Shaak biting getting bad

within the last four weeks Shaak has gotten much worse with her biting. first it was an accidental bite when she was trying to take food out of my hand. then it was my neice's finger for same reason, then it was my hand that was trying to cook and she wanted the food in the pan. tonight I was moving her out of the way repeatedly while I was getting food ready for my daughter. this time Ithe food wasn't even in the hand which she bit. she got mad that I tried to move her out of the way of the food, i moved her three times, I went to move her a fourth time and she bit down on my forearm just above the wrist. it is a really bad and deep bite. her lower teeth were not deep but her one canine went so deep you could see down the hole it made in my arm. we cleaned it, put neosporin on it. it happened two hours ago. now my arm is starting to swell. we have an ice pack on it at the moment, It hurts like crazy and also feels like tennis elbow but not my elbow, my wrist, hand and part of my forearm. i just typed this whole paragraph with my right hand as it hurts too much to use my left.

 

You should probably go to the ER, especially if it's already swelling that badly

Cat bites are nothing to fool with.....waiting just a few hours too long can mean weeks in the hospital on IV antibiotics

I am dead serious....PLEASE go to the hospital

 

Absolutely agree with Chris and China get to the hospital and get a tetanus sorted. I had tetanus years ago from rose thorns (caught it early thankfully) do not End up like me. xx

 

I'm up to date on my tetanus. I am at the er though. In the lobby awaiting my turn. I can't move my wrist or hand now. If I try the pain is sharp.

 

My son wants to put Shaak to sleep. He says she is uncontrollable. That the pee and poop are bad enough but now you can't eat or cook food in the house, because Shaak goes after the food and keeps biting and clawing everyone. I am worried. The hospital said they had to report the bite to animal control and I don't give Shaak vaccinations. She has never been passed the porch. I don't want to lose my cat. Shaak is one of my children.

 

all my son wants to talk about is taking Shaak to be pts tomorrow. I had to have his help to open cat food cans and pumpkin to feed Shaak when I got home from the hospital. I am terrified what will happen when animal control calls or comes over, My son said he hopes my hand can open cans tomorrow because he will be using tough love on me to get me to see reason and won't be willing to help me feed her in the morning. I won't be able to drive the car tomorrow and my son will have to take Kirby to her day program. I am trying my best right now to get my fingers moving over the keys so my hand will loosen up. I took some advil and I think that is helping, it did not help when I took it at 8:30pm but I took this dose an hour ago at 1am and I think it is helping. I just took my first dose of augmentin. The ER Dr said cats have Pasteurella bacteria in their mouths and it can cause really awful infections when you get bitten, he said it appears she bit into the muscle pretty deep. Thank you all for telling me to get to the ER, However, now terrified because animal control will be told Shaak has never had vaccinations. She has never been outside though, at least not past the porch when we had our home, or down the stairs here at the apartment. I am so stressed, I am exhausted but can't sleep. Shaak is purring on my chest right now.

 

I was bitten by a feral cat once when I was volunteering at a rescue; the rescue owner claimed the cat had received its vaccines a day before (when it was first brought in) but had no proof of that, and of course nobody knew whether it had been vaccinated in the past. She was sure the cat would be euthanized if animal control found out and didn't want me to go to the ER (she tried to get me to take her own years-old prescription antibiotic--one that I'm allergic to--and then suggested that I dip my hand in boiling water). I went. They called. The cat was not euthanized; they just confined her for a week and watched her closely. For some reason I didn't have to get rabies shots, which I thought was odd.

Anyway--just saying that where I live, euthanizing an unvaccinated animal that has bitten someone is *not* the normal practice any more. I hope that's true where you are, too, and I hope you and Shaak will both be ok!

 

I got a bite from a cat we had taken in and within the hour my hand had blown up. Landed me in the er too. Any animal bite they have to report.... This cat had been vaccinated a few weeks before. I never was contacted by animal control, I think because the attack was provoked (I grabbed her to stop her from attacking my other cat and she turned on me). I'm glad you went to the er.

 

Could something like this help with her food aggression. So she feels like she has access to food all the time but can't gulp it down too fast?

