This is Ruby. She is a beautiful Maine Coon who has been feeling out of sorts the past few months.
In fact, we have been very concerned about her. She has been having seizures. When she had the first
over a year ago, I was home alone and rushed her to the vet. Her paw was cut and we had hoped she
was merely reacting to the pain. She had fallen asleep under the bed and we thought she woke up and
was disoriented; catching her claw in the carpet and cutting the paw on the bed frame as she tried to
get loose. And then it happened again three months later. John was home and knew just what to do.
The Vet told us we need to consider medication to prevent seizures. Her blood work was fine. She
have a diabetes or cancer. (We don't have indoor plants or leave cleaners or cleaners where she can
get to it. If we use Lysol spray, we close the door for at least ten minutes before letting the cats in the
room. We mop the floor with white vinegar with a drop of dawn detergent in the water bucket. Which
is not harmful if they walk on the wet floor and then lick their paws.)We watched her carefully and
prayed for wisdom. In April, it happened again when I was home alone. I grabbed a towel and
wrapped her up in it and calmed her until the convulsing subsided. It only lasted a few seconds but it
seemed much longer. When she relaxed,
I carried her into the bathroom and gently placed her into the bath tub which is one of her favorite
places to be. I closed the door and let her rest while I cleaned the carpet where she had her seizure.
I think we both knew what I had to do next. She had to have a bath. Those who have Maine Coons
know that is is normal for a grown Coonie to weigh twenty pounds. The thing is, I am only 4'8 and
have a difficult time stepping into the tub under normal circumstances. So I took off my shoes and
carefully climbed into the tub with Ruby. I have bathed children so I had everything handy. She
looked up at me sweetly as I turned on the warm water and adjusted to the large round sprayer. To my
surprise, she relaxed as I gently held the sprayer close to her body and merely had to lay the
implement face down as I lathered her with kitty shampoo. She kissed my hand and I almost cried.
She is so sweet but doesn't normally enjoy having a bath! She usually tenses up but this time, the
warm water felt good. I was praying for her from the moment I heard her blood curdling screams
which is the first indication she is having a seizure - and continued as I bathed her.
Drying off was a different story! But she let me towel her off and since she doesn't like the dryer,
I took a quick shower and pretended to dry my hair as she looked on. I think she liked the warm air
though. Just as long as she didn't think I was aiming it directly at her.
We had been afraid to give her medication. They said it would make her lethargic and she would
probably sleep all the time. But the medication has had the opposite effect. She is not as anxious and
timid as she used to be. She doesn't hide in a dark corner when the doorbell rings. She plays again
with her favorite toys just as she did when she was a feisty kitten.
John gives her 1/2 pill in the morning and 1/2 in the evening. Since he is the official "treat guy" she
thinks she is getting an extra treat. The pill pockets work great. We are praying that the pills will
prevent another episode. Three months from her last seizure would be in July. Please remember
Ruby and pray for our sweet girl.
This was Ruby the other night asking for water in the sink to splash!
So what advice do I have for you when your kitty is sick or has an emergency?
- Keep Calm - Being hysterical will not help your cat and may make matters worse as they are sensitive to your moods. Speak in soft, reassuring tones to keep her/him calm.
- Always have your Veterinarian's number in your cellphone as well as the local after-hours animal hospital. If you have a smart phone, just punch the button and say, "Siri, call the vet."
- Have your pet carrier handy so that you will not have to search for it or dust it off.
- Don't try to diagnose - that is the vets job.
- Keep records up to date. Scan shot records and other vet visits into a file on the computer. You can shoot it to the vet an email or store it on your phone. Our vet keeps electronic records so that helps tremendously.
- Eliminate hiding spots where you will be unable to reach your cat in an emergency. If your cat is like Ruby, she hides. Our friend made a "box" frame to slide under the beds so that she could not run under there; out of reach. This has helped tremendously. Make sure her comfort spots are where you can find her and easily reach her in an emergency.
Helpful Links
http://cats.about.com
www.HillsPet.com/CatCare ·
petMD.com/Symptom_Checker
www.cat-lovers-only.com/cat-illness-symptoms.html
There are many facebook pages dedicated to cats which have good information. Check them out.
