Conference misery::feline_v1

    Poor Otis!  My crew wishes him a speedy recovery!
    
    L- & the gang

    
    We too have fingers and paws crossed for good news for Otis.  Please
    keep us posted, are thoughts are with you.
    
    Feline Concerened,
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot
    

    
    	Oh, Marylin, I do hope Otis will be all right!  Please let us
    know as soon as you hear anything.  We'll all be purraying for him
    also.
    
    Bob, Smoke, Sneakers & Nova
    		---------------
    		        ^
    			|
    			|
    
    		 Otis' siblings
    

    It's amazing how we can be *so strong* in so many ways but when our
    babies, both two-legged and four-legged are in danger, we become basket
    cases.  I understand what you are going through and am also hoping for
    good news.  Just maybe Otis got into something that didn't agree with
    him and was trying to get rid of it.  Maybe he is all-better already
    and will be coming home.  Think positive thoughts.
    
    Sandi and the Storm Troopers
    
    

    I have been wracking my brain trying to think of something, that
    perhaps I did wrong, that could have made Otis sick.
    
    After I got under control, in the examining room, she asked me if
    perhaps he had gotten in any garbage (we don't keep any...we're in a
    condo and it's emptied every day) or perhaps plants (I have a few
    plants but nothing that I haven't had since he came into the
    house...and he leaves them alone.  Just to be on the safe side I check
    every morning to check for 'tell-tale' teeth marks on leaves...) and he
    eats Fresh Catch (those are small cans) so there usually isn't any
    leftovers that could go bad).  Tiffany isn't sick - only Otis.
    
    She also asked me if I had opened any windows (of course I did...it was
    80 degrees on Thursday...and he just basked in the sun and breeze)!
    She said perhaps he got a virus.
    
    In any event - waiting for the feline leukemia test is a killer...there
    are no symptoms!
    
    I felt so bad leaving him there - he looked so sad, nervous and in so
    much discomfort...but I also have to realize that it was the best place
    for him.
    
    I will keep thinking positive thoughts and hope they find out what it
    was so that if it had been MY fault...that I won't do it again!
    
    Marilyn
    
    P.S.  Bob - give your babies a hug for me....and their brother Otis!
    

     us too... we are thinking about you and Otis
    kate

    I think you should visit Otis.  That would probably cheer him up
    and he'd know he hadn't been abandoned.
     I'll be purraying too!
      Nancy DC and the Gang of purrs.

    Nancy,
    
    I seriously thought of visiting Otis tonight - but the vet said he is
    STILL nervous...and I don't know as my seeing him and then turning
    around and leaving him would make it better or worse.
    
    Hopefully, if he keeps his lunch down today - and the Feline leukemia
    test is o.k. - he will be home tomorrow.
    
    Atleast, that is what I am hoping and praying for.
    
    Thanks for all the good wish everyone...
    
    Marilyn
    

    I hope Otis is ok.  I know what a trauma it is to leave your
    baby at the vets.  Don't blame yourself, kitties are very brave
    creatures and don't tell you when they aren't feeling well.
    
    Mary-Michael

    Here's hoping Otis pulls through.  I'm sure he will be just fine.
    I had to take Nikki to the vets last Monday for dental work -- he
    needed 2 teeth pulled and a cleaning... and he was SO terrified
    when I left him.  But I swear that now that it's all over with he
    has changed for the better -- more loving and personable.  It upsets
    me to think he might have been in pain for a long time and I never
    even realized it.  You're doing right by Otis and he knows that.
    
    Keep us posted.
    

    
    	Here's wishing Otis a speedy recovery and a happy
    	trip home with his Mom!
    					kim and catnippy
    

    
    sounds like what i had last week.  ;-)
    
    seriously, i had a stomach virus and felt so bad i prayed to die. i had
    the same symptoms as otis!  hopefully he is on the mend by now (as i
    am) and will be home soon...
    
    diane, stella & stanley
    

    I hope Otis is doing well.  please let us know what is going on.
    
    Karen, Sweetie, Holly, and Little Bit
    

    
    
    	Best wishes to Otis and his mom....
    

    
    hope otis is doing better today. we are thinking of him and wish him
    a speedy recovery. keep us posted......
    
    cindi - magen & cinnamon
    

    Hi everybody...thanks for the well-wishes.
    
    Well, I talked with the vet late yesterday afternoon and she said that
    the Feline Leukemia test came back negative...thank God.
    
    She said he was still nervous...hiding in the cage and only coming out
    to nibble.  Poor baby - he has never been confined for this length of
    time.  She said they were waiting for him to pass a stool so that 
    they can make sure the diarrhea has definately stopped.
    
