July09

On July 15th apply Advantage flea protection. I take of his collar, brush him, then apply on the back of his head where his collar creates a part. Advantage is in the drawer.

PASSWORD???

~K YAY - got JA's e-mail and now am signed onto here from home. Will try laptop again tomorrow night or write from here. Both nights have gone awfully well - other than wearing water and some Laxatone tonight, I am getting in all meds and syringes. Brushing has been uneventful - moderate hair, and he hasn't used the indoor litterboxes yet. Both nights hwas loungin gon his couch, and tonight he was genuinely glad to see me. He misses his mommy. I picked him up before meds and brushed him and brushed him and was holding him on my shoulder and cuddling while he purred. He's never been that purry for me before - usually it is all business until he has eaten!

Gave meds and syringes, and then he did eat a little of his canned food for me. It is a gorgeous cool night, so I let him out and refilled his outdoor water dish and left him out there to enjoy it.

Kevin, I have an absolutely crazy week this week and will probably be by the next 2 nights closer to 10 pm again. Between my full time regular job, petsitting all over the darn place and trying to help a friend store the 500 bales of hay and straw they are cutting EACH DAY in their barn, it is late before I get into town. If this is an inconvenience, PLEASE let me know! I am trying to do my best by everybody.  Hi Andrea...I do not have a password for that computer on the table...JoAnne swapped them but didn't give me any info about it. CC was outside for most of the last two days...he didn't come in to eat very much at all...he'll mope for a few days I gather. I will make sure he has food Friday and Saturday. Get him his meds when you can. Sorry I don't know anyone with a barn.

K

Time doesn´t matter. Glad to hear things went well. //I have extremely limited computer time.// Andrea, if we are going to run out of lactulose, please get some at Willow Run and put it on my bill there. I will pay it when I´m back. J

Hi Andrea,

I got this comptuer to work (thank you Verizon man). CC was outside most of the day and ate a raw disk and 2 cans so far today. I imagine he will be sacked out on the couch when you arrive.

K

Thursday PM - 9pm 7-9-09

Ahh, finally I am on the computer here in the living room to write about CC while I'm here. I actually got here over an hour sooner than I thought I would - not much straw to unload tonight. CC has eaten for Kevin, so I am not shocked that he showed no interest in my yummies. He was put out that I disturbed him from his nap, but then purred as I held him, until it was time for meds. Tonight I had to reload a lactulose syringe as he spit one out almost completely. He also was wily enough to get 2 of the capsules back out of his mouth, and enjoyed getting to try and escaoe as I chased the meds across the kitchen floor. Yes, i will get more lactulose if it gets low so you don't have to worry about it and we have enough on hand.

His coat was not very furry when brushed, except for a hidden bonus area underneath his tail where I got out a brushful. Also, JoAnne, I noticed a lump in his skin tonight: it is about the size of a small BB and is firm. It is on his right side behind his last rib. He also has an occasional yellow eye boogie in his right eye, but not enough that I would worry about it. I would be more concerned with the lump, if you haven't already had it looked at.

He is now outside and will be able to come and go as he pleases, as he has ALL DAY already, as he is hanging out with Kevin.

More tomorrow!

Friday Night 7-10-09 7:30 pm

Tonight went well (again!). I can't tell if I have gotten that much better at getting the meds in, or if he has just mellowed out, but I suspect the latter. maybe he took pity on me! He was inside in the usual place and was not hungry - he had finished off his bowl from whatever kevin had fed him last and was quite content. I brought the brush out to him on the couch and gave him an extended brushing, especially around his neck and cheeks as he was purring so nicely. Barely got any fur out at all despite the extended love session.

After meds he went immediately to the back door to escape from me, but is now back in the kitchen snacking on his fresh canned food as I type. The litter boxes were again untouched. We must be writing at the same time - JoAnne's newest entry just popped up below where I am writing!

Sorry about the computer issues. I was in a hurry to pack and get to the airport and didn´t think it through carefully. What exactly is the lump? Is it a scab or abcess from a fight? Give it a squeeze and see if pus comes out. Or does it seem more like a cyst or tumor?

