Smudge is too nice!

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Suddenly, Smudge has become a very cuddly kitty. She's always been
friendly, following me from one room to another, curling up in the
general area whenever I settle down, and often lying on top of me if
I'm on my side on the couch, or in bed.

But all of a sudden, in the past 2-3 days, she's been curling up in
my arms as I type on the computer, a bit like Roxy has always done
(and still does). Smudge likes to rest her chin on my arm, and she'll
stay that way for hours - however long I'm on the computer (which
pathetically can be for hours). It's very sweet. And an entirely new
behavior for her.

What's wrong with her??

Seriously, I wonder if it's related to her other symptoms. She has
lost some weight (7 lbs at the vet this past Thursday, down from 10 lbs
last summer and down from 8 in April). The vet gave her another worming
treatment, in case she has a tapeworm. I gave her another Advantage
dose the other day, in case she's getting worms from fleas. And she's
on antibiotics, as you all know. :) (Status: I dissolved today's flagyl
pill into some sardine juice and shot it into her mouth with a syringe.
She wasn't thrilled, but it *did go down*!)

I'm just wondering if she's not feeling well, and that's what's making
her more cuddly. Maybe she's more needy right now?

Actually, Roxy's been much more affectionate lately, too. She meows at
me a lot more, and wants more pets and attention, and does her cuddling
thing more often (when Smudge isn't doing it). Maybe they're both just
glad to have Lambchop out of here.

While I type, Smudge's head is bouncing up and down as the muscles in my
wrist are flexing. She's off in dreamland and doesn't appear to notice.
What a weirdo!

Joyce

[Karen Chuplis]

in article ,
at wrote on 9/1/03 6:17
AM:

> Suddenly, Smudge has become a very cuddly kitty. She's always been
> friendly, following me from one room to another, curling up in the
> general area whenever I settle down, and often lying on top of me if
> I'm on my side on the couch, or in bed.
>
> But all of a sudden, in the past 2-3 days, she's been curling up in
> my arms as I type on the computer, a bit like Roxy has always done
> (and still does). Smudge likes to rest her chin on my arm, and she'll
> stay that way for hours - however long I'm on the computer (which
> pathetically can be for hours). It's very sweet. And an entirely new
> behavior for her.
>
> What's wrong with her??
>
> Seriously, I wonder if it's related to her other symptoms. She has
> lost some weight (7 lbs at the vet this past Thursday, down from 10 lbs
> last summer and down from 8 in April). The vet gave her another worming
> treatment, in case she has a tapeworm. I gave her another Advantage
> dose the other day, in case she's getting worms from fleas. And she's
> on antibiotics, as you all know. :) (Status: I dissolved today's flagyl
> pill into some sardine juice and shot it into her mouth with a syringe.
> She wasn't thrilled, but it *did go down*!)
>
> I'm just wondering if she's not feeling well, and that's what's making
> her more cuddly. Maybe she's more needy right now?
>
> Actually, Roxy's been much more affectionate lately, too. She meows at
> me a lot more, and wants more pets and attention, and does her cuddling
> thing more often (when Smudge isn't doing it). Maybe they're both just
> glad to have Lambchop out of here.
>
> While I type, Smudge's head is bouncing up and down as the muscles in my
> wrist are flexing. She's off in dreamland and doesn't appear to notice.
> What a weirdo!
>
> Joyce
>
has she had a blood panel? Smudge is an indoor kitty and unless she is
catching mice inside, Idon't see how she could get worms. I hope you find
out why she is losing weight.

((hugs))

Karen

[Marina]

> wrote
> Suddenly, Smudge has become a very cuddly kitty. She's always been
> friendly, following me from one room to another, curling up in the
> general area whenever I settle down, and often lying on top of me if
> I'm on my side on the couch, or in bed.

Joyce, I think it's a pretty good guess that she's happy Lammy is gone,
though that doesn't explain her losing weight.

I'm sorry to bring this up each and every time someone encounters strange
symptoms in a cat, but yes, I am going to suggest a thyroid test. Frank's
and Nikki's symptoms were so very different; Frank lost a lot of weight
though he ate a lot, and Nikki became more affectionate at the same time as
she pulled out the fur on her tummy. Every time Nikki gets extra
affectionate (really *really* needy), I know she hasn't been getting enough
meds in her (it's still a struggle twice a day). So I suggest you get Smudge
tested for hyperthyroidism.

