Conference misery::feline_v1

    Did the vet say what the condition was and what kind of shot was
    it he/she gave to her?
    
    cathy

    I've heard of cats getting a skin condition due to eating and
    drinking out of plastic bowls (cure: change the bowls to china or
    whatever), but it sounded more like acne than "lumps".  How big
    are these lumps?    

    1. All the vet said was that it was some sort of skin condition,
    usually found in older cats.  Can't remember what the shot was that
    she gave her.
    
    2. Up until a few weeks ago, she was eating out of a plastic dish
    and I have changed it to a porcelain bowl.  The lumps are just around
    her neck, no where else on her and they are bigger than pimples.
    They appear for a few days, two weeks at the longest and then they're
    gone.
     
    I have another cat that has never had any of these symptoms.
                       
    They've had all their shots and are house cats.  

    The lumps go away whether she gets a shot or not?
    
    I would call the vet, at least, and find out what she calls this;
     maybe someone in this conference could provide some info if they
    know the name of the condition.
    

    Karen,
    I took your advice and called my vet, the condition is called 
    Eosinophilic Granularoma Complex which is a skin condition treatable
    by an injection or oral medication.  Its not dangerous to the 
    cats health, if not treated it could spread, however.  Needless to say,
    I've made an appointment to have her checked out.
    
    

    I had a cat that had that.  Her "outbreaks" came out in the form
    of mouth ulcers.  She was treated with cortisone shots and as it
    progressed she was treated with a combination of cortisone and ovaban.
    
    The only time the problem actually went away totally was when she
    was pregnant.  
    
    Unfortunately, at the time (several years ago) they couldn't cure
    her and the ulcers got worse and worse.  I finally had to have her
    put to sleep after about 4 years.  The Granularoma eventually ate
    away most of her upper lip and part of her nose, and she was beginning
    to have trouble breathing.  
    
    I understand that this disorder can present itself in a few different
    ways.  It saddens me to think about Pillowtalk, she was my first
    kitty, and although I have had many come and go since then, she
    was very special.  
    
    I wish your kitty well.
    
    Purrs
    cin
    

    Cindy,
    
    Thanks for the information about the medicine.  I will definately
    ask my vet about that when I bring McCafferty in.  The lumps are
    now primarily around her neck, although, at first, she did have
    a fat lip with the lumps.  After her first shot (I can't remember
    what the shot was) the symptoms went away, that was at the end of
    Sept.  Now the lumps are back, but not the fat lip. I just hope
    it doesn't come back on her lips or nose. 
    
    She's such a precious little thing... all black and small for being
    a year old and scared of everything!  
    
    I'm sorry your cat had the same thing.  It breaks your heart when
    they're sick, they become so much a part of your family.  I still
    think about the dog I had as a small child... it went everywhere
    with me and I was totally devastated when she died.  I get like
    that with all my animals... its hard to accept a pets death.
                  
    Thanks again for the information.
    Erin

    Erin,
    
    Sorry to hear about the diagnosis.  Eosinophilic Granuloma is one
    of several autoimmune diseases (allergic to one's self).  Unfortunately
    these can only be controlled not cured.  If cortisone or another
    corticosteroid is used to control the disease there are two main
    worries.  The first is that the corticosteroids are suppressing
    the immune system (which is necessary to control the disease),
    therefore, the cat is more susceptible to infections.  You have
    to keep an extra close eye on her.  Secondly, the corticosteroids
    have been shown to be potent teratogens in animals.  You do not
    want an animal on steroids to become pregnant - risks of birth defects
    is high.  If she hasn't been spayed, spay her.  Some of these
    autoimmune diseases can be genetically transmitted.  Fortunately,
    EG is one of the milder and more common autoimmune disorders in
    cats.
    
    Frank 

    Frank,
    
    Thanks for the information.  I'm going to bring this to the vet
    with me and have her really explain everything.  McCafferty is
    spayed and is an indoor cat.  I do have another cat, which also
    stays indoors, but I do have a dog that goes out.  Do you know if
    its possible for McCafferty to catch anything from my dog?  They
    usually don't get too close to each other.  Do you know if cats
    can catch a cold from a human?  Would this be something to be careful
    of?
    
    Thanks again,
    Erin

    From my experience, this is not contagous.  It is also not passed
    genetically.  Pillowtalk lived with a whole house full of other
    kitties, and had 2 litters of babies herself.  Nobody else ever
    got it from her and her kittens never got it either.
    
