Tiger's Home! 'The butter incident!'

[Emeraldgreen]

Tiger received his antibiotic injection (Convenia) a few days ago, the one that is equivalent to 14 days oral antibiotics, for the possible nasal infection he might have in conjuction with the squamous cell carcinoma. He is quite a bit worse sounding since the injection. Does anyone happen to know if nasal infections get worse before they get better while treating with antibiotics?
I'm calling the vet in the morning. They did say that it might be a bacterial infection and if he is no better by 3-5 days that they could treat him with Baytril.
I think I might ask them if Metacam might help with inflammation. He sounds terrible. :(

[Catlady711]

I'm not familiar with that particular antibiotic injection so I don't know how it normally reacts in pets. I looked it up and meant to ask the big boss about it but forgot.

Only things I can think of is a culture/sensitivity test on the nasal passage to see if bacterial infection or not and which antibiotic would work best.

Not being familiar with that antibiotic I'd wonder if it's so long lasting is it ok to switch over to Baytril just a few days after injection? Maybe it's fine, like I said I'm not familiar with that one. Now Baytril I know, I used to have to give Dusty injections with that when she'd get a respiratory infection.

Sorry I'm not much help to you.

[Emeraldgreen]

Thanks Catlady711, I was hoping you'd respond! :) I was also concerned about giving Baytril in conjuction with the Convenia but the vet said it would be okay. She said that the Baytril was a daily injection though. I know you are a vet assistant and probably were able to take it home with you to give the shots yourself. I wonder if they would allow me to? It would sure make life easier because we have to catch a ferry to get to the vet and it's expensive and time consuming. He's worth it though so if we have to go that route I will.
Did you ever notice if your Dusty's resp. infections ever got a bit worse upon starting treatment with Baytril and then got better? I'm trying to figure out what's happening inside his nasal passages if the antibiotics really are working. Maybe if the mucous (yuck!) was drying up or whatever, it would make it sound alot worse and snuffly? Hard to know.

[Freedom]

Prayers from RI for Tiger to find a med that helps him feel better and breathe easier!

[Catlady711]

Thanks Catlady711, I was hoping you'd respond! :) I was also concerned about giving Baytril in conjuction with the Convenia but the vet said it would be okay. She said that the Baytril was a daily injection though. I know you are a vet assistant and probably were able to take it home with you to give the shots yourself. I wonder if they would allow me to? It would sure make life easier because we have to catch a ferry to get to the vet and it's expensive and time consuming. He's worth it though so if we have to go that route I will.
Did you ever notice if your Dusty's resp. infections ever got a bit worse upon starting treatment with Baytril and then got better? I'm trying to figure out what's happening inside his nasal passages if the antibiotics really are working. Maybe if the mucous (yuck!) was drying up or whatever, it would make it sound alot worse and snuffly? Hard to know.

I shouldn't be one to question your vets advice, he's the one with the degree. It's just I know some meds don't mix and since that one is unfamiliar to me it was my first thought.

Yup Baytril is a daily injection given IM (intramuscular) which means giving it in a muscle not just under the skin.

I never noticed Dusty getting worse before getting better. In fact, quite the opposite, she usually started getting better by the next morning. But her's was always a bacterial infection though.

I was able to do Dusty's injections myself but that could be because of where I work. Normally I'm not allowed to give injections to the patients because I'm not a tech. but since it was my own cat that probably made a difference.

We have had clients we've shown how to do fluids under the skin and insulin injections and the like, but I don't recall we've ever had a client doing their own antibiotic injections, could just be those particular people couldn't give injections anyways, not everyone can do/watch it. My mom couldn't even hold Dusty for me when I'd have to inject her, my hubby always had to help so I'd have to wait till he got home from work to do them.

Looking up more info on the Conveinia I see it's a antimicrobial which works differently than Baytril which is a Quinolone for bacterial infections. According to the Conveinia website it only states to avoid pennicillin dirivitives and anti-inflamatory meds, while the Baytril site says "No incompatibilities with other drugs are known at this time."

Since that came directly from the manufacturers websites and product inserts I'd say your vet is definately correct in that it's probably fine to switch over to Baytril.

Like I said, I shouldn't question other people's vets, it's just as a pet owner myself, I have the same worries everyone else has, and only enough knowledge to worry myself even more. LOL

Keep us posted.

[Emeraldgreen]

Just back from the vet a few hours ago. I brought Tiger in again and spoke with them about the possibility of giving the Baytril injections myself but as you said Catlady711, they are intra muscular, which I just found out today and that's a bit much for me to take on and I don't think the vet was prepared to offer that to me as an option anyway. I don't mind giving sub-q fluids but putting a needle deep into the muscle is something I'll leave to the vet staff. :)
The vet gave him a Baytril shot while we were there and she is going to see if she can get Baytril tablets compounded for me into a suspension tomorrow for me to give him each day.
After reading your post though, I'm kinda freaked out because they gave me a bottle of Metacam to give him and you mentioned the Convenia website states that it shouldn't be mixed with an anti-inflammatory. This clinic hasn't really used Convenia much or maybe not at all before Tiger. They had to get it in from another clinic and I don't know how familiar they are with it. Yikes. I'll go and check out the site too and then when my vet calls me in the a.m. I'll talk with her about it. I've only given him one dose of the Metacam, about an hour ago. I know Metacam is really supposed to be for dogs but that in some cases can be prescribed for cats on a short term basis. He does have a bit of a kidney issue that was picked up on some blood work done in December so I know the Metacam won't help that situation but since we're dealing with palliative care, it's hopefully going to do more good than harm and help him breathe a bit better. It's so hard to choose what routes to take. But I definitely want to look into the issue of the Convenia/anti-inflammatory thing. Worse case, I can hold off on the Metacam until the Convenia is out of his body. I think the Convenia site said that it is equivalent to 14 days of oral antibiotics but actually stays in the cat's body for 6.9 days. Today was day 3 so waiting 4 more days is probably the safest way to go.
Thanks for your thoughts on all this, it is much appreciated. :D

[krazyaboutkatz]

I sure hope that you'll be able to find something that will help Tiger breathe easier. Do you have any holistic vets in your area? If so I'd recommend that you take him to one because they can help treat him with natural herbal medicine. I'm going to start a thread about my Sky and he's been very congested lately and makes some noises when he breathes.

He saw my holistic vet today and she said that he has some inflammation and this is why he makes noises when he breathes. I'm going to start giving him these (http://www.vitamin-resource.com/specials/detail.cfm?id=1295) tomorrow. I give him one pill 2 times a day and I should see improvement in 7-10 days. He goes back for a recheck on March 30th.