--
Marina

[Hopitus2]

Over the years we've had normally "aloof" cats who only cuddle up to us when
they don't feel good.....and as you know, cats are stoic and don't show pain
unless it's really bad.
Can't dismiss possible illness/feeling poorly.


> wrote in message
...
: Suddenly, Smudge has become a very cuddly kitty. She's always been
: friendly, following me from one room to another, curling up in the
: general area whenever I settle down, and often lying on top of me if
: I'm on my side on the couch, or in bed.
:
: But all of a sudden, in the past 2-3 days, she's been curling up in
: my arms as I type on the computer, a bit like Roxy has always done
: (and still does). Smudge likes to rest her chin on my arm, and she'll
: stay that way for hours - however long I'm on the computer (which
: pathetically can be for hours). It's very sweet. And an entirely new
: behavior for her.
:
: What's wrong with her??
:
: Seriously, I wonder if it's related to her other symptoms. She has
: lost some weight (7 lbs at the vet this past Thursday, down from 10 lbs
: last summer and down from 8 in April). The vet gave her another worming
: treatment, in case she has a tapeworm. I gave her another Advantage
: dose the other day, in case she's getting worms from fleas. And she's
: on antibiotics, as you all know. :) (Status: I dissolved today's flagyl
: pill into some sardine juice and shot it into her mouth with a syringe.
: She wasn't thrilled, but it *did go down*!)
:
: I'm just wondering if she's not feeling well, and that's what's making
: her more cuddly. Maybe she's more needy right now?
:
: Actually, Roxy's been much more affectionate lately, too. She meows at
: me a lot more, and wants more pets and attention, and does her cuddling
: thing more often (when Smudge isn't doing it). Maybe they're both just
: glad to have Lambchop out of here.
:
: While I type, Smudge's head is bouncing up and down as the muscles in my
: wrist are flexing. She's off in dreamland and doesn't appear to notice.
: What a weirdo!
:
: Joyce
:

[Cheryl]

> wrote in message
...
> Suddenly, Smudge has become a very cuddly kitty. She's always been
> friendly, following me from one room to another, curling up in the
> general area whenever I settle down, and often lying on top of me if
> I'm on my side on the couch, or in bed.
>
> But all of a sudden, in the past 2-3 days, she's been curling up in
> my arms as I type on the computer, a bit like Roxy has always done
> (and still does).

I agree, she just doesn't feel well and she's cuddly. :) I sure hope
the Flagyl works for her and she gets to feeling better soon!

[[email protected]]

Karen Chuplis > wrote:

> has she had a blood panel? Smudge is an indoor kitty and unless she
> is catching mice inside, Idon't see how she could get worms. I hope
> you find out why she is losing weight.

Yes, she had a full blood panel in April, when I first noticed the
weight loss. Absolutely nothing abnormal showed up. So when I took her
in last week, the vet didn't think it was necessary for her to have
another one.

She's not an indoor-only cat. She regularly goes out on a leash
(unsupervised - but she stays in the bushes in front of my apartment
building). So she could easily get fleas, and probably worms. I don't
know if she catches any mice, but she has caught a couple of birds.

Joyce

[[email protected]]

Marina > wrote:

> I'm sorry to bring this up each and every time someone encounters strange
> symptoms in a cat, but yes, I am going to suggest a thyroid test. Frank's
> and Nikki's symptoms were so very different; Frank lost a lot of weight
> though he ate a lot, and Nikki became more affectionate at the same time as
> she pulled out the fur on her tummy. Every time Nikki gets extra
> affectionate (really *really* needy), I know she hasn't been getting enough
> meds in her (it's still a struggle twice a day). So I suggest you get
> Smudge tested for hyperthyroidism.

Thanks for that idea! You might have brought the subject up before, but
not when *my* cat was having problems, so I haven't had to think of it
before. I'll ask whether thyroid was one of the things tested when she
had her blood panel done back in April.

