Hello- I am in need of some advice regarding my 2 year cat who I found outside behind a bush in front of the house last Friday. She was paralyzed in the hing legs and tail. She meowed to let me know that she was there and purred when I picked her up. She didn't seem in pain at all.
The vet took 2 x-rays of her spine, which showed nothing out of the ordinary. It was suggested that I euthenize her. It's been a week and she is still here, but it's been a stressful time for me trying to take care of her. She has been on cortizone for a week now. She does have deep pain in the right rear foot and recently in the tail, but still no motor movement at all.
Another vet showed my how to express the bladder, all though I'm not very good at it. If I hold her over the litter box, she will poop on her own. She has leaked a lot of times mostly because of my failure to do it properly I'm sure. I put a dog diaper garment on her while I'm at work just so if she does urinate it won't be all over her. I give her 2 baths a day and she isn't happy about that.
She tries to drag herself around, but it's hard for me to let her because of the urine situation- I have mostly rugs in my house.
The vet thinks that if she was to regain any feeling or movement, that it would have happened by now. I just want to give her more time. I don't know for sure that she got hit by a car. The only other recognizable injury was a broken tooth and a scraped back leg (which could have resulted from her dragging herself home). She seems happy and purrs when I hold her.
I need to know if anyone has been in this situation and has a cat who got her mobility back. Where do I go from here for the urinating issue. I saw the litter box article for dogs. I also saw "littledraggin bear" with back wheels.
I want to keep my cat, but I need an easier way to take care of her. I'd appreciate any advice as soon as possible. Thanks- Pam
Cats: Recently paralyzed cat
Re: Cats: Recently paralyzed cat *LINK*
"The vet thinks that if she was to regain any feeling or movement, that it would have happened by now." Wrong, wrong, wrong!! CarolC's formerly paralyzed pupper has been improving for almost 2 years!
" I don't know for sure that she got hit by a car." Check her claws; if they're all scuffed up and worn down, possibly broken or bloody, she was HBC (a little trick I learned from E-Vets, and it works). Kitties try to dig in when they're hit, so their claws get mangled.
See this thread for TONS of info; in it you'll find the link to the expressing page, which you may find helpful. http://www.handicappedpets.com/cgi-bin/ ... read=25056
Jean will probably be around more this weekend; she's been expressing her paralyzed kitty, Jaime, for over 7 years.
http://www.handicappedpets.com/cgi-bin/ ... read=25056
" I don't know for sure that she got hit by a car." Check her claws; if they're all scuffed up and worn down, possibly broken or bloody, she was HBC (a little trick I learned from E-Vets, and it works). Kitties try to dig in when they're hit, so their claws get mangled.
See this thread for TONS of info; in it you'll find the link to the expressing page, which you may find helpful. http://www.handicappedpets.com/cgi-bin/ ... read=25056
Jean will probably be around more this weekend; she's been expressing her paralyzed kitty, Jaime, for over 7 years.
http://www.handicappedpets.com/cgi-bin/ ... read=25056
PS
Your baby should be crated as much as possible to minimize movement so healing can take place and swelling can subside. It will also help prevent sores and skin breakdown from dragging around; sores that can be extremely tough to heal. Kitties are tough, and I wouldn't write this baby off yet.
Re: Recently injured cat
Dear Pam, I am so sorry to hear about what happened to your cat. I know it must be very difficult especially since you knew her as a normal cat. I am sure that there is alot of grieving going on and that is normal.
I hope you have had time to read some of the posts in the link that were provided by Critters. There is alot of information there and I am sure that it is rather overwhelming especially since your cat's injury is so new.
I have a cat named Jaime that I found on the highways over 7 years ago. She was only about 6 weeks old at the time. She was dragging herself by her front paws and I stopped to pick her up. The vets at the time recommended that she be euthanized because of her paralysis but I refused because I felt that she had a very strong desire to live. Plus, I wanted to give her time to improve. Euthanasia is so permanent and I saw no reason to rush into it since she was in no pain.
The first weeks were very, very stressful. I was working full time and learning to express her and it was so difficult. She has a very tight spincter and never leaks urine unless she has a bladder infection. I spent weeks learning to express her. I would go to the vet and the tech and vet would spend sometimes up to an hour teaching me. I thought I would never even learn to locate her bladder much less express her. But, I had a very supportive vet who gave me suggestions and I eventually found a way that worked for me.(As you can see from various posts everyone develops a technique that works for them.) I lay Jaime on towels on her side and find her rib cage. Then, I press into her sides with my fingers while moving downwards towards her tail. The bladder if not overly inflated is about the size of a lemon. I cup my fingers around her bladder and slowly bring my fingers together in a downward motion towards her tail. If you have found the right spot her tail will rise. Continue to express her until she produces no more urine. To me her bladder feels like a wad of bubble gum when it is empty.
In my opinion the most difficult thing to learn when caring for a paralyzed cat is learning to empty the bladder completely. However, It is also the most important thing to learn. Believe it or not expressing can eventually become quite easy.
Your cat has alot of things going for her that Jaime never did. First, she has a deep pain response. Second, she has some control because she will poop when held over the cat box. Third, her injury is very new and she is already showing improvement. Fourth, she has a good attitude and she enjoys your attention and seems happy.
As mentioned by Critters, you need to crate your cat to give her time to heal. She cannot heal if she is dragging herself around. Carry her crate around with you as you work around the house. Try to have a happy attitude. Cats are so aware and perceptive. Find a supportive vet that will be willing to teach you how to express her. There is so much information on this bb that will give you further information. Many of us have developed techniques and skills and we are more than willing to assist you. Don't be afraid to ask for assistance and ideas.
Lastly, you said in your post that YOU want to give her more time to heal. Don't let a vet pressure you into euthanizing her. Most vets will work with a dedicated owner if not then find one who will. My Jaime never improved but I wouldn't trade her for anything. It is a different life with a disabled cat but it can be a very happy life.
I hope you have had time to read some of the posts in the link that were provided by Critters. There is alot of information there and I am sure that it is rather overwhelming especially since your cat's injury is so new.
I have a cat named Jaime that I found on the highways over 7 years ago. She was only about 6 weeks old at the time. She was dragging herself by her front paws and I stopped to pick her up. The vets at the time recommended that she be euthanized because of her paralysis but I refused because I felt that she had a very strong desire to live. Plus, I wanted to give her time to improve. Euthanasia is so permanent and I saw no reason to rush into it since she was in no pain.
The first weeks were very, very stressful. I was working full time and learning to express her and it was so difficult. She has a very tight spincter and never leaks urine unless she has a bladder infection. I spent weeks learning to express her. I would go to the vet and the tech and vet would spend sometimes up to an hour teaching me. I thought I would never even learn to locate her bladder much less express her. But, I had a very supportive vet who gave me suggestions and I eventually found a way that worked for me.(As you can see from various posts everyone develops a technique that works for them.) I lay Jaime on towels on her side and find her rib cage. Then, I press into her sides with my fingers while moving downwards towards her tail. The bladder if not overly inflated is about the size of a lemon. I cup my fingers around her bladder and slowly bring my fingers together in a downward motion towards her tail. If you have found the right spot her tail will rise. Continue to express her until she produces no more urine. To me her bladder feels like a wad of bubble gum when it is empty.
In my opinion the most difficult thing to learn when caring for a paralyzed cat is learning to empty the bladder completely. However, It is also the most important thing to learn. Believe it or not expressing can eventually become quite easy.
Your cat has alot of things going for her that Jaime never did. First, she has a deep pain response. Second, she has some control because she will poop when held over the cat box. Third, her injury is very new and she is already showing improvement. Fourth, she has a good attitude and she enjoys your attention and seems happy.
As mentioned by Critters, you need to crate your cat to give her time to heal. She cannot heal if she is dragging herself around. Carry her crate around with you as you work around the house. Try to have a happy attitude. Cats are so aware and perceptive. Find a supportive vet that will be willing to teach you how to express her. There is so much information on this bb that will give you further information. Many of us have developed techniques and skills and we are more than willing to assist you. Don't be afraid to ask for assistance and ideas.
Lastly, you said in your post that YOU want to give her more time to heal. Don't let a vet pressure you into euthanizing her. Most vets will work with a dedicated owner if not then find one who will. My Jaime never improved but I wouldn't trade her for anything. It is a different life with a disabled cat but it can be a very happy life.
Re: Recently injured cat
Bendy and Angela both had cats who were paralyzed and recovered. My dog was paralyzed and learned to walk again. It can take a long time, but I always say a slow recovery is still a recovery. 
I agree with Jean, you have reason to be encouraged, your cat's signs are good. Crate rest is so important, it will give her the chance to recover, it may take several weeks of crate rest but be patient, no dragging around, just rest, and give her a chance to improve. Please keep updating how she is doing.