    I am to call her around 10 this morning to see (hope and pray) if we
    can take him back home this evening.
    
    Meanwhile - we have been watching Tiffany like a hawk.  The vet feels
    that it was a flu and that Tiffany's vaccination was more effective
    than his was - which is why he got the virus.  
    
    I will let all of you know what she (the vet) has to say after I 
    talk with her.
    
    Marilyn
    
    P.S.  Tiffany is 'basking' in all the attention she is getting from
          Tracey and I - taking full advantage of her time alone with
          us.  I realize that she is going to be very upset with us
          when we bring Otis home because he smells different to her.
          We also have to be careful to pay extra attention to her in
          the next couple of days...so she doesn't feel 'betrayed'.
    

    HALLELUJAH!!!!  I am so glad the feline leukemia test was negative.
    
    
    Otis will be home soon, bet he can't wait.
    
    Love from Flo and Oliver

    Yahoobe!!!  That's great!!
    
    Have faith, Otis will be home soon.
    
    Holly and the gang.
    
    

    Relief!
    
    I called the vet at 2 and she said that he was EXTREMELY depressed -
    had not gone to the bathroom but felt that he was doing so poorly that
    he should go home.
    
    So, I called Tracey and she promptly dropped everything to go get him.
    
    She said he rubbed up against her all the way home - jumped out of her
    arms when she got him out of the car and RAN to the front door.  He
    started purring and immediately went to the litter box and went to
    the bathroom - A LOT!!!
    
    He kept purring and wanted to be held and wanted to eat.  She said he
    is SO happy to be home.
    
    I can't stand being here at work - I just want to go home and kiss and
    hug him and hold him...and see for myself.
    
    Thanks to ALL of you for your support, concern and well-wishes.
    
    Love
    
    Marilyn
    

    
    	Great news, Marylin.  I was at a seminar last week, so I missed
    many of the past few notes.  I was worried about Otis a lot, and
    my SO Linda asked about him this weekend.
    
    	I'm so glad to hear that he's home, and seems much happier.
     How about a follow up report, now that it's almost a week later?
    
    Bob, Smoke, Sneakers & Nova
    
    

    Otis has lost a *little* weight, but is hungry all of the time, so I am
    sure he will put some of it back on.
    
    He had a tiny bit of diarrhea Saturday morning - but then he didn't go
    to the bathroom again til Sunday morning.  He is still on the
    medication so hopefully it will clear up entirely.  I heard from the
    vet last Friday - just checking to see how he was doing - but am
    thinking of calling her again to see if it is normal to have this
    diarrhea thing see-saw back and forth.
    
    Other than that - he seems o.k. - wanting to play and eat and his eyes
    are bright.  Half of the problem, I think, is me.  I get so worried
    that I keep looking for him and talking to him and 'testing' him to see
    that he looks and acts right.  I try to keep him with me all of the
    time.
    
    He is a darling...so mellow now that he has been neutered.   And, when
    he wants to go to bed at night he makes VERY sure that his blanket is
    on the bed - on HIS side - and that I am with him.  I don't think
    he liked being in a cage at the vets and really appreciates Mom now.
    But, then again, he probably doesn't remember (do cats 'know' and do
    they have memories...?)!
    
    I will keep you posted...thanks, Bob!
    
    Marilyn
    

    Re: do cats have memories
    
    All I have to do is think about the vet, and every cat in my house
    disappears....
    

    Karen, do you have it right.  
    
    Poor Otis would NOT let us pick him up and hold him near the front
    door.  The fur on his back and tail would go up and he would run a
    beline for my room upstairs.
    
    Also, every time he goes towards the litter box I follow him - to 
    make sure he doesn't have the 'runs' (I have to clean him up if he
    does......holding my breath!!!) and he doesn't like it when I
    stand there watching him.  Can't say that I blame him though.
    So now he turns his back to me and stares (hmmmrph) at the blank
    wall - while going to the bathroom!
    
    M
    

    Otis was sick AGAIN, this week-end.  The diarrhea started up again and
    poor baby was not a happy cat and I was very upset.
    
    I frantically called the Vet around 7:30 Saturday night - her answering 
    service took the message and the Dr. returned my call within 10 minutes.  
    She said it sounded like he might be eating plants, but we barricaded
    the plants and/or gave them away...and Tiffany has been fine - so we
    knew it couldn't be water.  By the way - he and Tiffany are both in
    door kitties.
    
