Vocal Voices

by **shazsha** » 18 Jan 2013, 15:05

Candy is my older cat. She's always been a big cat but a couple of years ago she really was fat and started limping,etc. The vet did numerous tests and discovered she had a degenerative disease of the spine and she was put on painkillers for life.
At the same time she was put on a strict diet and eventually got down to target weight.
She then started sleeping a lot more than usual and seemed confused.
More tests followed and the vet discovered she was diabetic so she is now on insulin and has to have her levels checked every two weeks at the vet.
She also started doing strange things like walking into corners and getting stuck. If she's in the kitchen and I open the oven she tries to get in it :shock:

The vet thought she was getting senile.
However I noticed that she was walking into things and seemed to be following sounds and her eyes were never really focussing on anything.
Took her to the vet yesterday and they confirmed she has very limited vision now.
I asked about her quality of life but was assured she seems happy enough in herself.
So last night was spent blocking off areas where she could get stuck and moving furniture around to give her clearer floor space.
I now have an old cat with diabetes, slight senility, blindness and a degenerative spine disease who has become very vocal and demanding of my time and wants constant cuddles.
I'm surprised at how well she has adapted to living with her illnesses/problems while still remaining very placid.

by **Kaz** » 18 Jan 2013, 15:42

Oh the poor old thing..............but I'm sure she has a lovely life with you Shaz

xx

by **meriad** » 18 Jan 2013, 16:51

Animals are just amazing aren't they Shaz. Candy is lucky to have a loving owner like yourself who will do what you can to make her life as happy and comfy as possible. How old is Candy now?

Fusses to her and a well done to you

by **miasmum** » 18 Jan 2013, 18:21

Yes well done Shaz, how lovely that you are putting Candy cat first and making her life as good as you can.

You are a brilliant cat mummy and Candy is lucky xxx

by **shazsha** » 20 Jan 2013, 18:32

She really isn't very old at all. I got her as a kitten in 2000 so she will be 13 later this year. She never really liked being lifted and petted though that has changed now!
She caused me a couple of embarrassments as a younger cat.
One morning we woke up and couldn't find her. We went into the back garden to call her and heard this strange squeaking noise( she never properly miaowed). The noise was coming from above us and when we looked up she was behind a caste grate in the building.
The grate was about 15 feet up and we didnt have a ladder to reach it so I phoned the fire brigade to explain what had happened and to ask if I could come down and borrow a big ladder. They told me they would phone me back within 5 minutes.
So there's me and Grilla out in the back garden with some of the other people who lived in the building when we hear sirens and two fire engines pull up outside. I was mortified as lots of firemen jogged through the building and into the back.
They ended up having to take cutting equipment to the caste iron grating to get it open. One of the firemen tried getting her out but she ran further into the body of the building and refused to move.
They then asked me to call her. At this point I should mention she rarely answered to her name and I usually had to make these strange eeking noises to get her attention.
so there I am, surrounded by burly firemen and the neighbours, standing looking up and going "Eek, eek" :oops:

Another time she got stuck up a 45 ft tree and my sis in law had to climb up and rescue her- at least that time I was spared the ordeal of standing shouting "Eek, eek"