weight loss

[Memphisbelle049]

Sorry for not posting yesterday. It was a pretty busy day. The Vet called us right after noon and said he wanted us to try Cheddar at home to see how she would do. So, we picked her up from the Vet. As soon as we walked in the door and told the receptionist we were here to pick up Cheddar, she heard our voices and we could hear her meowing from the back room. When we got her home, she slowly made her way around the house, maybe making sure she was really home and not just dreaming? We had b rought her litter box up from the laundry room to my daughter's room so she wouldn't have to climb any stairs. I showed her box and she sniffed at it. A few minutes later she stood at the basement door wanting to go downstairs. We opened the door and she went down the stairs and directly to the laundry room, looking for her liter box. So, I brought it back downstairs and she used it immediately. We were able to get her to take a tiny bit of her food and she did drink water throughout the day. She spent most of the day curled up in her favorite hiding place, under my daughter's bed.
However, this morning she was on Shelby's bed and is back to her old habits. Following you into the bathroom, laying on her "bag" and talking like crazy. I called the Vet and gave him a follow-up on her progress. He was in surgery and will call me back this afternoon.
When we picked her up at the Vet yesterday, I noticed that all but a teeny tiny sliver of the third eyelid was present. This morning it is the same, in both eyes, very small sliver, but still present. I don't know if that is anything to be concerned about or not, but I'm sure the Vet will let me know during our conversation later today.
We are just so happy to have her home and we are so pleased that she is resuming her old habits. That has to be good news, right?

[MattinglyMom]

This is my first post on your story and I'm so glad that Cheddar is back home with you. I just had to post because it made me chuckle when she wanted to use her litterbox downstairs like she always does. We recently lost a cat we had for 19 years. By the end she had arthritis, was blind, and had only two or three teeth left, but no matter what kind of things we would try to set up to make her life easier, extra steps, moving all her necessities into one room so she didn't have to go all over the house to use the box, get her food, etc... she refused all help. Never in her life did she like soft food no matter how many kinds we tried. And up until her very last day she ate dry food. Three teeth and all. It's good to see that kind of stuborness and independence and reslience. A very good sign that your cat has the right attitude to get healthy! Please keep us posted. You have our prayers.

[Memphisbelle049]

An update on Cheddar. The Vet called me back today and we are taking her to see him tomorrow morning for a check up. He wants to see for himself how she is doing.
Mattinglymom: So sorry to hear about the loss of your cat. We lost our other cat of 21 years last September, and she too rejected all efforts to make life easier for her. Old habits are hard to break I guess.
Hopefully, the Vet will give her an "attagirl" tomorrow. We will still have to return in about 10 days to have the sutures removed.

[Traci]

It sounds like she's doing better, and will probably continue to recover better at home as opposed to in the hospital. However, you want to monitor her eating habits, and see if you can't get her to start eating more...feed small amounts, more often, as long as she's keeping it down. Monitor her for stool production too...sometimes after surgery, and due to anorexia post-op, a stool may not be produced for a couple days, but recovering patients should produce within 3-4 days post op, if not, your vet will need to address that.

[kk]

I'm so thankful she is home with you. How did the check-up go today? I hope the doc was pleasantly surprised. Cheddar is in the best of hands in your home. Good luck. kk

[Memphisbelle049]

The check up today went fairly well. The vet said she was looking really good. Boy, did she start to talk when we walked into the Vet's office today. I think she was protesting, lol.
She received an antibiotic shot and he wants her to have a bowel movement. So, I am checking the litterbox for that little surprise. I am supposed to call him tomorrow to let him know of her progress and he wants to see her again on Friday.
We did get her to eat a little bit of soft food today, I'm hoping some solids will produce a bowel movement.
A warm thank you to all of you for your support and prayers. You all have been such a help to me going through all of this. It's is so wonderful to know that there are so many animal lovers out there. You would be surprised at how many times I get the response from people: "It's only a cat, just have her put down, don't spend that kind of money on a cat." Well I for one feel that most animals have more empathy, love, devotion and class in one of their little paws than alot of humans have in their whole body. Our animals are our family, and I can't imagine having it any other way.

[Traci]

You're definately amoung cat lovers here

Did the vet address her appetite and food amounts? Is she eating more each day? Please ask him about that. If she isn't eating enough, she won't be able to produce normal stools. By now and ideally, she should be eating close to her normal amounts prior to her surgery, but ask your vet, and see if the diet needs to be something else (i.e., more palatable, caloric needs, etc). You don't want to risk her losing any more weight, nor getting dehydrated and nauseated. I assume he checked her temperature and color? (i.e., no fever, no pallor, etc) ...is she still on pain medications? If she is, they may need to be decreased,....or if she is not on pain meds, she may need to be (judicial dosing)...I hope the vet gave that consideration upon Cheddar's exam today?

[Memphisbelle049]

Traci,
Cheddar is eating more each day. NOT Much, but every day she eats a little more than the day before. He did take her temp, it was normal, and we will be bringing her back on Friday. I did ask about other options as food, but he said to feed her what she normally eats, just in very small amounts until her appetite returns. I am a little concerned that she is not eating more by now also.

[Traci]

You mentioned you are feeding her soft food, is this her regular food, and what is the brand/type? Has she produced a stool yet?

Does she appear to be painful? (i.e, winces or struggles when held, does she sleep more than normal, etc)

Have your vet weigh her tomorrow and see if she has at least gained since surgery....if she hasn't, or has continued to lose weight, ask about a caloric diet, but one that is low-fat, easily digestible. It very well could be that her intestine is slow to heal and that inflammation may be contributing to her not eating much at this point (which would be normal in the recovery process with a surgery such as this), but in the next week or so, you truly want her gaining weight slightly. Also ask about Laxatone, in the event she may be slightly constipated.

[Memphisbelle049]

Traci,
She doesn't seem to be in pain. She doesn't wince when we pick her up, albeit we do so very carefully, and she jumps up on her chair and the bed. We are feeding her her normal fare. We have always fed her dry with the occasional offering of soft canned food.
I will ask about caloric and also will make sure he weighs her tomorrow.
Thank you for the advise on what to ask when we go, it helps alot.