The Shock of Being a Senior Cat!
HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!
I have do doubt that many of my loyal readers will be able to relate to what it feels like to become—suddenly!!—a senior kitty!
My life has been going along just pawsome. Luvluvluv my our new home where we will all live together forever and ever. Nothing has made me so confident, comfortable and playful since I first arrived here to live with Mom L and Dad P. As you know, I have moved with them now three times in only five years. So knowing we are here to stay, why that has made me feel young as those pesky kittens Mom L and Dad P have been rescuing lately!!
But—you knew there was gonna be a “but”—right? Along about late October, I was barely, almost not at all, favoring my left leg just a teensy weensy bit. Then it would go away. So Mom and Dad decided to keep their plans to have a little get away to Lake Tahoe. I had excellent live in pet sitters. Both were Registered Veterinarian Technicians.
Nonetheless, when Mom and Dad arrived home only six days later, I was limping more noticeably and more often. Of course, we were all concerned. I mean you know I luvluvluv playing on my stairs with Mom L and my peacock feather, right? Even if TKS is the one waving the feather.
All that meant I was bound for a visit to my favorite Feline Doc, Doc Ellis. She prescribed some stuff called “gabapentin” which she had already available in liquid form tasting like chicken. Yeah, right!
Well Doc Ellis was right, that liquid does indeed suit me just fine. After about two weeks it started to take some effect, but then I sorta kinda “fell” on my way to walking up the stairs. I guess my left leggy just plain ole gave out from under me. Of course that scared Mom L and Dad P so much I had yet another Doc Ellis visit. This time she took some x-rays and there for all to see was my problem. It wasn’t my left hip, it is my left knee! My left knee, and to some degree even my right one, look like Mom L’s knees before she had them each replaced!!
And so, there you have it. Getting to be a senior cat is not at all for the faint-hearted. So Doc Ellis referred me to a surgeon just to make sure there wasn’t some sort’a “scope” procedure he could do to help my horribly arthritic knee.
I was not a happy camper whatsoever. And the “weigh in”—why that was down right embarrassing!! Now the Doc Surgeon was a pretty cool human. He apparently had a senior kitteh much like me. Not easy to medicate nor liking being held etc.
Nooooo!!! NOT THE SCALE!!!!
Humans seem to be allowed to decline being weighed in, but not so with us kittehs!! No sireee!! I had no choice. And not one person in that room had the good sense to allow me to remove my white soxes so’s I could lower what that scale was going to reveal!
You made me wear my SOXES! They must weigh a whole POUND!
Sadly, my gabapentin was creating a lot of snooziness on my part so I have not been playing, but I sure have been eating. Bummer, that’s all I can say. And yes, I have gained some weight. So there!!
OK!! So I gained a few ounces or so in a couple of weeks!
So after all that, the Doc Surgeon looked over the xrays with Mom L and Dad P and he offered his expert opinion.
I, Savannah the Cat, am officially now a senior cat. I, Savannah the Cat, have severe arthritis in my left knee in particular and coming on strong in my right knee. Sigh………….
The Doc Surgeon suggested we try a supplement called “adequan”. It is delivered via injection. Mom L researched and researched and then she reached out to lots of my anipals on a Face Book group and many offered the same advice. Try adequan injections.
So, that is what we are doing and hoping I can start to become more active and more able to get up our stair without always bunny hopping using mostly my right leggy.
Please tell me we are done now!
Unfortunately this also means I am being cut back a teensy weensy bit in my food intake. MOUSES!!! But then, I so wanna be able to run up and down my beloved stairs chasing my ever elusive peacock feather.
So let me know in comment what you or your fur sibling have had to face as you become senior kittehs.
Savannah's Paw Tracks 