Last bout of aggression with Tux was on March 12th. So its been 5 days now, and I’m really happy about him feeling better, I hope.
There are a few things I can attribute this to, and any of them can be contributing factors to his change back to himself, or closer anyway.
The Neighbor. My Neighbor had a few Bengal cats that were really great cats. Vocal cats, but great cats. They would sit out on the deck and talk loudly amongst themselves. I believe that there might have been some odor that Tux was catching as well. He’s been completely moved out since Last Saturday, March 12th. Timing could or couldn’t be a coincidence.
Prozac is also a variable that could have helped put him back on an even kill. He was prescribed Prozac almost a month ago to the day, February 16th 2.5 mg.
When all of Tux’s blood work came back normal, we thought that the next course of action would be to find out if he may or may not be in pain, either from arthritis, injury, or something else physical. She tried 5 does, one week of a product called Metacam. Now his last does was Sunday March 13th, and we don’t have anymore, and he still seems to be feeling fine, it could still be the pain meds working their deal, but I’m suspecting not since he’s been 5 days without them. I’ll give this a few days just to make sure.
Finally, my energy around him, I’ve been working on. While he was pissy and hissing at me all the time, I was pretty much walking on pins and needles around him, trying my best to just avoid the confrontation. If you’ve ever heard a cat screaming outside, thats what it was like here when he was in his mood. Very un-nerving, and I’m sure the neighbors thought I was trying to kill him. I did everything I could to avoid him. Looking back, my reaction to his hissing, was no doubt only increasing his tension, and the vicious circle continued. I made it a point to again, assert my territory all along while making sure he knew he was welcome. I increased interactive time with some new toys I bought, and this was helpful.
A couple of other things, I added to the mix was the pheromone diffusers. If you get a diffuser that INCLUDES the Feliway pheromones, those mimic a cats own calming scents. They are a little expensive, but I have noticed that Tux will tend to gravitate and lay near them, so there is something to it. They are on the pricy side however. Along with those, I made sure all the windows had comfortable places to lay so he could look out, changed his food and water bowls to stainless steel, and just tried to make it as comfortable for him / and me as I could. Sounds strange, but I’ve been playing alot more music. I try to have it playing as much as possible. It definitely calms me down a bit, and Im sure it would have to do the same for Tux.
To conclude, many of these “remedies” seemed to happen at the same time, so pinpointing any particular one seems futile. If his good behavior continues, I imagine I’ll not figure it out, which is moot, as long as he’s feeling good, and is happy. The only constant factor right now is the meds and being minus a neighbor with some bengal cats. Either or both of those could be a relief for him.
My stress however, of finishing this Graduate Degree, and seemingly endless money problems recently gets him “tuned up”. He’s always been on the exact same wavelength as me. If my energy changes, I dont even have to speak, and you can see him go on edge.
This is certainly not the end as it’s only been 5 days. But if anyone is having the same problems out of their cat, I hope this helps. Let me know how you are doing. I’ll keep you up to date on Tux as well
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Tux Update 3-14-11 3 great days..
Well Tux as you know has been really sick, we don’t know why, but he’s not been well. If you don’t know, read previous postings.
Tux has had several Dr. appointments, having blood drawn for an array of tests for everything of blood disorders, to organ illness, and diabetes. All thus far have come back negative for anything. It’s a bitter sweet verdict, because I WANT to know. What happened to him that turned him from great to unbearable in literally a day. It’s not to say something had been creeping around him for sometime, maybe I just noticed it on that day. Whatever it was, I can see him slowly becoming happy again.
Most of the day, he laid around with me on my lap, while I was on the recliner and couch as I read a book about political philosophy. He then started licking my finger. Sounds crazy I know, but when early to mid January is when he made the change, I haven’t had any “relationship” at all with him. So this was a very welcome surprise. And I didn’t want it to end, because for a few minutes, he was Tux again. My little buddy.
Tonight we are ending the day with him jumping up on my bed, and licking me on my face… Just once, but I haven’t seen that in so long. I just feel him coming back to me and returning to his “old self”. Yeah, he still wont like anyone else that enters the apartment, but he will be my buddy again.
That is a good life for us, easy for us both. I’m calling on the Universe to help him continue his progress and get through his distress, whatever it may be. I hope he gets back to being happy, not only with me, but with himself.
I will continue to give him space while he is making any necessary adjustments, because I don’t know what else to do. He, and Cats in general are hard, if not impossible to read.
Keep getting better little guy. Daddy’s on your side no matter what, and I’ll make sure you are fed, you have fresh water, and clean litter, even if you are still mad me.
