The real Lizziegrace is still a sick kitty

[lizziegrace]

Stupid me! I changed her food to Science Diet Oral Care because the pieces are bigger and it forces her to actually chew her food. She hardly gacked at all. But, she was allergic to it. She got a yeast infection in her ear. We treated that. Then she got a bacterial infection. Tried to treat that with antibiotic drops but she's a pistol and every time I'd put the drops in, she'd shake her head. The medicine went everywhere. Today we went back to the vet. Oral antibiotics and her ear was cleaned, again. She's not a happy kitty. :(

[GOPisEvil]

1. Awww...poor thing.

I hope she's better soon.

[lizziegrace]

2. Me too

two months and $200 later, she's still not well.

I feel so badly for her. :(

[Haole Girl]

3. I hope she feels better soon

I read, recently, that when changing a cat's food, it's a good idea to do it gradually (mixing it with the old food) over the course of a couple of weeks. That way, it's not such a shock to their digestive systems. I didn't know this either; and, I've been really lucky that my cats have never had any problems when I did it abruptly. Just thought I'd pass this tidbit along.

Hugs for you and the kitty lizziegrace! :hug: :hug:

[lizziegrace]

4. Thanks!

I did the gradual switch but there's something in it she's allergic to. I'm never giving her anything but ProPlan again. :(

[Kali]

33. Get and read this book:

Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.

Changed my views on pet food completely. Most allergies are FOOD allergies. Try this guy's basic diet for a month and see what happens. You will be amazed. No more skin, eye, ear problems.

Here is the basic Cat recipe, but GET THE BOOK and READ IT. (lots more recipes)

2 cups water
1/2 cup of GRAIN (polenta, rice, oat, or mixed human cereal)
1 TBS oil or butter
1 egg
1 lb of fresh meat (2 cups ground turkey, lamb, chicken, beef)
2 TBS Health Powder*
scant tsp egg shell (dried, baked at 300 degrees for 10 minutes and ground)
5,000 IU vitamin A (cod liver oil - don't get it on you it stinks)
(tsp of grated fresh veg - carrot, spinach whatever)

Boil water, cook cereal - while still hot stir in egg and meat so it gets heated but not cooked to death add rest except fresh veg. This will keep in fridge for a few days - and is about 3 or 4 servings. Add the fresh veg when feeding. May take a few days for cat to eat it. The book explains about animal fasting. This does NOT hurt the pet. Predators in the wild often go days without eating. again read this book you may even change your own diet!

*Healthy Powder

2 cups nutritional (torula) yeast
1 cup lecithin granules
1/4 cup kelp powder
1/4 cup bonemeal (or 9,000 mg calcium, or 5 teaspoons ground eggshell)
1,000 mgs vit c (grind up a regular vitamin or two)

[petronius]

5. Cats can get ear yeast infections from food allergies?

My fat guy is the king of yeast infections - I wonder if he has an allergy...

[lizziegrace]

7. Absolutely

the vet said allergies show up in 3 ways - skin irritations, feet problems and ear infections

Hope this helps get your guy's problem straightened out.

:hug:

[petronius]

15. That's very interesting... We've gone through a couple of cycles

of the ear drops, but the vets have never mentioned food. He also went through a skin thing (he licked himself half bald) which they blamed on stress. If he yeasts up again I'll definitely experiment with diet. (Come to think of it, we have changed his food since the last ear infection.) Thanks for the info!

[lizziegrace]

16. It's worth exploring

Gracie never goes outside and the only thing different in her life was the change of food. Who'd have thought?

[petronius]

17. Sorry - I got so interested in my tangent that I forgot to send

good wishes to Gracie! I do hope she feels happier soon; she's a beautiful kitty...

[lizziegrace]

18. I'm glad her situation

might help you with yours.

She'll be fine. I say that now. I haven't tried to give her the orange-flavored medicine yet. :)

[Dangerously Amused]

35. My kitty with allergies did the same thing

...licked his belly bald and raw. I tried everything, several different medications and treatments, changing foods, etc. and eventually took him to a pricey cat specialist... who also didn't help. Finally I took him to the vet in my hometown who is an angel here on earth. He got it diagnosed correctly as an allergy and prescribed Atopica, which is an allergy med for dogs but also works in kitties. Finally found some relief for my sweet boy. Though we still can't figure out exactly what he is allergic to.

[petronius]

37. It was really awful...

He was completely bald on one front leg, most of his belly, and a big area on one hip. I don't remember what all we tried - it's been a few years - but it finally cleared up and hasn't come back...

