The Sakushka

[lavendertook]

Starting last week, Saki's back to being a happy little kitty again. Halving her flagyl dose, getting some Comfort Zone pheromone diffusers, and adjusting to me being gone after 3 weeks of misery over it, seemed to have come together for her. I think the Endless Winter was hard on her, too, even though it stays warm in here, so the return of spring is probably doing her good as well. And her fur, which had been looking rumpledy, fluffed out smooth and silky again last week. I've heard that their coat is supposed to reflect their health from 3 months ago, but this seems to be an immediate change in synch with her spirits and behavior.





And now this week, she's happier to have me home for now. She's been eating a little better each day. With all the fancy grain-free wet foods I've gotten her over the months, it's Fancy Feast that is interesting her the most right now, but the classic varieties do read to be grain-free, so I'm giving her what she wants. That's what Tuxie likes best, too. She does seem to be nibbling on the Blue grain-free dry food a lot more today. But she's still losing weight an ounce or 2 a week, and is an ounce down from yesterday even, so still a constant worry. I'm hoping her thyroid isn't going too high again. I've also found a weird loose lump on her back leg--I'm hoping it's just a fat deposit. We'll see the vet again on Monday and I'll ask him about it, and maybe we'll decide to go off the steroid and flagyl altogether, depending on what her thyroid and renal values are doing, hoping they've done their job for now if it's IBD she's been dealing with. She's not a typical case in how she's reacted to the steroid. It's possible her weight loss is connected to the meds, and I'm hoping that's the case, but whether it's small cell lymphoma remains to be seen. I'm not going to put her through any cures that give her a longer, but miserable life. We've got a vet who is better equipped for that goal than the the one we had before, so I'm grateful for that.



But for now, life is being good to her and I'm glad to see my sunny girl back for the present.

Comments

[easterlily41482]

It's wonderful seeing a photo of her looking full of life and happy. Is the loose lump in a ball shape by any chance? If so, you shouldn't have to worry. Those are very common in older pets.

[lavendertook]

Thank you!!! it really is wonderful to see her do hr tail shimmy and roll her head over and throw her paws over it when relaxed again. 6 months of feeling yucky she went through. Yes, it is ballish. Thank you--that's reassuring! *hugs*

[lbilover]

She looks great, Carole, and I'm sure having you home again is contributing to that, but also the careful care and feeding she's getting. The lump sounds like a sebaceous cyst. I hope that's all it is.

[lavendertook]

Thank you, bb! Going down off the predisolone and flagyl is also helping her feel better. I'm not sure if she's healthier though--feeling good and being healthy are not necessarily the same, unfortunately. Thank you--I think that's what it probably is, too. It may have been hidden when her thigh was fat.

[baranduin]

Such a pretty girl. So happy she's feeling more herself. Oh kitties, they love their Fancy Feast!

[lavendertook]

Yours like Fancy Feast, too? I'm suspicious how much it's the Fancy Feast and how much it's The Food That Tuxie Wants. (-; But she seems to be on a beef and liver kick, and likes it a little better than the Wellness grain-free. Moo, however, opts out and only likes her dry kibble of Purina's One Beyond, and Science Diet Hairball Light when she can get it. The Science Diet used to be the only food she would eat, but it's first ingredient is corn meal and I was happy she would accept the Purina One Beyond when I got on the grain-free kick. She still loves it best and begs for it often.

[baranduin]

In my experience kitties want Fancy Feast. They love those little expensive cans :-)

[lavendertook]

They do prefer things in the 3 ounce can, don't they, so that they get more variety faster. (-; And heck, the FF is cheap next to the small company grain-frees, as long as she sticks with the classic variety that seems to be grain-free.

[baranduin]

Ha. You're much nicer than I am. Fancy Feast is as far as I'm willing to go!

Teddy has a bunch of sebaceous cysts on his head. I have to confess I call him Lumphead.

