Can Harry have some sympathy please?

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

And I need some advice! Every summer Harry's face seems to get pink and itchy but this year it's been worse than before. He's hardly got any whiskers left and he's made his face bleed. I've obviously taken him to the vets but each time they've been reluctant to do anything because of his age, his kidneys and his heart murmur (grade 1, not always detectable).

Last time I asked about a steroid injection but the vet was reluctant even though I said he'd had one last year which had fixed the problem. In the end we compromised and I have steroid cream for him which doesn't seem to be making a difference, in fact it's getting worse. I've tried the cone of shame but he crashed into the French doors and then started walking backwards. He was so distressed we took it off him.

I phoned the vets again today to ask to see one of the senior vets but can't see anyone until next Tuesday. I have no idea what to do in the meantime though!

Sorry this is so long and thank you if you've got this far! (The last picture is just to prove he can still look cute and not battered!)

No real help here I'm afraid (I assume your vet has already rejected the possibility of ringworm or harvest mites), but definitely passing on my sympathy to Harry and hope you manage to get things sorted for him soon.

Poor Harrybo! Definitely looks like hayfever. Especially with his puffy shut eyes.

As a fellow hayfever sufferer I completely sympathise. I would take the heart murmur over hayfever symptoms. Honestly they can be so bad

I'm the same @Amrapaali, him and I are a right state! He's had a cough that comes and goes for years but it bothers me more than him so the vet didn't want to do anything. He said the risks of the biopsy outweigh the benefits unless things get worse which, touching wood, they haven't, so we've let him be.

His face seems to be getting better. I tried him on the skin and fur supplement I bought him but he refused to eat the food with it in so that was a waste of time!

Tummytummytummytummytummytummytummy...sorry, what were we saying... tummytummytummyfluffytummy

Tummytummytummytummytummytummytummy...sorry, what were we saying... tummytummytummyfluffytummy

I've made the same point about Harry and have been reliably informed that although he no longer has teeth he still has claws for the tummy trap.

I'd also recommend you trying him on antihistamines. Make sure it's Piriton and not Piriteze. I probably would get the first lot from the vets due to the heart murmur though, just in case. If it works, then you can buy it from the pharmacy knowing what to get and how much to give him.

Sadly you're right. Even though he has his claws clipped now they are still sharp - I'm sure he sharpens them on something! I have a small lump on the side of my face where one went in yesterday.

This is an old picture but it shows of his squooshy tummy nicely!

😁

It's not so much they are refusing to treat him, they are being wary due to his age and other health issues. He's absolutely fine in himself, eating drinking, sleeping and doing what he usually does. If he wasn't I would be changing vets ASAP.

Hmm, I understand reluctance but you say he had the steroid injection before and he was fine - so surely they should allow you to make that decision for him again?

That's what I thought but no, once it's in his system there's nothing they can do (I know, I'm not daft) and she wasn't prepared to do it. Last year it was done by a much more experienced vet but sadly he's left.

Thankfully the steroid cream seems to have done the trick and he only has dry scabs on his face now. We've switched to Cat Stuff by Stinky Stuff now as we were told to only use the steroid cream for a week. It's supposed to encourage healing and fur growth so we're hoping it works on whiskers!

If this happens again next year as I suspect it will, I'll be booking him with one of the senior vets and if that's not possible I'll be looking to change practice. It would be a shame as they are usually excellent but needs must.

Omg that tummy it's too much 😩😩😩 what is it about cats stomachs I just love them!

@PinkSparklyPussyCat I'm glad he seems to be improving anyway!

It's such a shame that some vets won't do things that others would be more than happy to try!

Harry is gorgeous! I really hope he starts feeling better soon.

@mountainsunsets I only got the steroid cream as I told the vet we couldn't leave him in that state with open wounds on his face, no whiskers and blood over the furniture!

(I don't care about the furniture I was trying to show how bad he actually was)

Bless him <3

Here's a picture of his face today, looking a lot better.

The second one is him under the barbecue displaying his floofy belly. We have no idea how a 17 year old cat who the vet wanted to put on arthritis meds (no sign of it) gets under the barbecue!

He is looking better! How's the Country Hunter situation?

I couldn't find any more Country Hunter and as he's into the last 6 months of his supply I tried him on Meowing Heads. He wouldn't touch it in the past but, much to my surprise, he's clearing his bowl. He loves all 4 flavours!

Oh, that's good news! I think Harry just likes to wind you up!

Heh look at those squooshy paws. Harry is not a dignified old gent, is he? He looks like a little lad 😆

Glad he is on the mend.

I'm so glad I read this. This looks very familiar...

My middle-aged lady has for the first time this year got like black spots/scabs in the fur round her whiskers and it's a lot thinner fur than it should be. She scratches constantly. We had her to the vet about 4 weeks ago - no fleas or mites - and got a steroid injection which he said would ease any itching for a week or two and hopefully break any cycle, and within 10 days it was looking a lot, lot better. Then it started going downhill again. We're currently washing her chin with very dilute hibiscrub and the huge scabs there are improved, but if it's an allergy then I have piriton. Not that getting pills down her is anything other than that meme

Awww I have a Harry! How is he now? This popped up in the "you might like ..." after all the stuff about Harry Windsor and his revelations of rubbish.

Our respective Harrys are more interesting and intelligent I am sure. I hope he is doing OK now.

@ImJustMadAboutSaffron You might want to look at this thread www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_litter_tray/4714466-harry-what-a-rollercoaster

Thanks. I've got one called Mia too 😸😸

Harry would like to make it clear that the book is nothing to do with him, there appears to be someone using his name! He wouldn't dream of selling the family secrets!