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Post by chocolatecat on Dec 14, 2014 14:11:26 GMT
I lost my older cat Ebenezer on friday to kidney disease. My younger cat , tilda, w as diagnosed for the second time with an overactive thyroid for the second time. The gland is tiny so she is having a month of thyroid pills in the hope that it increases in size enough to be safely removed. One of her symptoms was over grooming. She and bennycat were not close but she is 12 and has never lived without him. When I woke up this morning she had pretty much licked many parts of her side bald.She wailed all night , Friday when bennycat didn't return. Does she need to go back to the vet?
How can I help her distress?
She's an out door cat but I have spent some time playing with her today.and I have groomed her too. I've given her a new carrier bag to play in.And will pick up feliway tomorrow.
Ccx
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Post by scallywag on Dec 14, 2014 22:31:11 GMT
So sorry for your loss, poor tilda, sorry no advice here as I have no experience with cats, but someone will be along who may have advice
Welcome to the forum too x
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Post by chocolatecat on Dec 15, 2014 16:15:14 GMT
Thanks scallywag.
I phoned the vet and they said to leave it a few days. She's got about 7 large new completely bald patches. Would it be cruel to put a coat on her?
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Post by scallywag on Dec 15, 2014 16:27:36 GMT
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Post by beaglel1fe on Dec 15, 2014 18:29:48 GMT
Sorry for your loss - I unfortunately can't help either as I have no experience with cats! Sorry! But there'll be help from the cat people before you know it!!
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Post by ebony on Dec 15, 2014 20:13:45 GMT
I found spending a lot of time cuddling with my Ebony when Tom died helped her, she wasn't overgrooming though, she'd just lie down and wouldn't do anything - she didn't want to eat or drink or play.
Getting a new friend for her helped Ebony.
Short term it might be an idea if Tilda wears an elizabethan collar if the vet is willing to let you take one for her.
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Post by smilesbetter on Dec 15, 2014 21:47:21 GMT
I'd be wary about putting on a jacket or using one of those vet collars, as they will make her more stressed. For the over grooming, how long has she been on the thyroid pills? I'd phone and ask the vet if they can do anything to stop the over grooming if it is thyroid linked, as simply preventing her from reaching round and doing it will make her horribly upset and may cause other issues like a urinary tract infection or other stress related issues. You want to be taking away the motivation to over groom.
Is there any nips to the skin in the over groomed bits or is it just shorter hair? Is there any signs of irritation? Is it in random places or around the same area?
Also, have you changed her diet since discovering the overactive thyroid? I'd expect the vet has told you to feed her more regularly (but small portions) so that she isn't getting too hungry between meals and also not making herself ill. @gillykat might be able to advise better on this when she is on as she currently has a cat with an overactive thyroid I believe. Personally I'd reccomend feeding high meat content wet rather than dry. What do you currently feed?
Sorry to hear you lost your other cat anyway and hope things start to improve for Tilda!
P.s. Please don't let your cat play with carrier bags, that is incredibly dangerous.
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Post by chocolatecat on Dec 16, 2014 19:27:20 GMT
Thanks everyone, It's not really a carrier bag, it's a pets at home sack thing with the handles cut off but I was a bit lazy about typing She's on a wet diet smilebetter , she used to.be prone to cystitis , so I've tried to keep.her on wet food. ( Benny cat was meant to be on dry food because he had horrible teeth all his days - he loved wet, Tilda loves dry...cats!) The vet didn't say anything about changing her diet tho. She's grooming down both her hips, more on one side than the other. The bald spots are starting to look sore tho, so it's likely we are heading to the vet if she does any more tonight. She had started over grooming just before bennycat died so it's really hard to separate out if it's her thyroid or not. I know I should just go to the vet but I'm scared, it's only 5 days since Ebenezer died there. but I will need to get a grip. Thanks for replying ebony , I'm glad your cat got through it ok. I've had the offer of a kitten but I don't think tilda would like it just now. Thanks beaglelife, and thanks again scallywag, you're a star. Ccx
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Post by heartpawprints on Dec 17, 2014 14:42:09 GMT
Perhaps some feliway as well? Playing with her will reduce her anxiety providing you don't force it on her. I'm so sorry for your loss and the fact that your little girl has also taken it so badly.
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Post by ebony on Dec 17, 2014 16:41:09 GMT
Thanks for replying ebony , I'm glad your cat got through it ok. I've had the offer of a kitten but I don't think tilda would like it just now. Ccx Don't get a kitten if you've got an older cat - that's just asking for trouble. From my days working in rescue, we had one elderly cat come in because she'd been taken to the vet for pts, reason owners wanted her pts was because they'd got a kitten and their elderly cat wasn't coping, as a result we had to take her in and rehome her. She got incredibly stressed around kittens.
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Post by chocolatecat on Dec 17, 2014 16:53:26 GMT
Thanks heartpawprints it will get better .....I hope. Thanks ebony. I 've not even put my tree up as not to introduce change for titch. Bah things. I've a vet appt tomorrow , so hopefully they can see how much is grief and if any of it is thyroid
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Post by zahada on Dec 17, 2014 17:25:06 GMT
Sorry to hear about your loss. Whilst it's painful for you and Tilda, life does go on. Grieving is important but so is trying to live as normal a life as possible. I would certainly put my tree up whilst remembering happier times. Also the braver face you put on, the easier it will be for Tilda to move on. Apparently animals are able to move on much faster than humans. Maybe because they don't feel the guilt that humans feel? We always feel we should have done more, seen the signs earlier etc. It's just a human thing.
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Post by tonib on Dec 18, 2014 3:54:16 GMT
Sorry to read about your loss, chocolatecat RIP Ebenezer. Tilda will be grieving in her own way but not sure that the over-grooming is for that reason although it is a symptom of stress. I'm glad you've got a vet appointment tomorrow so that any other causes for the over-grooming can be eliminated & the vet can give you advice on how to deal with it. I read you were getting some Feliway so hope that helps if it doesn't it might be worth trying Pet Remedy diffusers or sprays as that is Valerian based & can have a calming effect. Our 4 cats seem to react differently to the 2 products some better with one than the other. zahada is right about carrying on normally as much as possible as cats can pick up our feelings & stresses & react to them. Tilda may well have picked up how ill Bennycat was & was stressed by that initially, although as you say it could also be the thyroid. You also say she is an outdoor cat, I don't suppose she could have been bitten by fleas & have a flea allergy? There is also a possibility at 12 that she could be starting to have arthritis & if that was the case could be feeling painful joints, you mentioned the over-grooming was around her hips. If that was the case you would also be noticing her having less inclination to jump up or not as high as normal. Hope all goes well for you & Tilda at the vets and they can help her be comfortable.
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Post by chocolatecat on Dec 19, 2014 20:00:53 GMT
Thanks zahada , she is much better.
You're right tonib it was a combination of things ...You were right on two at least.
The vet said her thyroid plus the stress of losing bennycat caused her auto immune system to fail which in turn triggered all of tildas allergies to kick off. She is a mainly white cat and is allergic to the sun in the summer. It seems her wee body had an allergic reaction to the universe. She started on steroids yesterday and she has stopped over grooming today, just her usual meticulous grooming but paying no excessive attention being paid.
I'm.So relieved, and thanks to everybody who responded. I feel much better and so does teeny xx
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Post by lotsofcats on Dec 19, 2014 22:21:19 GMT
So pleased that Tilda is improving.
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