Conference misery::feline

    A trip to the vet seems in order.  If it is loneliness, you'd be
    surprised how many cats can fit in a small apartment.  I have 3 in a 2
    bedroom cottage.
    

    Agreed, call your vet.  Some cats get very subdued and detached when
    they aren't feeling well. 

    A former coworker had a two year old cat that always seemed down in the
    dumps so he finally adopted a kitten for her this Spring.  It's as
    though the older cat has a new outlook on life and she's vivacious once
    again.  They make a great pair.  :^)  If you can afford the added
    expense, consider adopting a buddy for your kitten.  Nothing like
    coming home and seeing two cats curled up lovingly in each other's arms
    or two cats with the cat crazies at all hours of the day and night.

    Agreed!  We had the teensiest apartment when we got Tiki his little
    brother, and when Tiki died, we got Rico a little sister.  Although
    Tiki was fine solo, he WAS happier when we got Rico.
    
    K.C.

    
    
    	I'm in an average size one bedroom apartment and have 3
    	of the monsters.....so another vote for getting your kitty
    	a playmate.  =)
    
    	JJ
    

please allow me to emphasize...if your cat's behavior changes suddenly,
and the cat becomes less active, or shows other signs of being tired or
depressed, you should see a vet ASAP.  There are conditions that can
be life-threatening if not treated, and their symptoms CAN BE as vague
as "acting depressed".  if your cat is using the cat box normally,
for both solids and liquid waste, and is eating regularly, you have
less to worry about....however, a sudden change in behavior is cause
for concern.

I agree with the trip to the vet.  What you describe is just what happened
to my Honey when he was a little tyke.  Turns out he had some kind of
bug in his tummy that made him feel like crap.  And it showed!!  A few
days on medication and he was fine.

Again, changes in behaviour are a call for a vet visit...

Mary (who's Honey longs for the days when he had me all to himself...)

    Thanks for all the replies.  Tigger has been to the vet, and is
    quite healthy.  I guess she is maybe she is just starting to
    settle down??
    
    Thanks again
    Kathy

    I agree that it would be good for you to get another kitty, no
    matter how small your apartment is.  Cats, like humans, need a
    lot of love and affection and company.  I know I wouldn't like to 
    live in solitude about eight hours a day, five days a week.  I'd get
    VERY lonely and lethargic.  Sometimes we have to remember that pets
    are more than stuffed animals to be taken out of the closet and played
    with when it's convenient for us.  They need a lot of contact and
    affection and warmth and stimulation.  They can't get that well when
    they're spending long periods of time in solitude.
    
    Leslie

    I have a question about my mom's cat. Duffy is about 14 years old,
    a neutered male. My brother found him as a little kitten on a trash
    heap where he'd been dumped. He's a very loving boy, the kind that would 
    velcro himself to your lap if he could. Until about two years ago, he was 
    an indoor/outdoor cat, with 52 acres to roam around on. When my father,
    died, my mom moved into a condominium, and he became indoor only. My
    mom keeps him confined to the study and the basement (big) area. She was 
    also given a puppy shortly after moving. It took Duffy forever to adjust 
    to Muffin, now he chiefly ignores him (as best he can, since Muffin just 
    *loves* him and leaps around and generally annoys him). Duffy strikes me 
    as depressed. I don't feel he gets a lot of attention, he's not really 
    taking care of himself (cleaning-wise), and I'm concerned because recently 
    his litterbox habits have changed (sometimes he uses it and sometimes he 
    doesn't) which makes me wonder if he might have an infection of some sort. 
    He was boarded at the vet last week, and they gave him a clean bill of
    health, but couldn't get a urine specimen (I don't have the whole story
    on that yet). OK. I'm finally to the questions. Fourteen is not really
    that old for a cat, is it? Could he have a urinary tract infection that's 
    affecting his behavior?  Does he sound depressed?  I'm thinking of 
    offering to take him to live with us so he's got more companionship. 
    However, in his prime he was top cat and saw plenty of fighting time, and 
    Shadow's very aggressive - what are the chances that these two could
    adjust to one another? Sammi would probably be OK. since she's female
    or could just the fact that he's a cat coming into her territory get
    ugly? Would it just be that much harder on Duffy to move him again?
    
