Trying to catch a wee

[fortifiedwithtea]

Giving OB a cuddle last night I noticed his blind eye is abit wet. So this had a search of eye problems and it occurred to me that OB may have developed diabetes. The evidence so far 1) a cateract, 2) just started drinking from a bowl before his birthday and I mean anything he can get his paws on and 3) got even skinnier. It could just be extreme old agew but I rang the vet anyway. I asked could I use a pee stick that humans with diabetes use to test sugar level. Vet not keen on self diagnosis. I said at his age I didn't want to drag him to the surgery unless I had to. DH is in Germany and I cann't drive. It's always funny taking OB on the bus. You hear people speculating what kind of cat he is . Tis a very large pet carrier we have.

So we agreed I should collect a wee, bring it to the vets and if it tests positive for diabetes I'll bring him in then. Sounds easy but so far an epic fail. I put him in the plastic laundry basket with a bowl of water and expected nature to take its course. But OB was more keen on trying to knaw his way out the basket. So I put some naice Excel Herbage in with him to occupy him. Only trouble was he walked in it, spread it all around and the wee when it came soaked into the herbage .

OB used to have a fondness fettish for peeing in front of the washing machine but he's become very secretive about his wees recently, just does it in his hutch (soaks into woodshavings).

Infuriating little blighters aren't they.
My GP1 pees as soon as his 'nads touch the inside of his clean bed. Even if he's already had a pee in the washing basket/towel, he'll still squeeze some out (I reckon he's got an assortment of bladders)

Now you know he's not going to wee just to appease you, don't you?

Can you beg/borrow or buy a cheapie paddling pool? (If you borrow one don't tell them why though).Then put it in front of his beloved washing machine and let him listen to the soothing water. (Obviously no towel/newspaper. And you'll have to grab him before he walks through it)

I'd threaten him with a blood test (the vets take it from a claw cut to the quick). That should galvanise him.

I'd have to squeeze GP2, he's really secretive too.

Oh I'm sorry , I am at trying to catch guinea wee .
Even BigPig (who is currently having a snuffle on my lap) had a snort!

Good luck and I hope OB is ok!

Ohfortified I do sympathise! We had to do exactly the same with one of our girls, it was a right pain and performance - luckily she had the trait of starting to get agitated and nibbly before she needed to go, we put her in a washing up bowl in the end ( old, of course!) to catch the wees but we had to be really quick about it. She was a much older girl and a bit lardy round the tummy, we felt the stress of all these investigations was too much for her so stopped them - she did drink non stop as well, and did lose some weight, but Im not really sure what the treatment for diabetes would be? You could put him in his hutch without the shavings and wait I suppose, - he is a grand old age, and has been in good health hasnt he? Good luck with catching it anyway, a game for all the family!

It would make my year to meet you on the bus with OB in the carrier, tho' Im afraid I might have to pignap him! :)

70 - ROFL at 'assortment of bladders'.

It must be a pig thing. No matter how much my boys have managed to pee all over rug in conservatory/rabbit's cage (they love it), they also still squeeze some out on fresh bedding. Why do we bother cleaning them out?

IKWYM- I take great pride in giving the boars a lovely cosy clean bed (the DC live in pig-sty accomodation, but that's partly their responsibility).
At night they have clean paper and fleece.
Day time their hay bed will last 3 days in winter.

But I sometimes wonder "why do I bother"
DD encourages GP1 by letting him in first to parade round.
Yesterday he 'marked' one bed with pee. Then went into his brothers bed to deposit a glossy pooh.

How's OB fortified. Have you been sucessful in Operation Take The Piss?

70 You know OB too well. He is being a cankerous old sod .

He had been drinking copious amounts of water from a bright orange plastic lid. But on a trip to the gargage I found an unused and vair posh guinea pig bowl ie not never been contaminated with mouse droppings. However he is not loving his new gift. Mostly he has been standing in it and I've found the odd poo floating in the water.

So now he is drinking not much and doing the tiniest shrivelled turds . Looking abit sorry for himself too well so would I if my poo looked ...TMI.

Think I better give him his orange lid back .

Back to the orange lid for OB
Sounds like he's getting a bit dehydrated if he's gone to shrivelled up turd mode.

I bought a lovely glass bottle for the boars indoor cage (they have a bowl in the Pighouse but I can't take up too much floorspace inside their night cage)

They ignored the bottle Then I lost it when I cleaned their cage.
So I bought a new one.
They ignore that .
I found the old one. (Typical)

Why do I bother? Blardy hogs.

Does OB need some.fellow pig encouragement?
If so, i shall send you LittlePig aka LittlePeeAlotPig

He gets through near enough a third of a bottle day and can pee for England!
and makes me clean him.out more .

I am sure he can help!

BonkeyMollocks I think I'll pass on that offer thanks. I still have Fatimus and Naughty Girl who can pee for England too .

Well OB did supply a wee last night, unfortunately it was over my jumper while I was wearing it . It was just that he got sooo comfy having a cuddle. You know chin stretched out using my arm as a pillow. Giving me judgey pants looks if I moved. So I let him stayl a very very long time. Then he had a fidget, a funny look in his eye ...and oh too late, wet patch.