She said that he won't have to take these forever and she'll probably switch him to another herbal medicine later on. I asked her what caused this and since he had some bad reactions to his FVRCP shot in the past, she said it could have been due to this. He doesn't get them any more. Good luck. I'll continue to keep Tiger in my thoughts and prayers.

[Emeraldgreen]

Thanks Krazyaboutkatz, I will look into that, not only for Tiger but for 2 other cats I have that have breathing issues. I have a big guy named George who makes wheezy sounds and I've taken him to a half dozen vets and not one vet can tell me what is wrong with him. We have had a complete catscan done on his body and head, xrays and rhinoscopy. When they did the rhinoscopy they took a biopsy of his nasal tissue and sent it off to a lab. The results came back as "the nasal tissue is inflammed but there is no infection". The catscan results were sent from B.C. to the Colorado University where doctors said nothing unusual could be detected. We also had blood samples sent off to California to the Veterinary Allergy Reference Laboratory to see what he might be allergic to and the results came back saying that he is allergic to wheat, turkey, rice, pork and dairy. That has made finding a food he can eat incredibly challenging. I even consulted a pet psychic (Dr. Monica Deidrich) and her reading said that he 'told her' when he sleeps at night his head hurts alot, like a migraine and he wakes up throughout the night having difficulty breathing. She felt that it had to do with artificial preservatives in food so any food we buy is preserved naturally. So, the search for the cure continues but I will certainly try these natural approaches for him to see if they help with the inflammation.
My other cat Jimmy was diagnosed with asthma years ago and I give him prednisone every other day (2.5mg). The weird thing with him is that I took him to the vet a few months ago because he just wasn't looking that great and they did xrays (something that the first vet who diagnosed Jimmy with asthma never did) and this vet said it was strange because there was no evidence of asthma in the xrays. He wheezes just like George does. I want to take Jimmy to a holistic vet but right now all of our financial resources are going to Tiger. For now, we keep him on the pred because he also has IBD and it helps with that as well. We are in the process of listing our home though and soon more funds will be available and it will be my mission to get both Jimmy and George their healthiest. I think an holistic approach could help Tiger and both the other two boys. Thank you for the suggestion. :)

[Emeraldgreen]

I spoke with my vet a few days ago and she has called a prescription in to the pharmacy for a drug called Piroxicam. It has anti-inflammatory properties like Metacam but it also has been helpful in shrinking cancerous tumors by inhibiting an enzyme that tumors produce. The pharmacist is putting it into a chicken suspension on Monday for me to pick up.
Tiger is off the Metacam and only ever received that one dose days ago.
He is now on an antibiotic that is equivalent to the brand name Baytril and I give him 1ml of suspension two times a day. It's supposed to help him if he has a bacterial infection going on in his nasal passages.
So far he is only getting worse but I'm hopeful that the Piroxicam will prove helpful.
Just wanted to give an update. :)

[Catlady711]

Thanx for keeping us posted. I sure hope the new meds work really well for Tiger.

[Catty1]

Prayers for Tiger!

That stupid cancer...keeps coming back. I hope this new drug tells it where to go and how to get there! ;)

Hugs and scritchies for dear Tiger.

[Emeraldgreen]

Thanks guys. :)

[krazyaboutkatz]

I sure hope that this new medicine will do the trick. I'll continue to keep him in my thoughts and prayers.

[Medusa]

The Fur Posse and I have been praying for Tiger and you and we sure hope that things turn around and stay that way.

[moosmom]

Does Baytril HAVE to be given by injection? I've given my cats Baytril by liquid and pill.

[Emeraldgreen]

Does Baytril HAVE to be given by injection? I've given my cats Baytril by liquid and pill.
The vet called the Baytril prescription into the pharmacy for me a few days ago and it was mixed into a liquid suspension that is seafood flavoured.
It's not actually Baytril but it is the equivalent. I've been able to sneak it into stinky cat tuna so far without any trouble.
Thanks again for all the wellwishes everybody. :)
I'm hopeful that I will have a good update to post once I start treating him with the Peroxicam.

[Emeraldgreen]

Well, after 10 days on the Baytril equivalent drug there is no change other than Tiger getting worse and worse. The Piroxicam will probably help longterm but right now he can barely breathe. So, I have started him on the prednisone again and it is helping, thank God. I have booked him in for surgery on March 17th. I'm fairly certain this will be the last surgery he will ever have as the cancer will most likely spread beyond what this type of surgery (tumor removal) can fix. But I felt I just had to do it one more time because the alternative is putting him to sleep and other than the blockage this tumor is causing, he is in great condition, good appetite, good body condition and still playful. Knowing that there is something I can do, I can't 'not' do it. He's such a great guy and we have one last kick at the can and we're going to take it. I'm so thankful that my husband is in support of this decision. I had to talk him into it and he thinks we've already spent too much money on him and put Tiger through too much but he sees where I'm coming from and has agreed to go through with it.
Also, I'm really hoping that continued use of the Piroxicam will help keep the tumor at bay after it is removed with it's anti-inflammatory and cancer fighting properties and maybe buy us some more time.
If anyone isn't busy on St. Patty's day, please pray for Tiger as he gets on the float plane one more time and heads into surgery at 9:00a.m. Thanks!! :)

[Medusa]

Who could ever be that busy that they couldn't take a few moments to pray for our sweet boy Tiger? I pray for all our PT friends and furkids every day and I know that others do, too. Please know that I'm praying without ceasing. Bless you for taking such good care of Tiger and for giving him a chance. He's so loved and well cared for and he knows it. Keep the faith.

[Catty1]

emeraldgreen - if this is the last kick at the can - why not go for the cryogenic surgery?

I know you are worried about them going through the room of his mouth - but they did that with my Mom's oriental cat (smaller head) and the incision was as neat as anything, and not even an inch long!

I know money is an issue. Get to iMom.org and ask to be on the emergency list, and if you have a PayPal account or the vet's address/phone number, PTrs will help out too.

One of our members, kuhio98, is a member of iMom, and she will post this for sure!

{{{{hugs}}}}

See what your vet says of course - but if dear Tiger is having his last surgery, why not make it the best?

[jennielynn1970]

Oh dear... poor Tiger. I hope that the vet can help him get some relief. What a sweet and brave boy he is.

Tons of thoughts and prayers coming from Pennsylvania, and some big, gentle hugs as well!

