I think this might be FABCat's last thread

[JustFabulous]

This morning she was coughing and has also had a sloppy bowel accident outside. She wasn't interested in breakfast even though I didn't come down until after 9 and she wasn't about when DH left at 7. He normally feeds her before he goes. I had to put the plate under her nose to get her to come and ear.

Her back legs are a bit wobbly and I will take her for a jab on Monday to hopefully get some relief. She didn't wee over night so that is postiive but when I was comforting her when she was coughing it really hit me that she is very old and isn't my baby anymore .

She has lasted for DD's birthday but I am not sure she will make her own .

I have just put a towel on the sofa for her to sit on, just in case, but she wasn't impressed and has jumped down on to the floor.

My cat is getting to the end of her life and I am not sure I will ever get over it .

She means the world to me, is the only thing in the world that is 100% mine, and I will miss her so much.

Now that's good news - although I can't say I understand why the pee is just 'going through her' if everything is working fine.

How are you both this morning?

I could have remembered it wrong. She is having to drink more, or thinks she is, to stay hydrated.

She is currently having a bath. Has had breakfast and I am thinking about going to see about a covered litter tray for her as I think nightly weeing is going to happen every day now. I hate litter trays with a passion and she isn't keen either but with a covered one hopefully the wee stays contained. When we tried her with a normal one she mostly missed as she can't position herself due to her hocks.

I am exhausted and have to go to the shop soon but going to take it easy now as done enough tidying I think.

Take it easy then - get the stuff delivered if you're able to. You're not going to be any use to her if you're completely flaked out!

I am getting towards not going. My car has done to have something done and still isn't back anyway and I am too shattered to walk to the shop and the stuff I want is heavy.

Hope you went for a snooze. It's only a few days since that GA and you really don't need to be even more shattered than you already are.

Back from pet shop. Covered litter tray won't work for her as she would have to step over quite a high side and there isn't a lot of room to turn around. Will have to keep mopping the floor. I can't wait until the weekend so I can rest. I am drained.

I'm sure .... LoneCat, I think it was, mentioned a special litter tray that has low sides that you can get online. Let me see if I can find it. It was fairly recent.

Sorry - semi failure. Lonecat only said not to get one more than 5cm high. I've had a look on the net and the only one I can quickly find (you or someone else may have more luck) is on ebay. Just search there on 'Shallow Cat Litter Tray' and they've got one relevant advert where you can select a 2" deep tray - which is about 5 cm in depth.

Best of luck.

Oh Fab it's good that FabCat's kidneys are ok, that is such a worry isn't it. If FabCat is weeing in odd places, can you maybe leave some things around purposely for her to wee on? For some reason, mine like to wee on plastic carrier bags if I leave them on the floor. That way at least you have some control over where she goes.

Fingers crossed for 'something unusual' being nothing at all.

Take care of yourself.

Oops! Didn't see the last page with your update - good news about the test being OK.

Would a kitten litter tray work at all? They seem much more shallow but I don't think you can get them covered.

Poor FABCat though actually, I think he may have had fun . Recently got back from the Harvest Festival to find loads of torn up newspaper. Glad to see she wasn't pining for us .

If I have left a bag on the floor she will wee on it and also weed on DS1's jumper and his school bag once. When she wees overnight it is always in the same place. Options are - do nothing and mop the floor each morning. Put something on the floor to soak it up and then bin/wash it each day. Try and get a kitten tray but there is still the issue of her not being able to aim. Cat nappies .

Newspaper on the floor, sounds like? (If she's using the same place every night.) Then bin the next morning.

Cat nappies Poor FABcat! They do look kind of sweet though

The indiginity though at 18 .

DH not keen to try another tray. I might go and have another look for one. Mopping the floor is better than scooping out soggy litter though.

I just had a look at the nappy link. They do look a bit undignified - I wonder how cats react to them. Thinking of how they often react to collars, leads and things.

I'd disagree with you on the litter thing though, JustFabulous. A nice clumping litter and then it's scoop a doop, load on some newspaper, ruffle the litter back to evenness and bin the pee parcel. Then back for a cup of tea. I think that's a lot easier than finding the mop and the Flash and all when you're only half awake!

PS - if you do decide to go for litter, for goodness sake avoid those hopeless scoops they sell in pet shops - the ones with the holes in them. Find yourself a cheap hardware store (or have a look on ebay) and get a flour scoop. They're firmer and have an edge to them. Make the whole job 5 times easier.

We haven't had much luck with litter. It either doesn't clump at all or goes very wet and soggy and it really hard to scoop up.

Discouraging if that happens.

Have you (or a relative/friend) got a spare litter tray you can try? And, say, a Sainsbury's or Coop nearby? (I say those two because those are the ones my very fussy senior boy will use - although at a pinch he'll use LIDL's. I know that everyone on the board has their own personal preference of course but I'm thinking 'not too expensive' to give it a try.) My boy will only use 'clumping natural' /China Clay/ Fuller's Earth - however they describe it according to manufacturer. It should say something about one of the latter two on the back of the pack label and would be a heavy bag about a foot and a half high.

Then - in the tray, a goodly layer of litter. If you make it too skimpy, then liquid will go through if the cat is peeing fast enough. You need it to be sufficiently thick to delay it long enough to hold it in a clump. I'm trying to imagine in my mind - say about 3 inches deep in a normal tray. Put the tray on a layer of paper to catch stray bits of litter in case she tries to cover it up. (A broadsheet newspaper spread out should do the job.)

Scooping up can be difficult if you haven't put deep enough litter and/or if you've got the wrong implement. I think I said a flour scoop but it's just occurred to me that a cleaned or cheap new garden trowel would do the job just fine and you or a neighbour will likely have one of those. That firm metal edge just zippity doos the job. Put the used litter (hopefully a nice big fat clump) in an opened up newspaper readied by the side of the tray, roll and fold up into a little parcel, put in a poly bag and bin either directly or when you've got two or three parcels. (Same for poos of course.)

Sorry for the tome - it sounds more complex than it is. I've had fussy cats for many many moons (senior boy just climber on me so my typing may go to pot) and I've got on just fine.

Revision - about 2-2.5 inches deep. (I just went to measure one of the trays. I clearly have the spatial perception of a banana.)

How are you feeling today? Better, I hope.

TBH DH doesn't want the tray. He usually finds the puddle and puts kitchen roll down. Leaves it there so I can see it. Have asked him why he doesn't just clean it up.

He has a valid point in that she can't aim her bottom so tends to get the floor wet anyway so therefore cleaning up the tray and the floor.

I just want to do whatever FABCat wants but she isn't telling me. She is currently snoring. Maybe that is why I am not getting an answer.

I feel grotty.

Poor you.

I disagree with your DH actually. Once they get in the tray, these trays are big enough (and the angle of the pee in a normal situation is such) that they don't actually have to aim: they just go.

Your call, though. There's obviously a lot to this one.

DH is right. We have seen her wee and it isn't contained. She isn't in a normal situation though as her legs are not great .

I have a very clever and cheeky cat.

We have been tidying up as friends are coming this afternoon and DH put all FABCat's toys in her room. When he left the room she went in and carried them all back into the lounge, one by one . Twice .

Well really! Who did he think owned the house, eh?

How dare he tidy up HER toys! Honestly, you'd think she'd have him trained by now.