I love that little guy
Tux has had several Dr. appointments, having blood drawn for an array of tests for everything of blood disorders, to organ illness, and diabetes. All thus far have come back negative for anything. It’s a bitter sweet verdict, because I WANT to know. What happened to him that turned him from great to unbearable in literally a day. It’s not to say something had been creeping around him for sometime, maybe I just noticed it on that day. Whatever it was, I can see him slowly becoming happy again.
Most of the day, he laid around with me on my lap, while I was on the recliner and couch as I read a book about political philosophy. He then started licking my finger. Sounds crazy I know, but when early to mid January is when he made the change, I haven’t had any “relationship” at all with him. So this was a very welcome surprise. And I didn’t want it to end, because for a few minutes, he was Tux again. My little buddy.
Tonight we are ending the day with him jumping up on my bed, and licking me on my face… Just once, but I haven’t seen that in so long. I just feel him coming back to me and returning to his “old self”. Yeah, he still wont like anyone else that enters the apartment, but he will be my buddy again.
That is a good life for us, easy for us both. I’m calling on the Universe to help him continue his progress and get through his distress, whatever it may be. I hope he gets back to being happy, not only with me, but with himself.
I will continue to give him space while he is making any necessary adjustments, because I don’t know what else to do. He, and Cats in general are hard, if not impossible to read.
Keep getting better little guy. Daddy’s on your side no matter what, and I’ll make sure you are fed, you have fresh water, and clean litter, even if you are still mad me.
I love that little guy
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Tux and the Vet visit
He had been fine all day long, until we walked into the Veterinarian’s office and then I hear him start to growl. He didn’t hiss just yet though, so hope was up. We walked back to the exam room and when the doctor came in, the fangs came out, and the hissing began. He remembered both her and the vet tech from the last visit.
They took him back to draw blood, and I guess it wasn’t going so well, because she came back and asked if she could “hit him” with a spit of relaxing gas so she could safely get some blood drawn. I agreed, thinking that at worst, he wouldn’t like the blood being taken, but he wouldn’t care under some gas therapy right?
He was brought back, all limp, and laying over the arms of the tech. I made a huge GASP, thinking they had killed him. His tongue was hanging out, he was limp, not moving, barely breathing. He knew I was at a loss of words, so he said, “The gas wasn’t cutting it, so we put him to sleep”. Whu Whu WHu WHAT????? I didn’t know this was going to happen, and I would have wanted to be back there with him to at least reassure him I was with him, because I know he had to be scared to death anyway.
He did slowly come out of it and didn’t immediately recognize me until I moved to his face and he could smell and lick me. He then laid his head back down, and seemed to go back to sleep. He’s a big 17 lb Sumo-Cat that couldn’t be brought down with an army and some space craft, but here he was, listless unable to even lift his head.
I dont’ think I felt more bad for him. I felt guilty for bringing him in today, for not being there when he went under, just for not being able to fix whatever ailes him. But focus, don’t let any tears well up for him yet, wait until she brings back the results of the bloodwork.
A few minutes later she did, and from the thyroid to the kidneys, from liver, to pancreas, all looked normal. She said medically all she can do is treat him for behavior problems and said to keep him on Prozac. I posed the question however if he could be in pain. I mean, hes 17 pounds. Climbs up and down off of cat trees constantly, or at least USED TO. I’ve also seen him fall off the refrigerator at least once or twice.
She thought about it, but said he showed no reaction to spinal flexing and manipulating his bones. But it was a possibility if he was becoming arthritic. So she gave me a trial of Metacam which is a type of NSAID pain reliever for cats. So I have 5 days of that to give and we will see if that and / or prozac make strides in his bizarre behavior.
If anyone has an perfect cat that has only recently like in the last few months become overly-aggressive with you, let me know how / what you’re story is. I need to know others are out there.
Josh
Monday, March 7, 2011
Still a sick Tux Cat
Many of you know, many do not. I have a cat. I have a tuxedo marked cat named Tux. He’s 7 years old, neutered, and still has his claws. I’ve had him almost all of his life.
I went to look at animals at a pet store one time with my sister. We went to the animal section and I saw him. He was outside his cage, sitting on top of another tank looking down. In that tank were little gerbiles or mice or something running around, and he just wanted to get in there and bat them around I’m sure. He looked up at me and “meowed” and I knew he was my cat. And I acted on it, getting him. He has 4 perfectly marked white feet, a little white chin, and some white on his chest and stomach. His eyes are a great green/yellow color that stand out in contrast to his dark color.
But also, When he was a baby, he almost died, straight out of the shelter. I got him home, he showed signs of being sick with diarrhea, and then quit eating food. We made an appointment at the Vet in Lexington, Dr. Mark Dobbs with Regency Animal Hospital. They are the greatest vet in the city hands down. They knew immediately that something was wrong. He was dehydrated, thin, malnourished, and infections.
They kept him overnight and left him on constant I.V. fluids. They didn’t give him much of a shot to make it.
