Touchstone clowder update

Well, the Touchstone kittys are still alive and mostly well - more on
that later. Now a days I'm a lurker who only signs on once a month or
so instead of nightly like I used to - so there's no way for me to
keep current.

Spotty and Sammy are doing fine. Spot has been completely accepted
into the family. Sammy had that one episode that some of you may
remember when she was diagnosed with a heart problem. Since that one
time, she's never had another problem. On the downside, she no longer
likes to go for rides in the truck - I guess too many times the rides
ended at TED. She used to be happy to see me get out her carrier and
leash, now she runs and hides whenever the carrier comes out.

Little Bit is the reason for the "mostly well" qualifier above. She's
had me concerned for the past week. Last week she was fine, but since
last Tuesday night she can't support herself with her back legs. She
was fine when I got home at 1:30am, but about 3:30 I saw her dragging
herself across the living room. So Wednesday we were at TED's office
first thing in the morning. She still has feeling in her legs, just
very weak. After an exam and xrays she has the new TED is puzzled.
Since then I've been giving her steroids twice a day. I don't know if
the meds are helping or not, but she does seem a little better in that
she can now at least sit up straight and take a couple steps before
she collapses and starts dragging herself. She has a followup
appointment for the 19th and we'll see where we go from there. For now
she doesn't seem to be in any pain. Her biggest complaint, if she
could voice it, would to be that TED wants her confined to a small
room so she doesn't develop sores on her legs when she drags herself
around. OTOH, the fact that she has me carrying her from spot to spot
trying to find out where she wants to be probably has her happy. She's
also no doubt happy that she has her own litterbox that the others
can't contaminate- after all she has always been of the opinion that
the box should be scouped after each use.

I promise to break out of lurking enough to post an update after her
appointment next week. Last TED promised to do more research to find
something that fit the symptoms, so hopefully I'll know more then.

Steve,
(who for a change is not being supervised, as all the cats are napping
in the other room)

Steve Touchstone wrote:
Well, the Touchstone kittys are still alive and mostly well - more on
that later. Now a days I'm a lurker who only signs on once a month or
so instead of nightly like I used to - so there's no way for me to
keep current.

So glad to hear from you, Steve! Wish you could participate more. I'm
sorry to hear about Little Bit's påroblem, though. The cats are purring
that TED finds out what it is and it can be healed easily and
completely. Please keep us updated.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Please be certain to have her blood glucose tested. This *can* be a
side effect of diabetes in cats. I guess if you have seen no other
symptoms or weight loss it is probably not, but its an idea. If it does
happen to be neurological, many diabetic cats have found that
METHYLCOBALAMIN, a form of vitamin B12 is very helpful. It may be
helpful even if it is not from diabetic neuropathy. It has to be THAT
though, not just B12.

I hope that you find out what is going on!!! Big purrs for Little Bit.

On Sep 16, 10:43 pm, Steve Touchstone wrote:
Well, the Touchstone kittys are still alive and mostly well - more on
that later. Now a days I'm a lurker who only signs on once a month or
so instead of nightly like I used to - so there's no way for me to
keep current.


WB Steve. We've missed you. In fact, you and Howard Berkowitz (I
know I spelled that wrong. Sry Howard.) have been the topics of
several missing person posts.

I'm sorry to read about Lil Bit having problems, though pleased that
Sammy and Spot are doing well. It's a shame that Sammy isn't into
truck rides. She was so cute when we saw her riding with you back so
many years ago.

Please come in and visit more often, if you can. We love our group
members.

Pam S.

Purrs for Little Bit's problem to be minor and to disappear.

--
Joy

Quit worrying about your health. It'll go away.

"Steve Touchstone" wrote in message
ups.com...
Well, the Touchstone kittys are still alive and mostly well - more on
that later. Now a days I'm a lurker who only signs on once a month or
so instead of nightly like I used to - so there's no way for me to
keep current.

Spotty and Sammy are doing fine. Spot has been completely accepted
into the family. Sammy had that one episode that some of you may
remember when she was diagnosed with a heart problem. Since that one
time, she's never had another problem. On the downside, she no longer
likes to go for rides in the truck - I guess too many times the rides
ended at TED. She used to be happy to see me get out her carrier and
leash, now she runs and hides whenever the carrier comes out.

