|
Post by tonib on Mar 18, 2016 11:52:29 GMT
One thing about being in the crate is Roman couldn't & even didn't attempt to run away when the window cleaners came this week. Mind you he's usually upstairs so it could be the banging of the ladder against the outside wall or the sudden appearance of a head at the window where there shouldn't be one whereas downstairs someone at the window looks more normal! We agree with your comment about gorgeous boy heartpawprints, I'll say thanks on his behalf Nice to hear Henry is happy to hide with Georgia He's now much more full of energy but is still running on 3 legs or walking with a definite limp on 4. He's wanting to play more than he used to (which wasn't a lot), I suspect he's bored but we have to watch how violently he charges at/after balls or ball runs! He certainly wallops them
|
|
|
Post by tonib on Mar 29, 2016 22:59:29 GMT
Well, we got a Mynwood cat jacket for Roman, a stylish blue caouflage with a black watch tartan reverse (my choice of combination). It was ordered late Wednesday night, was finished by 8 a.m. Thursday & posted, arrived today. Roman's not too impressed with it yet, more inclined to lay in it than walk. He'll gradually get used to wearing it (& us to putting it on him!) & once that happens we'll try the lead. He's still running on 3 legs but is walking more on 4 albeit limping. He's had 2 of the 6 weeks before the next vet visit. The only odd thing we've seen is him trying to use that leg to scratch his ear/face, it doesn't seem to want to behave - he just lands up with the paw flapping up & down in the air under his chin. I'd like to get a video of him doing it to show to the vet to see if its OK but of course if I see it happening I don't have a camera ready! He's getting quite stir crazy & we have to watch him if there's anywhere he can jump too high as he'll definitely want to try it!
|
|
|
Post by smilesbetter on Mar 30, 2016 6:48:22 GMT
Haha please post a pic of him in the jacket!
He may just have stiff muscles in that leg that haven't got used to moving how they should yet, so it might be a bit sore on the actual muscles to get close enough to itch his ear. An example of this sort of thing... When I'd broken my ankle, my muscles in that leg got really thin and pathetic, it too ages for them to recover as I wasn't using them, and there was quite a lot of normal movements that I couldn't do without using my hands to assist the leg haha. So Roman might just need time for the muscles to build up. It is good to hear he's now trying to use the leg for normal things though!
|
|
|
Post by scallywag on Mar 30, 2016 6:50:05 GMT
Am I reading this correct that Roman has 4 weeks before being seen again ? Beau was every 2 weeks . I would have thought that he should be putting the leg down not still holding it up but I may be wrong {{{Hugs}}}
|
|
|
Post by scallywag on Mar 30, 2016 7:03:42 GMT
When I'd broken my ankle, my muscles in that leg got really thin and pathetic, it too ages for them to recover as I wasn't using them, and there was quite a lot of normal movements that I couldn't do without using my hands to assist the leg haha. ! Ha ha just had a vision of you scratching your ear with your foot, honest
|
|
|
Post by smilesbetter on Mar 30, 2016 8:48:21 GMT
When I'd broken my ankle, my muscles in that leg got really thin and pathetic, it too ages for them to recover as I wasn't using them, and there was quite a lot of normal movements that I couldn't do without using my hands to assist the leg haha. ! Ha ha just had a vision of you scratching your ear with your foot, honest Haha, well how else is a girl to scratch that itch?!
|
|
|
Post by lotsofcats on Mar 30, 2016 9:37:23 GMT
I hope that Roman get used to his Mynwood jacket. I've just got my cats' jackets out and dusted them down and I will start walking them around the garden again now it's not so muddy.
|
|
|
Post by tonib on Mar 30, 2016 12:59:06 GMT
Haha please post a pic of him in the jacket! He may just have stiff muscles in that leg that haven't got used to moving how they should yet, so it might be a bit sore on the actual muscles to get close enough to itch his ear. An example of this sort of thing... When I'd broken my ankle, my muscles in that leg got really thin and pathetic, it too ages for them to recover as I wasn't using them, and there was quite a lot of normal movements that I couldn't do without using my hands to assist the leg haha. So Roman might just need time for the muscles to build up. It is good to hear he's now trying to use the leg for normal things though! Will try to oblige smilesbetter , working on photos at the moment As you say he definitely had muscle wastage & that's possibly why he's not aiming his paw right. Am I reading this correct that Roman has 4 weeks before being seen again ? Beau was every 2 weeks . I would have thought that he should be putting the leg down not still holding it up but I may be wrong {{{Hugs}}} Yes scallywag , it was a see you in 6 weeks unless we had concerns. He is putting the leg down & walking on it - with a limp, just that he often prefers to run from A-B (possibly to see if he can beat us & find a way out! ) & when he runs he uses 3 legs.