Well a couple of days later, and a hump on his back of fluids, he was feeling a little better i’m sure, but He was really non-energetic. It was while I was working as a Police Officer and was gone 10-12 hours a day working. My mother, bless her heart took care of him, sitting out on the back porch swing with him thinking he wasn’t going to live much longer, and she wanted him to be able to see all the bugs, birds, animals, and the trees. Not to mention the pleathera of sounds.
He pulled through it. and became one of the greatest things I’ve ever had. Sound silly? Not until you’ve had a pet that gives you unconditional love, and asks nothing in return. That is what I had, a “buddy”….. “Tux”. Never did I think pulling “HIM” through his tough time, would mean that he would be returning the favor. Soon after separating from the Police Department, I went through some hard times alone. And I mean….. REALLY HARD TIMES. I had a few really great friends who came to see me regularly, but the one little constant that was always jumping in my lap was Tux. He would jump up, meow, and run to his toys, or run to his food bowl meowing, and all of a sudden……. What was “I” just crying about?
Tux needs me again. Right now, he is as bad as he’s been. From the 22nd of January, he’s been miserable, unhappy seemingly mostly at me. I’m stressed around him, he’s stressed around me, and the cycle just never stops. I’ve tried a new Veterinarian who did a Complete Blood Count on him and didn’t find anything outrageous, however a glucose test for dia,betes couldn’t be done because I didn’t fast him the night before. I’m rescheduled to recheck that Wednesday.
Right now, Tux is hissing, screaming, spitting, and swatting me if I get anywhere close to him. The aggression is coming from somewhere, and i DO NOT KNOW WHERE. I’m desperate to know. The VET put him on a prozac on Feb 16th, but I’m not convinced yet. On February 22,23,24,25,26,27,28 – it was like he was his old self again. On March 1st, Mom brought my nephew over and after my nephew went outside and came in, the hissing started again. but didn’t hiss anymore that night. March 2,3rd – no hissing, normal cat. March 4th, all day fine, then hissing when I got my collection out for spring cleaning. March 6th, miserable day, hissed all day. Then today March 7th. He was fine, slept with me the night before, got up fed him, we laid on the couch and I read books, and watched some TV. All seemed fine, he was laying on the couch with me. Then I got up to feed him his night dinner. And I got a hiss. Not a terrible screaming hiss, but it happened. and he hissed a couple times after that, and he was done. He laid on the floor, then went to the window to look out.
I came in and said a few things to him, and he was okay, he followed me back to the living area where we played with one of his toys until he got tired. Now I’m in bed, he’s out laying somewhere. I’m going to keep my distance for now.
I just want to know whats going on with him. He is always been aggressive toward other people, but he has never been aggressive with me. Its why I’m so worried about him.
If anyone out there reading knows what to do. Let me know, or tell me how to get in touch with you. There have been times I just want to open the door and let him go free. But it would break my heart. You see, there was a time, that without him, I wouldn’t be here. I owe him one.
I went to look at animals at a pet store one time with my sister. We went to the animal section and I saw him. He was outside his cage, sitting on top of another tank looking down. In that tank were little gerbiles or mice or something running around, and he just wanted to get in there and bat them around I’m sure. He looked up at me and “meowed” and I knew he was my cat. And I acted on it, getting him. He has 4 perfectly marked white feet, a little white chin, and some white on his chest and stomach. His eyes are a great green/yellow color that stand out in contrast to his dark color.
But also, When he was a baby, he almost died, straight out of the shelter. I got him home, he showed signs of being sick with diarrhea, and then quit eating food. We made an appointment at the Vet in Lexington, Dr. Mark Dobbs with Regency Animal Hospital. They are the greatest vet in the city hands down. They knew immediately that something was wrong. He was dehydrated, thin, malnourished, and infections.
They kept him overnight and left him on constant I.V. fluids. They didn’t give him much of a shot to make it.
Well a couple of days later, and a hump on his back of fluids, he was feeling a little better i’m sure, but He was really non-energetic. It was while I was working as a Police Officer and was gone 10-12 hours a day working. My mother, bless her heart took care of him, sitting out on the back porch swing with him thinking he wasn’t going to live much longer, and she wanted him to be able to see all the bugs, birds, animals, and the trees. Not to mention the pleathera of sounds.
He pulled through it. and became one of the greatest things I’ve ever had. Sound silly? Not until you’ve had a pet that gives you unconditional love, and asks nothing in return. That is what I had, a “buddy”….. “Tux”. Never did I think pulling “HIM” through his tough time, would mean that he would be returning the favor. Soon after separating from the Police Department, I went through some hard times alone. And I mean….. REALLY HARD TIMES. I had a few really great friends who came to see me regularly, but the one little constant that was always jumping in my lap was Tux. He would jump up, meow, and run to his toys, or run to his food bowl meowing, and all of a sudden……. What was “I” just crying about?
