Conference misery::feline

    Re the surprises, after you clean that carpet with an enzyme cleaner it 
    might be enough to increase the number of litter boxes (one in each
    room Gloria frequents?) so it wouldn't be such a hike for her when she
    feels the need.
    
    You might want to confine her to one or two rooms if you think she's in
    real danger of hurting herself with the "klutz factor"... but it's hard
    to predict what they're going to want to jump up on.
    
    I don't think crating her is a *bad* idea--I was just trying to think
    of alternatives.
    
    Best wishes to you and your ol' lady kitty,
    Leslie

    she might be ill and is trying to tell you somthing. Get her to the vet
    for a good physical including bloodwork. It sould be something very
    easy to treat, like diabetes or hyperthyroidism. The fact that she is
    "skin and bones" could indicate the begining of kidney failure, which,
    if caught early, you can treat with a low protien diet and occasional
    fluids.
    
    Deb

    I would definitely take her to the vet for a checkup, and be sure
    you remember to tell the vet all the symptoms.  As a side note,
    since older cats sometimes develop arthritis, having intermediate
    things they can step on to get up on the bed, couch, etc. is helpful.
    

    Just recently I had her at the vets for her rabies booster and whatever
    else she has to have.  My vet is aware of her condition and doesn't
    feel that she's sick, just old!
    

    I would consider getting a second opinion from another vet, unless
    your first vet did a set of blood tests to check for diabetes,
    kidney, liver disease, etc.
    

    I agree with Karen. Sometimes you have to be firm and insist that they
    get a blood test.
    
    Deb

  Yes!!  Go back and have a blood panel, etc done or try another vet.  Kitties 
do lose a little weight when they get older, but not "skin and bones."  I'll 
bet something is wrong that could be treated.

			Sq

    I haven't had any bloodwork done on her, but I think that's a good
    idea.  As for a second opinion, I really trust my vets.  Since there
    are 3 of them, couldn't that count as three opinions???  I'll be going
    there on my way home from work and I'll make an appointment.
    
    Gloria has a lump on the side of her neck which has been there for a
    couple of years.  I had the doctor look at it but told her I didn't
    want anything done to it because it seems to stay the same size and
    other than the new habits that are cropping up, she has a good
    appetite, drinks water and has normal activities.  She's just a little
    slower.  Also, I can't subject her to any procedure that would involve
    anesthesia.  I strongly feel that her system wouldn't be able to take
    it.  As a young cat, she didn't handle anesthesia very well.
    
    I'll update after her appointment.
    

    Hi -
    
    After you have her fully checked out, I'd second the suggestion of
    setting up a special 'day room' for your lady.  One that's warm, gets
    some sun, and is easy to clean.  Of course, it helps if your kitty
    naturally *likes* that room, and already spens a lot of time there.
    
    I also second the suggestion to put intermediate height stools between
    the floor and whatever she likes to get up on.  This made a big
    difference with our 25-year old.  They do get a little unsteady. 
    (This, we are learning, is not simply a function of age - our 3 year
    old Spunky is a clutz of the first order)
    
    Good luck with her!
    
    Dana

    After work yesterday I went to my vet and talked to her about Gloria. 
    She has been treating her and knows her physical condition.  The fact
    that Gloria has been losing her balance is something recent and the
    doctor didn't know about that.  She asked me to bring her in Wednesday
    night after work.  She's going to keep her there for a few days to get
    a urine speciman and do more bloodwork.  
    
    Making a determination as to whether or not she's sick is important. 
    Last night, as usual, Gloria stayed right with me.  I watched her very
    carefully and she seemed pretty good.  She's always at the food dish
    when its time to eat and drinks water as she should.  Last night she
    even used the litter box!  I wonder if she's just getting forgetful.  I
    feel better about having her checked out and hopefully will have good
    news.
    
    Thanks for the suggestions.  She's been a faithful friend for many
    years and I want the rest of her life to be happy.  I'll update when I
    have test results.
    
    Donna
    
    P.S. I do have a stool placed strategically so she can get up on the
    counter.  Sometimes she likes to eat there.
    

    for what it is worth, some of the new anestesias are very short lasting
    and very safe. Jimmy (now 17, and diabetic) had a lump removed from his
    neck a year ago. What they used lasted about 5 minutes; he wasn't even
    groggy when he went home that night.
    
    However, with older cats, it is good to get a blood profile to see if
    anestesia would be safe. So, if you get the blood work done, this might
    be a good time to hav the lump removed.
    