Further Friday Night notes :

It does not feel like an abscess or a wound of any type. There is no injury, no scab, no scratch, no wound. I would guess a cyst or a tumor which is why I mentioned it. it does not have a soft/liquid feel to it, but rather a slightly firm feel. It could be a cyst with cheese-like material in it, or a tumor or a lipoma (benign fatty tumor) - I just can't tell. I felt it again tonight and it feels the same. His right eye also was wet and runny today with another small amount of yellow goober in the corner when I got here. You might just want to make an appointment when you get home to generally check things out.

I picked up 2 ounces of lactulose today - let me know if you would prefer more since he is always on it. Last time you picked up 6 oz. but I didn't want to run your bill up.

CC is outside - and I am off to go take care of my own kids!

SATURDAY 7-11-09 8pm

CC was outside today, and happy to come inside for food and petting. He is not thrilled with the flavor of wet food I gave him, or is not hungry, as he hasn't eaten any yet. TODAY HIS EYE IS WORSE. Today his right eye is squinting - the conjunctiva (soft tissue under each eyelid) is red and swollen which isn't allowing him to open his eye all the way. The discharge is worse - it is crusty all around his eye, and today for the first time I've heard a little bit of sneezing. i highly suspect that he needs some eye ointment and systemic antibiotics for a URI - I dug through his med drawer but didn't see anything along those lines. ALSO, for the first tim ethis trip he is constipated: the outward puckering at his rectum is hard and uncomfortable seeming, and I just followed him into the back yard where he peed but then strained for a few minutes and no BM's passed. ARG! I have gotten ALL of his meds in and he has been spending almost ALL of his time outside, so I was really thinking I was going to do so well this round of sitting. My cell is almost dead, but I will try to call J. to update her and see what she wants me to do.

from J I have my phone turned off because it says Roaming and I am afraid it will cost a fortune. I can use the computer once a day. From Monday through Wednesday I don´t know if I will have computer access because I will be going to Machu Picchu. Maybe, maybe not.

Please try a regular salt water, mineral oil, and cat shampoo enema Some should be ready to go in back of the cook books beside the microwave. If that doesn´t work try a pink enema if there is one or buy one at Willow Run. If that doesn´t work, have Willow Run give CC an enema when Kevin takes him there for diagnosis and treatment of respiratory/eye situation and preliminary look at tumor.

Kevin, Please give CC 1.5 ml of lactulose and hairball goop **every** am and keep him outside. Perhaps you should block off the opening in the fence next to the gate. So sorry about all of this. My trip isn´t even half over yet. Anything at Willow Run can be put on my bill and I will pay it when I get home. My CC is soooo important to me.!!!!!

Andrea, I will be away for more synchronized swimming judging and need your services for CC from August 3 through 5 (be home on Aug 6). Are you available?

Keep using the http://ccblog.wikispaces.com

Andrea, Thanks so much. Kevin, Hugs and kisses. CC, Cuddles, kisses and healthcare. from J

From Kevin,

CC is lethargic, and somewhat unsettled, coughing, sneezing and his eye takes a bit to open up. No appetite, he did sit by his food when I got him to come in. On another note, the cucumber plant in the back looks awful! It's been watered and producing but the leaves are a mess! I will give it some lactulose to see if it perks up. Off to the pool - it's hot today!

k

To K: Remember this year's cucumbers are from seeds from school, rather than from the exact same cucumber variety of plant from Stauffers as before.....I didn't add much in the way of manure this year--just used home made compost. Please put that vegetable food out according to the directions...I don't want to know how nice the weather is. It will make me jealous. From J.

To K and A, Since CC is not feeling well, he probably won't care if the opening in the fence is closed, because he probably won't go out anyway, so it could prevent other cats from coming into the yard, if you block it with some concrete things or whatever. Keep giving him meds... Perhaps he is sick and not constipated. Has he dragged his butt on the pavement?

