I am at my WIT'S END about Simba

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

I've been in California with my sister since June 9th and am not going home to Texas until this Saturday. The week before I left our 12-year-old kitty Simba was not eating, listless and hiding in the closet, so I took him to the vet on June 8th and had blood work done. He's already suspected of having inflammatory bowel disease - he vomits a lot and is on metronidazole for it. The lab work was fairly unremarkable for kidney function, and thyroid panel was normal. The vet suggested feeding him only canned food because that's what he likes best. Right after I spoke with the vet on Saturday morning, the 9th, my sister called and told me her husband was in the ICU, so I caught a flight out there to be with her. Thank God my brother-in-law improved and was discharged the following Friday, and I've been out here since then to help her with errands, etc.

Anyway, Mr. DTBK is home faithfully taking care of the cats, including scooping poop (which he NEVER does) and making sure to try to get Simba to eat as much as possible while I'm away. He blames me for spoiling Simba - evidently Simba is eating a bit, then crying for more food but not eating it when Mr. DTBK gives him more. Mr. DTBK bought some canned Friskies, which all the cats love now, but Simba is still constantly looking for food. He has lost a LOT of weight, almost 40% of his body mass in the last year, but since the lab work is pretty normal the vet is stymied. Anyway, Mr. DTBK is trying all sorts of different foods and complaining that someone is having diarrhea (probably Simba). He is NOT giving Simba his metronidazole despite my repeated entreaties. Apparently when Mr. DTBK was out briefly this evening someone had deposited some partially formed poop with loose stool in the game room. None of the cats has ever gone outside the litter box aside from rare "I can't shake the poop off my ass" incidents. Despite not seeing the offending cat make this deposit, he naturally assumed it was Simba and called me to say "this is a nightmare" and "I cannot deal with this." It probably WAS Simba, but who the hell knows. He could not bring himself to clean it up, but covered it with a paper towel and is waiting for me to get home SATURDAY NIGHT to clean it.

In the meantime, I am freaking out about what to do for Simba. I called the pet sitting service and left a message, but they haven't called back yet. They do have a key to our house. I'd like them to at least give Simba his medicine and clean the poop, but they'll charge $21/day to do that and Mr. DTBK will give me hell. What would you do? I wish I were home to monitor Simba 24 hours a day, but I can't go home until Saturday. According to reports, Simba is not hiding, but guests at our home Saturday were apparently feeling sorry for him due to his weight loss.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated (except "put the cat to sleep" - not ready for that as long as he's interested in life and not suffering).

[Robeson]

1. I've posted a link to your OP in the Pets Group....

...between the two, I know there are some good people there who can help you.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

2. Thanks - I live in the Lounge and never think to go elsewhere

I appreciate it!

[Robeson]

5. No problem. I'll post it in the veggie and animal rights group, too...

...we have plenty of people there who can also help.

[Inchworm]

3. sounds like a terrible ordeal

:hug:

I have no suggestions, but I hope it all works out for Simba.

:hug:

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

23. Thank you.

:hug:

[Radio_Lady]

4. No friends or other family members in Texas to help out?

Saturday is a long way away. You should talk this over with Mr. DTBK to see if there is another way to handle this.

Maybe Mr. DTBK is just not responsible enough for your animals when you are away. I left my dog with my ex-husband for several months (I had the two little kids, under age 3) when we separated.

When I got home, the dog had mange all over her body. What a mess!

Anyway, I hope this all works out well for you.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

7. Frankly, no, there are no others to help

I'm feeling rather isolated in Dallas - Mr. DTBK has friends, but they're not necessarily my friends.

I'm very grateful that he is managing at least to clean the litter boxes every other day - believe me, that's a major improvement, for him! I also feared he'd neglect to give them the canned food, as many humans don't like the sight or smell of that, but he's doing it and even purchased more in an attempt to get the cats to eat. I guess now all of them are getting spoiled (we have three). I really don't understand his aversion to giving Simba his medicine - I use a pet piller and just shove it down Simba's throat and stroke his throat until he swallows - how hard is that? He can scoop poop, but he can't administer medicine? (HE'S A DOCTOR, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!) He seems to want a cookie or something because he's doing all this, and I am happy that he's doing this (he's also cleaning up the frequent barf, which he also despises), but I'm worrying about what I'll find when I get home! I wish the pet sitter would call back - they say they're on call 24 hours a day.

[FloridaJudy]

20. I once left my dog with my ex for 10 days

Due to a family emergency. She managed to run away: by the time I got back, she was in the pound, and hours away from being put down. It wasn't his fault: she was tagged and microchipped, but animal control was calling my house and not his.

