Flounders or Flouncers? The Excellent Cats continue their important debate

[TheShellBeach]

Welcome to everyone, old and new!

Flatfish are particularly encouraged to join us.

Did Sky pose for this Inks? (From the Internet!)

Good luck Allergic
Gabapentin worked like a dream on Sybil when she needed to be de-matted, so hopefully Tobias has ingested some. 😁

😂 No not her. But I hear national black cat appreciation day is coming up on 27 Oct.
Good luck @Allergictoironing

Well I've finally got a whole pill worth in him with some judicious use of large amounts of ham & chicken, by powdering it then only a very tiny amount on each treat. Problem is his appointment is only another hour, and it may take longer for the meds to kick in. I'll see how he goes, and maybe call them to warn I may be late...

Good luck today Tobias and Allergic!

Good luck at the vets!

Kettle has his first vet trip (with us) on Monday to get a general certificate of health for insurance purposes and his second vaccination. He's pretty mellow so I'm sort of assuming it won't be much trouble getting him in the carrier?!

Any good general tips for vet days?

Lexter wanted to send a photo to all the girl cats out there. I think this would be his tinder profile pic.

Yay excellent vets have said they are happy for me to give him longer for the Gabapentin to work, and to take him in a bit later :)

Hurrah!

Sybil is showing her belly.

Whew mission accomplished!

First try he managed to get away from me - goodness knows how as I had a death grip on his scruff and a hand clamped firmly round his ribs.

Eventually took me and Annie combined to catch him - we went through the house room by room checking & shutting the doors behind us. Sort of reminiscent of those special forces or police programmes, calling "clear" as they move through the house.

He was discovered tucked inside the sofa covering. We'd left the cat's bedroom door open on purpose, and when we managed to chivvy him out from the sofa by dragging the sofa away from the wall and me starting to pull open the Velcro holding the cover on, he made a break for his bedroom. Followed him in & shut the door, Annie (wearing thick gardening gloves) grabbed him from under the linen rack and stuffed him in the large igloo I was holding next to her. Then it was just a case of holding it shut & carrying it downstairs, then decanting the contents into the carrier.

2 hours late in the end, had to see a different vet (who was lovely), and she couldn't give him his boosters because of his stomach issues. Trying him on probiotic wet food and paste for a few days, then back again if he doesn't improve. She did say his stomach was very tense and hard to palpate, but that could have been because he'd been so stressed.

Oh, Well done Allergic and assistant Annie!

So do you think the Gabaprentin worked? And how much do you estimate he actually ingested?

Asking because Mini Cat could literally have been the cat you have just described catching and getting to the vets! She is a tiny thing but is on their system, highlighted in red and with the words !Aggressive Cat! 🙀

They recommended that I give her Gabaprentin before her next check up. They said 2 hours before her visit - does that sound right?

Oh and well done Tobias! ❤️

I agree with the 2 hours - Tobias was looking pretty spaced out by the time we eventually got him there, about 2.5 hours after the 1 x 50mg tablet I'm pretty sure he did get. However he was alert and awake enough to parkour round the house after 1.5 hours, so 2 hours sounds right. He also charged out of the carrier at about 400 mpg when we got home, so another 50mg or so would have been better.

Apparently it can taste quite bitter, so I went for crushed to powder between 2 spoons then the total spread across about 8 bits of his favorite cooked chicken which was the only way I could get it in him.

Thanks @Allergictoironing that's really helpful!

There's a cat treat available on Amazon which Frankenstein went nuts over, trying to eat it before I even finished getting it out of the pack. It says that it's good for hiding pills/medication in. amzn.eu/d/4aCNNOR

I think I mentioned them before but not in relation to pills. The consistency would probably be quite good to bury a small tablet it.

Thanks @RumNotRun , I'll give those a go.

Earlier this week, I posted a picture of Mingus in his posh, electrically heated cat bed. This morning he decided that the top of the sofa cushion was better, so he's napping in the permanent indentation he's made in it.

Fantastic photos!

I saw this on X today
x.com/underhandrea/status/1841839986125013367?s=46&t=kJbtSnAPA5aAUvKtECdSOA

Getting stressed just reading about Tobias trip to the vet! I've mentioned this on another thread but they also do liquid Gabapentin which we use to take the fight out of Elton before a vet visit. It's much easier to administer as it just mixes into a liquid treat. Also it's worth giving Gabapentin earlier rather than later as it takes quite a long time to work - say 3 hours. Otherwise you'll have a cat tearing chunks out of the vet and passed out on the way home (ask me how I know!)

Elton smug after besting the vet

The toys are looking at the empty bed and thinking "OK - if he doesn't want it..." 😄

Elton is marvellous 😻

And doesn't he know it! We have a selection of photos of him looking smug 🙄