Calloway's eating!! update 12/2

[Emeraldgreen]

Calloway is one handsome guy! He looks very huggable.
I'm sorry that he has been diagnosed with diabetes. Moesha's post sounds really hopeful and maybe diet will be enough to lower his blood sugar. Do you think the litter dust might be contributing to his asthma? I always wonder about that with Jim. Prednisilone is supposed to be helpful for asthma and thankfully is cheap. At one time I got a puffer for him that the vet prescribed and a baby chamber thing to dispense it to him. They make ones for cats but they are more expensive. I stopped using it though because he got kind of freaked out by the chamber thing.
I hope he starts feeling better soon and that he likes his new diet.

[jennielynn1970]

Do you think the litter dust might be contributing to his asthma? I always wonder about that with Jim. Prednisilone is supposed to be helpful for asthma and thankfully is cheap. At one time I got a puffer for him that the vet prescribed and a baby chamber thing to dispense it to him. They make ones for cats but they are more expensive.

I hope he starts feeling better soon and that he likes his new diet.

I have been using the crystal type litter for the past 3-4 months, and I think it's less dusty. Maybe not though?? I think everything gets dusty as it breaks down.

The vet said she can't put him on any steriod with the diabetes, so the asthma med is something other than pred. I think it has been helping because I haven't heard him do the coughing/gagging noise since the meds, and when he wheezed, it was time for the next dose. I'll have to find the name of it. It's something with a T, lol.

[columbine]

Well, let me tell you 'bout Calloway the moocher
He was a great big cuddly smoocher
He used to live out on the street
But Calloway could always get goodies to eat.

He hung around at the drive-up window
The fast food servers could not tell him no
A chicken sandwich would make him purr
'Til everyone could pet pretty Calloway's fur.

Purrdy purrdy purrdy purr,
Purrdy purrdy purrdy meow!

He got so good at mooching goodies
He saw no point in slowing down, why would he?
He got so big he started to wheeze
And hauling all that weight was getting hard on the knees.

The whitecoat said, "Put him on a diet."
Jenn had a full house, but she said she'd try it
Now all the cats get fed twice a day
And Calloway is going to spend some more time at play.

Purrdy purrdy purrdy purr,
Purrdy purrdy purrdy meow!

[lvpets2002]

Calloway your such a Bigg Adorable Baby.. How are you doing?? I hope all is getting better with you.. Yup I can just see the abuss your getting with meowmom not feeding you & you not getting extra attention.. Right!!

[jennielynn1970]

He sounded so good yesterday, no coughing attacks at all.

Now today, 3 coughing attacks so far this morning. He's had one pill for the asthma already, and I don't want to give another till later on today. He was coughing and coughing, and then just laid on his side and is resting.

I have a humidifier I can put on, and put him in my bedroom with it. It's not a warm mist one though, I don't think. I got it last year, and it works nicely, at least it did for me.

Any thoughts??


Oh, the feedings are going ok. I just have a few that are not thrilled that they have to eat when I say so. Honey is rebelling and peed on the floor already. ARGH. Not happy with him. He does do the spite peeing. I bought a bag of Royal Canin Special for the others, it's supposed to be good for sensitive digestions, and no one has thrown up from it, thankfully. The last stuff I got was barf city. I don't think Honey is thrilled with this food, but until I get a bag of Indoor from my vet, he's stuck eating it. He's a barfer anyway. So many sensitive stomachs.

[Medusa]

Have you tried Science Diet I/D for the barfers? So far it's worked really well for the Fur Posse and they seem to like it, too.

[jennielynn1970]

He seems to like the Purina DM. Like I said, he doesn't seem fussy about food at all, lol.


The other kitties are eating Royal Canin Special. So far, that seems to be accepted by them, except for Honey. He's not fond of it. He just wants to be fed ALL canned food. He's fussy. He only gets canned 2-3xs a week, and only a small portion, otherwise his poop is all runny. Not fun to clean up when he misses the box.

[Emeraldgreen]

Now today, 3 coughing attacks so far this morning. He's had one pill for the asthma already, and I don't want to give another till later on today. He was coughing and coughing, and then just laid on his side and is resting.
I have a humidifier I can put on, and put him in my bedroom with it. It's not a warm mist one though, I don't think. I got it last year, and it works nicely, at least it did for me.
Any thoughts??

You might want to try an air filter to see if it helps Calloway. I bought one for Jimmy and it does help. It is a Honeywell and is about 2 feet tall and 6 inches wide so it doesn't take up too much space. It has three settings on it and clears a room in a few minutes and the air is so fresh. I was really amazed at the difference in a room before and after turning it on. It might help if he is reacting to the furnace. It cost about 80.00 at the hardware store.