Trixie 5-in-1 Activity Center https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O8L2UO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XaULzbG59QPSH

 

I'm glad you went to the hospital! This might not be a popular opinion, but would you consider medication? My sugar cat is on Prozac for obsessive behaviors and is so much better. I don't know if that one works for aggression but it might be worth a conversation with the vet in order for you to keep your boy.

 

How many ounces a day is she eating?

 

My cat bit me when we were on the patio and a neighbors cat came rushing toward her looking for a fight. In the frenzy that ensued I was bit by my kitty. The ER did report it and I had to quarantine my cat in house for 10 days. The animal control officer came twice to the house to check to make sure she was still inside and not sick. She had her rabies up to date but it didn't matter. I was on antibiotics for 10 days.
The food issue is similar to when some dogs bite anyone who comes near their food. I haven't heard much about this in cats though. Prozac sounds like it might be helpful. Poor Shaak- he doesn't really know why he's getting so freaked out so it must be upsetting for him too.

 

I am so sorry you are going through this. I was bitten by one of my previous cats many years ago when she was ill. A red line started appearing from the bite going up my arm. I had to go to the Dr. every day for four or five days and have a shot in my butt.

I was just looking for info on handling of this situation in AZ, and it sounds like the animal is just supposed to be quarantined and monitored for 10 days to make sure they do not have rabies. I saw that there are rabies licensing requirements for dogs but did not see any for cats, just strong recommendation for rabies vaccinations.

Has the vet offered any ideas on why she is biting? Maybe that is an indication of some medical issue.. or maybe just behavioral.. these cats are complicated little boogers.

 

The vet said Shaak is ravenously hungry due to being a diabetic. She eats 4 cans of FF every 24 hours and lots of dried treats at shot time and glucose check time. Shaak is 12 yrs old, she had never had a single foul moment until these last few months, I guess it started in March with all the peeing and pooping all over the place, or maybe before, I honestly don't remember how long this has all been going on. She started trying to swat food off our plates with her paws around that time and started biting about 5 weeks ago. I can't afford the vet bills I do have, I can't afford the care of the diabetes, I would certainly consider any medication that might help but I can't afford any more vet visits or monthly expenses. I am at the end of money, no, I can't get care credit, tried numerous times and no, I can't find a vet willing to take payments, have looked not only for myself but for my ex's cat as well. Humane Society or any of those places will only help if I turn her over to them and then no promise they will help her, they might put her down instead. I can't get any help from friends or family as this was the last straw for them with Shaak biting me. They all feel the same way my son does.

 

Did the vet recommend getting her better regulated, or changing insulin?

 

Could be worth a change of insulin, is this a new behaviour or one that was there then got worse? Is there a point it appeared, was there anything that you can think of that triggered the behaviour?

My kitty has attitude and she has threatened to bite me when I push her too hard eg teaching her to have her bg checked. This is rare though and she has a high prey drive, therefore I know how far I can go with play etc before she also goes too far. It's all about knowing her and what her buttons are, which ones I can press and how far I can press them when I'm teaching her something new. However I believe she has enough respect for me to know my boundaries too.
Being a rescue kitten she was taken away from her mum too early which means she was not taught by mummy cat what behaviour is acceptable and what is not. She also never had other kittens to play with and didn't learn those social aspects either. However my older cat at the time she was a kitten did teach her a few things I had to teach her other things too. Patience and time (and a few tears of frustration) and now she's a delight, not climbing the curtains, wallpaper etc etc that took about 4-5 years lol

I guess it really comes down to the above questions and what that tells us to find a way forward. I'm not an animal trainer, nor an expert but maybe I can offer some suggestions? I hope.

 

I have had her for 12 years, she never once has even hissed or growled at anyone at anytime ever, until just the last few months. I do appreciate all your ideas, I guess basically though I am stuck, I can't afford a different insulin, I am managing to make a vial of Novolin N last for three months, I am set to buy another vial in September. It cost $27 for a vial every three months, as it is I really can't afford even that. I Shaak has been to the vet four times since December, I had enough money to pay for two visits and the other two times friends and family paid for me. I support myself and my two kids on less than $1000 a month. Between food and utilities we are done before anywhere near the end of the month as it is

 

the vet said her fruc test says she is regulated, I told him the bloodwork results I have been getting and he said that is not what the fruc test shows and I shouldn't be dependent on testing at home.

