Saturday, October 06, 2007

Big, Long Post to Come About Brainball...

...but I'm going to need to get some sleep first. The Ballicus Mom here -- this cat mom hasn't gotten a lot of sleep these last couple of days. Brainball, who had been doing so well, got sick again suddenly last Thursday night/Friday morning and was rushed to the vet on Friday morning.

The diagnosis: bronchitis, conjuncitivis, fever and dehydration -- Brainball received subcutaneous fluids for the dehydration, antibiotic and steroid injections for the other ailments. Brainball is now home, and will be receiving medication: steroid pills, antibiotics pills, eyedrops. Prognosis is good.

But being a worried cat mom, I am deeply concerned that Brainball's appetite is so poor. Brainball was just brought home Friday evening -- seems better, but still doesn't want to eat anything but tuna and tuna juice (but, thankfully, is pretty enthusiastic about that). That's fine; I'm just glad Brainball is eating some, but I would like to ask for advice anybody has on helping a cat with a low appetite to eat.

I guess I should clarify -- since Brainball has been back from the vet, it isn't so much low appetite as it is bronchitis lowering sense of smell. For a cat, sense of smell is crucial to appetite. So any advice anyone has on tempting a cat with bronchitis to eat and drink better would be more than welcomed. And of course, Brainball's medications and continued treatment at home will improve matters with the bronchitis, too, thereby hopefully helping appetite to return to normal.

And boy oh boy, does Brainball have a story to tell the Cat Blogosphere *grin* along with giving more of the medical details -- but for now, more purrs would be deeply appreciated. Lots of love to all from the Ballicus Mom and all the Ballicai.

Thanks MaoMao, sweet boy, for letting Mom blog.

28 comments:

Gretchen said...

Hooray for Brainball! I'm purring for her real hard!

Love to all of you, especially your mom bean. Don't worry so much...G

Daisy said...

At the shelter when cats are very congested in the nose, we sometimes use "Little Noses" which is a very gentle saline meant for babies. You just put a few drops into the nostrils and it will thin out the mucous (if Brainball has nasal congestion).

I am purring and purring for Brainball to feel better soon.

Dragonheart, Merlin, Devi, and Chloe said...

Poor Brainball! I am purring and praying for her to feel better soon.

One thing my mom has read: cats that are fed tuna can quickly learn to love it, and refuse to eat anything else. I hope that's not what's happening with Brainball, and she will be back to eating her normal food before long.

Sending lots of healing purrs her way.

HRH Yao-Lin said...

Oh little brainball I am so sorry you are poorly!! Has your human thought about mixing tuna juice or sardine juice in with your regular food? That might get you to eat it a little more? Or mix in some sardine or tuna with some meat or something.

Or, she could always serve you a three course steak dinner. That might do the trick!

Team Tabby said...

We's sending our good wishes and thoughts that you continue to improve, Brainball, and get back to feeling better real soon.

Moe & Mindy

Memories of Eric and Flynn said...

We're sorry Brainball isn't feeling so good again. We're sending her healing purrs and (((hugs))) she's probly eating the toona cuz it's stronger smelling than some uvver types of food, and like yoo sed, if she can't smell it, she won't want to eat it.Get well soon Brainball.

Parker said...

Here's what Mommy would do at the shelter for sick kitties - cats won't eat what they can't smell. So...tuna is stinky. Sinky Goodness is very stinky. If you warm up the stinky goodness in the microwave it gets VERY VERY stinky! Just make sure it has cooled to where she won't hurt herself. We hope she gets better soon!

sammawow said...

Oh no, we're sorry Brainball is having some more problems. We've never had this problem, but all of the other cats seem to have good ideas worth trying! We'll keep sending healing purrs - real big rumbly purrs!

Purrrrrs, China Cat & Willow

Alexi said...

We is purring very much for all of you and especially Brainball. Deep rumbly purrs! Toona will be good--how 'bout ham? Headbumpies and purrs to you.

The Meezers or Billy said...

oh Brainball, we is glad that your prognosis is good, but we is so sad that you is sick. Mommy sometimes mixed baby food with water and fed it to Norton or Trixie through a syringe when they was not enthusiastic about eating.

Tommy and Teaghan said...