To A, On July 15th please apply Advantage flea protection. I take off his collar, brush him, then apply on the back of his head where his collar creates a part. Advantage is in the drawer. I usually leave the collar off for a day and refer to him as Cwyat Cat (Quiet Cat - I come up with lots of names that use the initials CC... well...C Cat (Constipated Cat, Cuddly Cat, Covert Cat, .....)

To A & K, I want him to be better....I am sad that he is sick and don't want him to have any permanent respiratory or eye problem. Is he eating at all? If he doesn't eat, he will get weak. Well at least he is getting pumpkin, water and lactulose.  Dear JoAnne - CC nibbled on a raw disk today for Kevin - he ate a little more of it tonight while I was here and K and I were discussing him. He is ignoring the canned food I opened fresh for him, and never ate any of last night's canned food, which is unusual, so I agree that his appetite is less. He has been outside all day, just lying around per K., who is also hearing the sneezing. I also showed K the lump so he knows in general where it is for the vet. K. will call me tomorrow at work and we will schedule CC in ASAP to get him feeling better. He is cranky about his meds tonight: fought the pills and syringes. He WORE one of the lactulose syringes, I had to re-draw it up. I gave him extra lactulose: 4 ml total split into 2 syringes. I also gave him 3 full cc's of Laxatone, which I drew into a syringe to make SURE I got it all in. The blue capsule came out twice, and the water syringes were a joke. I gave an extra one to make up for what I am wearing. Tonight he does NOT seem constipated. The rear is no longer as hard as a rock and K. thought he had passed some small hard stools in the back yard. He is also not walking around the yard straining as he was yesterday. Kevin and I discussed it and decided to hold off on any enemas until he is seen at the vet's tomorrow. I think today he feels crappier from his URI than from his butt. Fur in brush was minimal, but then it was yesterday also! he is now back outside and laying on his chair. We'll see what the vet says tomorrow!! Kevin shoud bring a list of the meds he is on and the doses andhow often it's given. I know Lactulose, Cisapride, and Fan Xie Ye but am not sure as to what heart or blood pressure meds he is on. . .i just try to get them in!! I think you listed the meds in his Directions, maybe K. ca njust print that out. My printer at home is broken and I have been too cheap to buy a new one, or I'd do it.

CC has an appointment at 3 at Willow Run...of course today his eye is looking much better, he came in and ate a disk this morning and followed me around, albeit slowly but was more like his old self. Back to the outside! - K

OK...from K

Well CC, who is now running around like a pillar of health, is on more meds, eye goop and got a shot. The doctor thinks the lump is just a skin cyst and just needs to be monitored. Of course as soon as we got home he ran to the kitchen and gobbled down the entire plate of food from last night annd is stalking me for more. He is just a big faker. With a pus filled eye and a cold. No constipation, no enemas. He was a big hit with the women in the lobby at Willow Run as he was just being held by me, all baby like. Anyway...  8:30 pm Monday night - I am waiting for CC to finish eating YET AGAIN - he came in willingly when I arrived and opened the back door, and now he eating yet more of the wet food that K. had given him. I don't want to interrupt a good thing, although it is likely that it is caused in part from the shot he got at the vets, which contained an antibiotic and also an anti-inflammatory to take down inflammation in his airways and make him feel better. Sometimes the anti-inflammatories cause increased hunger and thirst, although Azimycin (the injection) contains small amounts so I'm a little surprised he's turned into a munch-monster. STILL EATING!! Well, you won't need to worry about any weight loss. . . OK, gave up on waiting, just did all his meds. Besides the normal round, he got Cephalexin Liquid, which he needs to get twice a day and he HATES. All the cats hate it - it is human flavored (supposedly berry) but it makes the cats foam at the mouth. GOOD LUCK IN THE MORNING KEVIN. It is his antibiotic. Then once a day he gets Interferon, an antiviral. That is a liquid I will give each evening as it's only once a day. lastly he gets Terramycin ophthalmic antibiotic ointment, which he also needs a minimum of twice daily. he is very good for the eye ointment, so K. won't need my wishes for luck for that! Right now he is washing himself in disgust, as we spit the antibiotic all over, and then he was mad about that tasting so badly, so then we spit out the blue capsule 3 times, drooled out at least 1 cc of Lactulose which I then had to re-draw up, and smeared some pumpkin all around. I am VERY grateful for the towels you leave me for clean up!!

