Amy

[Laura's Babies]

These last 3 days I have been just worried to death about Amy. We had a change in the weather and a cold front came through and for the last 2 days she hardly moved at all. When she would try to get up, thoses poor back legs just would not work for her. She only got up to eat and use the litter box and it was get up, fall down, get up, make a step, fall down, pull forwards with claws, get up, fall... I had to put out that doggie litter pan for her because she could not get into the kitty one. SO heartbreaking to watch.

It finally got cool enough to cut the furnace on so I cut it on this morning... B I N G O!!!!!!! That was all she needed. She is ripping and running through the house, her and Giz are hard at playing and MOMMIE feels so much better now too!

(She has not been in the kennel on the heating pad at ALL today!)

[catlover4ever]

Do you think that maybe a heated kitty bed would be good for her...you know keep her bones and muscles warm while she is resting? Or even a hot water bottle under her bedding would provide her with a little warmth....maybe just enough to keep her limber.

[Logan]

Oh Laura! I know your heart must have stopped! This was exactly what I was thinking about when I posted about the "senior" cats this morning I am so lucky that Mimi is doing so well, but our Murphy (Lab) has trouble with the damp weather and her arthritis. And I have Butter, who is not a senior cat, planted in my lap today! He's sitting here right now, as a matter of fact. And it isn't really even cold out! I have the windows open, but it is damp and dreary. In fact, when I drove up from taking Helen to school and opened the car door, he jumped in my lap in the car! LOL!!!! Silly boy. :p

I hope Amy will continue to feel good!

Logan

[kuhio98]

Miss Cammie has arthritis and is moving slower and slower. We bought a "Snuggle Safe" microwavable disc and it has worked great. I nuke it for 3 minutes or so (every microwave is different), put it under her ratty 'ole towel that she loves and it keeps warm all night. It has really made a difference with her comfort.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=1&pCatId=3487

[kimlovescats]

Geez Laura ... you really had me scared there for a moment! WOW, what a difference warming up those bones can do!!!

((HUGS)) to Amy!!!;)

[Laura's Babies]

I have a microwave heating pad that I started using yesterday in her kennel and heated it again for her last night. She stayed against it all day, sleeping. (Kuhio98, I like that disc, I may order that soon!) I think she needs all over heat though that goes to the bones/nerves.

Amy is only a year old, this is an effect of her neurological damage, but I had never seen it get as bad as it was the last 2 days. Never has she been so unable to walk! I was ready to giver her one of those prednisons the doctor gave me for her and I would have if she had not perked up today.

[RedHedd]

Oh, poor Amy! I used to use a regular (for humans) heating pad, turned on the very lowest setting, for my Goldie during her senior moments. She would stay on that thing all day long! Toasty kitties are happy kitties!

[QueenScoopalot]

I too held my breath till I got to the end! Glad once the heat was on, Amy felt better. ;) Give that sweet little girl a kiss from me and her secret admirer Kirby! ;)

[Laura's Babies]

QSL, maybe Amy and Kirby should meet and become "Fallen Friends"... I got to hot and opened a window and Amy is in her kennel on that heating pad again but she has had a great day of playing and fun....even some loving in there now and then too.

[catnapper]

That must have been heartbreaking to watch. I wonder if they make a kitty sized electric blanket! If not, then someone should manufacture it!

Glad to hear that she is feeling fine today.

[rg_girlca]

Phew...Glad to hear that Amy was okay once the heat kicked in.

Poor you Laura for having to see your precious little one go through that. (((((HUGS)))))

[catcrazylady]

Poor Amy and poor you! That has to be so hard to watch when I know you want to help her and there is nothing you can do. :(
I was very glad to hear the happy ending though!

They do make heated mats for animals in different sizes but I think they are pretty expensive. I think they are just like heating pads but bigger.

Give kissies to that sweet, beautiful, adorable, and tough baby girl! You be sure to give her one from me and one great big wet one from Magoo!! :p :D

[lisalee]

Poor Amy, I hope she feels better soon. Prayers to both of you.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

:( :( I'm so sad to hear that Amy was having such a tough time of it. But I'm so glad to hear just turning the heat on made things better. Maybe it's not just the heat but the lower humidity. I don't know anything about arthritis type aches, but I know older people always used to complain that the cold and damp went right to their bones, so maybe that's what she was feeling. You'd be amazed at how the humidity drops when you turn the heat on. I have a humidifier here in the office that shows what the humidity is and what the humidifer is set at. When I first come in, it's cold in here and the humidity might be at 50%. As soon as I turn the heat on I can see the humidity drop. Like right now, the heat has been on for about two hours and the humidity is at 34%.

I have no idea how you could reduce the humidity in your house other than turn the heat on, so unfortunately I have no help to offer here, just a thought on what might make her so achy.

Also, and you'd probably want to check this out with your vet first, but twice now a vet has prescribed baby aspirin for T & P. For Peanut when she had bursitis and for Tubby's arthritis. 1 St Joseph baby asprin every 3 days - and no more than that because if given too often it can be toxic to cats. Since I took Tubby to the vet last Saturday, I've given him 2 baby aspirins now, and I really think they are helping. He just seems so much perkier and a little more stable on his feet. Soooo....if you think it's because she's in pain, this might be something to ask the vet about. From what I understand also, the baby aspirin isn't as hard on their kidneys as the pred. so you don't have to worry so much about giving it to her.

Anyway, just thought that might be something to look into. She's such a sweetie and I couldn't bear to see her like that so I know how hard it must be for you. Hugs and smoochies to the sweetie from me please. :)

[Laura's Babies]

T & P.. I may just try that if I am somewhere where I can find baby asprin today.. I DON'T like the thought of giving her Pred.. That is something I can try and if don't work, I can just not do it...

Today she almost made me cery!! She had got in that puppy litter box, I got it because she has a real hard time getting in and out of the high kitty ones, the puppy one isn't but about 4 to 6 inches high with a opening on the front to walk in and out of.. She squatted to do her # 2 and her poor back legs gave out on her and she fell over, darn near falling out of the box completely. She LAID there, in that box and did her busniess laying down.. It just broke my heart!! I want to cry every time I think about it. She is just TO young to have this bad a problem and it seems to just get worse and worse.

I had to cut the heater down last night, it is killing my sinuses! I woke up with a splitting head ach at 4 this morning, that is when I cut it down... Well, my sinuses will just have to suffer.. I cut it up again. Poor baby, it just is ripping my heart out to see her like this! She is my first handicapped kitty and my heart breaks, I lover her so MUCH!! (Cutting the heater up worked (again), I just had to get her off of the KITCHEN COUNTER!!)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Laura, just make sure it's baby aspirin, not baby tylenol or anything like that. The vet told me there was one specific type that the kitties cannot metabolize at all and even in low doses it is lethal to them. I knew I would never remember which one that is, so I asked him if I make sure to stick to St Joseph's if that would be ok and he said yes. So, if at all possible, get St Jospeh's baby aspirin. It's 81 mg. They also make other low dose (81 mg) aspirin for adults who take one everyday, but again, I can't remember which one was the lethal one so, so stick to St Joseph's.

Poor Amy. My heart just breaks for her so I can only imagine what yours is doing. :(