[Catlady711]

I hope Tiger's surgery goes well and I will be thinking of him on St. Patty's day. That must be frustrating to have him battling a tumor that's impairing breathing but he's doing fine otherwise. Glad you got your hubby talked into the surgery to help Tiger. Also glad to hear that the pred is helping him breath better in the meantime.

Thanks for keeping us posted, I'll be looking for updates after the surgery to find out how he's doing.

[Freedom]

Oh dear boy, Tiger! So much for a wee cat to handle, and so frustrating that you can't feel good and breath well ALL the time.

Prayers from RI that this surgery is successful and somehow this tumor is kept at bay for a long, LONG time.

[Catty1]

Prayers for Tiger...I forgot...I just hope the same surgery again will do more...but I don't see how... :( . I'm sorry...

[Moesha]

I do hope for some quality time extended for you and dear Tiger!

[ahart44]

God watch over little Tiger.....I will pray for him along with all the others.

[Emeraldgreen]

Thank you so much everybody. :)

[QUOTE=Catty1]emeraldgreen - if this is the last kick at the can - why not go for the cryogenic surgery?QUOTE

I sent an email to my vet (it's the best way to get a message to him) on Saturday and he is out of town until tomorrow. I told him about all the meds that my local vet has prescribed etc.. and that I wanted to go ahead with another surgery. I asked him to get back to me with a quote for the cryosurgery and with info regarding healing time etc... I'm hoping to speak with him tomorrow. Another thing is the timing, I had him originally booked for Mar. 24th but by Sunday he was doing so badly and I panicked and called them asking them if they could bump up the surgery which they did to the 17th. The last time I was considering the cryosurgery, my vet was trying to get ahold of cryo equipment from the human hospital but it was going to take weeks to line up. I'm thinking it will be much the same now. Of course, I wish I had planned this better but I honestly didn't think my husband would let me take him for a third surgery anyway. But, when he started suffering, I became fairly determined and knew I was going to get him in to get it done.
I will speak with my vet about the cryo surgery and see what the cost would be. I appreciate your thought of raising funds via PT but Tiger is around 12/13 and this cancer is very aggressive and his time may not be that long on this earth no matter what route we take. And, I know there are so many other cats and dogs on PT that need help that are young animals. But I will get all the details and let you know what I find out.
Also, I'm not sure if IMOM would be able to help because, thankfully, my vet is charging me as if Iam on his staff because I made their website for them and maintain it. It's still around 6-700.00 for the tumor removal but it's about half the cost it would normally be. But I will check into IMOM and see.
Thanks for all the prayers! :)

[Catty1]

I might have sounded like I was being negative about your decision, and I am sorry if I came off that way.

Just that Tiger has become so special to me here on PT (and many others, I am sure) - and I just want the best and a miracle for him!

HUGS!

[Emeraldgreen]

Thanks Catty1, I really appreciate that. I didn't take what you wrote in a negative way at all. I know that you are trying to help me help Tiger.
I have found so much support here ever since I first found PT in July when Tiger first became ill and it has and continues to be so helpful to me. Thanks for the advice. I'll let you know what my vet says and what route we decided to take.
I should add that while Tiger is in good shape, he is changing with the cancer. His excellent appetite is likely from the cancer. This is what my local vet told me. She said that pets often become ravenous and no matter how much they eat, they will eventually just keep losing weight. He has lost some weight but not too much.
He is 'off balance' here and there which is ever increasing and difficult to watch when he tries to jump up on stuff unsuccessfully. It breaks my heart to see a cat who has always been 'king' fall and look embarrased. If I'm in the room when it happens, I scoop him up before he can even have a seconds thought about it and tell him how wonderful he is and cover him with kisses and then I help him get up onto whatever it was that he was trying to hop up to.
He is less tolerant now with some of the cats and gets 'angry' with them. But, I can certainly understand his frustration when he is having a hard time breathing. But, all in all, he is in good condition for what he has been diagnosed with and I don't think he's ready to go and I know I'm not ready to let him go. So, we'll get the tumor removed for sure and possibly the cryosurgery. I'm just not 100% about the cryo because my vet has never done it before and it scares me a bit. And I don't want Tiger to go downhill if the pain makes him stop eating and he starts losing weight etc.. But as you mentioned, your mom's cat had it done and the healing sounds like it wasn't too bad. Anyway, I'll know more in a few days. :)

[jennielynn1970]

It just sounds so aggressive, it's so sad! Poor little guy, he has no idea what is going on and why he is in so much distress. Ugh. I just makes you wish that these types of burdens could be on those who can understand, talk to the doctors and bear the burdens easier, you know?? At least that is how I usually feel. I hate to think of any one or any creature suffering.

Our one good guidance counselor at school has an aggressive tumor that is growing on the meninges of his brain and in the bone. It grows outward, so you can see the spread over his skull and his face. It's so heartbreaking. The doctors said this is something he'll have for life, and the surgeries to remove it (he's had it once already, and the tumor then was the size of an orange) will not make it stop, and chemo and all that can't kill it. It's sad. He's such a wonderful guy, just got remarried, has a 5 yr old daughter. Sigh. Always the sweet and innocent that have to suffer. :(

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this.:( He'll remain in my thoughts and prayers. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

[Emeraldgreen]

Hi guys, well here's the scoop. I have been on the phone and emailing back and forth with my vet and the hospital staff and we finally came to a decision.
A few days ago I spoke with the clinic and they told me that they had heard of a tool called the Cryo Pen and they were going to see if they could get it shipped to Canada. During that time I looked into it on the internet and found a company in Florida that makes a similar device called the Cryoprobe. I called them for more info and the woman on the phone told me that one of the company's owners was a retired veterinarian and she had him call me. He was very helpful and after hearing Tiger's whole story he said that the cryoprobe would not work well going in through the nose because the vet wouldn't be able to see clearly enough and Tiger's nasal turbinates could be damaged. He said that if the vet went through Tiger's palate which was the plan anyway, he might as well just remove the tumor in it's entirety and skip the cryosurgery. I was really surprised to hear him say this since this guy sells these instruments. But he said that removing the tumor should be sufficient enough.
It was going to take about 2 weeks for my clinic to get the Cryoprobe in and Tiger isn't doing that well and I have to do something now. So, I'm keeping the St. Patty's appointment and instead of removing 'part' of the tumor through his nose just as they have two times before, they are instead going to split his palate and remove as much of the tumor as they can, hopefully all of it. This will be a big deal so I'm really nervous but if it's successful, it should buy him much more time than the 2 months that the last surgery gave him.
My vet said that it was going to be painful but doing cryosurgery in conjunction with removing the tumor would be even more painful. They will be keeping him overnight and possibly two days to make sure they have lots of pain meds on board for him. I'm going to ask them to give him the Convenia antibiotic injection so I don't have to try and pill him or sneak meds into his food. My biggest mission is going to be to get him eating after this thing. I'm so relieved that we are going to do more than the 'debulking' of the tumor but actual tumor removal itself. I'm praying this gives him many months with us.