Little Bit is the reason for the "mostly well" qualifier above. She's
had me concerned for the past week. Last week she was fine, but since
last Tuesday night she can't support herself with her back legs. She
was fine when I got home at 1:30am, but about 3:30 I saw her dragging
herself across the living room. So Wednesday we were at TED's office
first thing in the morning. She still has feeling in her legs, just
very weak. After an exam and xrays she has the new TED is puzzled.
Since then I've been giving her steroids twice a day. I don't know if
the meds are helping or not, but she does seem a little better in that
she can now at least sit up straight and take a couple steps before
she collapses and starts dragging herself. She has a followup
appointment for the 19th and we'll see where we go from there. For now
she doesn't seem to be in any pain. Her biggest complaint, if she
could voice it, would to be that TED wants her confined to a small
room so she doesn't develop sores on her legs when she drags herself
around. OTOH, the fact that she has me carrying her from spot to spot
trying to find out where she wants to be probably has her happy. She's
also no doubt happy that she has her own litterbox that the others
can't contaminate- after all she has always been of the opinion that
the box should be scouped after each use.

I promise to break out of lurking enough to post an update after her
appointment next week. Last TED promised to do more research to find
something that fit the symptoms, so hopefully I'll know more then.

Steve,
(who for a change is not being supervised, as all the cats are napping
in the other room)

Karen wrote:
Please be certain to have her blood glucose tested. This *can* be a
side effect of diabetes in cats. I guess if you have seen no other
symptoms or weight loss it is probably not, but its an idea. If it does
happen to be neurological, many diabetic cats have found that
METHYLCOBALAMIN, a form of vitamin B12 is very helpful. It may be
helpful even if it is not from diabetic neuropathy. It has to be THAT
though, not just B12.

I hope that you find out what is going on!!! Big purrs for Little Bit.

This is definitely something I'll bring up when I take her in for her
appointment. After yoyu0.302 (Sammy is helping me type so if something
appears to be in code check with your furry master/mistress for
translations) Anyway, as I was trying to say, after your post I
goggled feline diabetes, which led to Diabetic neuropathy, and I read
a few articles. A lot of what they describe sounds a lot like Little
Bit - although her symptoms seem to be unusual because of the sudden
onset. OTOH, Little Bit has always seemed to drink more than the
others. Now that she has had a separate litter box I'm noticing that
seems she urinates more than the other two combined. I going to have
to drop by TED's tomorrow to pick up some more of the
methylprednisolone to have enough to last until her appointment so
will try to get a chance to ask Dr Black about the possibility while
I'm there.

Steve

On Sep 16, 9:43?pm, Steve Touchstone wrote:
Well, the Touchstone kittys are still alive and mostly well - more on
that later. Now a days I'm a lurker who only signs on once a month or
so instead of nightly like I used to - so there's no way for me to
keep current.

Spotty and Sammy are doing fine. Spot has been completely accepted
into the family. Sammy had that one episode that some of you may
remember when she was diagnosed with a heart problem. Since that one
time, she's never had another problem. On the downside, she no longer
likes to go for rides in the truck - I guess too many times the rides
ended at TED. She used to be happy to see me get out her carrier and
leash, now she runs and hides whenever the carrier comes out.

Little Bit is the reason for the "mostly well" qualifier above. She's
had me concerned for the past week. Last week she was fine, but since
last Tuesday night she can't support herself with her back legs. She
was fine when I got home at 1:30am, but about 3:30 I saw her dragging
herself across the living room. So Wednesday we were at TED's office
first thing in the morning. She still has feeling in her legs, just
very weak. After an exam and xrays she has the new TED is puzzled.
Since then I've been giving her steroids twice a day. I don't know if
the meds are helping or not, but she does seem a little better in that
she can now at least sit up straight and take a couple steps before
she collapses and starts dragging herself. She has a followup
appointment for the 19th and we'll see where we go from there. For now
she doesn't seem to be in any pain. Her biggest complaint, if she
could voice it, would to be that TED wants her confined to a small
room so she doesn't develop sores on her legs when she drags herself
around. OTOH, the fact that she has me carrying her from spot to spot
trying to find out where she wants to be probably has her happy. She's
also no doubt happy that she has her own litterbox that the others
can't contaminate- after all she has always been of the opinion that
the box should be scouped after each use.