[lavendertook]

It's the IBD, not niceness. My first beloved kitty died young of IBD. So on the chance diet might make a difference for Saki, I'm getting her on whatever of it she is willing to eat. Her diarrhea seemed to get a little better due to getting her off the foods that have corn and wheat and soy in them and may have helped the steroids heal the damage to her intestinal lining. I know greens are a necessary part of their diet from how they crave grasses, but it seems likely their stomachs are not made for dealing with meal made from corn kernals--it's hard enough on humans. So I'm trying to steer the whole crew onto grain-free. I never got on the organics or raw foods bandwagon, but the grain-free one is making sense to me, and I think it made a difference for Saki. But Fancy Feast classic does seem to be grain-free, as far as I can see in the ingredients (that require damn good reading glasses) , unlike the more chunky Fancy Feasts that have wheat gluten. I'm just trying to find a way to keep this kitty alive.

Hehehehe! (-: Well, I have one on my right arm, so it figures Saki would have to stay in tune with me and get one on her right leg.

[baranduin]

That's good to know. I think what I give them is the classic, pate style rather than the chunky variety. They do like the ones that are the little bits in gravy but I've never taken to that variety for some reason.

[lavendertook]

Yeah the flaked, grilled, and chunky Fancy Feasts have wheat gluten and soy in them, while the classic doesn't. The classic uses Guar gum as a binder, which is from a bean used in many gluten free products for people. A lot of the organic grain-free cat foods use guar gum, too. I think the only thing that makes the Fancy Feast classic less healthy than those is it includes artificial flavors that aren't named, and so doesn't do good to think too much about if the little buggers want it.

Have I given this amount of scrutiny to my own diet needs yet, it being likely I have some form of IBD, too?. No, of course not, silly!

[sparkymonster]

I also give my cat's food way more scrutiny than my own. SIGH

[lavendertook]

Besides their being our babies who are around for less time than us to spur us to it, I guess it's easier because most of them do eat a more limited diet than we do.

[monkey5s]

Yay for happier Saki! Even with the chronic problems, celebrating the daily joys is good. Hope she gets better and better.

[lavendertook]

Thank you, bb! We're just taking it a day at a time.

[lanning]

Oh, she's beautiful! I'm so glad she's doing better, hon. *feline health vibes*

[lavendertook]

Thank you, bb! She's been eating like her old self the last 2 days. I'm hoping it will start showing up on the scale.

[gale_storm]

Awwww, what a pretty girl she is, too! The sun has come, chasing all the clouds away... :-)

[lavendertook]

We thank you! And Hi! My apologies for not being able to welcome you sooner. (-:

[sparkymonster]

Such a beautiful kitty face.

"With all the fancy grain-free wet foods I've gotten her over the months, it's Fancy Feast ""

Madame has been the same way. For a while she would only consent to eat fancy feast "classic" or "gravy lovers." Currently to keep her weight up I feed her plain meat baby food and piles of cat treats along her food.

[lavendertook]

She is the face. (-:

I should look into baby food if her appetite drops again. It seems to have come completely back these last 2 days, so I'm crossing my fingers and toes it hangs around and starts tipping the scale, without bringing back her diarrhea.

Do you know why Madame's appetite is down? *scritches the lovely calico*

[sparkymonster]

The other thing which is MAGIC. The liquid from canned salmon mixed with baby food. Madame has done serious yowling over that.

Poor Madame has a thyroid condition and is, well, an old lady. She's about 16 (she's a rescue so I'm not positive about her age). I adopted her in 2006 at an already dignified age.

She has thryoid medication. My vet and I agreed that currently I'm doing whatever keeps her happy & comfortable. This includes feeding her cat treats liberally mixed with kibble and everything ludicrous.

She is loving her heated cat bed and there are steps on each side of my bed so she can easily get up. She still has feistyness and an interest in exploring my new apartment.

[lavendertook]

I will keep that one in mind. I got a bottle of Alaskan salmon oil made for cats a few months ago and she turned her nose up at that. She lost interest in fishy foods for a while, and was on a lamb, liver, beef, and some poultry kick the last couple of months, but her interest in fish seems to be coming back.

Cutting up methimazole tablets is a chore I've done for years now. Steps on BOTH sides of the bed--you are such a wonderful, loving cat mom!!! All the best for health and strength to Madame and you. *hugs and scritches*

[grey_wonderer]

I'm glad she is doing better and is happier. I will cross my fingers for some weight gain. She is such a pretty girl!

[lavendertook]

Yay, you're back! Thank you so much--we need all the good wishes for that we can get.