    Anyway, the vet suggested we give him Tender Vittles - there is
    something in it that acts as a binding agent...so we ran out and got
    a couple of boxes of that.  He gobbled it up - and it was 24 hours
    before he went to the bathroom again...which was solid.  The Tender 
    Vittles really worked!!
    
    In talking with the vet - she will do some more testing - there is a
    possibility that he could have an allergy or the Fresh Catch tuna &
    shrimp and/or the Purina Cat Chow....is just too much for his digestive
    tract.  I kind of doubt it - but I guess anything is possible.
    
    We have LITERALLY gone through the house with a fine toothed comb to
    see if there is something that he could be getting into.  Cats can
    get into the strangest places....! 
    
    Hopefully we can find out what it is/was that was irritating him -
    but thank God he didn't have to go to the hospital again - and he
    seems to be normal again.
    
    Marilyn
     
    

    Marilyn, have you ever thought of trying one of the premium quality
    foods for Otis, like Iams, Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, Bil-Jac,
    Lick Your Chops, etc...?  Could be all of the additives in the
    supermarket brands are not agreeing with him.  Just a thought.
    
    Glad to hear the Tender Vittles worked.  Be careful tho.  Tender
    Vittles contains an additive, Propelyne Glycol, which could have
    negative effects with prolonged use.  There was a note about it
    awhile back in this file.
    
    Hope Otis is better soon.
    
    
    -Roberta
    

    Clarification:
    
    The reason I mention the better quality foods is because T.K. has
    food allergies; most anything but Iams either gives him eczema,
    or comes right back up after he eats.  I have to be very careful
    about what I feed him.  He is even beginning to realize himself
    what foods will make him ill and avoids them.
    
    You might try experimenting until you find something that agrees
    with Otis's sensitive stomach.
    

    Hi Robert.  I tried Science Diet and he looked at me like - 'and you
    think I am going to EAT this?'  ....  he literally turned up his nose
    and walked away.
    
    I am kind of nervous about the Tender Vittles - if it bound him up
    after the diarrhea - I can imagine what a steady diet of it would do
    on a daily basis.
    
    I thought I would alternate the Tender Vittles with the Fresh Catch
    for a couple of days and then if that doesn't work - I will have to
    buy the premium quality stuff.  I have heard good things about Iams.
    Figures...he is 17 pounds now - would eat all day if I let him -
    and he is going to be the finicky one - that only PREMIUM will do!!
    
    That last statement was said in jest - obviously!  Whatever it takes
    for him to be healthy and happy is what I'll do.  
    
    Marilyn
    

    Roberta - sorry for the 'Robert' - I was typing so fast I forgot to 
    put on the 'a'.
    
    (smile!)
    
    M
    

    I can't remember if you've tried CD yet?
    

    What's CD?  
    
    M
    

    CD is a brand of cat food available from vets.  It's completely
    nutritionally balanced and good for preventing urinary tract problems.
    

    C/D, which is only distributed through vets, is manufactured by Hill's
    under the brand name "Prescription Diet". C/D stands for Cystitis Diet.
    They also make K/D (Kidney Diet), R/D, (Reducing Diet) and S/D (Stone
    Diet). Along with being low in magnesium ash, C/D also acidifys urine.
    
    Deb

    but cd is also a good all round food.  it might be better for 
    Otis since it has less crap (dye, etc.) in it that could be causing
    him problems.  All 3 of my guys eat mainly cd.
    

    I read another article...by mistake and in it said something about
    cats that are thirsty a lot (haven't really paid attention to Otis)
    who are also prone to urinary infections.  They didn't mention
    diarrhea though....anyway the note was on asthma.
    
    Otis DOES breathe LOUD.  I mean he sits there - in the window and
    snores.  He doesn't sneeze - but he does sound like he has an
    adenoid (sp?) problem.
    
    This wouldn't have anything to do with what is going on with him,
    would it?  What would be some symptoms for asthma?
    
    M
    

    Karen, I agree it is a great all around food (although quite fattening)
    I was just trying to give a little more information on it.
    
    Deb

    I don't agree that it is a great all around food.  I think that
    it shouldn't be given unless it is warranted, and prescribed by
    the vet.  
    
    My votes for great all around foods are Iams, Science Diet Feline
    Maintenance, Max Cat.
    
    Jo

    Not to go on forever, but my vet reccommends cd for general use.  My guys
    have been on it for years.
    

    The reason that I don't recommend it for general use is that it
    is lower in calcium than other foods, and wouldn't be considered
    the best thing to feed a kitten, or a cat that is to be used for
    breeding. 
    
    As always, we follow our vet's advice on things like this.
    
    Jo