Smudge messing in her bed!

[farthing]

Smudge is normally a very clean cat, but lately she has been having accidents in her bed.
She has had her thyroid levels checked as she is hyperthyroid, and a blood test done to check her kidneys, both thankfully are fine.
We did think she had a urine infection, and has had 2 courses of antibiotics.
She doesn't seem stressed, and nothing has changed in the house, but I am going to put on a feliway today, just in case.
I do wonder if she is maybe a bit stiff, she seemed a bit lame yesterday, so she is now on metacam.
There is nothing else I can do is there- I suppose I have to wait and see if she improves with the meatcam and feliway.
If only they could talk and let you know where they feel wrong!

[angieh]

Poor Smudge - and poor you. Does she have a way to go to her litter tray, do you think she's being "caught short"?

[calismum]

I assume you've not changed litter or location of tray etc?

[farthing]

No, we haven't changed the litter or moved the exisiting trays. We have , in fact, put down another one underneath the windowsill she used to sleep on. She has taken to sleeping on a beanbag by the radiator, beside Misty (20 year old cat), which is also why I wondered about arthritis.:?

I also got her T4 results back today, and they are just outside the recommended range for a cat on medication, but only very slightly, so the vet doesn't think that is a problem. In a way it is all good news, but makes it more hard to figure out what is going on!

[calismum]

Have you noticed her being particularly stiff or sore when moving about? Does seem quite strange as she's been a clean cat to suddenly change.

Has any other animal started to harrass her when she uses the tray. Or is there someone else using her toilet and she doesn't like it?


Afraid I'm at a loss after that. Not much help, I know.

[farthing]

I do think she has been a bit stiffer lately, nothing else seems to have changed. Of course, I have been panicing about her kidneys, so didn't stop to think about something more simple like arthritis.
Typical of me, I eliminate more serious things first and then look at the less serious next- can you tell I'm a worrier.:roll:

We've started joking about me having Munchausen's by proxy, but maybe they aren't joking.

[calismum]

I do think she has been a bit stiffer lately, nothing else seems to have changed. Of course, I have been panicing about her kidneys, so didn't stop to think about something more simple like arthritis.
Typical of me, I eliminate more serious things first and then look at the less serious next- can you tell I'm a worrier.:roll:

We've started joking about me having Munchausen's by proxy, but maybe they aren't joking.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I think with our animals we all have that!

What about some cod liver oil supplement then? May help a bit.

[farthing]

i've been thinking of giving it a go, and started her on metacam today, so we will see. I meant to start the oldies on oil a while ago, but so much is going on I haven't got round to it. I guess it is good incentive to get organised.

[Leesy]

Poor Smudge, hope that the metacam starts to work for her, never heard of that before:oops: take it is abit like our Codliver oil.

[farthing]

Metacam is a non steriodal anti-inflamatory medicine, which has been used in dogs for a long time, but it is now licensed for cats and is sold in a weaker concentration for them. It can cause tummy upsets as a side effect and if left untreated ulcers, it also has contraindications for liver function, but I know what to look for and if it makes her more comfortable it worth a try.
Her bloods were OK, so we are safe to use it and I am now getting all the oldies blood tested yearly as routine in the hope I can catch any problems early, so we should pick up any problems it may cause.:D

[dandysmom]

Farthing, ave you looked into glucosamine chrondroitin at all for arthritis? They do make it for cats/dogs, and it works wonders for my osteoarthritis...have used it for years and rarely have a flareup!

[angieh]

Merlin has been on Metacam for ages. He first started having one drop of the dogs prescription in order to help with the inflammation that was giving him recurrent cystitis. He has gone onto the cat prescription now and the vet always asks me about his dose. He was a bit poorly about a year ago and the vet we saw then who was not his usual vet suggested that we reduce the dose. He has been fine ever since and I am always careful not to over dose, especially as he is losing weight anyway. In the past, he has always seemed to be better with the Metacam than without it.

Little b****r though, he has recently taken to refusing his food with the Metacam in! It's really more important that he eats ..............