Tux needs me again. Right now, he is as bad as he’s been. From the 22nd of January, he’s been miserable, unhappy seemingly mostly at me. I’m stressed around him, he’s stressed around me, and the cycle just never stops. I’ve tried a new Veterinarian who did a Complete Blood Count on him and didn’t find anything outrageous, however a glucose test for dia,betes couldn’t be done because I didn’t fast him the night before. I’m rescheduled to recheck that Wednesday.
Right now, Tux is hissing, screaming, spitting, and swatting me if I get anywhere close to him. The aggression is coming from somewhere, and i DO NOT KNOW WHERE. I’m desperate to know. The VET put him on a prozac on Feb 16th, but I’m not convinced yet. On February 22,23,24,25,26,27,28 – it was like he was his old self again. On March 1st, Mom brought my nephew over and after my nephew went outside and came in, the hissing started again. but didn’t hiss anymore that night. March 2,3rd – no hissing, normal cat. March 4th, all day fine, then hissing when I got my collection out for spring cleaning. March 6th, miserable day, hissed all day. Then today March 7th. He was fine, slept with me the night before, got up fed him, we laid on the couch and I read books, and watched some TV. All seemed fine, he was laying on the couch with me. Then I got up to feed him his night dinner. And I got a hiss. Not a terrible screaming hiss, but it happened. and he hissed a couple times after that, and he was done. He laid on the floor, then went to the window to look out.
I came in and said a few things to him, and he was okay, he followed me back to the living area where we played with one of his toys until he got tired. Now I’m in bed, he’s out laying somewhere. I’m going to keep my distance for now.
I just want to know whats going on with him. He is always been aggressive toward other people, but he has never been aggressive with me. Its why I’m so worried about him.
If anyone out there reading knows what to do. Let me know, or tell me how to get in touch with you. There have been times I just want to open the door and let him go free. But it would break my heart. You see, there was a time, that without him, I wouldn’t be here. I owe him one.
Taking a Break from Social Networking
Anyone who knows me knows that I love interacting with my old friends, new friends, extended family, and even a pet or two over Facebook. But like everyone on Facebook, there is a draw, a need to go back and see what everyone is talking about. You can find out anything, when someone gets pregnant, when they end up having their child, but you also hear the other half, when people or their families are sick, and when they die. I genuinely care about they people that are on my Facebook Friends list, most are people and family I’ve known since I’ve known myself. But I have to take a break.
Recently, I find myself thinking about what I’m missing, I wonder who’s doing what, or if I’m missing information that someone posted that, like many others, don’t make phone calls about. I spend entirely too much time interacting with too many people in too little time.
Like I said, on my last Facebook post. I’m taking a break for awhile to get focused. I have alot of things on my mind, I’m finishing Graduate School. I’ve gotten basically A’s on all classes and only lack a couple more and a thesis. I’m losing focus when I have so many other things floating around that I feel I need to “take care of”. Not to mention, I’m trying to find a J.O.B. That in itself is a full time work assignment. And it doesn’t seem to be getting any easier for me, and I dont know why.
My “Spring Break” wont be long, just to see how I can get myself back into a place where I feel I’m back heading in the RIGHT direction. If you’re on my Facebook, my phone number is listed as is my email, and which other way you want to reach me. I’ll have my phone, I’ll be spending time outdoors, re-volunteering with the soup kitchen, and hopefully making a change in someones life that needs it.
So For you guys that are friends, I’ll see yea soon. For those of you who aren’t, maybe you should try it a day or two and see how it makes you feel. I already feel like a huge stress has been lifted off my shoulders.
Recently, I find myself thinking about what I’m missing, I wonder who’s doing what, or if I’m missing information that someone posted that, like many others, don’t make phone calls about. I spend entirely too much time interacting with too many people in too little time.
Like I said, on my last Facebook post. I’m taking a break for awhile to get focused. I have alot of things on my mind, I’m finishing Graduate School. I’ve gotten basically A’s on all classes and only lack a couple more and a thesis. I’m losing focus when I have so many other things floating around that I feel I need to “take care of”. Not to mention, I’m trying to find a J.O.B. That in itself is a full time work assignment. And it doesn’t seem to be getting any easier for me, and I dont know why.
My “Spring Break” wont be long, just to see how I can get myself back into a place where I feel I’m back heading in the RIGHT direction. If you’re on my Facebook, my phone number is listed as is my email, and which other way you want to reach me. I’ll have my phone, I’ll be spending time outdoors, re-volunteering with the soup kitchen, and hopefully making a change in someones life that needs it.
So For you guys that are friends, I’ll see yea soon. For those of you who aren’t, maybe you should try it a day or two and see how it makes you feel. I already feel like a huge stress has been lifted off my shoulders.
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