[Catty1]

{{{{HUGS}}}} My mom and I have been in your shoes. I really hope this gives Tiger much more time with you - and with some of the preventatives you have on hand, you have a chance of being able to work against a recurrence.

I think there is an amino acid - lysine? Arginine? that is supposed to help as well.

He will need pain meds...my mom's cat was on a pain patch - Phentonol or something? - and her cat didn't bother it.

Maybe the patch would work for the pain; I wonder if antbiotics can be compounded?

Deep and heartfelt prayers going out to all, and especially to Tiger!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks for the update and I sure hope that his surgery will go smoothly and that he'll heal up quickly. He continues to remain in my thoughts and prayers.

[Catty1]

I get my cats' omega oil in pump form from my vet. It's made by Bioniche.

Main page is www.bionicheanimalhealth.com, then you find the tab for Products and select Companion Animals.

I found this....

http://www.bionicheanimalhealth.com/Products.aspx?ProductID=22&PatientTypeID=12

Here is the fact sheet on this drug: http://www.bionicheanimalhealth.com/Uploads/Regressin%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

See if your vet knows about Regressin.

This works in combination with surgery...and if you want to try it and it is mucho dinero, PLEASE let us help you with it.

hugs

[Medusa]

We'll keep the prayers going and the candles burning for sweet Tiger and you. Keep the faith that he'll come through this easily and w/minimal or no pain.

[Catlady711]

I hope removing the whole tumor gives much more relief than in the past. I know this surgery is going to be more invasive, but hopefully it will take care of the problem for a very long time.

[Emeraldgreen]

Thanks for the info about the Regressin Catty1. I checked it out and learned more about it. It says that if the Regressin is to be used in conjunction with surgery that it should be given 2 weeks prior to the surgery and then up to 3 times after the surgery. We don't have the time (or I should say, Tiger doesn't have the time) to postpone this surgery so we can't opt for this. Also, the remaining injections would need to be given at the tumor site which would require the specialized endoscopic equipment that my vet has but it is quite the ordeal getting Tiger sent over there by car and then by plane and would be expensive above and beyond the cost of the drug itself. There is also some information in there that stated that it is not effective on all types of tumors but it didn't go into detail with regard to which tumors. The S.C.C. tumor is the most aggressive with the poorest outcome and it's my guess that this is probably one of the tumors that it may not work well with.
I wonder if there is a similar drug that could be given post op without having to go directly into the tumor site itself. That way my local vet could order it and give the injections herself without the aid of endoscopic equipment.

But, I'm definitely going to use a multi faceted and aggressive approach to treating him once the tumor has been removed and I feel really hopeful that he will have some time with us. I will be using the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory suspension (Piroxicam) that also has the cancer fighting and tumor inhibiting properties to it every 48 hours and I will continue using the L-arginine and look into the Lysine. I didn't know about this one for cancer and will check it out. I also found some info today about red clover and something called p'au d'arco which is supposed to be helpful. I will also request a pain patch when I speak with them on Monday.
He's quite lethargic these passed two days so I've been telling him to hang on, help is on the way. Thanks again for your research on this and all your help. And thanks everybody for your well wishes for Tiggy. I'll post an update on Monday when I call in the hospital in the afternoon to check on him. :)

[Catty1]

OH dear...I didn't know Regressin was so fussy of a drug! IF - IF your vet has heard of it and has used it, he might think of a way it could still be used, perhaps in conjunction with everything else you will do.

I can see it needing to be in the system prior to surgery...but two weeks? WOW.

I wish they could just squirt it on the area! :(

Found this recommended use of Regressin in urinary cancer in cats:


EXAMPLE 11

Hyaluronic Acid Treatment of Malignancy Associated Cystitis

Patients with cystitis associated with a malignancy of the urinary bladder and associated structures receive intravesical instillation of hyaluronic acid having an average molecular weight of 6.5×105 Daltons in an amount effective to treat the cystitis and containing an amount of the anticancer immunotherapeutic agent mycobacterial cell wall extract preparation (Regressin™, Vetrepharm, Inc., London, Ontario, Canada) effective to treat the malignancy. Outcome criteria include improvement of symptoms based on decreases in pre-therapy symptoms and regression in the malignancy as indicated by urinary cytology.

Fifty ml of normal saline (USP) containing 40 mg of hyaluronic acid having an average molecular weight of 6.5×105 Daltons and 4 mg of the anticancer immunotherapeutic agent mycobacterial cell wall (Regressin™) is instilled into the urinary bladder under aseptic conditions using a urethral catheter. The catheter is removed and the hyaluronic acid-mycobacterial cell wall solution is maintained in the urinary bladder for 30 minutes to 2 hours. The treatment is repeated as needed. After treatment, there is a marked improvement in pre-therapy symptoms and urinary cytological examination is negative for cancerous and precancerous cells. No adverse side effects of the treatment are reported.


http://www.allanimalsexoticorsmall.com/health/CancerPage4.html
(Written in 1992)

"Regressin (October, 1984) is an emulsion of mycobacterial cell walls which have been modified to reduce their toxic and allergic effects, and retain their antitumor activity...88% effective for immunotherapy of mixed mammary tumors and mammary adenocarcinomas of dogs." Injected directly into the tumor. The tumor dies and drains. Other tumors typically regress even though not injected. i.e. Same principle as homeopathy and nosodes.

I'll shut up after this...this site is not too over-the-top, but it might be a product for you to research and consider.

http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/tf.htm

Two testimonials - and they have email addresses, so what the heck.
Cat cured of squamous cell tumor

Feline Tumor Gone!