Thanks,
Joyce

[Brenda Watkins]

> wrote in message
...
> Suddenly, Smudge has become a very cuddly kitty. She's always been
> friendly, following me from one room to another, curling up in the
> general area whenever I settle down, and often lying on top of me if
> I'm on my side on the couch, or in bed.
>
> But all of a sudden, in the past 2-3 days, she's been curling up in
> my arms as I type on the computer, a bit like Roxy has always done
> (and still does). Smudge likes to rest her chin on my arm, and she'll
> stay that way for hours - however long I'm on the computer (which
> pathetically can be for hours). It's very sweet. And an entirely new
> behavior for her.
>
> What's wrong with her??
>
> Seriously, I wonder if it's related to her other symptoms. She has
> lost some weight (7 lbs at the vet this past Thursday, down from 10 lbs
> last summer and down from 8 in April). The vet gave her another worming
> treatment, in case she has a tapeworm. I gave her another Advantage
> dose the other day, in case she's getting worms from fleas. And she's
> on antibiotics, as you all know. :) (Status: I dissolved today's flagyl
> pill into some sardine juice and shot it into her mouth with a syringe.
> She wasn't thrilled, but it *did go down*!)
>
> I'm just wondering if she's not feeling well, and that's what's making
> her more cuddly. Maybe she's more needy right now?
>
> Actually, Roxy's been much more affectionate lately, too. She meows at
> me a lot more, and wants more pets and attention, and does her cuddling
> thing more often (when Smudge isn't doing it). Maybe they're both just
> glad to have Lambchop out of here.
>
> While I type, Smudge's head is bouncing up and down as the muscles in my
> wrist are flexing. She's off in dreamland and doesn't appear to notice.
> What a weirdo!
>
> Joyce
>
sometimes one of my guys will have what I call a "mommy day," during which
said kitty sticks very close to me, and cries if I go outside. Don't know
what triggers this.
Brenda

[Marina]

> wrote
>
> Thanks for that idea! You might have brought the subject up before, but
> not when *my* cat was having problems, so I haven't had to think of it
> before. I'll ask whether thyroid was one of the things tested when she
> had her blood panel done back in April.

I don't think it would be routinely tested as part of a blood panel,
because, at least here in Finland, the test is pretty expensive (but the
pills are cheap!).

--
Marina

[LOL]

wrote in message >...
> Suddenly, Smudge has become a very cuddly kitty. She's always been
> friendly, following me from one room to another, curling up in the
> general area whenever I settle down, and often lying on top of me if
> I'm on my side on the couch, or in bed.
>
> But all of a sudden, in the past 2-3 days, she's been curling up in
> my arms as I type on the computer, a bit like Roxy has always done
> (and still does). Smudge likes to rest her chin on my arm, and she'll
> stay that way for hours - however long I'm on the computer (which
> pathetically can be for hours). It's very sweet. And an entirely new
> behavior for her.
>
> What's wrong with her??
>
(snipped)
>
> Joyce


I know Mike gets positively clingy when he doesn't feel well - that's
usually the first indication to me that he's sick. A lot of
antibiotics make you (or me, anyway) feel worse than whatever they're
curing did - maybe she's just feeling yucky from her medicine?

Anyhow, we are sending purrs, hoping that Smudge is back to her old
self soon.

------
Krista

[[email protected]]

Marina > wrote:

> I don't think it would be routinely tested as part of a blood panel,
> because, at least here in Finland, the test is pretty expensive (but the
> pills are cheap!).

Yeah, well the full panel they did on Smudge in April wasn't exactly
cheap!

Is the medication for *hyperthyroidism* cheap? I'm hypo myself, so it's
a simple matter of taking some more thyroid. I'm not sure what they do
when you make too much of the stuff (much what they do when "you" are a
cat :)).

Joyce

[[email protected]]

LOL > wrote:

> A lot of antibiotics make you (or me, anyway) feel worse than
> whatever they're curing did - maybe she's just feeling yucky from
> her medicine?

Could be. I know she's not being cuddly because I shot sugar water
laced with flagyl down her throat! :) (I'm amazed we're still on
speaking terms, as it were.)

Joyce

[Marina]

> wrote
>
> Yeah, well the full panel they did on Smudge in April wasn't exactly
> cheap!
>
> Is the medication for *hyperthyroidism* cheap? I'm hypo myself, so it's
> a simple matter of taking some more thyroid. I'm not sure what they do
> when you make too much of the stuff (much what they do when "you" are a
> cat :)).

At least here, the medication is cheap (I'm also hypo - err - I don't even
have a thyroid any more. It was removed due to cancer). I'm not sure either
what the hyperthyroidism meds do, I assume they block the excess hormone in
some way. I don't think it can stop the gland from producing the hormone.
Must find out.

Oh, yes, the pills are small and apparently bland in taste. Lately I've
crushed them and mixed them with sour cream, and both cats seem to enjoy
their "treat" morning and evening.

--
Marina