Flounders or Flouncers? The Excellent Cats continue their important debate

[TheShellBeach]

Welcome to everyone, old and new!

Flatfish are particularly encouraged to join us.

Oh they're good at that
Shady doesn't make a sound until he's in the carrier and then sounds like I'm torturing him
You get used to being "I know, I know, it's awful isn't it? Mmm hmmm yes" the whole way there

I'm the same - over estimate any potential shenanigans by at least 20-30 mins!

I'm not an anxious person at all, but before the cats go to the vets I'm a nervous wreck for about 4 hours before! Not worried about the vet appointment itself, it's getting the slippery lovelies into the carriers. 😭

Thrifty made a hideous squawk when I picked her up, both times she's been to the vet, but no more than a small protesting mew on the journey, and sat like an angel for her examination. When she got home she simply walked out of the carrier and accepted treats. It is not going to be like that when we have to take the other one.

Vixen is a perfect angel when she's in the carrier. I can even take her on the bus with no issues. My old cat Alizè was a bloody nightmare. He had ongoing UTI/kidney issues so I'd often had to rush him to the vet because of a blockage. Once in the carrier he would do the biggest stinkiest wee/spray and then sing the mournful funeral dirge of his people the whole way there, while in the waiting room, and all the way home. He was even known to do a second wee on the vet. I miss that grumpy ornery boy 😁

Kettle was an angel at the vet and didn't even seem too stressed out on our return.

The bad news for him is that he's had a little wound on his front leg from when he was living outside (so more than a month ago) which keeps seeming like it's healing nicely and then he seems to open it up again by licking it. The vet says that although it's not dangerous it really does need to be left to heal, so Kettle is now wearing the cone of shame.

It's heartbreaking to see him trying to reverse out of it and bumping into stuff. He looks miserable. He's got to wear it for a week and if it doesn't work then he needs to get stitches.

"Why have you done this to me??"

Oh dear.
Kettle looks very unamused.

poor Kettle

If I'm swapping shady to urine special food, do I do it gradually or swap immediately?

The only wet food he will eat is Sheba which might cancel out the £££ hills I just ordered...

Poor Kettle, can he reach his food bowls? We had to raise them off the floor when wearing collars.

@spikeandbuffy Leanora loved Sheba so when starting Hills kd mixed them together, after three days she's on straight Hills with no problem.

Oh poor Kettle!
The vet gave us a soft cone for MagaCat after she was spayed and wouldn't stop licking her stitches. She couldn't see through it so it really was like wearing blinkers but it meant she could lie down more easily. It took her about a day to stop bumping into things!

I can't afford both wet and dry hills so I've gone for dry

He is currently on wet Sheba and dry James wellbeloved so my thoughts were to get him onto dry hills and keep the Sheba so he gets some wet? He won't even eat tuna or roast chicken!

Thanks, I'll do that. He had a few bites to eat after we got back before I put the cone on him, but I'll pop the bowl on top of something for his dinner.

Hopefully he'll be all right to use the litter tray. It's an open top one at least.

@Grumpyoldpersonwithcats
Finlay is obviously feeling much better - I locked cat flap again and put barricades in front of it - Houdini escaped again around 1.30am according to DS so was worried I wouldn’t be able to find him to give morning meds - no sign of him so I decided I would leave a tiny amount of food then keep tracking him and nip home from work if he appeared (thankfully 5 min drive) I was just reversing out when he appeared so I was able to grab him, dose up and run off - according to tracker he’s been home sleeping since - I’ve given up trying to keep him in now - as long as we can catch to give meds I will be happy!

@Esgaroth There's a softer cone available.
Here is DD's cat Cleo, modelling it.

Poor Kettle! I have seen a sort of body stocking affair that some cats wear, more, I think, for post body surgery, but maybe Kettle would prefer that?

I've thought about going out and getting him something nicer tomorrow - but there seems to be a limited selection in shops around here (and internet deliveries not good here - would take over a week anyway) plus his wound is about half way down his front leg.

Would an inflatable doughnut style collar be adequate to prevent him from licking his leg?

Cleo had a wound which she needed to avoid, and the Elizabethan cone worked.

Where was it on her body? I'm worried that the front leg is one of the easiest places to access.

But maybe worth a try anyway.

I bought a red fleece jumper (it was £8.99, black or grey ones were £15). This is to replace the one that Toad and Lexter have stolen. 99% of the time I wear dark colours. I don't know if it's the colour, me wearing a colour, or there's some undetectable smell in the jumper, but Fred is very confused and doing that tentative paw tap that cats do when they're not sure what something is. He hasn't reacted this way to any of the other similar jumpers.

Can I creep back in here? I've been absent due to serious illness 😞

That's adorable. Gotta make sure it's still you 😄

I haven't posted for probably a year and a half, breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

I have lurked though the Litter Tray has kept me sane 🤗

Finlay was ok with soft cone but preferred the flower one for sleeping