"My cat Bodger, who is now16, has been taking the Transfer Factors Advanced Plus. Now, nearly 18 months later I've taken him back to the vet practice for a check up. He still has some discharge from the right side, but no blood and is generally in good health. I saw a different vet this time and he told me there was no way my cat had a nasal tumor of the type diagnosed back in August 2004, because if he had, he'd be dead due to the agressive nature of these type of tumor! He reckons he has sinusitus, due to the previous nasal damage as a kitten, which I always knew he had, but definitely NO TUMOR! So, what can I say but a fantastic result. You are very welcome to include this on your website if it will help others to help their pets. Incidentaly, the vet took all the information on Transfer Factors and was really interested having seen Bodger today." Judith Sexton torteval2 @ hotmail.com

Feline squamous cell tumor in remission
From Bethany in Texas email: fingerpaint<at>gmail.com

A year and a half ago, my cat was diagnosed with a squamous cell tumor. The doctor told me that given the location of this tumor and the aggressive nature of it, there really was nothing I could do. He told me to bring her back for weekly steroid shots and keep her comfortable until she died, which he said would most likely be within a month. She did nothing but lay around. She wouldn't eat, wouldn't play, wouldn't respond to affection. I did as he said, for one week. And then I decided I wasn't going to accept "there's nothing you can do" as an answer. I got on the internet. I googled furiously. What I found, was your site, and Transfer Factor.

I started her out on two (Transfer Factor Advanced Plus) pills a day, and within a week, she was back to her normal energy level. Within a month, she'd stopped clawing at her face. After three months, I went down to one pill a day, and that's where we are now, a year and a half later. She won't be fooled by putting the contents in her food, so I've used her fastidious nature against her: I mix the TF with a pinch of butter and put the mixture on her paws. She hates it, and licks it off immediately. She's learned to live with this daily ritual for the most part, but she still gets this "Oh mom, not AGAIN" look on her face. She's responded so wonderfully. It's like she's a kitten again, playing with her yarn and rubbing against my face. I look at her every day and am simply amazed, that the veterinian was going to be content with steroids until the poor thing finally died.

I recommended the Transfer Factor to my neighbor, whose 11 year old dog was diagnosed with bone cancer and given less than three months to live. That was a year ago - the dog is doing fine!

http://wellnesscafe.my4life.com/products/ProductDetail.aspx?id1=1&id2=895

[Emeraldgreen]

The Tranferfactor sounds very promising! I will order some and begin giving it to him once his appetite is back. Hopefully he will have that back in a week or so. Thank you for letting me know about it Catty1. :) . It's affordable too which is awesome!

[Catty1]

Hi, EG - I am sure you could email those two cat owners and see if a) the addresses are still current, and b) about getting details and how the cats are doing now, etc.

Thanks for being so gracious...I really went on overload there for Tiger baby! But you are doing everything you can for him. :-)

Hey - if the TFs turn out to really work - your vet would be thrilled! :)

[Emeraldgreen]

Wow has this been a long day. Tiger made it through the surgery!!!!
My husband and I got up at 4:30 to get everything ready, including ourselves and then headed out on the first ferry at 6:15. Drove for 2 hours with Tiger meowling the whole time. Poor guy. My husband had to drive like Mario Andretti to get us to the float plane on time. The flight was at 8:15 and by 8:10 we were a minute or so away. I called them and asked them to hold the plane and we got there with one minute to spare. Way too stressful!!!
We watched the plane take off and I was in a bit of a panic. Took me hours to calm down.
They ended up doing his surgery around 1:30 so we could have put him on a later flight. :( But, at least it was finally happening. My vet called me about an hour ago and said it was a long surgery and Tiger was under anesthesia for quite some time. He said that they cut through the soft palate and removed as much of the tumor as they could see. He said they removed about 6 times more than the first two times, in all, about half the size of a ping pong ball. He said that it was growing in two directions, towards the sinuses and down towards the throat, which would explain why he was starting to choke a bit on food and stuff in the last few weeks.
My vet warned me that there may be some blood coming from Tiger's nose over the next few days to a week. He said that Tiger started hemorraging a couple of times during the surgery because of all the blood vessels in the area that were being cut in the process of the tumor removal but that they managed to get it under control each time. That scared me!
He said that it was a really complicated surgery and asked me if I knew what a big deal it was. I told him I did and that I'd been praying alot!
I also think that was his way of prepping me for the bill, which I don't have yet. :rolleyes:
The biggest hurdle right now is going to be the swelling that Tiger is going to have to contend with from the surgery. My vet said that it might become so bad that he will have to breathe through his mouth. That is going to be so difficult for him but I'm praying that each day it gets a little better. He wants me to keep him on the pred for the swelling and he thought Piroxicam was a waste of time. He also said I couldn't mix it with the pred. He said that there was no real evidence that it had much of an effect on Squamous Cell Carcinoma and that it can cause ulcers in the stomach. So, I'm ordering the Transfer Factor a.s.a.p. and will begin mixing that in with his food once he's eating without struggling. I will wean him off the prednisone over the next few weeks.
My vet is sending home some painreliever that just involves putting one drop in his mouth so that won't be too hard to administer.
He didn't know how much time this might give Tiger because he said that this kind of cancer gets 'angry' when you mess with it. He said each time you resect it, it seems to come back stronger and more aggressive so it will be a wait and see thing. But, I'm not waiting, I'm going to attack this thing with the Transfer Factor and the L-Arginine and anything else that is safe. (thanks Catty1!)
In the meantime, he is staying the night at the vet and I have to call them tomorrow to make sure he is well enough to travel back home. Hopefully all will go well and Tiggys will be home with us by tomorrow night around 7:00. :)
Please pray that he will be able to get through the worst of this swelling and be able to breath okay. Thank you so much!!!

[Medusa]

You're right, it was a long day. Poor sweet little Tiger. I'll be sure to say an extra special prayer for our boy tonight and always until this thing stops giving him so much grief. No swelling. No swelling. No swelling.

[Freedom]

Oh my, what a lot for one we cat to get through! Healing prayers for Tiger from RI.

[jennielynn1970]

Goodness... Tiger has been through so much, I really hope he comes out of this ok and it will not come back quickly or at all.

Big thoughts and prayers going out to you, Tiger and your family!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks for the update. I'm glad to hear that Tiger's surgery went well and I hope that he'll make a quick recovery. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent his way.

[Catty1]

Hugs and prayers....omg, I hope the Transfer Factor and the amino acid helps...I've heard Omega 3 oils help too, which you can get in the form of salmon oil, so Tiger would like that!

Cancer, you came from nothing, and to nothing - return! You are NOTHING!

{{{{{hugs}}}}}

[momtomany]

Goodness, all of you have been through so much. Healing prayers for Tiger and prayers for you and your husband also.