Anyway, I've learned my lesson. Don't leave your beloved pet with anyone who's not a devoted animal lover. Since then I've always boarded her with the vet if I have to leave town. She doesn't seem to mind it, but she's always glad to have me back.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

22. That's the thing - my husband ADORES our cats

But I'm the one who always takes care of them - the most he'll do when I'm home is put dry food in their bowls in the mornings and help me clean up barf after I've done the initial heavy lifting. He has done much more than he normally has to do while I've been gone, but he's just panicking and making ME panic when there's nothing I can do about it from so far away. I will call the pet sitter again tomorrow morning and ask her to go over and clean the poop and make sure Simba gets his medicine.

I hope people don't think Mr. DTBK is some kind of monster. He just isn't used to doing all the things I normally do for the cats, and his natural fastidiousness is being disturbed.

[StarryNite]

6. I'm more baffled

about what should be done with your hubby who will let the cat sh*t sit there under a paper towel waiting for you to get home. It sounds like something my husband would do. You could wind up with piles of it all over the house!

[Radio_Lady]

8. Yes, that is a BIG problem. Grounds for divorce, in my opinion.

Cat poop all over the house? Maybe you've never talked to your husband about that scenario.

By the way, when I separated from Gramps, my husband of 34 years, for six weeks back in the 1980s (long story), he took wonderful care of our dog.

[StarryNite]

10. Years ago my husband actually put a box

over a pile of dog pooh that my Irish Setter left in the hallway. Luckily I was home from work in just a couple of hours so the stench didn't permeate into the whole house and contents. Men! :eyes:

[Radio_Lady]

11. I don't know... maybe you could put up with that, but that would be a DEALBREAKER for me.

Yuck...............................

[StarryNite]

14. It was yucky!

We hadn't been married long and the dog was mine so I guess he figured I should be the one to clean it up. Since then we have had a couple of other dogs and cats and two kids and cleaning up yucky stuff has always been my job. But then again, I haven't worked outside the home since about the first year we were married. It's all about compromise.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

15. I can sympathize - I'm not working, either

We don't have kids, but if we did, I'm certain cleaning up their yucky stuff would be my job, as well. I think my husband thinks he works and everything that happens within the home (and yard) is my responsibility.

[Jamastiene]

17. That reminds me of something that happened when I worked

at the guitar store. My coworker, and former band mate, came in to say her young son woke up before everyone else in the house. Apparently, he decided to make finger paints out of the contents of his diaper. She was late coming to work because she had to clean up the mess.

Her husband, also a former fellow band mate of mine, was at home watching him that morning. He called and said he was going to take his son out for a drive and might stop by with some lunch for us. About 30 minutes later, he came walking into the store with our food and this smell permeated the entire store. The position of the cash register and workbench are was about 30 feet to the back of the store from the front door. We could smell the diaper from the minute he walked through the door. Finally, my coworker exclaimed, ", you mean to tell me you cannot smell that?!" :rofl: Yep, he was carrying the kid right under his nose and it was an awful smell. He honestly did not know the diaper needed to be changed.

[Radio_Lady]

9. Can you call the Humane Society in the Texas city you live in and ask for help?

I have no idea where you live, but there must be a city or town Animal Control officer or Humane Society who could at least suggest something. I'd call the Town/City Hall TOMORROW -- Chamber of Commerce -- Animal Rescue -- anyone I could get hold of. Even a neighbor might help out.

Is your husband so busy with a job or whatever that he can't help out finding someone else? This is really serious.

Didn't hubby have "guests" the other night -- and there's no one among them who you could lean on?

Also, isn't there a Texas state forum on the DU? Maybe someone could get roused up there... If I weren't in Portland, Oregon, I'd try to help you out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Radio_Lady]

12. Check the Yellow Pages on line for other Pet Sitters or Cat Rescue?

Call a local talk radio station? This used to be the kind of thing that would have people running to help in the days when I was doing a call-in talk show... just mention animals in trouble and people responded immediately.


I'm just runnin' off at the... mouth?... keyboard?

Good luck, Depose.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

13. It's okay - I left a message for our pet sitter

I don't mean to make it sound like my husband is a heartless bastard - he loves the cats too, especially Simba, who has been his baby since the day I brought him home. He just freaks out over things which occur normally and which the average person wouldn't consider cause for alarm. If the pet sitter doesn't call in the morning, I'll call back first thing in the morning.

No, none of the friends who were over are cat people, and all of them are busy physicians to whom I'm not that close who wouldn't have the first clue as to what to do. The only friend who loves and has cats is a busy psychiatrist who lives over an hour away and whose kids aren't quite old enough to drive.