Do cats get collapsed tracheas? Out of nowhere our dog Muddy started coughing and it went on all day. They did xrays and diagnosed him with that. He was put on the cough suppressent Torbutrol for weeks and we're slowly weaning him off it. The vet said that each time he coughed, he was irritating his trachea so it wouldn't heal and the irritated trachea is what made him cough. The Torbutrol kept him from coughing for long enough so his trachea could heal. I'm just wondering if cats get this? I'm not sure.

I hope that your big beautiful guy will be feeling better soon!! Please squeeze him for me.

[jennielynn1970]

Holy cow... I have a brand new (well, a few months old) Honeywell sitting right in the middle of the living room. Turned off. Duh.

Guess I should stop walking around it and turn it on, lol.

There's a filter on the furnace, but that definitely needs to be changed. Another one of those things that I keep forgetting to do. Ugh.

He's been good today. No hacking, no coughing, scampering around on his stubby little legs, lol. He's been a good boy and has been eating all of his DM food!!

Of course Honey is refusing to eat at any prescribed time and is staring at me, beseechingly, as if I'm purposely starving him.

[Catlady711]

I'm glad Calloway's meds seem to be helping the coughing. Sorry to hear his blood glucose was so high. That is common in overweight pets, but cats are fortunate that sometimes with a strict diet and a gradual weight loss they can avoid insulin or decrease the amount of time they have to be on it. Dogs in contrast tend to have to stay on insulin for life.

One vet said I had three cats. I didn't get it at first. But he said the average weight for a cat is 7lbs. I couldn't imagine a 7lbs cat.

Back in the old days the avg. weight for cats was 7-8 lbs, however it's not uncommon now for some cats to be 15+ lbs and not be a bit overweight and for some to be as small as 5 lbs and not be underweight. I guess cat genetics are getting a wider range. Bear weights 16-17 lbs and he's not really fat. I had him down to 15 at one point but I didn't think he looked good although his vet isn't concerned about his weight as long as he stays between 15-17 lbs.

The vet said she can't put him on any steriod with the diabetes, so the asthma med is something other than pred. I think it has been helping because I haven't heard him do the coughing/gagging noise since the meds, and when he wheezed, it was time for the next dose. I'll have to find the name of it. It's something with a T, lol.

I'm guessing Temeril-P?? Small round gray pill?

Have you tried Science Diet I/D for the barfers?

I had always thought I/D was only for hospitalized animals or ones with severe digestive disorders for short term use only. I just looked it up on Hills website and it doesn't say anything about that it was the A/D I was thinking of. Hmmm. Learn something new every day. LOL

Do cats get collapsed tracheas? I'm just wondering if cats get this? I'm not sure.

I could be wrong on this, but as far as I know, cats can get that, but it's more common in dogs. I'll have to ask the boss on Monday on that one, because now I'm curious.

[jennielynn1970]

Back from the vet with some not so happy news for Calloway. His fasting glucose this AM was 412. Higher than it was last time. Dr. Hess is doing more bloodwork, to check everything on him to make sure there isn't anything else going on.

He has been more lethargic and not eating much at all the past few days. I was actually taking his little bowl of crunchies up to my bed for him because he was sleeping there most of the time. This is NOT typical Calloway behavior.

While he lost 2lbs, it's too much, too quickly. I was doing the scheduled feedings gradually with him, because they said they didn't want him to loose too much too fast, but it seems he did any way.

So, tomorrow we go back to the vet. He gets dropped off in the AM, and I pick him up after 7pm. He is going to be started on insulin, and I have to learn how to administer it.

Let's just say that I'm not good with needles. I told my parents before, I would never be a drug addict that injects because I'd pass out before I did anything and another druggie would steal my stash, lol. I'm a wimp when it comes to needles and blood. Ugh.

I will learn to do this for Calloway, because he is just a wonderful boy, and has just stolen my heart in the time he has been here.

Please say some prayers for my special guy, in hopes that we can get his diabetes under control and then maybe he won't have to stay on the insulin. I can always hope, can't I?

[lvpets2002]

Oh No Jenn & Calloway.. Now lets think really positive.. However I am like you Jen = is I cant handle needles && trying to give shots.. Hey if thats what we need to do then I know you can do it for Calloway.. Calloway we are all sending lots of Positive Vibes & Prayers that we get this diabetes under control with insulin.. Also sending lots of Whisker Kissess & Huggss..

[krazyaboutkatz]

Jenn, I'm sorry to hear that Calloway's glucose level was so high and that he hasn't been eating well lately. I hope that the insulin will be able to get his diabetes under control. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers.