Indy has been having GI issues for as long as I can remember. He was rescued 14 years ago (as a tiny kitten) with many issues and barely made it through, but he did and amazed the vet. So, Indy having some medical issues has been his way of life.
And whenever he was seriously ill, no vet has ever been able to figure out what was wrong. So far, we’ve been extremely lucky that Indy made it through those serious and critical episodes through the years. Nine years ago, in 2011, he was hospitalised and very seriously ill. Two of the most senior (and highly respected) vets collaborated to try to find out what was wrong with him and came up with “we don’t know what is wrong with your cat”, but Indy finally recovered. He’s been on TCM (acupuncture) as well. And strangely, he was diagnosed with chronic kidney issues in April 2019, but that miraculously resolved by itself (don’t know how!) and he no longer needed subcut after seven months.
Indy also had a persistent bloody diarrhoea issue in 2019 which lasted for MONTHS. Not weeks, but months. However, through it all, he was active and alert. My raw-feeding friend told me to just leave him alone as long as he was active and alert with no fever. I didn’t listen and foolishly pursued all kinds of tests and medication. Finally, as usual, nothing worked and the problem resolved by itself after I switched him to a rabbit diet. Now, he is on protein rotation.
And now we just live with his issues and leave “well enough” alone. Saves some money too, especially that I no longer work now. Like many people, I lost my job during the height of the pandemic in March 2021. Bummer, as it came so unexpectedly and I was totally unprepared for it. But the blessing in disguise is that I have the time to take care of our six geriatric cats, our two grandsons and also to see to my mum’s needs.
What Indy has nowadays is his GI issues. He tends of regurgitate his breakfast and this happens whenever he eats heartily even though I am very careful in controlling the amount of food he gets in the morning. I started monitoring and recording his after-breakfast regurgitation recently and it’s quite uncanny – it is every two weeks (2nd April, 15th April, 1st May). Strange, isn’t it? I don’t think it’s anything serious, so I’m going to leave “well enough” alone. He also has this habit of rejecting his food and walking away from it, then after a few hours, making a racket (we think because he is hungry). But if you offer food, he would still walk away. That’s a bit of pain, so I resort to force feeding him a reasonable amount each time he doesn’t eat. He is very easily force fed, though. That’s been working so far. The Surprise Me Happy Meals worked but only for a few weeks, then even the toppings/treats didn’t work anymore.
Whenever he regurgitates his breakfast, after awhile, when he feels better, he will ask for food. The only food that works so far is Cindy’s pureed food (we call it the baby food). He will eat at least half a can. That will last him until lunch.
I should also mention that Indy is really quite the gentlecat despite his tough exterior. He doesn’t snatch anyone’s food and he doesn’t even go for the other’s left-over food even when the other cat has moved away. He only eats when I offer him the bowl of left-overs. Also, sometimes he helps me as well. For example, the other day when Cleo was running away from me when I wanted to feed her her medications, Indy chased after her to block her so that I could catch her!
Clever Indy! He actually stopped Cleo for me!
Naughty Cleo now doesn’t lick her Renal-N-laced baby food by herself anymore. I have to force feed by rubbing the paste onto her mouth, along with the crushed Amlodipine for her borderline high blood pressure.
Cow hasn’t throw a seizure in two days now (fingers crossed) but he also isn’t feeling on top of the world. He spends almost all the time lying on the pillow and I even have to feed him his meals there, on the pillow. It was only this morning that he perked up a little. I would need to consult the vet to see if further investigation is needed for his earlier seizures.
Bunny has both boxes now, since Cow is at the pillow. Bunny continues with his daily Cisapride, Lactulose, etc. for his chronic constipation problem. Getting him to defecate still requires the “kungfu”!
Tabs fur is growing back and she is finally losing the pseudo-Mohawk hair style!
Naughty Ginger has not given up trying to escape, but so far his efforts have been thwarted by us.
With so much to do, I guess it is really a blessing in disguise that I lost my job last year!
And there’s the grandsons too!
My all-time favourite video with Jayden!