I appreciate your concern, but don't worry - I'll get the situation under control. He'll just have to scream about the pet sitting bill. It's just a few more days now, but I do want Simba to get his medicine.

Again, thanks, but don't worry!

[Jamastiene]

16. My oldest girl has had IBD for about 3 years.

She is on prednisone every other day and eats nothing but dry Science Diet Sensitive Stomach for her food, other than when she takes her medicine. She gets a treat with her medicine to make her sit still and cooperate while I give her the pill. On occasion when she has a problem with a hairball or constipation, I will give her a cap full of mineral oil.

For the most part, she does fine. She will hawk up a hairball every now and again. Recently, she did get into some leftovers, which was my fault. I was feeling bad and left the food sitting out.

Back in her day, she used to love anything Italian or Mexican and home fried croakers. You couldn't cook chili or spaghetti or the fish without her going nuts for it. Now, we have to watch her diet closely and make sure she gets her meds on time. She is 14 years old now and will be 15 in October.

If I was in your position, the Mr. ( which in my position would be the ex-Mrs. or the sternly-reminded-that-my -babies-come-first Mrs., ahem ) would have to step aside and allow the service to come in and nurse my baby back to health until I could return.

Good luck finding your resolution to this. It shouldn't be this much of a nightmare. I take it the cat really does not like the food that much. I could be wrong, however, because my cats ( I have another one on prednisone for asthma) seemed to gain weight once they got sick.

Of course, with your cat being on another medication, there may be something else the cat doesn't like about the entire situation of being sick. My Sunday Girl cannot stand the embarrassment of having the "I can't shake the poop off my ass" incidents. The other cats seem to say nothing to her, but she still cannot stand it when it happens. She does throw up from time to time, but like I said, hairballs seem to be a cat malady from day one.

Ahem, this is all just my opinion, but the Mr. sounds like he needs a little talking to about patience. I'm sure you'll do as you see fit. Good luck on helping your baby.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

18. Thanks for your thoughtful post about your experience

I've tried both the Sensitive Stomach and Hairball foods - Simba doesn't really bring up hairballs, just food/liquid. I can stand the barfing - right now I need to get some weight on him and hopefully control his diarrhea (I really have no way of knowing how often he's had it, as Mr. DTBK tends to exaggerate in this regard). I started Simba on Authority canned food and he loved it, at least while I was home - now I'm hearing reports that he will eat it when a new can is offered, but Mr. DTBK claims he has to open several different cans of different flavors and feed Simba some of that each time or he won't eat. The diarrhea out of the box really grossed him out and sent him completely over the edge.

Can anyone recommend foods that will make a cat GAIN weight? Monty is already huge and won't get that food, and Morrissey has those tendencies (but is highly active), so I just need to find something to put some meat on Simba's bones. I'll try baby food too when I get home (without onion powder, of course). I just need to monitor him for diarrhea - the barfing has always been a problem and likely always will be, so that's the least of my worries.

Thanks again - I hope your kitty continues to do well!

[StarryNite]

19. Do you think he might eat rice

if the cat food was mixed with it? I have also heard that pumpkin is good for stomach problems in cats and dogs. Whether or not he would eat it is another thing. But I'm thinking maybe he would eat the rice mixed with his other food since it doesn't have much of a flavor of it's own.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

21. He did seem interested in it once, so I gave him a bit, but he sniffed it and didn't eat it

I've also heard that about pumpkin, now that you mention it. He seems interested in many things, but won't eat them. I do have a pet syringe - maybe I could mash some up and give it to him with that. I tried mashing some grapes and offering that, but he sniffed it and walked away. Thanks for the tips.

[StarryNite]

24. I know grapes can be poisonous to dogs

I don't know if they are bad for cats though. Have you tried putting some low salt chicken broth on his food? Maybe that would entice him to eat. And is he drinking water? That's really important especially if he has been having diarrhea and vomiting. He needs to replenish the liquids. The broth would help with that too. The syringe might be what it will take to get him eating again. A couple of years ago our cat had UTI and I used an eyedropper to force her to take liquids. I took the pouched kind of food and added water to the liquid part of it and squirted it in her mouth dropper by dropper. It helped a lot. I only had to do that for a couple of days before she started eating again.

[China_cat]

25. Baby food. Strained meats

Cats are obligate carnivores...they get no nutrition from anything other than meat. Yes they will eat grasses and other things but they get no nutrition from them, just roughage.