Send more pawsitive healing thots to Brainball. Lots more good thots to yur fambly so they can feel good too to help yoo threw yur sickie days. You'll feel better afore you know it.

Hot(M)BC said...

Oh Mao is was furry nice of you to let your Mom blog and ask her questions and update us. Yoo's a furry nice cat. And we's furry glad Brainball is gettin help wif feelin bad and the v-e-t says she's gonna be ok! Now I'm gonna let my Mom talk, since you did it so good.

Robyn here...
Another food to try is chicken babyfood (1st stage, with nothing but chicken and water, and definitely no onion powder) that you heat for just a few seconds in the microwave (or on the stove top). It gets very stinky that way. You might also try other stinky goodness with the same heating trick. Just be sure you don't make it hot -- about the same temp as for a baby is good -- poke your finger in it and if it's warm but not hot, it's good.
If she's drinking tuna juice but not much else, try a bit of tuna juice in a water bowl so that the water itself smells like tuna. Warm it gently
You can do the same with canned chicken and turkey from the canned meats aisle too, just make sure it doesn't have onion powder in it.
If she gets spoiled along the way and later won't eat other things, you can wean her of all this the same way you do kittens -- I had to do it with Sanjee and she got over it. As long as she's eating and drinking something, she should be fine with the help of the vet and you with the medicines. It's so easy to worry about our babies, though. :) *hugs* Robyn

And lotsa purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs from us reel bloggers too!
Sanjee, Boni Maroni, Mini, Gree and Pepi

Mickey's Musings said...

Oh Mao,I am surry about Brainball.I hope her appetite comes back soon. I hope things like baby food work. I be purraying to make her feel better.

Anonymous said...

Hi! Our Mommie says to try a little baby food. just the plain chicken, turkey or beef in the little tiny jars. that's what worked for her! good luck!!
Love Jillie and Butch. the Philly Frootbats! Go Phillies!!

Anonymous said...

Oh we are purring for Brainball.

Like the other cats said, whatever you can do to get smelly stuff to Brainball-either via helping clear the sinus or via very strong stinky goodness. Salmon stuff is often very smell too. Sheba used to have a salmon food that Momma's sick cats could smell.

Did the doctor give you a decongestant for her? Sometimes if they can't smell, the docs will give something that will help clear up the congestion

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

Oh, yoo gots all da beans giving yoo good advice about da foods...mom used baby food on Zippy when she hadded her kitty cold last year, she like dat furry much. We'll be sending lots of purrs and saying lots of purrayers fur Brainball {{{{hug}}}}

Monty Q. Kat said...

Come on Brainball! Let's get you up an' EATIN'. MomBean agrees with the 'stinkier the beter', when her old Rudycat was sick that's what her vet told her to do. I think sardines helped, as well as some beef broth. (Salt-free)

::purrs!::

The Lee County Clowder said...

Everyone has already said everything we could contribute, so we'll just send some healing purrrsss for Brainball, and some {huggs} for Ballicus Mom.

Alexi said...

Hi Brainball!
This is Alexi. We are sending many purrs, head bumpies, and lickies your way. Get better soon! My mombean has some ideas for your mombean. Here dey are:

1) Cats with nazl congestun need warm, stinky, good food. So tell yur mombean to put the food in microwaaf for a few seconds to mak it nice, stinky, and warm.

2) Sardeens or salmun is a favarite treet at the Castle. Warmd of course if yoo haz a culd.

3) Warmed chickun flavord baby food is also enjoyed. Nice and stinky!

4) You can add any vitumins ( vitamun c is good for nazl congestun and URIs) or antibiotic to the food if it is stinky enuff.
Sardeens, toona and chikun baby food are good for such addichuns

5) You can get spechul cat food from your vet (Hill's AD canned) . Very yummy when warmd and sick kitties love it!

Unknown said...

I hope that Brainball feels better soon. It sucks to be sick.

Try rubbing some tuna juice right on her nose pad. It would be kinda hard not to be able to smell it.

Anonymous said...

Hi My Sweet Mao,

Sorry to hear Brainball is sick.Me and mom will pray for her.I'm sending love and healing thoughts...Hugs and kissies Your Ariel

Rosemary B❤️ said...