I agree with Jean, you have reason to be encouraged, your cat's signs are good. Crate rest is so important, it will give her the chance to recover, it may take several weeks of crate rest but be patient, no dragging around, just rest, and give her a chance to improve. Please keep updating how she is doing.-
Sophie
Re: Recently injured cat
Hi Pam. My darling cat had an FCE (fibrocartligious emboli) on the 28th of November 2005. She was paralyzed completely in her back legs, and her front wasn't working very well either. Thankfully she was able to urinate and defecate by herself from the start, but she could not walk at all.
To make a long story short, it took tears and heartache and pain and patience, but two months and one day on she is now walking on all four legs, going up stairs, jumping up and down on beds and couches etc. She still walks a bit wonky and gets tired if she does too much, but she is recovering very well.
Do not let your vet push you around. If your kitty is purring and happy and you are happy to look after her, then everything is okay. I don't know if she had an FCE or what, but I think with any paralyzed animal the best thing you can give them is love. We constantly cuddled and petted out cat, and did everything we could to help her (and we still are now). One thing we did (that the vet specialist recommended) was to teach her how to stand again. We would hold up (carefully) her back legs and just let her stand on them for awhile. As she got stronger, we would hold her up, and then let go of them (carefully and gently) so she was standing by herself, and then hold them back up again if she couldn't hold them up again. It was total baby steps. When she managed to hold herself up for a few seconds, we started doing walking motions too. She would sort of get the urge to walk, and we would support her back legs. We also spent alot of time massaging her back legs and back, rubbing them, tickling them etc.
I know everything will seem awful and extremely stressful right now, but you will get through this, and everything will be okay. At the time, it seemed like things were just at rock bottom and that we were barely making progress. Now though is doing really well. We still have to take extra special care of her and help her with things (getting up on some high things etc), but she is doing better every day.
I know dealing with everything as well as expressing her is hard, but hang on in there. If you have any questions or anything, feel free to ask and I'mm reply. I am thinking of you and your cat and praying for both of you.
To make a long story short, it took tears and heartache and pain and patience, but two months and one day on she is now walking on all four legs, going up stairs, jumping up and down on beds and couches etc. She still walks a bit wonky and gets tired if she does too much, but she is recovering very well.
Do not let your vet push you around. If your kitty is purring and happy and you are happy to look after her, then everything is okay. I don't know if she had an FCE or what, but I think with any paralyzed animal the best thing you can give them is love. We constantly cuddled and petted out cat, and did everything we could to help her (and we still are now). One thing we did (that the vet specialist recommended) was to teach her how to stand again. We would hold up (carefully) her back legs and just let her stand on them for awhile. As she got stronger, we would hold her up, and then let go of them (carefully and gently) so she was standing by herself, and then hold them back up again if she couldn't hold them up again. It was total baby steps. When she managed to hold herself up for a few seconds, we started doing walking motions too. She would sort of get the urge to walk, and we would support her back legs. We also spent alot of time massaging her back legs and back, rubbing them, tickling them etc.
I know everything will seem awful and extremely stressful right now, but you will get through this, and everything will be okay. At the time, it seemed like things were just at rock bottom and that we were barely making progress. Now though is doing really well. We still have to take extra special care of her and help her with things (getting up on some high things etc), but she is doing better every day.
I know dealing with everything as well as expressing her is hard, but hang on in there. If you have any questions or anything, feel free to ask and I'mm reply. I am thinking of you and your cat and praying for both of you.
Re: Recently injured cat
That is an excellent example of recovery from paralysis and how to do physical therapy and not giving up! There is one difference between the treatment of paralysis from FCE and the treatment of paralysis from spinal trauma (like being hit by a car).
With FCE you start physical therapy right away. That is because all the damage that was going to be done has already been done in the first 24-48 hours.
However, with trauma you have to wait to do physical therapy. You have to let the swelling go down and the injury heal before you can start working on standing or bearing weight. After the rest period, which is usually several weeks, then you begin exercises.
It would not be surprising if you begin to see some return of function simply from the rest. In that case the key is not to be tempted to end the rest period too early.
With FCE you start physical therapy right away. That is because all the damage that was going to be done has already been done in the first 24-48 hours.
However, with trauma you have to wait to do physical therapy. You have to let the swelling go down and the injury heal before you can start working on standing or bearing weight. After the rest period, which is usually several weeks, then you begin exercises.
It would not be surprising if you begin to see some return of function simply from the rest. In that case the key is not to be tempted to end the rest period too early.
-
Pam Creighton
Re: Recently injured cat
Thanks everyone for your encouraging advice and stories. "Whiskers" is still here and I am dealing with things a little better, although the expressing thing is very challenging. I have been letting her drag herself a little bit only because I thought she needed to keep her strength in her front areas going. I did buy a crate that she sleeps in at night and put her in the upstairs bathroom during the daytime when I am not home.
She actually went down stairs the other day and dragged herself to the basement to her old litterbox and pooped. I'm glad you told me about crating her and letting her heal. I won't let her "travel" any more stairs now. I was encouraged though by her determination to get to the litter box in the basement.
I have 2 other cats who "hiss" at her now. They watch her from a distance. She used to chase them around and bother them before. I feel bad that they hiss at her instead of taking care of her.
I will try laying her on her side to express her bladder. Last night I was able to get a stream out of her. Whether or not I emptied her completely, who knows. I haven't had much luck today. I had to give her two baths because she urinated on herself and her pad. I have the litter box in the bathroom with her, but she didn't use it. I did change to crystals, since I thought they wouldn't stick to her like her other litter if she laid down in it like the other day.
If I can get a handle on the urination thing, I will be o.k. with taking care of her. I am encouraged to hear of the cat that got her mobility back. I did buy the purina dog litter box with the lower lip, but couldn't find the mat that went with it. Does that make a big difference??? I'm not sure if she has control over her bladder or not. Is she just urinating on herself because I don't express her good enough or is she going because she doesn't know she going? I am checking into a new vet tomorrow. Thanks again everyone!
She actually went down stairs the other day and dragged herself to the basement to her old litterbox and pooped. I'm glad you told me about crating her and letting her heal. I won't let her "travel" any more stairs now. I was encouraged though by her determination to get to the litter box in the basement.
I have 2 other cats who "hiss" at her now. They watch her from a distance. She used to chase them around and bother them before. I feel bad that they hiss at her instead of taking care of her.
I will try laying her on her side to express her bladder. Last night I was able to get a stream out of her. Whether or not I emptied her completely, who knows. I haven't had much luck today. I had to give her two baths because she urinated on herself and her pad. I have the litter box in the bathroom with her, but she didn't use it. I did change to crystals, since I thought they wouldn't stick to her like her other litter if she laid down in it like the other day.
If I can get a handle on the urination thing, I will be o.k. with taking care of her. I am encouraged to hear of the cat that got her mobility back. I did buy the purina dog litter box with the lower lip, but couldn't find the mat that went with it. Does that make a big difference??? I'm not sure if she has control over her bladder or not. Is she just urinating on herself because I don't express her good enough or is she going because she doesn't know she going? I am checking into a new vet tomorrow. Thanks again everyone!
Re: Recently injured cat
Hi Pam,
> the expressing thing is very challenging.
I think most people will agree with you on that. Keep an eye out for signs of bladder infection. I was doing my best to express my dog and she got an infection about a week after I brought her home. The vet put her on antibiotics, and it was a big relief to me because it gave me another two weeks to improve my technique. So don't think it's just you!
> I have been letting her drag herself a little bit only because I thought she needed to keep her strength in her front areas going.
Loss of strength in the front isn't going to be an issue, no need to worry about that. She'll get all the exercise in her front legs she needs just shifting positions and sitting up to drink, etc. while in her crate. Most people get worried about loss of muscle in the back legs. That seems logical but it turns out that isn't such a problem either, it comes back. I can tell you from experience, my dog was very badly injured. She had a spinal fracture in which the two parts of the spine separated and one part tried to leapfrog over the other, pinching the spinal cord in between. She had surgery to put the spine back together and she couldn't stand up for 9 months. You can imagine how skinny her back legs got. But she is musclebound now, I can tell you. (Obviously your cat is not going to take that long to recover, her injury is very different--it is only an example.) Once her nerves healed enough for her to begin to stand, the muscle came back. Right now, it is much more important for your cat to rest her back than to worry about the strength in her front legs.
> I did buy a crate that she sleeps in at night and put her in the upstairs bathroom during the daytime when I am not home.
That's a step in the right direction. The crate at night is excellent. The bathroom is better than being loose in the house, as long as there is no possible way she can try to pull herself up somewhere with her claws. But it would be even better if you'd really crate her. The best thing is really-really-really true crate rest 24/7. I know how it can make you feel Guilty with a capital "G" to force a pet to stay in a crate all day every day for a month. None of us likes to *cage* our pets, they are family members. But this is one of those situations where you are the human and you know what will happen if she doesn't rest, and she doesn't know. That leaves you responsible to be sure she really rests. So you just have to put tough love in your soft heart and crate her all day, every day, until she's had the proper chance to heal. The stricter you crate her, the sooner you can expect to see improvement. It's worth it!