Sounds like Good news but more trouble. Thank you very much. mucho gracias  5:50pm from k

CC has had an ok appetite today. He finished his can from last nite, started another one about 5:30 when I was eating, and had a disk in the morning. He has a little butt bulge going on so he probably has to move that out to make some room. He is sneezing some today again and wasn't super energetic. Lactulose this morning wasn't much fun but the antibiotic and laxatone were fine. (of course I just sort of schmear that all over him) Eyedrops he was fine with.  8:45 Tuesday Night - CC did not eat for me but had justt been eating for K. so I am not surprised. Seemed a little sluggish - didn't even want to move from chair in yard to come in which is unusual. K. and I both think he seems uncomfortable in the rear - when he's going to sit down, his butt hovers above the ground like he really doesn't want to sit for several seconds, and then he seems to hesitantly and very slowly sit. He is NOT constipated - he has the small pout back there, but it is soft and his abdomen felt empty of stool when I palpated it. he DID have a full bladder, which I tried to express to make sure he was peeing well - he would not pee (which is GOOD. A normal cat holds it in and resists. A cat with a UTI gives in and pees) and then he went for a walk with K. in the back yard while I got meds together and urinated on his own which is also normal after me stimulating his full bladder. he was probably just feeling too lousy to get up and patrol the yard and was sitting there too lazy to get up and pee.

After peeing he came in with K. and got his meds, did not eat. Both K and I observed the painful seeming rear end in the yard - JoAnne, could it be his hips as opposed to his rectum? he got all his capsules, all his pumpkin, all his water, all his lactulose, all his olive oil, and I again gave him 3 ml Laxatone just as insurance. I get it in MUCH BETTER with a syringe than I do with my finger or the tube. he won't get constipated again if I can help it!!

I also heard sneezing today, but his eye does already look better. Much less discharge today and almost no squinting/swelling. In unfortunate news, my Siamese at home has suddenly started sneezing and having watery eyes. . . .and of course I go right home after here each night. Phooey. I wash my hands but it's not like I quarantine myself and disrobe at the door or anything. . . so now my Gabby boy is on the same nasty meds as poor CC. After I leave here I will go home and repeat the routine at home on Gabby, who went to work with me today for his check-up for HIS URI. Sigh. . . other than that, everything else is normal here in PA! Enjoy Machu Picchu! CC wants to see pics when you get home of the birds he could have eaten in the rainforest. I will apply his Advantage, taking off his collar, tomorrow on the 15th!

Keep up the good work. Sorry about Gabby. MP was magnificent. I´d would have liked to do the hike, but was limited by the group plans. Perhaps CC´s butt is sore if he always has a soft messy poop from all the meds or maybe its arthritis.

Wednesday 4:30 from k

CC ate well this morning but has been sofa-bound since. Lactulose and antibiotic went in partially with some struggle this morning...same with the eye stuff. His sneezing was more pronounced this morning. He seemed to be moving around ok. Sitting is still s l o w.