    Any advice you can offer would be appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Rebecca    

    Re: .9

    I haven't had time to note in Feline for a long time, but when I read 
    your note I had some strong feelings, so I thought I'd just jump in. 
    You might not agree with everyting, but that's ok. Maybe it will help 
    you decide what to do, or what not to do.

    > Duffy strikes me as depressed. 
    > he's not really taking care of himself (cleaning-wise), and I'm 
    > concerned because recently his litterbox habits have changed 
    > (sometimes he uses it and sometimes he doesn't) which makes me wonder 
    > if he might have an infection of some sort. 

    I say go with your gut feeling. If you think there is something wrong, 
    it's best to check it out. If it turns out Duffy is completely healthy, 
    won't that be nice to know? However, it sounds to me like something is 
    not right, and the sooner you find out the better. To me, not grooming 
    and a change of litterbox habits are signals to pay attention to.

    > Fourteen is not really that old for a cat, is it? 

    Fourteen is not old, in the sense that cats can live to be 20 or more (I 
    have one who is 19). But at 14, body parts (like the kidneys) may be 
    wearing out and it is likely you will start to see other signs of aging.

    > Could he have a urinary tract infection that's affecting his behavior?  

    Yeah, though what you've said doesn't sound especially like a UTI. One 
    sign is when the cat urinates outside the litterbox. The cat may also 
    be constantly in and out of the litterbox but not able to urinate, or 
    not urinate much. If you see this, get him to the vet ASAP! 

    > He was boarded at the vet last week, and they gave him a clean bill of
    > health 

    Personally, I would not accept this. I've gotten so I rely on my own 
    judgement and am much more pushy when it comes to my cats' health. For 
    example, this past July I noticed that my cat Peanut was not eating all 
    his food at each meal. At first it was just a few kibbles left over in 
    the dish, then it was more and more. Now, this cat *lives* to eat, and 
    I knew this was very strange behavior for him. I made an appointment to 
    have him checked by the vet, though Peanut was otherwise acting fine. 
    When I called to make the appointment, I practically had an argument 
    with the (relatively new) receptionist because she didn't understand 
    there was a problem. I explained three times that he wasn't acting 
    normally and I just wanted to have him looked at. I know she still 
    didn't get it, but that was not my problem. 

    When the vet examined Peanut, he couldn't find anything wrong, except 
    that Peanut's temperature was elevated by 1/2 a degree. He said, "If 
    you didn't tell me something was wrong, I wouldn't have guessed." (By 
    the way, my vet is a good one, more than competent; my point is that 
    illnesses do not always show up in a casual exam, but symptoms may 
    show up in the cat's behavior at home.) My vet listened to me, and 
    asked me to get a urine sample. Guess what that showed -- Peanut had 
    an infection. He was put on an antibiotic for 10 days or so. He still 
    wasn't eating well after being on the medicine for a few days, so my 
    vet suggested doing blood work. Guess what that showed -- Peanut (who 
    is 5 1/2 years old) has kidney failure. (Peanut has been switched to 
    a reduced protein diet and appears to be even better than new now.) 
    Am I glad I pushed the issue? You bet! 

    > I'm thinking of offering to take him to live with us

    If it were me, I'd want to get the health question answered first. Has 
    he ever been tested for feline leukemia or feline AIDS? 

    > Would it just be that much harder on Duffy to move him again?

    Moving to a new home (especially to a new family with new cats) is 
    stressful for a cat, but it's hard to predict how it will affect him.  
    Before I sold my last house, I agonized over how the move would affect 
    my (then) 19 year old cat with diabetes and kidney failure, but he took 
    it all in stride. But if Duffy knows you and will get more attention 
    with you, those things will probably have a positive affect.

    > However, in his prime he was top cat and saw plenty of fighting time, and 
    > Shadow's very aggressive - what are the chances that these two could
    > adjust to one another? 

    I think you *at least* have a chance, if they're introduced properly. It 
    may take time for all to adjust. Are all the cats spayed or neutered? 
    Duffy might well be happier with you. If it absolutely didn't work out, 
    would your mom take him back? 

    Good luck to you and Duffy!

    Linda

    I agree that you might want to bring him back for further tests...
    specifically kidney/liver.   When Mr. Meow was at his low point..
    he had quit washing completely, stopped eating, and looked like
    death.   Once he started feeling better...he did a wonderful job
    of cleaning himself up again...and so far he continues to do so!!
    