[Kali]

21. Almost all "ear infections" or skin problems in pets are allergies

Good nutrition will usually fix the problem. Think what your skin would look and feel like if all you ate was something like chiken nuggets and soda.

Vets make more money selling meds to treat symptoms, same as conventional human medicine. They are better for emergencies like trauma or acute illness than chronic problems like allergies, or other nutritional problems.

[petronius]

26. I'd never heard that...

We certainly try to shop around for the healthier options (i.e. no 'Kooky Kat Kandy' brand pet chow), but our vet never suggested that we try altering their diets when these symptoms showed up. Fortunately, the critters are OK at the moment, but I'm going to file this away for future reference... Thanks!

[Kali]

34. see my post above (33)

I have a sensitive cat - if she eats crap food it only takes a couple of days before her eyes start swelling and her ears get runny and she starts itching all the time....improved diet stops it in a day or two.

[petronius]

36. Will definitely check that out... Thanks! (nt)

[WCGreen]

6. She looks a little pissed off....

[lizziegrace]

8. Lelapin calls her

our "Pissy Princess". She's perpetually pissed. :)

[WCGreen]

27. Awwwwww!!

[johnnie]

9. Aww.. poor little girl

Get her some catnip and let her get stoned. It's the only way... the only way.

[lizziegrace]

11. The cats are so funny stoned!

Widget is 15 pounds and I *know* he hallucinates. Gracie just gets very, very mellow.

:hi:

[johnnie]

19. I miss having kitties

They never failed to crack me up. When I was 6 months old we got a cat named Tisha, or Morticia (as in the Addams Family). The poor thing died in my arms at 21. Well, she was old.

[lizziegrace]

20. Awww

21 is a long life. You were lucky to be with her at the end. :hug:

Are you not in a place where you can have cats?

[johnnie]

25. I can have cats, but I am not around enough

I don't want to not give any the attention they need. I have my birds and a few neighborhood cats..lol. They like me.

[reyd reid reed]

10. Yup. She is.

Oh. THAT Gracie.

:P

Poor baby. Did she take her medicine like a good little kitty? You could always smush some velveeta around it if she doesn't like tuna...I think I did that for Snicklefritz when he dislocated his hip...

:hug:

[lizziegrace]

13. I had the vet dose her before we left

It's a liquid antibiotic. I'll have to scruff her and shoot it in her mouth. She's gonna really hate me. (hehehe)

[wildhorses]

12. a female orange tabby....cool

hope she feels better soon :hug::hi:

[lizziegrace]

14. I think she does a little

her ear's cleaned out and she slept all afternoon.

:hi:

[ZombieNixon]

22. Aww...

:( Good wishes to Gracie...what a gorgeous kitty. :loveya:

[lizziegrace]

23. Thanks ZN

:hug:


Good thing she's only 8 pounds. No big cat needs her attitude. :)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

24. That's too bad....poor baby!

I remember you were treating her in August......

I sure hope you can fix it this time out....

I've got my fingers crossed for both of you, right now! :hug:

[lizziegrace]

28. So if I was dealing with this in early August

it's been 2 1/2 months. :( Poor Gracie.

Thanks Peggy!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

30. Maybe I shouldn't have reminded you!

Sorry!

It has taken quite a lot of effort on your part.........:hug:

[lizziegrace]

32. That's okay!

I was trying to remember without pulling out bank statements for charges.

:)

[Dangerously Amused]

29. Aww, poor sweet Gracie.

Such a pretty baby! I have a kitty with allergies, too, and have to be very careful with his food. Gracie is lucky to have someone who loves her so much taking care of her.


Best to you all...


:hug:

[lizziegrace]

31. Thank you...

Gracie's made it to 5 years old without any ear problems til I decided I was tired of cleaning up gack. Oh well. Live and learn. Fortunately, she still :loveya: me.

:hug:

[haf216]

38. I'm sorry that Gracie is sick.

She looks like my Pigglet. I love the orange tabby's ( but then I love all kitties!) Hope she is feeling better soon.

[lizziegrace]

39. The way she eats

her nickname is "piggy". Maybe that's why she looks perturbed!

Thanks for the wishes. She's a little more active this evening. I think getting her ear cleaned today helped a lot.

:hi:

[SeattleGirl]

40. Poor baby

I hate it when furbabies are sick, or have something wrong with them. :cry:

Hope she gets better really soon.