> I will try laying her on her side to express her bladder. Last night I was able to get a stream out of her. Whether or not I emptied her completely, who knows. I haven't had much luck today.
Keep trying, as you know it's important. Three times a day to prevent infection. You're doing good if you got a good stream last time.
> I did change to crystals, since I thought they wouldn't stick to her like her other litter if she laid down in it like the other day.
I think a couple of other people have done the same thing.
I did buy the purina dog litter box with the lower lip, but couldn't find the mat that went with it. Does that make a big difference???
The mat is just to give a soft cushion for the cat to pull herself up on, instead of going up over the lip. It would be better for her back to ease herself gently up onto the cushion and then enter the box from that level, instead of bending her body pulling it up over the 2" or 3" lip. If you have a washable blanket, you could probably fold it to the right thickness and tuck it under the lip of the box and accomplish the same thing. It might be smart to put the folded blanket inside a pillowcase so you can brush kitty litter off of it easier.
> I'm not sure if she has control over her bladder or not. Is she just urinating on herself because I don't express her good enough or is she going because she doesn't know she going?
I'm not sure either. With lower back or tail injuries dribbling is common. The point of expressing in these cases is to reduce the amount that is dribbled. A pet with a midback or upper back injury has the opposite problem--the pet has a tight sphincter and can't urinate even if s/he wants to. With that type of injury, you only see dribbling when there is an infection. Since you are cleaning up after your kitty and bathing her, I think you would know if she had an infection. You would smell a stronger odor and you might see a change of color in the urine. If the urine seems normal but she is dribbling, then probably her injury is located in the lower back or tail. It could be her spine is just kind of bruised and she has some swelling (I'm not a vet, just an uneducated guess.) Based on what you have said--nothing on the x-ray, and she has sensation--it does not sound really severe and I am hopeful with with proper rest you will see improvement.
> I am checking into a new vet tomorrow.
It really helps to have a positive vet who is willing to work with you. I did not have a lot of vet support, but at least I didn't have *negative* input from a vet. I feel so sorry for those people who have vets that say euthanize. I don't blame you for looking for another vet. The vet you went to gave her steroids, which probably helped, but he didn't seem to understand about giving her time. Any of us who have been through this can tell you how important time is.
I think someone else already said it, but the first few weeks are the hardest with something like this. Here you are, trying to figure out sleeping arrangements, doing extra laundry, trying to get good at expressing, looking for another vet, and probably crying when she isn't looking and laying awake at night wondering if you're doing the right thing. Plus just working it all into your schedule! It's costing you money, you probably aren't getting as much sleep or are too tense to sleep well, etc. Then there is usually somebody telling you that you ought to just put that pet to sleep--and they mean it. So you feel even more alone. Hang in there because it does get better! You will start to see little improvements (actually, you already have) and every little sign of improvement is cause for celebration. And it really keeps you going. So just keep up what you are doing, express as well as you can, crate her as strictly as you can, try to take care of yourself and get as much rest as you can (easy for me to say!) and she will have what she needs to heal.
Please keep updating. If you are looking for another vet, I'd recommend trying to be sure the vet will be positive about your cat before you go see him. You don't need to spend more money to get another dose of negativity. Hope you find one you like!
> the expressing thing is very challenging.
I think most people will agree with you on that. Keep an eye out for signs of bladder infection. I was doing my best to express my dog and she got an infection about a week after I brought her home. The vet put her on antibiotics, and it was a big relief to me because it gave me another two weeks to improve my technique. So don't think it's just you!
> I have been letting her drag herself a little bit only because I thought she needed to keep her strength in her front areas going.
Loss of strength in the front isn't going to be an issue, no need to worry about that. She'll get all the exercise in her front legs she needs just shifting positions and sitting up to drink, etc. while in her crate. Most people get worried about loss of muscle in the back legs. That seems logical but it turns out that isn't such a problem either, it comes back. I can tell you from experience, my dog was very badly injured. She had a spinal fracture in which the two parts of the spine separated and one part tried to leapfrog over the other, pinching the spinal cord in between. She had surgery to put the spine back together and she couldn't stand up for 9 months. You can imagine how skinny her back legs got. But she is musclebound now, I can tell you. (Obviously your cat is not going to take that long to recover, her injury is very different--it is only an example.) Once her nerves healed enough for her to begin to stand, the muscle came back. Right now, it is much more important for your cat to rest her back than to worry about the strength in her front legs.