    
    Deb

    Our Boots was eighteen when she went but was always a good girl, she
    would not use a litter box (the front flower bed was hers) but as she
    got older we noticed, it took her a little longer to get to the door
    and sometimes there was an accident.
    
    She also got very thin and we had her at the Vets so often, she would
    get very anoyed with us, they never found anything physically wrong with
    her.
    
    After a while, we realized, she just wanted to be left to her own way
    of life.
    
    I am still the same kitten you brought home but a little older and 
    slower, so please, treat me gently, go on loving me and I will be
    happy.
    
    I know it is hard to lose a member of the family but, just like us, a
    life is only so long and as long as you are good to her she will be
    happy.
    
    
    joan

    I pretty much have a self-imposed policy of doing a blood panel on
    any cat that will be going under anesthesia.  It makes me feel better
    to know that the vets are armed with as much informaton on kitty's
    condition as possible.  And, my vet generally recommends a blood 
    panel on any older cat that may have to have anesthesia.
    
    In addition, I have read and heard from vets that as your cat begins
    to get up in age it's good to have a geriatric blood panel done (before
    they start showing signs of illness) so that the vet has a baseline of
    what is normal for the cat.
    
    Jan
       

    
    I take Merlin (now over 20 years old) in for a kidney profile every
    6 months.  He's worth it.
    
    len.
    
    

   Don't know what's magic about that age, but that's our guideline.  And all
animals get an exam the morning of surgery prior to being sedated - checking
mouth, eyes, lungs, heart, temp, etc.

						Trace

    Gloria went in to my vet on Wednesday.  I called this morning to find
    out how things are going and so far, blood was taken and the results
    will be in tomorrow.  I don't know if they've been able to get a urine
    sample yet (cats have the ability to hold it a long time!), and I was
    told that she was bathed.  When I go to the vet tonight, I'll find out
    more details.  I have a feeling that, other than being old and kind of
    frail, she's probably OK.
    
    It's funny, I have 7 cats, and just having Gloria at the vets made my
    house seem empty.  How can you have so many cats and feel that way?
    
    Donna
    

    Oh, it's easy.  Each kitty is special in her or his own way.  It isn't
    the number of cats, it's their individual purrsonalities that we fall
    in love with!  
    
    I ccannot immagine what like will be like when our kittens, Pudge and
    Nuzzles, are adopted and go to their new homes.
    
    Keep us posted on g-l-o-r-i-a!
    
    

    Gloria's home with a clean bill of health.  Her urine tests showed no
    kidney problems, etc., and the blood work was positive.  There seems to
    be nothing wrong with her other than old age.  She does have an
    infection in her ears and I have to keep cleaning them out and giving
    her medication for that.  
    
    This is my first day back to work after being out sick and I had ample
    opportunity to spend time with Gloria and observe her actions.  As I
    mentioned before, she wants to be close to me all the time.  I noticed
    that when she tried to jump up on the sofa with me, she had a bit of a
    hard time.  I'm working at making things accessible to her so she has
    an easier time getting to places that she once took for granted.
    
    She spent three days at the vets and was very happy to be home.  Her
    appetite seems to be fine.  She's usually the first one in line waiting
    to eat.  She just doesn't eat a lot at one sitting.  I do see her go
    back to the dish later for more.
    
    Now that I know for sure that there isn't something wrong with her,
    I'll just appreciate each day I have her with me.
    
    Thanks for all the help.
    
    Donna
    

    re .-1
    
>   Her appetite seems to be fine.  She's usually the first one in line
>   waiting to eat.  She just doesn't eat a lot at one sitting.  I do see her
>   go back to the dish later for more.
    
    I've noticed the same thing with Merlin (over 20 years old). My biggest
    problem is keeping the other cats from eating everything in sight before
    he's had a chance to make a couple of trips to the bowls.  I've tried
    putting a bowl specifically for him in an "out of sight" place, and
    putting him there with it, while distracting the youngsters with their
    usual fare, but Floyd's too smart and too much of a chow hound to be
    fooled for long by this strategy.
    
    len.
      

    Your cat sounds just like my Rip.  She is 21 years old and has been
    leaving "presents" for me about 3 or 4 times a week, follows me around,
    and is pretty thin.  She has also been deaf for about 8 years.  
    
    I took her to the vet a few years back and they said she was just fine. 
    I never lock her up as I figure the "presents" don't really make much
    of a mess.  Now if she starts urinating, I will probably change my
    mind.  Sometimes she drives me crazy by meowing at me early in morning
    if I want to sleep in, but basically she is a very sweet kitty and I
    love her dearly.