure enough, Artie came over and curled up with me...

I was putting the bed back, sheets, and Artie was there, trying to help me!!  Not eating all that much.. tired of his food..still ate some so I am ok...and he is still on the cyproheptadine...

Had another tiny diarrhea... sigh..he does pee a lot when he takes the cypro.....weird..

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He cannot stay mad at you. He adores you and he knows that everything you do for him is to help him.

Good for you for getting it done!!

Well, of course he's mad at you -- you violated his precious feline dignity!  He'll get over it.  Feline dignity is remarkably resilient.    The thing is, this isn't forcing something that he doesn't like into his mouth, which is much worse.  If the sub-Qs can remove some of that, they'll make things much easier for both of you.  Do not let Artie guilt you into backing down on this.  (Have you ever noticed that for a species that is apparently completely without shame, cats all have a remarkable sense of what it takes to make humans feel guilty?)



Margret

Artiemom said:

 
       I DID IT!!!   I DID IT!!!  I DID IT!!!     Happy dance!!!

 I just gave Artie his sub-q's.... all alone!! By myself.. no one to help me!!  I feel a huge sense of accomplishment.

I caught him while he was sleeping in his quilt tent.. I hung a hook on the wall at the end of the coach, put the bag on that.I warmed the bag fist and streamed out the coldish fluid. I opened up the top, sat in front of him, he did not know what to think. I was quick and fast. I think he thought he was getting some medicine or food, but I fooled him!! He did not flinch, and stayed so still... I was amazed.. 

Some of the fluid leaked out of the spot after I was done. and he did have a bubble..

right now he is so insulted and mad at me.. he has his back to me.. and is not happy...

I need to mark the bag the next time, to make it easier.. 

But I did it!!

I went about it fast and confidently.. he did not know what hit him!! 

Last night he ate 1 1/2 cans of food. He also had a couple of pudding poops in the box. sigh.. need to get it normal..

Not eating much today. He does not care for the prescription rabbit. I would rather he eat it, but ...

I did open up a can of Pride Rabbit...

I will brush him tomorrow. I do not want to push the issue with bothering him after doing the sub-q's.. I gave him a big kiss and told him he was such a good boy....but he did not like me....

what a relief!!

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Margret said:

 
Well, of course he's mad at you -- you violated his precious feline dignity!  He'll get over it.  Feline dignity is remarkably resilient. 

  The thing is, this isn't forcing something that he doesn't like into his mouth, which is much worse.  If the sub-Qs can remove some of that, they'll make things much easier for both of you.  Do not let Artie guilt you into backing down on this.  (Have you ever noticed that for a species that is apparently completely without shame, cats all have a remarkable sense of what it takes to make humans feel guilty?)

Margret

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Oh, I will not allow Artie to 'guilt' me into anything that would be harmful to him. 

He got over his madness really fast. 

Incredibly, he is really easy to medicate. He does not fight me.. I think he did in the beginning, but he has gotten used to it.. 

He fights me when I have to cut his nails...that is not an easy thing to do, especially the back ones..

Last night, he was cuddling on my lap the moment I put the fleece throw on me.

As soon as I went into my bedroom, for bed, he was there waiting for me to turn off the light. 

I did not even get comfortable, and he was walking all over me!! He cuddled with me all night long.. it was like a having a full body straight jacket on...

He did have a lot of diarrhea yesterday... wonder if it was from the fluids? Not giving him any miralax for a second day. I had cut back a few days ago.. just do not want him to start backing up and straining.. trial and error..

He ate good--thanks to the cyrproheptadine.. over 3 cans yesterday.. I am going to continue with it for a few more days and see what happens.. I woke up to a: licked clean dish...that was 1 1/2 cans.....    and he had another 1/2 can for breakfast. 

Artie is curled up on my bed.. again!! he has once again commissioned it to be "HIS"....

I have a lot to do.. I have to finish up with his morning meds, face the bitter cold to start up my car and to clean it off. I may go to noontime mass. I did not make the early mass because of the cold ... I should have gotten up, I could not move anyway.. I did not get much sleep, but Artie was comfortable..

Artiemom said:

 
As soon as I went into my bedroom, for bed, he was there waiting for me to turn off the light. 

I did not even get comfortable, and he was walking all over me!! He cuddled with me all night long.. it was like a having a full body straight jacket on...

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Awwwww, sounds purr-fect.

I am beginning to take a few deep breaths where our Artie is concerned.  I am just so glad that he is eating, and the YOU have mastered the fluids!  CONGRATS to both of you, oh...and big hugs!

Well, Artie is still plagued with diarrhea.. man, this poor cat.. no wonder he is losing weight. He is full of gas also...poor thing..

I have not given him any miralax since Friday--last dose was Friday, mid day.. 

I think it may be related to food also... I would love him to be consistent with one food, preferably the prescription; however, he refuses to give up the NV Pride Rabbit.....I think the Pride rabbit is a bit more constipating for him, where the prescription food is not.... 

I would love to stop giving him the cypro, but I am afraid to do so, without Vet approval. 

So I will keep it up...

I did go to noontime mass; surprisingly, Artie ate some of the prescription food I left out. It was right next to the Pride, but was fresher...

All I know is, I am either going to take a late nap or go to bed really early tonight. Artie cuddling so tight with me, caused me not to have a good night's sleep.. but I will take it!!!

He did end up smearing some leaks all over the fleece blanket that 'something' told me to put over my quilt bedspread.. The blanket is going in the dryer when I get up. It is done washing..

I am using so much Natures Miracle cleaner.. to spot clean before washing...

A friend has these issues with one of her boys, too.  She, and others she knows with incontinent cats, uses a plastic tarp over the bed as a protector.  So sorry to hear that Artie is not stabilizing digestively yet!  and pray you do find the perfect balance and food(s) to maintain him.

Yes, Nature's Miracle is a MUST when one shares life with cats!  Good on you for planning proactively with the fleece blanket.  I also invested in a waterproof mattress protector (can be bought on amazon or just about anywhere bed linens are available -- not expensive and can save expensive mattress!) which is peace of mind for me "just in case".  They aren't slippery and do stay in place quite well, in my experience.  

Yes, water proof mattress pad would work wonderfully for you right now.  They come "fitted" just like a regular mattress pad and are machine washable.  Good advice!!

Does Artie stay in one place all night long in the bed??  If so, you can place "doggie pads" which are disposable under him at night.  That way if he has an accident during the  night, you can just replace the pad right away if you are awake and keep all bedding clean.