Scare with Smokey

[Chatanuga]

So, as of 1:45 AM, Smokey has yet to touch any food, at least that I know of.

I've offered him tuna, canned food, canned pumpkin, and treats. The feeder in the kitchen and the bowl in the upstairs hallway have his and Casey's usual Purina Cat Chow. If he's touched the regular food, it hasn't been anything noticeable. I haven't noticed him drinking any water, but he may have done that when I haven't been around since in addition to their big water bowl in the kitchen I've also put out a second bowl in the upstairs hallway across from the food.

He has had at least three loose bowel movements, indicating that the stool that was backed up in him is getting flushed out from that second enema. And I would have thought that his appetite would have returned by now.

Two other observations I've made are that for a while after returning home, he was drooling off and on. One of the possible side effects of one of the medications that I read was drooling. Also, I've seen him drool when I give him his monthly doses of Revolution between the ears, which he doesn't like. Between the drooling and the fact that he's been sleeping quite a bit since getting home, I'm almost wonder if he was stressed out/worn out from the overnight stay at the vet's office and has been simply too tired to want to eat. They did say that he kept himself all bunched up at the back of his cage that he was in, even when they put a blanket over the front to try to give him some privacy.

After checking on him a few minutes ago, he seemed like he just wanted to sleep and wasn't in distress or anything. I'm hoping things change for the better by morning.

Kevin

[cats4ever]

Drooling and inappetence could also be a sign of nausea. Is Smokey already on an anti-nausea medication?

[Chatanuga]

They did give him an injection of Cerenia at the vet's office. There were tablets given at MedVet for Cerenia as well, but unlike with Chessie and Casey, Smokey has been impossible to get pills into. With him not eating, crushing the pills into a powder and missing with canned food or tuna hasn't worked either. I haven't seen any drooling since last evening though.

As I was getting around for bed, Smokey did come upstairs and got into the litterbox where he passed some gas. This morning when I got up, he came up the stairs and was rubbing on my legs a bit. When I went to put some spilled food from the upstairs food bowl back in the bowl (from Casey), Smokey came over and sniffed at the bowl and began aggressively rubbing his head against my hand.

Downstairs as I was fixing Casey's morning pumpkin, Smokey did lick some of the pumpkin from the spoon, but not all of it like he usually does. I offered him a couple treats, and he's refused those.

Kevin

[Chatanuga]

As I was getting out of the shower earlier, Smokey came upstairs. When I tapped the food bowl in the hallway, he did run over and sniff at it a bit. Then as I was getting around, he went over to it twice on his own and acted like he was going to dig in before something down the stairs distracted him.

Just now as I was downstairs making my lunch, I opened a new can of tuna for him. He quickly came out and sat on the floor next to me. I got some of the water from the can on my finger, and he sniffed at it but didn't want to lick it. I put some of the tuna and water on a small plate and put it in front of him. He sniffed it (last night he never paid it any attention), but he still didn't eat.

So it seems like he's starting to take an interest in food, but not actually eating. He also peed in the upstairs litterbox, indicating that he's been drinking some water.

Kevin

[phesina]

Well done, Smokey!!! You're doing great! You and your dear Chatanuga, both!

Keep on keeping on, slowly, slowly..

More loving good wishes and healing energies are being sent to you!

from Sparkler and Galaxy and Pat

[Chatanuga]

Smokey's still making signs of improvement. This afternoon while in the living room where he and Casey were I had my front door open with the storm door shut and locked, Smokey saw something outside and was very alert and wanting to go after it, standing on his back legs to look out the window with his tail going wild. Around 7:30 PM I saw him going into the kitchen, and when I glanced in, he was checking out the feeder. A little while ago, I changed out the water in the water bowl in the upstairs hallway, and he took an interest in that as well.

I'm also about to give him a dose of Mirtazaphine transdermal ointment that the vet gave me to give him. It gets applied to one of his ears and is supposed to stimulate appetite.

Kevin

[phesina]

That's great!

[Chatanuga]

Good news! Got home around 7:30 PM this evening after stopping to get groceries. Casey was curled up and just waking up as I walked in. Smokey was walking towards the door, happy to see me. While putting stuff away, I heard somebody eating at the feeder. I turned around, and it was Smokey.

Once groceries were put away, I opened a new can of pumpkin for Smokey and Casey. It's primarily for Casey to help pass hairballs, but I also give some for Smokey. Tonight, he was quite eager to lick the spoon when I was done dishing it up, and then he started meowing like he usually does, wanting me to hurry with the rest, which he ate along with a few treats.

A little while ago when bringing laundry upstairs, he followed me up the stairs, and when I went to go down to the kitchen, he stopped at the top of the stairs to eat from the food bowl that I have out.

Kevin

[phesina]

Wow! That's terrific!

What a great job, Smokey!

Keep on keeping on .

[Catty1]

Fantastic! Smokey, you have such a loving and caring furmom!

[cats4ever]

This is great news!
Smokey, your dad did a terrific job to help you.

[phesina]

Dear Kevin, thanks so much for being such a wonderful Dad for Smokey! You and he make a great team. Together, you rock!

[Chatanuga]

So last evening, Smokey had a normal bowel movement in the litterbox, which indicates that whatever was causing things to get backed up a week ago is now cleared up.

He's also still eating and drinking very well. In fact, he seems to really like drinking from the water bowl I have out in the upstairs hallway. Normally, their food and water are both down in the kitchen, and I then leave extra food and water out in the upstairs hallway when one or both have been to the vet so that when they get to quarreling afterwards, if somebody gets cornered upstairs, he'll have food, water, and the upstairs litterbox. Since he likes drinking from that bowl so much, I'm going to be leaving it out 24/7 if it gets him to drinking plenty of water.

Kevin