|
|
|
Post by tonib on Apr 2, 2016 22:50:27 GMT
Decided to take Penny's old meds to be disposed off at the vets on Friday so took Roman to get him weighed. I'd been told I could take the cats at any time for weighing so went to the nearest surgery which has 2 consulting rooms but has only ever had 1 vet in attendance. It was quiet when I arrived so I asked if they had a spare appointment to check his leg & they kindly fitted Roman in as they had 2 vets there! Of course they put me in with the vet in the consulting room without the scales! So after checking the loose paw action (from the hock) & saying it was OK just he'd lost a lot of muscle mass which he will need to rebuild, we had to wait for the dog to come out of the other surgery for Roman to be weighed. He was 5.7Kg so his weight is still coming down, despite his enforced idleness, so the diet is working Mind you he is definitely full of beans, trying to keep him from jumping too high is getting quite difficult! He's tried his walking jacket but isn't over keen in walking in it he has a tendency to lay down in it instead - mind you he doesn't jump in it but attempts to climb instead - not a good idea either!!! Just hope he settles to it soon so we can add the lead & get him used to walking with that & then can take him outside which he'll enjoy. Here's a few pics of him in his (reversible) jacket. Blue camouflage 2016_03_30 P1040241 by osiriscat, on Flickr Black Watch Tartan 20160402 P1040265 by osiriscat, on Flickr "I can't stand in this strait jacket!" 2016_03_30 P1040242 by osiriscat, on Flickr Although it doesn't prevent him playing with the ball run.
|
|
|
Post by scallywag on Apr 2, 2016 22:55:40 GMT
Awwww love the video x
|
|
|
Post by smilesbetter on Apr 3, 2016 8:06:21 GMT
Love the tartan side of the jacket!! I wonder if those jackets work a bit like thundershirts for cats.. What is the brand that makes them by the way? And do they fit on with Velcro, or is it with something more secure? I'd be interested in trying one for Mieze if it's quite strong, to take her out to the back garden of our building. She'd love it out there, there is loads of birds to watch.
|
|
|
Post by tonib on Apr 3, 2016 14:43:33 GMT
Its velcro fastening smilesbetter but quite long strips so is quite secure. The brand is Mynwood & they are made to measure with leeway for change in size of the cat (up or down). lotsofcats has them as well & having ordered one I discovered that my friend (Ajax) got one for her bengal but only used it once. Typically the prices went up between me looking at them one weekend & getting the measurements for the next weekend's order! Still if it works for Roman its worth it. We tried him with the lead today & he didn't seemed fazed by it but then he still was tending to lay down in it. So we decided to try him outside. Well it wasn't a disaster but not a resounding success. He was quite wary at first & then was keen to go down the side passage leading to the side gate cat hole but no way were we allowing him out the front until we're sure he's willing to walk & listen to the lead. So he decided on the lay down technique. This isn't unusual initial behaviour for cats in harnesses. We eventually got him to walk across the back lawn, albeit in stages, up on to the decking - but not off as that heads into shrubs & trees & no way was I letting him go somewhere I couldn't get him easily! Eventually he walked back down the path towards the house quite actively, down the 2 shallow steps, across the patio & then into the utility (his choice), where he promptly laid down again! I'd held the normal lead whilst Mark was using a flexi lead as a back up just in case he jerked the lead out of my hand. Lexie was interested in playing with the string like lead of the flexi which added a bit of complication into the process but she soon settled. But with both of us with leads& trying to encourage him to walk we weren't able to take any photos. We're going to try him again late afternoon.
|
|
|
Post by tonib on Apr 3, 2016 23:05:07 GMT
Early evening we tried him again, this time with only one lead on so Mark was able to take a few photos. He still wanted to go to the front & what he probably considers freedom but he did walk a bit more freely in the back. On the move 2016_04_03 P1040270 by osiriscat, on Flickr Taking a seat to check the scents (need to tidy those grasses - its a work in progress ) 2016_04_03 P1040272 by osiriscat, on Flickr We had to encourage him to move again & when he did he headed back to the house where he met Osiris, who looked rather confused as to who the ginger cat was in a jacket! Roman wasn't fazed by him though He still wanted to go down the side & it was either let me go down there or I'm on strike. the strike was broken by Mark carrying him back indoors During the week, if I try walking him (it will depend on the weather), I'll have to accept I may need to carry him back in. He seems quite dozy this evening so maybe the fresh air was good for him
|
|
|
Post by lotsofcats on Apr 4, 2016 14:02:44 GMT
I love Roman's Mynwood jacket, he looks lovely in it. I hope he will start walking around the garden more.
Out of my lot Kiba-Khan whizzes around the garden, Kai Ruki does a Roman and lies down, Bramble tends to crouch down and creep along, Willow is a bit too flighty and Blackberry want to eat all of the plants that look like grass. I can only let them out with their jackets on if Toffee is shut in the house. Kali doesn't have a jacket as I sometimes let her out on her own early on a Sunday morning (7am) before Toffee comes out of the pen - she runs around the garden and then vanishes next door up or down - she usually comes back after a half hour. Only thing is Toffee always seems to know she is out and he cries continually to come out of the pen but I can't trust him with Kali as he once chased her across the road.
|
|
|
Post by tonib on Apr 4, 2016 22:45:27 GMT
lotsofcats, This lunchtime I walked Roman out the back or rather landed up carrying him to the back of the garden & walking him back. He was still insistent about going down the side so I decided to let him go to the front, however that was fun as I had to open the gate while he wanted to go through the cat hole!!!!! We managed & he seems happier to walk out the front of the house, as it seems more like freedom for him - although he's not happy about being stopped from going into the bushes or further than we want him to.!!! I landed up carrying part of the way home - we only went to the end of the close, thank goodness. This evening we went the other way along the path between the 2 closes & managed to get him to back as well. Mark was in charge of the lead this time. Mind you the turn round may have had something to do with him seeing a couple of people at the end of the other close & him doing his usual "I avoid people" routine. He did need a lift bqack into the house as he still wanted to be outside He's definitely wanting his freedom, despite the leg. We have to be very careful that he can't escape!
|
|