Lots of great ideas here.
Gerber baby foods is yumm-o.
If you feel she is not getting enough water intake, you can bring her in for another subq treatment.
(We get them every day, you know)
Usually when they are properly hydrated then the appetite will perk up. Dehydration creates loss of appetite.

We are sending super purrrs and (((gentlesqueezyhugs))) for Brainball and for nurse mom too.

The rest of you (maomao, I am talkin' to you) behave!

Purrrs, Prinnie

MISS PEACH ~(^.^)~ said...

Oh my how distressing this mews is for me. Here I have been rejoicing in the recovery of my own sickies and now my dearest sister Brainball is really sick again!! Oh these things happen so fast...I am glad the vet trip was productive and that meds are on board already. Mommy found that BEEF baby food helped with the cat who came before me Miss Minka. I would suggest what I had for breakfast this morning...a tiny pad of real sweet creme butter!! Smudge a bit on Brainballs nose pad:) hee hee she will have to clean it off!
Oh I am coming over right now so move on over sisters and make room in the window box for me:)
Love the Peachers

The Furry Kids said...

Oh, Ballicai Mom. (((hugs))) Our mom is sending lots of hugs to you. We ditto all the stuff the other kitties and moms said. When EG wasn't eating, the V-E-T said that kitties like to eat really stinky things. He suggested baby food chicken, heated up just a little bit in the microwave to maximize it's stinkyness. Or regular stinky goodness heated just a little. Momma did have to give him food in a syringe for a bit, though, when he didn't feel like eating. If worse comes to worse, the V-E-T can give you an appetite stimulant, but it sounds like you guys have enough medicines to deal with at the moment.

Momma also had to give EG water by syringe for a couple of days because he wouldn't drink with his cone on. She gave him a tablespoon or two every couple of hours - the V-E-T can tell you how much water she needs.

Mom says most of all, if you're worried or something doesn't feel right, call the V-E-T right away.

C'mon Brainball! Eat and drink for your mom, ok? It will help you all feel so much better!

We are purraying and sending lots of pawsitive thoughts your way.

Love,
Titus, Tazo, EG, & their Mom

Bad Kitty Cats & Megan said...

Hi Thomma Lyn, we have been purring for Brainball and sending our good thoughts your way too. It's not good having sick kitty! I do hope she gets to feeling better quick.

On the other matter, about Brainball eating? Most importantly I would be concerned with her drinking. When TeaCup was home before and in and out of Vet hospital, I took a syringe (minus needle) and each hour gave him a teaspoon or so, yes sometimes forced, but to keep him from dehydration. A few drops helps. And since he wasn't eating, I would hand hold his food and evetually he would nibble on dry piece now and then but twice a day we force fed him (actually vet did with special foods). Of course I don't think Brainball should be force fed .. but my point is maybe let her eat from your hand.

Also we stayed away from babyfood. But what I did do was get something called CatSip and when I ran out of that I used Carnation Milk scalded for about 10 seconds with a few drops of Karo syrup and then placed in his dry food.

One thing our Vet said was to try and keep them on what they ate before... hence the scalded carnation milk or catsip formula. Kitty Cats do not digest milk easily.

Oh here I am ranting - but as long as she is drinking and not losing daily lots of weight, Brainball will eat when she is ready. I know when I am on meds I do not want to eat anything either except slushies. lol Maybe get her a Coke Slushie? hahaha... sorry

Sending lots of love and purrs and hugs!

Bad Kitty Cats & Megan said...

Oh and PS lol... we ,eant to add I would only use Tuna as a last resort because we agree... she will not want to eat anything else. So ... sorry hehe
loves

Big Piney Woods Cats said...

I wish I had the answer for you. I mentioned before about Mittens eating pumpkin for constipation. I give that to her in a plunger, force feed, but she seems to like it. I am wondering if you mixed some stinky goodness with water and fed Brainball that way. Maybe ask the vet first. We are all purring for you!

CalicoMom Toni

Meowers from Missouri said...

we is certainly purrrrrrrrrrrin' some more for brainball!! it's hard to knock out them ol' nasty bacterias and/or virussses sometimes--sounds like the vet now has a good regimen goin'. time an' purrrrrrrs will help the meds work!!

love from the meowers