> I did buy a crate that she sleeps in at night and put her in the upstairs bathroom during the daytime when I am not home.
That's a step in the right direction. The crate at night is excellent. The bathroom is better than being loose in the house, as long as there is no possible way she can try to pull herself up somewhere with her claws. But it would be even better if you'd really crate her. The best thing is really-really-really true crate rest 24/7. I know how it can make you feel Guilty with a capital "G" to force a pet to stay in a crate all day every day for a month. None of us likes to *cage* our pets, they are family members. But this is one of those situations where you are the human and you know what will happen if she doesn't rest, and she doesn't know. That leaves you responsible to be sure she really rests. So you just have to put tough love in your soft heart and crate her all day, every day, until she's had the proper chance to heal. The stricter you crate her, the sooner you can expect to see improvement. It's worth it!
> I will try laying her on her side to express her bladder. Last night I was able to get a stream out of her. Whether or not I emptied her completely, who knows. I haven't had much luck today.
Keep trying, as you know it's important. Three times a day to prevent infection. You're doing good if you got a good stream last time.
> I did change to crystals, since I thought they wouldn't stick to her like her other litter if she laid down in it like the other day.
I think a couple of other people have done the same thing.
I did buy the purina dog litter box with the lower lip, but couldn't find the mat that went with it. Does that make a big difference???
The mat is just to give a soft cushion for the cat to pull herself up on, instead of going up over the lip. It would be better for her back to ease herself gently up onto the cushion and then enter the box from that level, instead of bending her body pulling it up over the 2" or 3" lip. If you have a washable blanket, you could probably fold it to the right thickness and tuck it under the lip of the box and accomplish the same thing. It might be smart to put the folded blanket inside a pillowcase so you can brush kitty litter off of it easier.
> I'm not sure if she has control over her bladder or not. Is she just urinating on herself because I don't express her good enough or is she going because she doesn't know she going?
I'm not sure either. With lower back or tail injuries dribbling is common. The point of expressing in these cases is to reduce the amount that is dribbled. A pet with a midback or upper back injury has the opposite problem--the pet has a tight sphincter and can't urinate even if s/he wants to. With that type of injury, you only see dribbling when there is an infection. Since you are cleaning up after your kitty and bathing her, I think you would know if she had an infection. You would smell a stronger odor and you might see a change of color in the urine. If the urine seems normal but she is dribbling, then probably her injury is located in the lower back or tail. It could be her spine is just kind of bruised and she has some swelling (I'm not a vet, just an uneducated guess.) Based on what you have said--nothing on the x-ray, and she has sensation--it does not sound really severe and I am hopeful with with proper rest you will see improvement.
> I am checking into a new vet tomorrow.
It really helps to have a positive vet who is willing to work with you. I did not have a lot of vet support, but at least I didn't have *negative* input from a vet. I feel so sorry for those people who have vets that say euthanize. I don't blame you for looking for another vet. The vet you went to gave her steroids, which probably helped, but he didn't seem to understand about giving her time. Any of us who have been through this can tell you how important time is.
I think someone else already said it, but the first few weeks are the hardest with something like this. Here you are, trying to figure out sleeping arrangements, doing extra laundry, trying to get good at expressing, looking for another vet, and probably crying when she isn't looking and laying awake at night wondering if you're doing the right thing. Plus just working it all into your schedule! It's costing you money, you probably aren't getting as much sleep or are too tense to sleep well, etc. Then there is usually somebody telling you that you ought to just put that pet to sleep--and they mean it. So you feel even more alone. Hang in there because it does get better! You will start to see little improvements (actually, you already have) and every little sign of improvement is cause for celebration. And it really keeps you going. So just keep up what you are doing, express as well as you can, crate her as strictly as you can, try to take care of yourself and get as much rest as you can (easy for me to say!) and she will have what she needs to heal.
Please keep updating. If you are looking for another vet, I'd recommend trying to be sure the vet will be positive about your cat before you go see him. You don't need to spend more money to get another dose of negativity. Hope you find one you like!
-
Pam C
Re: Recently injured cat
My responses on Whiskers have moved up higher on the page- I'm not very good at the computer stuff.
Please look at my latest news and questions- Thanks
Please look at my latest news and questions- Thanks