[Emeraldgreen]

I had a hard time falling asleep last night thinking about Tiger in the cage at the vet hospital. I was so concerned about the swelling, not only inside his nasal passages that they said would force him to 'open mouth' breathe but also the possible swelling at the back of his throat from the incision in his soft palate. I had this fear that he wouldn't be able to get enough air overnight but I prayed alot and finally fell asleep. I called the clinic at 8:30 when they opened and the tech told me that he not only was he doing fine but that to their amazement he was not breathing through his mouth but through his nose. They said he sounded 'gurgley' but that was to be expected. He was even eating this morning. I'm so proud of him, he's such a fighter. I'm pretty sure we'll be able to bring him home this afternoon. Anyway, just thought I'd post a 'mini' update. Thanks for all those prayers and well wishes everybody. God is listening. :D

[Catlady711]

I'm not only happy he got through the surgery well, but that he's also eating and breathing through his nose!!! I'm happy for both of you.

Hopefully his recovery will go fast and he'll be back to the old Tiger in no time. Even if the surgery can't be done again, I'm sure he'll feel better with the time you have given him with the surgery. I pray that the time you guys have left together is long, healthy, and full of happy moments, snuggles and head butts.

Thanks for updating us.

[jennielynn1970]

Oh this is so good to hear!!! Big gentle hugs to dear Tiger when he gets home!!

[Catty1]

Awwww....Tiger! A kitty this happy and loved and determined is GOING to get well! Especially if he is on pain meds, he will be breathing easier and feeling better.

HUGS to that baby! Can hardly wait til he comes home!

[Emeraldgreen]

Thanks guys. :)
We picked him up at 4:30 and he's home with us now. He's so hungry but every time I put a plate of food down for him, he sniffs and sniffs and then looks at me. I tried 4 different foods and each time I entered the room he was all over me waiting for me to lower the plate but then he sniffed like crazy and then sniffed everybody else's food and then just stared at me. I think he can't smell it. In the end, he ate a handful of crunchy tempation treats!
He's wobbly but I'm so amazed by him. He gets these hiccup things happening which the vet warned me about but as soon as it passes, he just keeps truckin'. He's my superhero. :)

Here are two pics that I took about 15 minutes ago and one pic that the vet sent home with Tiger. I was so shocked when I opened the envelope and found it. But, it was very interesting to me as well. It is a graphic pic of his surgery and the opening they made in his palate so don't scroll down if you don't like to see that kind of stuff.
p.s. I ordered the Transfer Factor Plus Advanced today and it should be here next week so I can get started on building Tiger's defenses and ridding him of any remaining cancer.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd102/emeraldcreek/IMG_3403-1.jpg
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd102/emeraldcreek/tigtig-1-1.jpg
[IMG]http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd102/emeraldcreek/Tigersurgery-1.jpg

[Catty1]

WOW. The surgery pic didn't gross me out, but I am really impressed with vets who do the surgery...there are a lot of really fine bones in there, which is why they often can't get every last bit...they would hurt the bone.

He is looking very sweet...might take a day or so for the sense of smell to come back. Stinky Sardine Time? :D

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so glad to hear that Tiger is now home and doing well.:) He'll probably start eating more in a few days. I'll continue to keep him in my thoughts and prayers.

[Medusa]

I say a prayer every day for vets like yours and mine and the people who work w/them. What an incredible job they do and we rely on them so much to help and save our furkids. I'm so impressed w/how things rolled w/Tiger and I sure hope he has some peace for a while. (and you, too) :)

[jennielynn1970]

I'm so glad he's home and feeling better. Hope the smell comes back soon.

Sorry if I'm asking a silly question, but is that the area below his tongue?

I was thinking back to a cat that I had fostered to two little old ladies, and their one cat, Alexander, had a mass at the back of his tongue and could hardly swallow. They swore the vet said nothing could be done, and it was so sad. I had to give him canned food, made almost soupy, and he drooled all down the front of him. It's unfortunate, but he and the 11 other cats and their owners died in a fire about 4 months after they finally found a place. I hope they are all well at the Bridge. :(

[Emeraldgreen]

I'm so glad he's home and feeling better. Hope the smell comes back soon.

Sorry if I'm asking a silly question, but is that the area below his tongue?

:(
As far as I know, the soft palate is just beyond the roof of the mouth (the hard palate) and it is above the tonsil area. Sorry, I have the picture upside down so it totally looks like it is below his tongue. The vet wrote on the pic and I didn't want the writing to be upside down. :)

Mild scare today. He wouldn't eat this morning so he didn't get his prednisone, just the pain reliever liquid. By the time I got home from work he was doing terribly. Gurgling, gasping, hiccuping and barely moving with eyes half open. I called my local vet and rushed him over there. She gave him a prednisone injection that will be good for 24-36 hours and we administered another pain reliever dose while we were there. He actually started perking up on the ride home and felt good enough to have a few tiny bites of some wet food. By tomorrow, I should be able to get him to eat the wet food with the prednisone in it. I was just glad to get a few doses of prednisone in him by the vet to help get him over this next day or two and then I just know he will be on the road to better health.

[Catty1]

Oh that would have been TOO scary!

I hope Tiger gets on the road to healing now...dear widdle boy! :)

Give him a gentle cuddle for me, ok? ;)

[Catlady711]

In my case I think surgery pix are interesting, especially since I've never seen a surgery like that one.

Sorry Tiger gave you a scare and had to go back to the vets, but I am glad they got him perked up with the injection.

Have you tried warming his food up to get him to eat? Sometimes we do that at work when a cat has a hard time smelling or not wanting to eat. Warming it makes it stinkier. Also things like sardines, tuna, salmon, anchovies are good stinky foods that you could try mixing in with the wet. Maybe that would help him to eat better for you?

Anyways I hope he gets to eating and the recovery goes smooth from here on out. Thanks for the update.

[jennielynn1970]

How's Tiger doing?? Hope he's breathing a little easier!

Gentle hugs sweetie boy!

[Emeraldgreen]

[QUOTE=jenn_librarian]How's Tiger doing?? Hope he's breathing a little easier!