I promise to break out of lurking enough to post an update after her
appointment next week. Last TED promised to do more research to find
something that fit the symptoms, so hopefully I'll know more then.

Steve,
(who for a change is not being supervised, as all the cats are napping
in the other room)


Thanks for posting Steve you are missed. Purrs for Little Bit, I hope
tne vet can help her.

Suz&Spicey

"Steve Touchstone" wrote in message
ups.com...
Well, the Touchstone kittys are still alive and mostly well - more on
that later. Now a days I'm a lurker who only signs on once a month or
so instead of nightly like I used to - so there's no way for me to
keep current.

Spotty and Sammy are doing fine. Spot has been completely accepted
into the family. Sammy had that one episode that some of you may
remember when she was diagnosed with a heart problem. Since that one
time, she's never had another problem. On the downside, she no longer
likes to go for rides in the truck - I guess too many times the rides
ended at TED. She used to be happy to see me get out her carrier and
leash, now she runs and hides whenever the carrier comes out.

Little Bit is the reason for the "mostly well" qualifier above. She's
had me concerned for the past week. Last week she was fine, but since
last Tuesday night she can't support herself with her back legs. She
was fine when I got home at 1:30am, but about 3:30 I saw her dragging
herself across the living room. So Wednesday we were at TED's office
first thing in the morning. She still has feeling in her legs, just
very weak. After an exam and xrays she has the new TED is puzzled.
Since then I've been giving her steroids twice a day. I don't know if
the meds are helping or not, but she does seem a little better in that
she can now at least sit up straight and take a couple steps before
she collapses and starts dragging herself. She has a followup
appointment for the 19th and we'll see where we go from there. For now
she doesn't seem to be in any pain. Her biggest complaint, if she
could voice it, would to be that TED wants her confined to a small
room so she doesn't develop sores on her legs when she drags herself
around. OTOH, the fact that she has me carrying her from spot to spot
trying to find out where she wants to be probably has her happy. She's
also no doubt happy that she has her own litterbox that the others
can't contaminate- after all she has always been of the opinion that
the box should be scouped after each use.

I promise to break out of lurking enough to post an update after her
appointment next week. Last TED promised to do more research to find
something that fit the symptoms, so hopefully I'll know more then.

Steve,
(who for a change is not being supervised, as all the cats are napping
in the other room)


Glad to hear from you-- purrs for poor Little Bit's problem.

On 2007-09-17 04:32:30 -0500, Steve Touchstone said:


Karen wrote:
Please be certain to have her blood glucose tested. This *can* be a
side effect of diabetes in cats. I guess if you have seen no other
symptoms or weight loss it is probably not, but its an idea. If it does
happen to be neurological, many diabetic cats have found that
METHYLCOBALAMIN, a form of vitamin B12 is very helpful. It may be
helpful even if it is not from diabetic neuropathy. It has to be THAT
though, not just B12.

I hope that you find out what is going on!!! Big purrs for Little Bit.

This is definitely something I'll bring up when I take her in for her
appointment. After yoyu0.302 (Sammy is helping me type so if something
appears to be in code check with your furry master/mistress for
translations) Anyway, as I was trying to say, after your post I
goggled feline diabetes, which led to Diabetic neuropathy, and I read
a few articles. A lot of what they describe sounds a lot like Little
Bit - although her symptoms seem to be unusual because of the sudden
onset. OTOH, Little Bit has always seemed to drink more than the
others. Now that she has had a separate litter box I'm noticing that
seems she urinates more than the other two combined. I going to have
to drop by TED's tomorrow to pick up some more of the
methylprednisolone to have enough to last until her appointment so
will try to get a chance to ask Dr Black about the possibility while
I'm there.

Steve

You could just pick up some glucose strips at the pharmacy and check
her urine. It would be a way to see if she is spilling sugar. The
prednisone could push her numbers higher if she IS diabetic. This is
what tipped Pearl into it (though I believe she may have been a bit
pre-disposed.). It's very treatable if it is this Steve. But if it IS
the sooner she gets on insulin the better.

"Steve Touchstone" wrote in message
ups.com...
Well, the Touchstone kittys are still alive and mostly well - more on
that later. Now a days I'm a lurker who only signs on once a month or
so instead of nightly like I used to - so there's no way for me to
keep current.

It's great to hear from you again, Steve. We began to think you were gone
from us for ever.

Tweed