 

So this began when the diabetes started, is that what your saying?

 

I think he's just very hungry. When my cat wasn't regulated, he was eating like 8 - 10 cans a day! It freaked me out but he kept meowing for food. Maybe if u increase his food, he'll be less aggressive?

 

she was diagnosed over a year ago, so no not since diagnosis. She went into remission in March 2016. She developed a UTI in December 2016 and came out of remission, so back on insulin since December 2016. These problems did not appear until March of this year. She is gaining weight so she is eating enough food. She is just always hungry yes, because of not being regulated, unless you ask the vet, they stand behind their claim that she is regulated. I can't afford another vet, nor can I afford another vet visit. I am on my own.

 

Ok shot in the dark here, reading your signature I can see you switched to FF on the 3 January this year. Could there be something in that food that's not agreeing with her and is causing this behaviour? I doubt it myself as she's had that before.. but maybe they changed the recipient.

Unfortunately if you are unable to switch the insulin then there's no way to know if it's that and I suspect that's the issue likely - her diabetes.

I'm just not sure what to suggest here. If her behaviour is caused by the insulin or another health issue or its psychological and you are unable to get that sorted I don't think anyone is able to help, most situations like this require changing things and will require a vets visit or money. Unless I'm missing what you are asking Here? I'm genuinely stumped. You could watch the supply closet here to see if anyone is donating insulin or selling it cheap so you could try that.
Other than that I don't know what else to suggest since there's absolutely no wiggle-room.

 

I put her back on her regular diet of FF on January 3rd. There had been talk that FF had changed their formula and several of us on the board switched, it was a mess, I wrongly thought FF had caused her to fall out of remission. In fact the UTI did and then I had over a month of feeding her a food that made her very miserable and even now that she is back on the FF she still has to have pumpkin in order to not have diarrhea. If I miss a day of pumpkin her next day is completely diarrhea. I agree a different insulin might work, unfortunately I can't afford a different one and I have received help from the group when I first came here when Shaak was first diagnosed. I actually am terrified of depot insulin though and that would be best and also it is most expensive. but due to my daughter and my health I can't be awake off and on all night or all day anymore, I have only recently began to get my health back, both my medical Dr and my Psyche Dr have told me I need to find Shaak a new home, I love her and she has been with me since she was a six week old kitten. We are a matched set, I have never had a cat I have been as close to as I have Shaak, she comforts me and my daughter as well. Besides no one wants a sick cat that also always pees and poops on the floor and now has added biting to the list. I would give anything to find someone that could care for Shaak better than I am able to.

 

I do feel your pain, if rehoming is your only option other than caving into your family having her pts then that's what you could do. Perhaps dcin could help with finding her a home or foster or something. Anything is better than euthanasia. Ultimately the choice is yours and there is no right or wrong one here, you must do whatever you feel is right for Shaak.

 

Have you tried setting up a Go Fund Me site to help with expenses? Just a thought as I just ran into a person at my vet's clinic who does this when her cat's expenses are too much for her to handle. She said she was amazed at how many people helped out.

 

She may just need 5-6 cans a day. That's any easy solution to try.

 

I second Janet's idea - the easiest / cheapest option to try first is to increase her food ratio.

 

How were her thyroid numbers? Sorry if I missed that somewhere. All the symptoms sound like hyper-t. Increased appy, weight loss (which you don't have), agression...

 

T4 was 2.3

 

A DCIN team member alerted me to this post. Cathie, have you applied for insulin assistance with DCIN? We can supply Lantus or Levemir. We have helped with Novolin N and Vetsulin but only when there is on-going evidence of successful use (great numbers, heading towards remission).

You said the T4 was a 2.3 but you didn't list the reference range for the lab. For the lab my vet uses, 2.5 is the cut off. When something is very close to the cut-off, it's worth exploring. One of my great danes was the worst eater ever. His thyroid levels were borderline so we started him on medication and it drastically improved his desire to eat.