Gentle hugs sweetie boy![/QUOTE

He's hanging in there. The following morning after his prednisone injection, he was in rough shape again. Wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink. I tried everything and he was so miserable. My vet who did the surgery called to see how he was doing and he suggested that I take him back to my local vet and get a depo shot, a steroidal injection that could last up to 4-6 weeks in his system. So, after work yesterday we took Tiger for yet another car ride, poor guy. We got there at 5:25p.m. and they took him to the back, gave him his shot and it only cost 10.70. :) They already got me on the exam part the day before. But even then, they only charged me a 'brief exam' fee which was 30.00 something dollars. They are really great there. The vet only wanted to give him a 10mg injection because she didn't want to overload him with drugs. She said this would last for 2 weeks and if he needed more after that, she would give him another injection.
It is amazing how fast that stuff kicks in. We got home and he proceeded to eat 2 servings of 9Lives cat tuna and then drank water. I was so happy I cried. (not bawling or anything, LOL but I was just so relieved after all he's been through).
This morning he ate again but only about 3/4 of his meal, but that is still awesome. He was clearly in pain so I gave him his pre-measured syringe of pain meds in his mouth and he has settled in on our bed to sleep.
I'm hoping that each day he gets back to his old self a little more and then when the Transfer Factor arrives in the mail, I can start mixing that into his food. This might be crazy but I'm really thinking that the combination of the surgery and the Transfer Factor is going to give him another year or more. I'm feeling so hopeful. :) Thanks for asking about him and for everyone's well wishes. I appreciate it so much.
Here he is Snoozin on our bed this morning.

[IMG]http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd102/emeraldcreek/IMG_3410-1.jpg

This pic was taken yesterday. Jimmy hasn't left Tig's side since he got home from surgery. It is so sweet.
[IMG]http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd102/emeraldcreek/IMG_3408-1.jpg

[Medusa]

Aw, how sweet. I love how they take care of each other.

[jennielynn1970]

Awe.... what a sweet, brave boy Tiger is! He has just been through so much (as have you and your family). I really hope that he will get better and that he will have at least a year or more with your big boy.

Don't you love when the kitties stick together when they know that one of them is sick? They really are great to each other.

[Moesha]

Hoping for all the best for Tiger, including a speedy recovery. Thanks for keeping us updated and for including pictures!

[Emeraldgreen]

I can't wait until the Transfer Factor gets here by mail!! As you suggested Catty1, I emailed both the people that had written testimonials about their cats and TF treatment. One didn't reply but the other did and I feel so hopeful. I asked Bethany what dose she gave and then asked how long her cat had lived afterward. I remember reading something about 18 months later but I expected her to reply that her cat had ultimately succumbed to the cancer BUT... this was her reply:

"I started my cat on transfer factor in February of 2006 -- one month
after she was diagnosed. She was doing very poorly. In fact, I'd
actually taken her to the vet to have her put down, but couldn't do it
in the end. That was the week I ordered TF.

She's still alive and well." :)

-Bethany

She wrote to me again today with this:
"I really hope it works out for you. Don't worry about overdosing
him... I'm not sure it's even possible. I started my cat on 4-5
capsules a day for a few months before backing off to a maintenance
dose."

-Bethany

I hope it comes soon. :)
Hubby doesn't know I ordered it so I'm going to have some explaining to do but I'll figure that out later. lol

[Moesha]

How is Tiger doing??

[Emeraldgreen]

How is Tiger doing??

Thanks for asking. :)
He is doing very well! His pain meds ran out and an intersting thing happened. He was so much like himself off the pain meds and is even kind of frisky. I think the meds were making his stomach upset and they were making him drowsy. He's been of them for almost 3 days and he is doing so much better now.
Here is a video of him that I took tonight. It's dark because my camera is terrible and doesn't film well at night. You can see that he is looking pretty good though, despite what he's been through. The sounds he's making is purring but it's extra loud because of the surgery and because he comes right up to the camera. He stands up on his hind legs and hangs onto the cupboard handle every time I'm getting his food ready because he is so eager to get his dinner! The clanging sound in the middle of the video is me mixing his prednisone in with his food. I'm hoping to wean him off that in this coming week.

[IMG]http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd102/emeraldcreek/th_MVI_3438.jpg (http://s225.photobucket.com/albums/dd102/emeraldcreek/?action=view&current=MVI_3438.flv)Tiger (http://s225.photobucket.com/albums/dd102/emeraldcreek/?action=view&current=MVI_3438.flv)

[Catlady711]

Glad to hear that Tiger is frisky and eating better for you! :D That is great news! I haven't seen the video yet, but I will right after I post this.

Thank you for keeping us updated! Give Tiger a good cheek rubbing for me will ya'? :)

[jennielynn1970]

Glad he's feelign friskier!! Good Boy, Tiger! Eat all your yummies and take all your meds adn you'll feel better soon! Big hugs adn kisses to you sweet boy!

[Moesha]

Thanks for the update! Hope Tiger continues to improve and that the Transfer Factor comes and helps him also.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so glad to hear that Tiger is doing well and I hope that the Transfer Factor will work for him so you can many more happy and healthy years with him.:)

[jennielynn1970]

How's Tiger doing??? Big hugs going out to that fluffball!

[elleree]

Hey, I'm new here but I read your story about Tiger and I'm very happy he's better. It's silly because I don't know you or him at all since I just joined but I was all happy to hear he's doing better. He certainly looks eager for food in your video. He is a very handsome cat. ^_^

You mentioned some of your cats wheeze but don't seem to have asthma, wel here is a site I found that mentions a bunch of respiratory problems.

http://www.petcaretips.net/feline_respiratory_problems.html

I don't know that it will help but it won't hurt, anyway.

I hope Tiger keeps getting better.

~Elleree

[Emeraldgreen]

Thanks Jenn, I've hugged the fluffball for you. :)
And thank you Elleree for the link about respiratory problems. I will check it out! Just got home from work and haven't had a chance but I will definitely look at it. Welcome to PT and thanks for your well wishes for my Tiggy!!

Tiger is hanging in there. I know that doesn't sound great but it's the best way I can describe him right now. For the past few days he's been REALLY mellow and it has been worrying me. He is also getting progressively more snuffly sounding which doesn't make sense. It seems to me that he should be getting better with each day, not worse. So I was thinking that maybe it is a bit of an infection that has cropped up in his nasal area and he might need another Convenia antibiotic injection. I called the vet clinic that did the surgery and they felt that it could help and wouldn't hurt so they told me to set it up with my local vet. We have an 11:00a.m. appointment tomorrow.

The Transfer Factor FINALLY arrived the other day. It came to 65.00 including shipping for 60 caps. I realized that this was going to be fairly expensive for the first few months but after that it will be alot cheaper once he gets down to a few caps a week.

I was so excited when I opened a capsule and mixed it in with some stinky tuna and juice for Tiger but then was horribly disappointed when he sniffed it and walked away!! He is so sensitive to what's in his food, it drives me crazy.
So, I mixed half a capsule into some salmon cream cheese which he ate. He later had another half capsule mixed in with tuna and didn't seem to notice it as much. Today I bought some sardines and got another half capsule into him and hope to get more into him with some salmon cream cheese in a few hours. Giving him 4 caps a day is really going to be a challenge but I'm just glad that he's eating some of it. It's a start.
I've given some to Jimmy too and hope that it will help with his IBD. We'll see how it goes!