9:30 pm Wednesday - CC is brushed and Advantage is applied. he is currently sulking in the back yard from getting his meds. Brush had moderate fur tonight, and he strangely seemed to want to be brushed all around his butt. is this normal? He literally stood presenting me with his hind end and seemed to be encouraging me to brush around his privates. I did gently brush him for a good full 5 or 10 minutes; he also got brushing on the couch where he was still slacking when I came in. Oh, now His R. Highness has decided to come back in and grace us with his presence - he is eating his fresh canned food. When I got here BOTH food dishes were licked clean, so I suspect he ate very well today. It was hard getting in his antibiotic again - I try to get the syringe as far back as possible so he won't taste it, but each time he starts shaking his head and foaming at the taste and I feel awful. Pumpkin was also very messy tonight - we are on to using the second clean-up towel as of tonight. I'll put the dirty one up by the washing machine (sorry K. I forgot last night!) Last note, he was very purry tonight. Purred loudly for brushing, purred when I picked him up, purred louder when I rubbed his belly while I was holding him. . . .very glad to see me until the medicating started! I will let him finish his snack and then let him out in the yard before I leave. Tomorrow we are supposed to get scattered rain: good for plants, bad for CC!  <span style="color: rgb(0,255,0);">8:15 Thursday Night - CC was indoors but immediately jumped off couch to foloe me to the kitch and loudly demand his dinner. Food dish was licked clean, and he ate a good bit of his canned food when I put it down - in fact, he just is now going back for seconds. Defintely seems to have more energy today. Also had a nice purring session during our brushing. Moderate hair in brush due to fact that each time we brush I am removing the hair with Laxatone and other gooey meds smeared on it that has dried. Got in meds well tonight! Even the antibiotic. Litter boxes are empty. It never rained last night that I am aware of: the petunias were looking sad, so when I changed the outdoor water I watered them and the other potted flowers near the table with a watering can. Now there is a possibility of rain Sat. . . . Collar is back on on as of today, now that the Advantage has dried on his fur and been absorbed into his skin. He is doing a good job out in the kitchen chowing down on his dinner! I have to wait until he has had his fill before I let him out and leave. ..

In Tucson now. Thanks for watering. Kevin please water some more!!! <span style="color: rgb(0,255,0); font-family: Georgia,serif;"> <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0); font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">9pm Friday Night - CC was very happy until I got here - he was hanging out upstairs with K., slacking in peace. Then the evil babysitter showed up, K. carted him downstairs for his nightly torture, and the fun began. He is defintely feeling better. He seems to have normal energy from what I can see, and the eye is no longer red or swollen, and the discharge is now minimal. I also didn't hear any sneezing while I was here, so he is on his road to recovery. Syringes went badl tonight - it took me almost as long to clean up the pumpkin as it did to administer everything else. CC got to hang out outside with K all day, and so had plenty of chances to poo. The brush had very little hair, his rectum is soft and comfortable, and his abdomen feels as if it has very little stool in it. All in all, a good night for CC, a bad night for my clothes. First bird poo from a new client who owns 8 parrots and 4 cats, and now a delicious spackling of pumpkin. I lead such an exciting night life! <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0); font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Saturday Update, K, @7:00p

CC has had a good appetite, good activity level and a fairly normal day. Everything is watered and trimmed. Meds were fine <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0); font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">this morning.

Andrea, I hope you have better luck with meds this evening. I will be able to give CC meds Sunday evening. K, you should be getting flight arrival messages by phone from the airline; 1/2 an hour before the first flight lands and 2 hours before the 2nd flight lands at B**. J

<span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Georgia, serif;">10:20 pm Saturday PM - Yes, meds went better tonight, despite lots of spitting when it came to the sticky lactulose. I had to re-draw up one of the syringes as he wore most of it and I then wiped it off with the yuck towel. Which K. thoughtfully replaced for me as the previous one might have been getting a little crusty. . actually, 3 yuck towels in 12 DAYS is a pretty good average for me! CC seems to be back to normal on my visits yesterday and today. I have heard no sneezing, seen little eye discharge, no painful sitting down or wierd/uncomfortable postures (although admittedly K. would know more abou this as he is there hanging out with CC in the back yard for extended periods . . ) and his energy level is good. He didn't eat tonight but had obviously chowed earlier today and so wasn't interested. Tonight for the first time the entire trip he tried to be slick and "hide" for his meds - I had to retrieve him from the living room window sill which was difficult. But when I picked him up he started purring, so at least he knows he's not only getting meds from the icky babysitter but also is going to get a good brushing and scratching. The butt is relaxed and soft tonight, and little hair in brush. WELCOME HOME JOANNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your bill for this trip is 12 days@ $25 each, = $300. You can mail a check to Willow Run, or I'll come pick it up, whatever is easier for you. Hope you got some good pics on your trip!

I have an appointment near Willow Run on Wed at 2:30 so I will stop with a check either before or after the appointment, at which time I will also pay my balance......THANKS SOOO MUCH. j