Food aggression is common with both hyperT cats and acromegalic cats. It doesn't look like acromegaly is a concern.

The higher numbers after you increased to 4u might be the problem for Shaak.

I disagree. There are many things worse than euthanasia. We try to re-home every cat that needs a new home into the best possible environment but sometimes even with the best screening and contracts, cats end up in horrible situations.

 

Taken out of context of my post, certainly there is, but then the same can be said for every animal in every situation. Attempting to responsibly rehome Shaak is definitely better here instead of euthanasia or is that not the Case?

 

I sent you a PM

 

Hi Cathie, it's been a while. I have not read every post but the cat bite thing is true. My vet once told me there's nothing filthier than a cat's mouth. When Kobiashi was on the table for the last time he decided he was not ready to go and sank his teeth into my hand. My family doctor had to look up the antibiotics in a book! There was no online reference and the pharmacist had to special order it. When Andrew was sick he sent a tech to the hospital for an intravenous. They left the shunt in so she could come back the next day for another round. Okay, enough nagging. How about some hope and reality. There's always some odd-ball thing that no one has considered yet. For me it was a kind of pain that made "doctors" roll their eyes. I wasn't looking for drugs, I wanted someone to believe me and finally the eighth neurologist figured it out in only ten minutes. Poor Shaak can't talk so "Tell me where it hurts" doesn't work. I know Shaak means the world to you. I also know you're in no position financially to go from vet to vet looking for a miracle. It's not very medical to say this but Shaak is trying to tell you something. Usually when a cat is ready to die they crawl into a closet or hide behind the furnace, they don't look for food and their bathroom habits are private. Maybe, just like me, it isn't a miracle that you are after. I just needed a slight change in meds. Sometimes it's the stupidest things like an over-grown nail. Sorry if that's not a big help. Just thought you and Shaak needed a hug.
One last thing. I once had a mysterious "thing" under a fingernail and nobody knew what it was. I finally got volunteered for a round table discussion at a local hospital for medical oddities. They passed my hand around like I wasn't even attached to it. Maybe if their is a veterinary college near you they could do the same thing. Mine was free because no one knew what it was. I really wish you all the luck in the world. I know you're ready for bad news but maybe Shaak is like my Leroy. He used up all his nine lives and still lived to 23! We all wish you the best. Head bumps to Shaak and a big bear hug for you.

 

https://www.google.ca/search?sa=X&q...!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:2&spf=1503325796933
This is a Google page with a map, website and directions to all the veterinary colleges in the Tucson area. I hope it shows up the same way it did on my computer.

 

Not all cat infections are the same. The last time I got bit at the shelter was years ago. The standard antibiotic Augmentin (same as animal Clavamox) did not work and then tried another oral antibiotic. Next was an IV antibiotic which did work

 

Augmentin worked for me but I had to go back the next day for a recheck. They said if it didn't work they would do iv.

 

What's worse is when "free" healthcare doesn't listen to how it happened, they just blindly give you the accepted standard and send you on your way. Too many Yahoos with broken toes clogging up emergency on Friday night. Just like an airline, I'd rather pay a little extra to get better service. Nothing is free.

 

I woke up this morning and the swelling was gone and now there is only a bare touch of pink right around the puncture. So looks like antibiotics are working. I will keep taking them till they are all gone.

 

Maybe I can make you laugh (maybe). My swelling is gone too, for now. Finally applied some Witch Hazel. Pregnant woman will know what that's for, no need for details but a special "donut" would be a good clue. Should have gotten a second opinion before I let that Hack touch me, what an idiot I was. Another clue, Preparation H does NOT work. I'm getting old.

 

It sounds to me like Shaak's problems are physical, not psychological. The peeing and pooping outside of the box - lots of cats will stop using their box if they have an adverse event while in it. If she got a UTI, and it started to hurt her when she peed, she might associate that with the box. Same with diarrhea.

The biting, I really don't know. Diabetes is pretty new for me. But until you can find out what the biting is about, how about locking her in a bathroom, closet, or extra crate (big crate) while you eat or make food? Sometimes you have to set them up for success. Good luck.