Ally Cat Updates

[gini]

I don't know what this has to do with anything..........but I was thinking about Annie and Emma.

Both (sisters) were born outdoors next door. Their Mama was barely a kitten herself. They lived outdoors for the first nine months of their lives. They would come into my yard all of the time.

They have now been with me a little over five years. It has taken ALL of this time for me to get Emma calmed down and comfortable. She has destroyed lamps, chairs, furniture - the underside of my box springs......you name it. She has never (nor has Annie) ever lifted a paw or bitten me.

She used to be scared to death of my feet - so someone obviously used to kick her.

But it has taken FIVE years to get her to be loving and trusting. She still doesn't like strangers. For the past year or so she now snuggles with me at night. I thought I had died and gone to heaven when that happened.

That is just her background - now compare hers to Ally's - and it just breaks your heart.

I have said this before and I will keep saying it - Jenn, you must be a saint!

[Catty1]

Jenn, to echo Craftlady - try a dose in the evening as well.

I don't know if it would conflict with the Clomicalm...but if with two doses a day gets Ally to where you MIGHT be able to slip an elastic collar onto her with a tiny 'sleeve' of cloth on it, you could also try a tiny shot of Feliway into the 'sleeve'. That way she gets the 4 hour exposure.

Praying that Nancy can reach her this time.

HUGS

[jennielynn1970]

Jenn, to echo Craftlady - try a dose in the evening as well.

I don't know if it would conflict with the Clomicalm...but if with two doses a day gets Ally to where you MIGHT be able to slip an elastic collar onto her with a tiny 'sleeve' of cloth on it, you could also try a tiny shot of Feliway into the 'sleeve'. That way she gets the 4 hour exposure.

Praying that Nancy can reach her this time.

HUGS

Will have to try that... maybe splitting the dose in half, and half in the AM and half in the PM. Not sure. I'd like to feel safe handling her. I don't. She's very unpredictable.

[Catty1]

So - the dose she is getting now is for the whole DAY?

I wonder what dose Medusa uses...

Still praying for you and dear Ally...

[Lizzie]

I know the Clomicalm was sent by another PT'er, and I've offered to send my chache also. However, it is a serious drug that can cause heart rate increase and other problems. The dose for my cat, who is about 14#, was 10mg per day and I don't know if a vet would recommend giving half that dose twice a day. Unfortunately, it does take 6-8 weeks, even longer in some cats, to show full effect. Has Ally seen a vet recently, or even since she came to you?

I couldn't believe you were holding her and cuddling her, I'm sure I wouldn't be capable of doing that with a cat like Ally.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Jenn, I'm so sorry to hear that you're still having behavioral issues with Ally.
When Storm was on clomicalm he was on the compounded liquid form because his doesage was higher due to his weight of 14lbs. He only received it at night time and it made him sleep through the night but he was still very groggy and lethargic in the morning which I didn't like at all.

Over time he became less groggy and lethargic but he still wasn't the same Storm that I know and love. He also didn't run and play any more. I told my vet that I wanted to take him off of it and even though he hadn't been on it for very long (I think it was for no longer than 1- 11/2 months) my vet said that I had to wean him off of it or else he could have a bad reaction and behavioral problems which is something to think about if you have to stop giving this to Ally or if you run out of the medicine.

I sure hope that something will be able to Ally calm down and relax. I also hope that Nancy will be able to help you this time. Please continue to keep us updated about her. You are an angel for putting up with everything that Ally has done. I'll keep Ally in my thoughts and prayers.

[jennielynn1970]

Ok, the tablets are 5mg. tabs. I could try to do 2.5 twice a day to see if it has a better effect. She's only been on it a few days, so it's really not a true test to see how it will totally affect her.

When I say "holding and cuddling" don't get all warm and fuzzy. It's me having Ally wrapped in a blanket for her protection, as well as mine, so that I can carry her about on my 2nd floor where the other cats are. When she sees and hears the other cats she's not very happy, but I want to be able to pill her in the bathroom next to the soap and water and betadine just because of past experiences. I'm not sure that she likes to be held in that way. I just need to keep her mouth and those darn long claws she has away from me. I wouldn't be surprised if she locked on to me with her claws and launched herself at my head or something with her teeth. She's aggressive. Highly aggressive. Maybe it's a survival thing. I really don't know. I do not think the flight over here was the cause of her becoming like this. She was like this. She was aggressive. Whether it was due to Connor being introduced or not, I really don't know. I know on some of her pics she looks sweet as pie, and I'd LOVE to know that side of Ally.

To be quite honest, part of me wonders about schizophrenia in cats. If you could just see her eye go PURE BLACK.... it's one heck of a sight, and you are really wondering where to go to and what is going on in that head of hers.

Vet... ugh. Haven't taken her back yet. I'm kinda scared of getting her into the carrier. I wonder if they could run a bunch of tests to see if anything comes up strange. There's money left for it, and I can always chip in or see if I can make payments. I'd just hate to have any of the vet staff attacked by her before she was totally vetted there.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Jenn, I had a semi-feral cat named Cirrus before you had joined PT. I couldn't even pick him up and I never tried because I was afraid that he'd bite me. The few times that I did take him to the vet, I had to put the carrier in the bathroom next to the toilet and then I'd get a broom and just chase him in the carrier. He'd hiss and growl and act like a wild cat.

He became blocked and since he was very hard to take back and forth to the vet, I decided to have PU surgery done. This is wear they make the opening larger on a male so they pee like a female. I warned the vet that he would probably bite but he didn't listen very well and Cirrus got out of his e-collar when he was trying to give him medicine and he bit him in the crotch area. After that he basically didn't want anything more to do with Cirrus and he warned all of his vet techs to not touch him. He had to be gased a few times to secure his e-collar better and when his stitches were removed.

I eventually had to rehome him because he and Storm would have daily battles and Cirrus was trying to take over as Alpha Cat. He also started lashing out at Sky. Sunny was his only buddy. I learned my lesson in that I'm just not cut out to have a feral or even a semi-feral cat. Now he's in a much better home and he even has a cat run and tables to sun himself on outside.

There are vets that know how to handle feral cats. Maybe you should try to look into this. Hopefully there are some in your area and they won't cost too much. Good luck.