Grandcat having extended 'sleepover'!

dw85

Meritaten, i just want to thank you for this thread. Whilst not an avid MSE forums user, when i do pop back on every so often, this is one that i start reading the latest posts and find myself going back through pages!

Im sure its been suggested before, (sorry if it has!) but have you watched any of the 'Simons Cat' shorts?

:T:T:T

his_missus

Glad to hear Barnes is on the mend

dandelionclock30

Things like Johnsons and Bob Martins spot ons dont work properly. You definatley need Advantage/Programme or Stronghold from the vets for the fleas. I'm surprised they didnt give you some there and then to be honest.
Also you need to give your house a spray as well with Indorex for the fleas.Otherwize you wont get rid of them all.
I'm glad you cat is feeling better.

meritaten

hi dw85 - glad you enjoy the thread!
funny thing dandelion, but the Armitage spot-ons were working nicely!
the vet didn't supply Barnes with spot on because he only had the Johnson one a week ago - with his dermatitis she thought it best to wait at least another ten days - when he has a follow-up appointment. so its the flea comb for the next week or so. and we sprayed the house when we got him and again a few months back. so that met with her approval!
I think I have exterminated all the adult fleas - ALL? there were two of them, plus the one the vet found! will do him every day now until I can use a spot on on him. he doesn't like it much - he normally has a much kinder comb for his G&T.
he actually looks much better today - but is obviously still feeling poorly - he has hardly moved off the settee back (did I mention that he normally only goes on there if he is feeling a bit unsettled and wants to be close to me?). he still wont 'lapsit' and he doesn't like the arms of the settee, so he sits or lays on the back - when he wants my attention then, he only has to stretch out a paw and slap my head! and with his BIG paws - it can hurt! he doesn't do it gently either - its a right 'wallop'!

meritaten

not much to say sorry! Barnes slept with grandkids last night and totally refused to get off his nice pillow till midday! so his tablets were a bit late. he enjoyed a leisurely lunch of sheba minipouch and went outside for the first time in days! had a G&T and returned to bed only to find I had shut the door! lol, he wasn't pleased and let me know it! he isn't up to jumping on windowsills so he went into 'his' room and pulled the covers back on the spare bed and slept on THAT pillow instead!

I didn't see him then for a few hours, and we went out when OH came in from work - just got home now, fed OH Battered sausage and chips picked up from the chippy and Barnes had a Whiskas pouch. (I do hope I have that the right way round!)

have just given him his tabs for tonight - and he isn't pleased about that either - I am in his bad books! even the extra dreamies didn't appease him much! still he IS improving! not quite my Barnes yet - but, he is getting there!

meritaten

Brrrr! Windy here and quite cold! Barnes thought because the sun was out it would be nice and warm out..................to his shock and horror - it wasn't! he was in within the minute! complaining loudly. Sorry Barnes, but you will find that Wales is like this most of the year!
didn't find another flea or bite on him during G&T today, and he gobbled his treats down as if he was half starved! his skin is healing, slowly but surely and he is a lot more 'himself' today. he did actually inspect the contents of his toy basket before re-thinking and having a nap instead!
his appetite has increased - he is (as the vet warned me), ravenous! its the steroids - had the same effect on Atrix! I am constantly topping up the dry food and don't usually do that but twice a day. I need bigger bowls! he is thirsty too. water needs topping up every few hours and he drinks for quite a few minutes at a time. (all that dry food?).
just about to give him his last dose today - the vet didn't say so, but I know with prednisolone its important to have 'regular' doses. and in precisely 15 minutes it will be 12 hours since his last dose!!!!!!!!!!! and I don't want to forget.........so off to chuck tablets down his throat!

meritaten

he didn't get up before midday again! but this time he had his tabs earlier - to his disgust. I actually gave them to him in his bedroom! jeez he wasn't happy!

he did sneak down for breakfast - I have never heard him come downstairs so quietly, lol..............normally its 'thud, thud, thud', but I also heard him crunching his food, rofl, then he sneaked back upstairs again. obviously he wanted peace and quiet - did he think I was suddenly going to sing and dance? play the drums? scream like a banshee? its one of the reasons he LIKES my house - I am quiet!
no fleas again, thank the goddesses! he really doesn't like the flea comb and it is making his fur stand out like dandelion fluff!

after G&T he went out into the sunshine - not quite so cold today so he had a bit of a sunbathe on the wooden decking, he was enjoying that - then he came in and rooted around his toy basket until he found............a toy I didn't even remember buying! just a large felt mouse, no catnip or crackly stuff, he batted it round a bit, then took it off to keep him company for a nap on the settee back!
he has been 'in and out' this evening - ate well, and I am just about to give him his nightly meds. he takes them better if OH holds him, rather than if I wrap him in a towel and give them to him on my own (which I have to do in the morning).
(I think he secretly likes being wrapped in the towel and nursed like a baby - we have a little 'cuddle' before I give the tabs and he purrs like mad!), after the tabs I get 'The Glare'!

meritaten

looking rather better today - Barnes I mean. still not my boy, but nearly there now hopefully.

weather still a bit cold for his likeing so its been a quick outdoor perimeter check in the garden - than back for a nice nap on settee. he has graduated from settee back to getting into any warm spot on the seats - so if you get up you lose your place!

OMG! he is ravenous all the time though! he finished his sheba mini pouch at lunchtime and immediately yowled for more! I had to give him another one. I know this can be a side effect of steroids - but I am going to have to do another shop next week - I will be going away for a week and must make sure to leave him enough food.
tbh - I don't really want to go - Barnes will still be on the steroids and my son (not Atrix - the other one) isn't used to giving cats meds. neither is his wife. I may have to train GS2 to do it! (not really - he is only 7).
I have to go tho - the holiday cost too much to not go! and OH would be furious if I said I wasn't going - I made such a fuss about going to Cornwall for a change! just going to have to trust Son and DIL.

meritaten

either the vets miscounted the tablets or I have missed two! and I have been careful about making sure he has his meds regularly and on time! just counted them up and there is two extra - now maybe they put them in just in case I couldn't get him his appointment on the day required? it doesn't actually give the tablet quantities on the label. I really don't think I missed any - so will assume the best! or that the dispenser couldn't count! and I am sure OH would have been querying if I hadn't given Barnes his tabs.

I am so bluddy fed up with this forum - I am going to take next week to decide if want to be here. just post about Barnes and go elsewhere. or cut ties completely. Its not the forum I joined years ago. its got very nasty and I don't need that.

Barnes is much better today - but I do feel that a five day course of antibiotics is a bit short (its the same with humans - you get five days now instead of a week). he is still exhibiting symptoms - his nose is sometimes blocked up and his eyes run and he 'drools'! I may phone vets tomorrow - it cant hurt can it? but I bet they already have me flagged as 'neurotic cat mummy'!
he is still 'ravenous' I am having a hard time keeping up with his appetite. I am down to using pyrex bowl lids for his dry food and am considering a dogs water bowl for him! a large one at that!

madrhino

Hi Meri. I do hope you still post Barney updates even if it's not daily. Have really enjoyed them over the last few months.
Just thought I'd better remind you that it's bank holiday tomorrow, so vets probably won't be open.
I think some people can be nasty on here because it's anonymous and they don't have to confront you face to face. I've had it a couple of times, just from posting opinion/information, and I don't post a lot. I even had a nasty pm because I posted that a free cinema screening had been cancelled, as I'd been notified by email. Some people have too much time on their hands and no sense of decency