The Cat Meets the Neighbor
Guess who ran out into the hallway while I was bringing in the groceries after work.
The Cat darted out the door and to the left towards the lobby, and then my next-door neighbor on my right walked out his door a few seconds later--whereupon she froze. I was wondering if it would put a little fear into her and send her back inside like a shot, but my neighbor--and it always cracks me up when dudes are like, "Awww! Cute kitty!" when they see her--said hi to her and then crouched down to see if she would come see him.
While she took a couple of tentative steps towards him, I told him she was 14 and the funny way she keeps trying to get in his door because she smells his dinner. (O.K., that particular incident wouldn't have been his dinner because he hasn't lived here quite that long, but sometimes we do have that conversation because of what he or his girlfriend is cooking.) He said that he had his dogs (who live with his parents) over the other day and when they walked in the hallway, the dogs went nuts at my door. The Cat probably was right on the other side, messing with them!
Neighbor dude had to get on the road, so he said goodbye to us, and as soon as he headed the other way for the stairwell door, The Cat decided that was her chance to slip back into the apartment.
Not that she was looking to help me with the groceries or anything.
(Read on if you want her health update.)
We had a rough few days about a week and a half ago. She didn't want to eat anything or take her medicine. She got me up a lot during the night, mostly to whine. She hated Pill Pockets, canned food, crunchy treats--the only thing she would eat was her dry food. I suspected her steroids were running out, but it had been barely five weeks, and those are supposed to last more than six and closer to eight if possible. Whining also can be a signal she's having trouble going #2. So I called the vet and he suggested I cut her thyroid meds in half (give 1/4 pill once a day instead of twice a day).
I wasn't forcing any of her meds into her, so if she did happen to be in the mood I'd get her thyroid pill into her. I wasn't pushing the laxative meds; I just wanted her to eat. One night, I even came home with a grilled chicken sandwich, and after she ate some of that, by morning she had gone potty and took her thyroid meds.
Additionally, the eating issues I resolved by trying a couple of different formulations made by the same brand of cat food, and a few different flavors. She used to love Wellness Chicken & Herring, and was getting into the turkey flavor, but suddenly it all went south. So I tried some sliced chicken flavor, and a salmon I think (which is weird because she usually hates salmon, but she seemed to be having contrary taste buds anyway). Also I got her Core which is higher in protein. She loves that, and I have no idea why. But whatever gets her eating is O.K. with me.
She probaby needs to go in for a re-check pretty soon, but right now she's doing O.K. In fact, she even started crawling under the comforter on my bed, I guess to be playful and stealthy or something. It's a funny sight. She also has a renewed interest in the laser light toy, although she chases it only for a few seconds and then runs off to the food bowl. I guess that's all right. I'm amazed she wants to play at all.
I can't believe it's been about 11 months since her diagnosis.
The Cat darted out the door and to the left towards the lobby, and then my next-door neighbor on my right walked out his door a few seconds later--whereupon she froze. I was wondering if it would put a little fear into her and send her back inside like a shot, but my neighbor--and it always cracks me up when dudes are like, "Awww! Cute kitty!" when they see her--said hi to her and then crouched down to see if she would come see him.
While she took a couple of tentative steps towards him, I told him she was 14 and the funny way she keeps trying to get in his door because she smells his dinner. (O.K., that particular incident wouldn't have been his dinner because he hasn't lived here quite that long, but sometimes we do have that conversation because of what he or his girlfriend is cooking.) He said that he had his dogs (who live with his parents) over the other day and when they walked in the hallway, the dogs went nuts at my door. The Cat probably was right on the other side, messing with them!
Neighbor dude had to get on the road, so he said goodbye to us, and as soon as he headed the other way for the stairwell door, The Cat decided that was her chance to slip back into the apartment.
Not that she was looking to help me with the groceries or anything.
(Read on if you want her health update.)
We had a rough few days about a week and a half ago. She didn't want to eat anything or take her medicine. She got me up a lot during the night, mostly to whine. She hated Pill Pockets, canned food, crunchy treats--the only thing she would eat was her dry food. I suspected her steroids were running out, but it had been barely five weeks, and those are supposed to last more than six and closer to eight if possible. Whining also can be a signal she's having trouble going #2. So I called the vet and he suggested I cut her thyroid meds in half (give 1/4 pill once a day instead of twice a day).
I wasn't forcing any of her meds into her, so if she did happen to be in the mood I'd get her thyroid pill into her. I wasn't pushing the laxative meds; I just wanted her to eat. One night, I even came home with a grilled chicken sandwich, and after she ate some of that, by morning she had gone potty and took her thyroid meds.
Additionally, the eating issues I resolved by trying a couple of different formulations made by the same brand of cat food, and a few different flavors. She used to love Wellness Chicken & Herring, and was getting into the turkey flavor, but suddenly it all went south. So I tried some sliced chicken flavor, and a salmon I think (which is weird because she usually hates salmon, but she seemed to be having contrary taste buds anyway). Also I got her Core which is higher in protein. She loves that, and I have no idea why. But whatever gets her eating is O.K. with me.
She probaby needs to go in for a re-check pretty soon, but right now she's doing O.K. In fact, she even started crawling under the comforter on my bed, I guess to be playful and stealthy or something. It's a funny sight. She also has a renewed interest in the laser light toy, although she chases it only for a few seconds and then runs off to the food bowl. I guess that's all right. I'm amazed she wants to play at all.
I can't believe it's been about 11 months since her diagnosis.
Comments
Harold once made a break for the outside, and the apartment door went directly outside, so he could have had serious trouble. I yelled HAROLD! and he froze in place long enough for me to grab him. Scared me half to death!
Harold must've been a smart kitty to listen to your voice. I think cats have a healthy enough fear that keeps them safe. Most of the time.