Baby meats are a good balance of protein and fats and you don't usually have to worry about whether the cat will eat it.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

28. I want to start him on baby food when I get home

I've read that the baby food shouldn't have any onion powder in it, but my vet says that's not a big deal. Despite everything I've read online, he says it's not a big deal. I don't know what to think.

[China_cat]

30. It IS a big deal

unless you want to risk Heinz body anemia...for which there is no cure or treatment and is 100% fatal. Your cat's health is already compromised. I'd be reading labels carefully even though the baby food companies have said that they haven't been using onion powder in quite some time.

http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/CLERK/Tarigo/ Very good article about it but very technical. Scroll down to 'causes...' and the last couple sentences there. Then there is this paragraph.

Onions (Thiosulfates)

Heinz body formation can result from ingestion of raw, cooked, or dehydrated onions.10 The addition of onion powder to baby food at as high as 1.8% content on a dry matter basis began in 1995 and one study found that as little as 0.3% onion powder in a feline diet resulted in HzB formation.9 Adverse effects are dose-dependent, with mild changes such as increased HzB formation, and mild decrease in packed cell volume with mild reticulocytosis with low dose exposure, to methemoglobinemia and hemolytic anemia with high dose exposure.9 The decrease in PCV and increase in reticulocytes suggests an increase in RBC turnover. Several thiosulfate compounds have been implicated as the cause of oxidative injury to RBCs that occurs after onion consumption.9 Even in small quantities, onion products place an added oxidative stress that may be significant when being fed chronically or to an anorectic cat (with endogenous increased oxidative stress). Onions and onion products are not recommended for consumption by cats.

[Shakespeare]

26. has the vet checked his liver function?

My sister's cat had a very similar problem, with alarming weight loss. She was finally diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis, and after lengthy treatment (which included having a stomach tube inserted for a couple of months so my sister could feed her with a syringe), she finally recovered and is back to her healthy, grumpy self.

I wish you much luck with Simba. :hug:

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

27. I don't know - that's another thing

I'm really not happy with our vet. He can be snarky and pooh-poohs everything I say, as though I know NOTHING about cats despite having lived with them for 20 years. He also takes an extremely cautious approach to everything. I miss our vet in Wichita!!! I don't know if liver studies have been done. I just feel so helpless being so far away.

[flamingyouth]

31. If you're not happy with your vet, change vets.

I know this isn't an immediate solution, but I think you should do this when you get home and possibly get Simba to a specialist.

I also totally agree with flvegan's advice just below here. As for while you're away, wish I could give you a hand; we live with one senior cat, one chronically ill cat and one who's disabled, so we have lots of experience in this arena (we're just a *little* far away). Best of luck, and I'm thinking of your sister and brother-in-law too.:hug:

[alstephenson]

32. Yes, please check liver function!

I had the same problem as Shakespeare, only my kitty died! Cats can not go for more than a day or so without food or hepatic lipidosis can set in, especially if the cat is overweight to begin with. I hope everything works out for you and Simba!

[flvegan]

29. Has the vet inspected Simba's mouth and throat?

If he appears hungry, asks for food, but then doesn't eat, that's where I'd start. At 12, knocking Simba out may not be the best thing in the world, but I think his teeth, mouth and throat should be looked at to begin with.

As for food, I'd get the purest form available without any crap in it. Wysong wet, Wellness, something like that. I'd mix it with rice to help keep it down and digested.

[AZBlue]

33. I'm joining in late, but hopefully you've been able to get a hold of the pet sitter now?

Keep us posted on Simba's condition!
:hug:

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

39. Yes - see below post

Unfortunately things look pretty bad. Thanks for your concern. :hug:

[badgerpup]

34. This is going to sound silly maybe...

...but would it be possible for Simba to hear your voice on the phone? He might be missing you.

When my ex-Sig Other was in hospital for one of his many problems, I'd take care of his 'daughters'...call his hospital room and put him on the speaker phone and tell him to just talk. What did he have for lunch, what did the nurses look like, anything, just so Hara and Lulu could hear that Daddy was OK.

It seemed to help...

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

38. Not silly at all - I've thought of that too

I'll try to remember to ask tomorrow when I call the vet.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

35. Update on Simba - prognosis not good - fluid in abdomen/possible tumor

Options are to put him to sleep (not ready to do that yet if he's not suffering), exploratory surgery (not a good candidate in his current weakened state), referral to internist for ultrasound ($$$ and what's the point?) and steroids to increase appetite and diminish inflammation. We opted for the steroids for now. They may not work at all, but we chose the most attractive of a very bleak set of alternatives. Mr. DTBK is in complete denial that Simba could possibly be this ill and refused to even consider euthanasia. So, the vet started him on steroids today and will keep him overnight again. At least he ate and drank today and was sitting up - apparently yesterday he was so weak he could hardly lift his head. My poor sweet little love.

