Update II: Bud Is Feeling A Little Better!

Signs of Bud’s usual personality are returning!

First, thanks again to everyone for their well wishes and for advice on how to get a cat to take medication. I was finally able to get Bud to take his meds by crushing them and mixing them into a small amount of pate, so he had to take the meds in order to eat. When he ate the first small bit with the crushed medication, I added a little more food.

The little guy still isn’t eating much, especially compared to his usually bottomless appetite, but the fact that he is eating is an encouraging sign. I’m making sure he’s eating wet food and frequently replacing the water in his bowl so it’s fresh and he stays hydrated.

He has also vocalized a bit, which is very encouraging! He’s not offering the usual Buddesian play-by-play of his activities and he’s not yelling at me for snacks/better service/etc but I’ll take what I can get.

Today is very encouraging because he was still lethargic yesterday and he got sick again last night. Thankfully it was only once.

That’s about it. At times like this we all wish our cats could talk. Failing that, I’ll take a raised tail, a meow here and there, awareness and seeking affection/comfort.

Strangely, Buddy is still not really purring. I felt a small vibration at one point yesterday when I was scratching his head and talking to him, but nothing like the buzz of his usual purr. Hopefully that starts to come back too.

When he feels well enough to terrorize me again, I’ll throw a party!

21 thoughts on “Update II: Bud Is Feeling A Little Better!”

    1. That’s an old photo but he did feel well enough to go on the balcony for a few minutes, as the weather is still really nice here. I took some photos of him today but didn’t want to alarm anyone because he oddly he looks more rough now than when I brought him in, but I think that’s probably because he hasn’t been grooming himself, he’s got hair sticking up where they injected that subdermal thing, and he’s got a bandaged and partially shaved leg from the initial anti-nausea injection.

      Good thing he destroyed the one mirror he could get to when he was a kitten, he might be scared by his own reflection.

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  6. FYI. I always add bit of water in cat food can and mix to get that extra gravy out and pour over cat food. Also, if Buddy is still nausous there is over the counter stuff people take. I know rescuers who have used it but you must ask vet first. Forgot name of product. I know some vets who recommend it because they do not want to give too many meds.

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    1. Definitely not Pepto! Sheba usually has a lot of moisture but I’ll try adding more. I tried some sort of salmon food that was at the grocery store a few weeks ago and it looked like tomato soup! Buddy wouldn’t touch it.

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      1. Never use Pepto or Immodium for Bud. The formulations have changed – Immodium used to be safe but isn’t anymore. And that info’s straight from the vet!

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      2. No. Was not Pepto or Immodium. I will ask couple of rescuers and vet and get back to you. As a rule we do not recommend fish flavored cat foods. Maybe try Fancy Feast turkey or beef if Buddy is not interested in other wet foods.

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    1. Indeed. It was very weird the past few days not having him follow me everywhere, not meowing by the door when I came home, all the little stuff you get so used to. I’ll never be annoyed by him meowing insistently outside the bathroom again. (He usually follows me right in but sometimes he doesn’t get there quickly enough and doesn’t let me hear the end of it until I open the door.)

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  8. The fact that he’s eating, drinking, and talking – even a little bit for all three, is a good sign. Once he’s really feeling better he will be ringing the kitchen day and night for at least a week.

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    1. And I will be happy to serve him his meals. He’s a little overweight so I’m gonna take away his dry bowl during the day and just give him a small amount at night. I need to get him down a pound, maybe two.

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  9. Good news!! Sounds like he’s coming around whatever troubles him. Has the vet given any kind of hint what he has?
    Looking forward to more good news!

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    1. Unfortunately no and that’s frustrating. The best I got is that it’s not a UTI, obstruction in his digestive tract or any of the usual ailments. Some of his levels were off in the blood work but a few people told me here in the comments that “off” levels are not unusual for a sick cat, especially if he’s dehydrated.

      The vet said she can’t rule out other stuff without an x-ray and Bud’s a little chubby so it’s harder for her to tell by touch, but she didn’t think there was any organ swelling or things like that when she palpated him.

      So that’s a long way of saying I have no idea. Maybe it’s a virus, maybe he ate something he shouldn’t have, or something else entirely.

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  10. That’s actually good news, I think. Highly elevated or drastically low levels are signs of something serious. Sending best wishes to little and Big Bud!

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