Arcturus' journal: life with a FIV+ cat

[reversedpolarit]

Feliway is a must, don't you agree?  I've seen that leaving the carrier out and open can also help cats to get acclimatized to their carriers and some even enjoy napping in them! :nod:

Absolutely! I keep his carrier under the desk he likes to sleep on, he's shown zero interest in it. I left it with his foster mum for a week so I was hoping it'd smell nice and familiar. But he's way more interested in looking out the windows.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Well, I can't blame him there, but maybe there's a way to integrate his carrier into a window perch or something?

 

[molly92]

It is a bummer that the shelter didn't do more for his teeth, but shelter vet care is hit and miss sometimes. Stuff that's not part of routine care or an immediate concern often gets overlooked, either from lack of funding or lack of awareness.

On the plus side, once his teeth are all taken care of and he's feeling better, he will associate his relief from pain with you and his new surroundings, so that will make your bond even stronger.

 

[reversedpolarit]

@Tarasgirl06  I'll have to have a think about how that might be done, but he made a lot less fuss than Otto who claws and bites like heck. He always did the cutest sort of happy mew when we came back into the flat. 

@Molly92   Aye, I know how it often is, I spent some time working in a shelter. Ach well. He'll be fixed up soon enough.

Oh, he was weighed too and he's currently at a hefty 5.6kg. His appetite has definitely increased today, and he's up to 150g of wet food. 

 

[tarasgirl06]

A good challenge, then, yes?  I can see why you might want to be careful.  He weighs almost as much as I do 

 

[zed xyzed]

PDSA is a no go as I don't receive any housing benefits. Looks like I'll be eating baked beans for the next six months. Worth it if he's out of pain.

bless you for taking such good care of him

 

[hellomisskitty]

I think I've been forgiven.

http://www.thecatsite.com/content/type/61/id/347416/width/500/height/700.[/quote]

I would agree [emoji]128571[/emoji]

 

[Norachan]

Poor old boy. Dental problems are so common in FIV+ cats, as you said. Happy only has her top two fangs left. Gin Kun has had four removed from the right side of his mouth. It gives him this adorable little sneer.

He'll feel so much better once his teeth have been taken care of. He'll be able to eat more too, he'll be up to 6 kilos before you know it.

 

[reversedpolarit]

I think he's glad I wasn't getting rid of him, he's not left my side for more than five minutes. He'd happily sit by himself for an hour or so before. I'm glad he's happy here anyway. I left the curtains in the living room open last night so he spent some of the night looking out of the window and running back to check on me.

He wants to climb on my lap but hasn't quite got there yet. He'll walk over me if I'm in the way though. :lol3:

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• reversedpolarit
• May 10, 2016

I'm working tonight so he'll be on his own for about six hours, which is so far the longest. He's been fine on his own for about three hours and is always happy I'm back. I don't have to work a full day until June. He needs to get used to BF and a friend before July because I'm away for a week and I'll get one or both of them to come see him.

He's still not interested in playing, so his only exercise is jumping on and off things. Hopefully over time. I keep forgetting that at the start of the year he was feral!

 

[reversedpolarit]

Poor old boy. Dental problems are so common in FIV+ cats, as you said. Happy only has her top two fangs left. Gin Kun has had four removed from the right side of his mouth. It gives him this adorable little sneer.

He'll feel so much better once his teeth have been taken care of. He'll be able to eat more too, he'll be up to 6 kilos before you know it.

Oh bless!

As long as he doesn't get too heavy for me to lift...

 

[rhondalee]

He sure is a cutie pie.

 

[NewYork1303]

I think he's glad I wasn't getting rid of him, he's not left my side for more than five minutes. He'd happily sit by himself for an hour or so before. I'm glad he's happy here anyway. I left the curtains in the living room open last night so he spent some of the night looking out of the window and running back to check on me.
 

My cat is like that when I take him anywhere in his carrier. He was twice returned to a shelter so I think he got paranoid that being in a crate meant being left behind. So glad to see that he forgave you for the vet! They always do eventually.

 

[reversedpolarit]

My cat is like that when I take him anywhere in his carrier. He was twice returned to a shelter so I think he got paranoid that being in a crate meant being left behind. So glad to see that he forgave you for the vet! They always do eventually.

Oh poor love! Also I love that Pratchett quote.

I did the noisy housework this morning and although he hid behind the sofa he came out quite quickly after. He's on his second packet of food (2 x 90g) and I'll put out another before I leave. He's still happily eating the dry food (which is now all grain free) so he gets a little of that.

He poops A LOT. Not as in often, but I have no idea how that much can come out of him! But it's all solid an normal coloured and not too stinky so I guess it's just him? There's been no changes since switching the dry food, but he has only pooped twice I think in six days. Perhaps he'll get more regular when he's settled more.

I'm going to sign up to the loyalty scheme at the vets tomorrow or Thursday and try and get him booked in next week.

 

[rhondalee]

I really like that your doing this journal. It's very interesting and let's us all form a bond with Arcturus.

 

[reversedpolarit]

 

[rhondalee]

Heehee. Cute. I never thought I'd see the day when cats could talk to each other online.

 

[reversedpolarit]

HE JUST PLAYED!

I was on the phone sat next him on the bed and he started playing with his tail, so I gave him a catnip mouse and he started playing properly! I moved it about and then he started playing with it himself! 

 

[tarasgirl06]

Awww, that's great!  Our youngest used to chase her tail, catch it, bite it, and growl at it!  Yes, this can be a sign of a syndrome, but in Baby Su's case, it only happened very occasionally, and she never did any damage to herself.  She IS a funny girl. 

  So glad to hear Arcturus is acclimating so well!  He is a handsome lad, isn't he? 

 

[rhondalee]

Yayayayay. How exciting. He's truly home now. Good job reversedpolarit you've done well.

 

[reversedpolarit]

I'm so giddy haha Maybe it's a 'welcome back from work' gift  

 He's now exhausted himself and is sound asleep on the sofa, hopefully we can play for longer tomorrow and keep him a little more entertained. What's the betting he's going to want to play at 5am...?