Animal Pain Awareness Month: Nine Signs Your Cat is in Pain

Hi everyone! It's mes, Carmine!

Did yous know that September bes Animal Pain Awareness Month? Unfortunately, wes (as animals) cannot tell yous when wes bes in pain, so it be up to yous to observe us and take us to the vet when it looks like wes be in pain. That not always be very easy for the humans to do. Wes kitties hide pain especially well, so it can bes hard for the humans to know when wes are hurting.

Mes is fortunate that my human watches mes very closely and always seems to know when mes isn't feeling my bestest. 

Way back when mes was six years old, my human noticed that mes was sleeping more than usual. Hers also noticed mes wasn't jumping up to mines favorite places to bes - up high on hers desk or on the bookcase. The Mom didn't know what was wrong with mes, but hers knew something wasn't quite right. So, hers scooped mes up and took mes to the vet.

The Mom and the vet talked about mes, and theys were a bit stumped. The vet suggested theys get an x-ray of mes, so theys took a photo of my insides. It turns out that mes had arthritis in one of mines hips. The vet told the Mom hers could sprinkle some cosequin on mines food once a day to see if that would help mines pain. 

It did, and before you knew it, mes was back to running around and jumping up to my favorite high places like mes used to!

Now mes is going to let the Mom tell yous all about Animal Pain Awareness Month and how to tell if us kitties might bes in pain.

Lita's Vet Visit - An Update

Hi everyone, it's the Mom today with an update on Lita.

As some of you know, Lita made her way to the vet yesterday.  Thank you to all who left purrs and prayers for her on Facebook - we appreciate the support very much!

I decided to take Lia to the vet because she has not been herself for a couple of weeks.  She is spending a lot of time under the dresser, and she is not as enthusiastic about food as she usually is.  She's usually the first one in the kitchen when I open a can, but there have been times lately where she doesn't even bother moving from where she is when she hears a can open.

Given her serious respiratory issues, I thought it best not to guess about what's bothering her and take her to see Dr. S instead.  

She weighed in at 12.68 pounds.  Dr. S and I agree that while Lita is a little overweight, we would both be happy if she stays at this weight for the rest of her life.  I'm glad we're on the same page about this.  

He gave her a thorough exam.  He said her eyes look great, and her kidneys and thyroid feel just fine.  He said there is some bacteria on her teeth, but he thinks the water additive he's created may help with that (we have some here already because he thought it would help Carmine, too). 

Wordy Wednesday with Milita

Hi everyone, it's Milita today. 

I know you have seen this photo of me before, but the Mom hasn't been taking many new photos of us lately.  This is fine by me - that flashy thing is pretty annoying.

Last week, I had to go to the vet.  The Mom was worried about me and decided it was time to take me in.  I was really unhappy about this and made sure to sing the song of my people the whole way there so the humans all knew just how unhappy I was.

The vet was finally able to get x-rays of my leg.  She also stole some urine and blood from me.  

My kidney, thyroid, and liver all checked out fine.  My blood sugar was a tiny bit elevated, but the Mom and the vet think this is probably because I get so stressed out at the vet's office.  This is all good news.  The Mom was worried about my kidneys.  

A Question and Another Update on Carmine

I have a question, and then another update.  I'm hoping some of you or your humans will have some ideas!

I think Carmine's still in pain.  He keeps rubbing his face on *everything.*  He's only on the pain medication for one more day (antibiotics for five more).  How can I make my baby more comfortable?  I don't like seeing him in pain at all; it makes me very sad.

Now for the update.

Carmine ate about two-thirds of his wet dinner tonight.  He has also been eating a little kibble now and then.  I think he's on track to eating normally again soon, which makes me happy!

Hope everyone is doing well and having a good weekend!

How to Tell if Your Cat is Sick - Part 1

Cats are notorious for being able to hide their illnesses and pain from everyone. They've had to do this historically in order to not appear vulnerable to predators. However, their great ability to hide pain and illness can also make it difficult for feline parents to recognize when a cat is sick or in pain. Getting to know your cat's routine and his or her habits is very important for being able to recognize the early signs of possible illness or pain in your pet.

Appetite and Eating: Knowing your cat's eating habits will help you recognize when something is amiss with his or her appetite or eating. For instance, if you feed your cat dry food in the morning and it typically lasts all day, you'll recognize your cat is not eating as much or doesn't have an appetite if his or her bowl is half-full at the end of the day. If you feed your cat wet (canned) food everyday and he or she is typically excited about it, you can assume he or she has no appetite if your cat doesn't come running for his or her wet dinner as usual. However, if your cat comes running for his or her dinner and then doesn't eat much (or anything at all), your cat may not feel as if he or she can eat much. Loss of appetite and/or changes in eating habits is one sign your fur baby may be ill.

Drinking: Your cat's drinking habits are another important thing you should know about him or her. If your cat is not drinking as much as usual, he or she may become dehydrated and may need to get fluids at your veterinarian. In order to tell if your pet is dehydrated, gently lift up the skin between his or her shoulder blades and release it. If the skin falls back into place immediately, your feline is hydrated. If the skin does not snap back into place immediately, your cat is likely suffering from dehydration.

Similarly, if your furry friend begins drinking more water than usual, it could be a sign of a serious problem, such as diabetes.

Elimination: Though it may not be the most comfortable thing to think about, it is important to know your cat's usual elimination habits. If your feline is litterbox trained and typically uses his or her litterbox, he or she may be ill or in pain if he or she suddenly stops using it and eliminates elsewhere. Of course, a refusal to utilize the litterbox could simply mean that the box is not clean enough for your furry friend. However, if after cleaning the box and filling it with fresh litter, your cat still refuses to use the litterbox, there is likely something amiss with your pet.

Personality and Behavior Changes: Personality and behavior changes are another sign that may indicate something is wrong with your pet. If your cat typically greets you at the door when you come home and stops doing so, there may be something wrong. If your furry friend usually follows you around your home, but stops doing so and begins sleeping in another room while you are at home instead, this could mean your fur baby is ill. Lethargy and sudden aggressiveness are some other changes you might see in your pet if he or she is not feeling well.

These are just a few of the signs that may indicate your pet is not feeling well. I hope you will return to learn about other signs that your feline may be ill or in pain.