[jennielynn1970]

How did it go at the vet? Are his sniffles any better?? Healing thoughts on the way!

[Emeraldgreen]

How did it go at the vet? Are his sniffles any better?? Healing thoughts on the way!

Hi! Well, we went to the vet and I basically promised him it was our last visit because I can't think of what else any vet could do for him at this point, other than this last antibiotic injection. They gave it to him and we were out of there in 15 minutes so that was great.
He has his good days and his not so good days and some are a bit of both! Yesterday morning he was so lethargic but when I got home from work and walked into our bedroom he ran to see me and then promptly started to attack the cat scratching post with all kinds of energy. That made me so happy. His breathing is sometimes so noisy that I'm afraid he can't get enough air and at other times, like this morning, I can barely hear anything.

The Transfer Factor is so hard to hide. He is mr. fussy pants and thinks I've snuck into everything so he carefully scrutinizes everything I offer him to see if I've 'tainted' it with anything before he eats it. The only way I can get it into him is mixed into salmon cream cheese or sardine juice. My husband is not thrilled with overpowering odor of the sardines so I've only done that a few times. I seem to only be able to get a capsule and a half into him a day but at least it's better than nothing. I'm hoping it will help.

Jimmy other the other hand is doing awesome on the TF!!! I sneak a half capsule into his food every couple of days and the change in him is remarkable. He is putting on weight and his coat is so beautiful now. He was looking so gaunt before and his coat was terrible. It builds the immune system and I guess it is helping him with his IBD. And his breathing is a bit better too which was an unexpected surprise. So, I'm very thankful for this! :)
p.s. Tiger, Paddy and Jim are all out in their outdoor enclosure enjoying the sunshine and doing a bit of grazing! They love their grass.

[Catty1]

How big are the capsules?

Could you just pop several down his throat every day? Pill pockets with some powder in them - or the capsule itself? Maybe email that other lady - she offered to help - and ask her for ideas.

I wish TF was in injectable form...I wonder if even that Regress stuff would help a bit at this point....

PT Prayers for Tiger!

Great to hear that Jimmy is doing so well. He should have a talk with his buddy about TF! ;)

[Medusa]

Well, it's more good news than bad, so we'll accept that for now. Hugs to Tiger and I'm so glad that Jimmy is doing well. They keep us hoppin', don't they?

[Emeraldgreen]

How big are the capsules?

Could you just pop several down his throat every day? Pill pockets with some powder in them - or the capsule itself? Maybe email that other lady - she offered to help - and ask her for ideas.

I wish TF was in injectable form...I wonder if even that Regress stuff would help a bit at this point....

PT Prayers for Tiger!

Great to hear that Jimmy is doing so well. He should have a talk with his buddy about TF! ;)

The caps are kind of a medium to large size. Unfortunately Tiger doesn't like the Pill Pockets. I have tried both the cat and the dog versions and he won't eat them, even with nothing inside them. :(

When I first emailed Bethany about TF and her cat she told me that she mixed the contents of the caps with butter and smeared it on her cat's paw and that her cat, like any cat, hated to be 'dirty' and licked it all off.
I haven't tried this yet but I probably will. I just don't like the thought of him eating all that butter. But maybe it's not so bad for him? I'm just worried it's going to be too rich and make him throw up.

I'm choosing not to pill him because of the incision inside his mouth. The caps are a pretty good size and even before he had surgery on the inside of his mouth, he was so difficult to pill. We ended up really struggling with each other and by the end of it he hated me and I was bleeding and the pill was not down his throat. It's hard because I don't know how long we have with him and if it's not long, I don't want our time together to be like that, with him running in the other direction when he sees me. Of course, it's a catch 22 because if I did get the caps down him, he might have alot more time with me. :confused:

I'll give the butter thing a go and see if it works. Maybe I can find a few different things with the same consistancy that I can smear on his paws throughout the day (butter, creamcheese, hairball remedy etc..).

[Catty1]

Cats generally like salty stuff...I'd say go for the fat and worry about the cholesterol later! :D

I use safflower butter, after my health food store expert scolded me for margarine. "It's two molecules away from plastic!" she told me.

1 lb butter, 1 cup Safflower Oil. Blend well and store. Will just be less salty, that's all. (or 1/2 lb butter, 1/2 c Safflower oil [olive is ok too])

Come on, Tiger, take your meds!

[Emeraldgreen]

Well, the butter was disaster! :eek: :eek: :eek:
I mixed the contents of the capsule in with some butter and then smeared it on Tiger's paw. He went nuts! He ran around like I had just tarred and feathered him! Bits of butter hit the ceiling, the fridge, then onto the living room as he shook his paw wildly, onto the furniture! He did stop to lick his paw once he'd shaken most of it off though. LOL And then of course, he wouldn't let me near him and looked at me as if he thought I'd lost my marbles. He's actually STILL grooming himself and the butter incident was at least half an hour ago!!
So, we're back on cream cheese. :)
I did buy some anchovy paste today but it does not 'appeal' to the king. Yikes! One tough customer.

[jennielynn1970]

LOL! I'm sorry I'm laughing at your expense here, but I can totally envision that hissy fit!

I tried the same kind of thing with my mom and dad's cat Lucey and hairball remedy years ago. "Oh, just put it on her paw and she'll lick it off." the woman at the store said. Yeah. Right. :rolleyes: That stuff was everywhere, and everywhere it landed it left a greasy streak. Mom was not happy. It was entertaining to watch though!

Furbee is a pain to pill, but I do use cream cheese and butter to dip the small pills in. Honeybun refuses to take any pills, and wails like a banshee whenever I try to hold him and pill him. It's like he thinks I'm going to absolutely torture him. After that, he hides for a day or so, and then skulks around the house while I'm here. None of my guys go for the pill pockets.

[Catty1]

I have smeared stuff on cat's paws in the past....but it is a smear, kind of flat. I recall if there was ANYTHING resembling a 'glob' they'd shake it right off. :)

I seem to see in my mind's eye that a cat shakes the paw (or whatever) first, and if the stuff doesn't move, then they resort to licking.

Silly Tiger! Stop being so fussy on your food. Anchovies yet! :D

[Bengalz]

Oh I feel your pain about having to pill a cat. I've been fortunate with Eve and able to get her meds in liquid form - a lot easier with our girl ;) who turns into a little she-devil if she sees pills :rolleyes:

I hope everything works out for dear little tiger - he sure does live up to his name :)