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.

£2 - that 3 was typed by Seniorboy and not me!

Thinking about the diet. That's quite a weight loss (although doubtless necessary) and I'm just wondering if she's drinking extra water to make up for feeling hungry. Seniorboy does that if I've delayed feeding for some reason - such as the clock change.

I remember my great aunt (who was of an age in human terms with FABcat) and if she drank water, tea or something it just went straight through her like anything. We had to plan any journeys with her according to likely 'pit stops' because she would be taken suddenly short and was prone to accidents if she'd taken too much actual liquid.

I'm wondering if FABcat could be the same. Maybe when you ease up on the rationing it might help?

Just musing, anyway.

Her water intake was up because of her kidney troubles and hasn't increased since she was put on lower rations. I have an appointment next week for another jab so I will mention it then.

I am a bit and as I was told jabs for 6 months then needed a break but she has had monthly jabs for 3 further months. He said he couldn't but is now saying it is fine. Thinking about it though she is a bit better at getting up on the sofa and the other day she jumped on my bed .

Well at least she's better at getting up and around. As to the water - keep an eye on her. They can be quite sneaky in finding it and only a little makes a difference.

Off to make lunch for Seniorboy. I'm being given a hard time because he only has 10 minutes to go. (Which is late as far as he's concerned!)

She keeps lifting her paw up. We are assuming she is hungry. I touched the paw gently and she is fine with that so I can only think it isn't in pain.

Well 9 lbs is likely normal weight range for her now following her slimming regime? Maybe she is hungry. I'd certainly be considering just a few extra morsels - maybe not as many as she'd like but enough to keep her happy and yet not get podgy again.

Sorry - full-figured !

Still refusing to voluntarily go on her bed. Rather unexpectedly I found her curled up on my bed right in the middle where the sun was shining.

DS1 gave her 8 treats earlier. They are tiny but I had said four but she looked at him and asked for more .

Well.... She got up on your bed when she really wanted to, eh?

(Seniorboy loves some sunlight. Trouble is that being an indoor cat, he thinks that sunlight is an add-on to background central heating and carpets. I think he'd be horrified if I asked him to experience the sunlight outside. (2 degrees at the moment.))

FABCat due this week for another anti-inflammatory jab but I am wondering about postponing. I have said before how the vet said she could only have so many but she has continued to have them monthly so that confuses me. She is doing okay. No weeing for a while. Can jump on to my bed when she couldn't and seems less wobbly. We have upped her food to one sachet for breakfast and half at tea time and generally she is being a madam and getting herself about.

Its lovely to hear FABCat is doing so well It just proves you made the right decisions about her treatment.

Thank you. I am just not so sure about more jabs.

Why not go without this jab and see how things go? If she does seem to be suffering more without it then you can call the vet and have the jab done then but it will let you see if she really needs them as often as shes having them?

It is only since the last one, and moreso in the last few days, that she seems better so maybe it takes that long to work or maybe it is just because she has slimmed down she can jump up. There is a bit of my that is getting cynical as he definitely said there was limit but when I questionned him he said it would be fine. Maybe she can have the jabs because everything else is stable .

Talk to your vet about it then go with your gut. Look how far your instincts have brought you both keep trusting them

I think I will, thanks that really helps. I am going to leave a message saying she is doing really well so I want to postpone the jab. The vet can easily ring me if he feels that isn't the right thing to do.

So glad she is doing better and that the small amount of extra food looks to be working well.

I think my general rule (with man or beast) would be not to give any meds that aren't absolutely required and let the body do what it can naturally. If you feel that she's doing OK without them, why not leave it and see how it goes? You can always dash back and get a jab for her if you subsequently think she needs it.

I have cancelled the appointment but said if the vet felt she needed the jab I would bring her. I don't want to deny her anything she needs but tbh since she ran out of seroquin and lost a bit of weight she seems a lot better. She is less wobbly, can jump up much easier and is getting really really chatty .

Typical. I have been saying how well she has been doing and she now scrabbled and fell off the sofa. She just stood there looking really shocked until DS1 could pick her up. I am thinking she just misjudged it rather than there being a random deterioration.

She is now washing herself and seems okay.

I wouldn't worry too much at an isolated instance like that. I've had boys that fallen off things before - in moments of, say, sheer forgetfulness about how close they were to an edge. (For your 'shocked' read, rather, 'embarrassed'. They hate being seen to do something stupid!)

True!

She is fast asleep now.

I feel like I am going to get told off by the vet for not taking her as I have gone against his advice.

His original advice was to limit the jabs. If he cuts up rough, say that you appreciate that he was trying to help FABcat by doing - maybe - more than he really should but you feel you should stick by what he thought first off, if that's possible given her condition.

PS - did he give you a reason for limiting them? If not, back then, ask him what the upshot is.

Fab, my old boy constantly does the step-scrabble-tumble followed by the look that says, "what the hell just happened?"

I think it's part and parcel of being elderly.

The vet shouldn't tell you off, he can advise you but ultimately it's your decision as to what treatment you want to authorise. You know FabCat better than anyone, and if you think she is better without the jab, stick to your guns.

He just said she could only have them for 6 months. I think he carried on because she was fine with them every month. It was the way he was so dismissive when I questionned the change in decision that has bugged me.