    Good Luck
    cin
    

    Well, I'm glad its not contagous....one sick kitty is enough.

    I'm not sure how much you have to worry about side effects of the
    medication to treat this, as long as it's just being given
    sporadically.  Perhaps it could also be given topically instead
    of via a shot?  Assuming it wouldn't hurt her when she licks it
    off.  By coincidence, I've been involved in a discussion on WOMANNOTES
    about the use of topical treatments of skin problems, and there
    are some folks there who have been using various cortizone things
    and so forth in topical form for years.  Your vet should know what
    the side effects are.....
    

    Re.: -.1
    Eosinophilic granuloma is not a topical disease.  The skin happens
    to be the organ in which the disease manifests itself.  It requires
    systemic treatment.  Even though the treatment appears to be sporadic
    it is most likely a long acting form of the steroid so it will persist.
    Generally the vet knows it's time for another shot when the symptoms
    reappear.  
    
    Cin had mentioned in an earlier note that these diseases aren't
    passed on genetically.  It may not show in some offspring but there
    is genetic transmission for some of these diseases or for tendencies
    to develop them.  We've dealt with one line of cats where some of
    the really severe autoimmune diseases have shown up in one cat and
    signs of some of the milder ones in others.  Not a problem in a
    spay.
    
    Frank 

    The reason I suggested topical application in .11 is that it would
    have less side effects than a pill or shot.
    
    I have read that cat colds and human colds aren't transmittable
    to the other "being".
    
    Please let us know what the vet says about your puss and this problem
    as far as long term management goes.
    
    Pillowtalk -- I love that name -- I had to get an extra pillow (for
    me!) after my Pussycat declared mine his territory.  Kind of hard
    to sleep when yu're relegated to the lower 2 sqaure inches of one
    corner of the pillow.
    

    I posted .14 while Frank was simulaneously posting .13, so
    ignore my comment about the reason for topical application -- it
    was not intended as an answer to .13.
    

    .14
    Yeah, tell my 14 lb. Timothy to get his own!  He sleeps on my head
    of course most of him is ON the pillow & I'm not!  Miyagi thinks
    he owns the other one!  Silly cats!!
    
    E.T.

    Come on now, Elaine...
    
    Silly YOU for thinking the pillows were yours!  
    
    	;-)
    
    	Another "Cat_Lady"

    Gee Penn, I only have 10 plush cat beds for them - 2 three-level
    condos, l three-shelf tree, l lounge bed, 1 carpeted ring on a
    platform, a half tube (carpted) on a platform, 1 carpeted 
    window perch, 1 hammock, 2 wicker baskets with pillows,
    1 carpeted bucket, which I use for their toys - I put them
    in - they drag them out - What more do the little hairbags want??
    
    oh yeah, I forgot - I have a huge tree ordered that I will pick
    up at the Christmas Show 12/12-13 - logs & carpeting and a smaller
    two-level carpeted thingie.  All I want is one pillow..........
    
    E.T.

    Thanks to everyone for all the great information.  McCafferty will
    be going to the vets this Thursday and so will a couple of these
    notes, so I can remember all this stuff to ask the vet.  I will
    get more info from the vet and hopefully pick the right kind of
    treatment.  
    
    re: .18 - gee, with all that cat "furniture", where does all YOUR
    furniture go?  you must have a huge house!  I can't let my kitties
    sleep with me, one goes for the whole pillow, or my neck (he weighs
    12lbs!) and the other goes under the covers at the end of the bed
    and spends the nite biting my feet!  Once in a while though, they
    do get to spend SOME of the nite!
    
    Thanks again everyone!
    Erin

    Good Luck Thursday - I hope all is well with your baby!  Please
    let us know what your doctor says, ok?
    
    Well, the good thing about having lots of cat furniture is that
    they DON'T SCRATCH MINE!!  SO......it's worth having.  Trimming
    their nails every other weeks helps too. Gee, now it's nails for
    12 - that's lots of toes!
    
    E.T.

    What Elaine didn't say was the rest of her furniture is in storage,
    a.k.a. my basement.  :-)  She is right though - give the cats enough
    of their own furniture to destroy, and they'll leave yours alone.
    
    Bryan

    I made my house safe from my two, by having them declawed.  Since
    they are indoor cats and I had suffered enough.  Its fun to play
    with them and know that you won't come away with any battle scars.They
    do have fun racing around the place and knocking things off though.

    It's been awhile, how is McCafferty doing?