    How will Duffy do being introduced to your home???  I think it all
    depends on the cat and you can never tell unless you try it.  I
    never thought in my life that Mr Meow who spent 17 years as an
    only child...would fit in my house with 10 other cats so perfectly!!!
    I am truly amazed and I can honestly say this was one of my easiest
    introductions ever.  
    
    I also agree with Linda that sometimes you have to "push" your vet
    if your not comfortable with the answers.   I'm the first one to 
    notice anything different with my cats...and I always follow though
    with the vet (just to be on the safe side).  Sometimes he laughs
    at me..but deep down he knows I know my cats better then anyone else
    and if I see something "different" he will definitely check it out for
    me!!    I always go to the vet prepared with 20 questions...and 
    when he answers the 20...I usually have about 10 more!!!!  Vets
    are humans too....
    
    Good luck with Duffy....14 may be getting up in age...but I wouldn't
    consider him that OLD!!!
    Sandy
    
    

    
    
    	Fellow Feliners may get sick of hearing me toot the FHL horn
    	but .....
    
    	Having lost my Tiggr to Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver Disease)
    	this past September I'm a little paranoid about cats who have
    	mild or no symptoms, but are acting depressed. Has Duffy been
    	drinking more, eating less, or not eating? Please have your
    	vet test him for liver and/or kidney problems. Caught early
    	on they are treatable!
    
    	Good luck, and please keep us informed
    
    		Heidi

    re. 12 
    
    They'd be sicker if you didn't give your reminders and their cat
    turned out to be suffering from this illness.
    I expect most of the people with ill kitties are only too glad of any
    ideas as to what might be wrong.

    Thanks for all your responses. We live four hours away from Duffy, and
    I'm not sure who the vet is, but I'll look up all the information I can
    find in the file on possible infections and the things mentioned and
    talk to my mom and see if I can't press her into getting the vet to look
    for some of these things. 
    
    I also think I'll pursue bringing him to live with us. I just have a
    feeling he'd flourish with more attention. With us he'd have the run of 
    the place and could be with us all the time if he so chose. 
    
    I'll keep you posted - any pointers on the best way to introduce two
    big boys to each other? (Oh, yes, all the cats are spayed/neutered).
    
    Thanks again,
    
    Rebecca
    

    I just wanted to post a quick update on Duffy. It turns out that he
    does have an infection, and has been placed on an antibiotic. He's also
    been put on a diet and a higher quality cat food (CD or Science Diet,
    maybe?) I haven't seen him recently, but Mom says he's doing better.
    Since my husband and I are in the process of buying a house, I decided
    to wait to pursue bringing him to live with us, so that if it works
    out, he won't have to move more than once. 
    
    Rebecca

    To follow up...I was getting ready to put in a note about how
    wonderful Duffy looked and seemed when I saw him last - coat shiny,
    eyes bright, clean and sweet as always, just so much better - when I 
    got a call from my mom telling me that she had had to have him put to
    sleep. She was in shock, because he was doing so well. Apparently she
    got up in the morning and went down to feed him and do some work
    downstairs where he stayed. He seemed great, when all of a sudden his
    back legs went out from under him and he couldn't move them. He crawled
    into his bed and laid there biting on the sides of his bed, in obvious 
    pain. She took him to the vet and the vet found evidence of heart
    disease and said that Duffy had thrown a clot which caused the paralysis.
    The vet also thought it was a good possibility that he may have thrown 
    clots before, not as severe, which may have contributed to some of his 
    erratic behavior. Because of his age and the pain he was in, although they 
    could possibly have prolonged his life with medications, Mom made the 
    decision to go ahead and let him go.  
    
    We miss you, sweet Duffy.
    
    Rebecca    
    

    I'm so sorry about Duffy.  Please give my condolences to your mother,
    too.
    
    Steffi

    Aw...that's sad about Duffy kitty.  Sounds like he was loved a lot and
    had a wonderful life, though.  My condolences to all concerned.
    
    Carl-who-still-misses-Little-Joe-Mao-alot

    Rebecca,
    
    I'm sorry to hear about Duffy.  When I read the line about his
    back legs I knew immediately what you were going to say happened.
    This is almost exactly how Bailey reacted when she threw her clot.
    
    I'm sorry your mom had to go through that.  It's very scarey.
    
    Jan

    I'm very sorry to hear about Duffy. 
    
    Linda

    
    We too are so sorry to hear about Duffy.
    
    Feline Sad
    
    Sue & Furry Crew