I'm trying not to cry my eyes out, but it's so difficult. I just want to get home to Texas, get him home and give him all the love I have to give.

Thanks to all who have expressed support. Sometimes I feel so lonely on DU - it's nice to know some people care enough to respond.

[idgiehkt]

36. Sorry for the poor prognosis

Is it possible for him to stay at the vet until you get home? He might be better of there, at least he will get his meds. I'm sorry you are dealing with denial from hubby, that is rough, it compounds the problem of deciding on treatment. I think you are right, to me it looks like steroids are your only option...even if they do find something on the ultrasound, the point of doing that is so they know whether or not to do surgery...if that is not an option then there is little reason for it. :hug:

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

37. Yes, I think he should stay until at least Saturday

I won't be home until late Saturday night and wouldn't be able to pick him up until Monday. Hubby will pick him up Saturday if he can go home then. I need to prepare a little area for him with a litter box, food and water nearby. I don't want to isolate him from the family, so I don't think I'll confine him to a closed room. If he needs to stay until Monday, that's fine, too. I'm not fully prepared for what I'll find - he's apparently deteriorated a lot from when I last saw him eating his treats on June 9th. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I hate this!! :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[idgiehkt]

40. I am so sorry

Losing pets is always tough. I would suggest euthanasia at the point of no return though. My parents waited to long with one of their cats and I spent the last night with her on the screen porch behind their house....she had a seizure and died, just like the vet said she would. I knew it was going to be her last night on earth, but my parents were in denial and they waited too long.

:grouphug: :hug: :grouphug:

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

42. I know - the memories of our Fergie's death are still fresh

He died at age 19 on August 29, 2003 (two days after my birthday). I had planned to take him for euthanasia that afternoon, but nature took its course on its own at 3:45 that morning. I was holding his paw - when I held his body before that he seemed to get scared and cried out, so I didn't want to put him through that anymore. He very peacefully took a last breath, which I got to see, and died. I will keep a close eye on Simba - I hope he'll let me know when it's time the way Ferg did.

I cannot believe I'm writing these words about our sweet little Simba. Bless his loving little heart!

[Truthiness Inspector]

41. I'm so sorry about Simba

One thought I had reading through this is could he have some kind of obstruction--like he swallowed something that is obstructing his digestive tract? How did they determine the possible tumor?

Big hugs for you and Simba.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

43. They did x-rays today which showed free fluid in the abdomen

Vet said it was likely oozing from a tumor somewhere. His heart and lungs are clear. He has always been a barfer, but more so in the last few years. I've taken him to the vet multiple times, and his lab values are always fine except for an elevated BUN, indicating dehydration. He's lost so much weight, though, that you have to wonder.

[AZBlue]

45. I'm so so sorry!

I was in a very similar situation with my Sally almost 2 years ago - same alternatives as you. I wouldn't put her through surgery - she was 12 and I didn't want to see her suffer from that on top of what she was already going through. I did do the ultrasound and it wasn't conclusive at all. Steroids worked for a little while and then when I knew there was no way to remove the suffering I had her put to sleep. Hardest thing I've ever done, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I still miss her but I'm so thankful that she was in my life. You'll make the right decisions as they come up and you're both lucky to have each other! Know that you've got a lot of hearts that are thinking of you both here!!
:hug:

[piesRsquare]

44. Inflammatory Bowel and Diet

Veterinary technician here...:)

An excellent diet for inflammatory bowel problems is the prescription diet w/d. It's available through veterinarians only, and is available in canned and dry.

My cats have colitis, were vomiting, diarrhea; vet told me to feed them w/d and problems went away instantly. No problems since.

W/d is generally used as a weight-reduction diet, but because it is a "bland" diet (i.e. high fiber) it is also used for pets with colitis/irritable bowel.

Have Mr. DTBK call the vet on Friday, 6/29 and ask about w/d. If the vet sells it, Mr. DTBK could pick some up the same day and start feeding it to Simba immediately. I would strongly recommend this course of action.

Good luck, and keep us posted! :)

[blogslut]

46. Have you tried plain yogurt?

Or perhaps acidophilus supplements? Always helps my kitty's tummy troubles.

[yellowdogintexas]

47. hope you can get Simba back to health,

we went through this with my daughter's cat, and it was very hard. He just would not respond.

I hope Simba does begin to improve.

Glad to hear your sister's husband is improving.