7/24 Shasta PMPS=269 +2.5=206 +4.5=157 +6=158

7/23 Shasta

WCR: All Ps in place. So, I freaked myself out this morning when I gave her AM shot. I swear that plunger just kept going and going and going. I totally started thinking that in the midst of my grogginess, I gave her a full 1u instead of .5f. I retraced my steps and decided that I had done everything right...I think, but I still left out some 12% FFEMF Chicken...just in case. Her appy has been good and we've had a few snuggly sessions today. I swear I have a colony of no-see-ums in the house and I'm guessing that is what is biting at Shasta and me. And of course, as I continue to think about them, I continue to itch. grr_red

Yesterday, she peed a lot, but no poop. Today (so far), she's peed a few times and a little poop and her tummy's been sensitive to touch the past few days...but then again, she's a cat so it's always sensitive to touch unless she wants you to touch it! Not much play going on lately, but I did just catch her preening a little AND I got great purrs this morning!

Observation/question/advice?!
For a while now, I've been observing what I think are little ticks/spasms with Shasta. She does her little front paw flicky thing, but I'm talking about little head and/or neck spasms/ticks. So hard to explain...it kind of reminds me of when, out of nowhere, you just "shiver" for a split second for no apparent reason...except hers happens a bit more frequently...multiple times a day. My first instinct...neurological, but then again, am I making too much of it. Recently, I noticed this (see pic below)...she holds one of her back leg toes out from the rest...but not all the time. Sometimes it seems like it's just stuck there. Any thoughts out there????


Sending healthy vines to all our sugar kitties and their hoomins! Blessings!

~Deborah & Shasta


AMPS=189 (7% FF Chunky Chopped Grill 1oz, 1/2 tab K & miralax) (12% FFEMF Chicken)
+2.5=176 (5% FF Chunky Chicken)
+4.25=183 (3% FF T&G 1oz)

PMPS=269 (4% FF Chopped Grill 1oz, 1/2 tab K & atenolol)
+2.5=206 (5% FF Chunky Chicken & cosequin)
+4.5=157
+6=158 (3% FF T&G 1oz)

Poo Pee tally
Pee piles - 3 (1 small)
Poo piles - 2 (1 small)

Re: 7/24 Shasta AMPS=189 +2.5=176 +4.25=183

I'm just taking a stab here, based on observations with Trix. She actually has had a lot of ticks that sound like what you're describing. I've always taken a "watch-n-see" approach...I don't know why, but my instinct told me I wouldn't get far with the vetty. Many of these ticks pre-dated her FD diagnosis, and after she was diagnosed, I assumed they were caused by somethinig related to the FD, and were most likely permanent.

Fast forward to April when all heck broke lose with Trix, including discovering she had high BP. Since we started her high BP meds, her ticks have been greatly reduced - they're virtually gone. In fact, she used to have a tremor in her front leg that was there for many years...since starting her meds, I only saw a small hint of that tremor for one short moment. And now that you metion it, she often used to flick her hind paw, and she hasn't done that in months now. either.

So now I'm wondering if she really had high BP for years and we didn't know it, because we never checked it before this year. And the only reason we checked it this year was because of her CKD diagnosis, since the two often go hand in hand. But now I'm pretty convinced that the high BP was behind a lot of what was going on with her, including the CKD and her odd little ticks and tremors.

So, I would consider having Shasta's BP checked. Again, thiis is just an observation of mine - it's not based on anything I was told by a vet. But, from here on out, I plan on checking my kitties' BPs proactively, rather than waiting for a diagnosis.

I'm not sure about the toe, but I remember my GA civvie Mario had a toe that stuck out like that, too.

Re: 7/24 Shasta AMPS=189 +2.5=176 +4.25=183

interesting observation about the BP connection.

I'm just tossing out ideas for you to consider since i have no personal experience with this. Cats can have seizures and strokes, although a stroke seems a little extreme in this situation. Do you see anything going on with her eyes when you see the "shivering?" my niece has seizures and she has a glazed look when they happen.

Is his toe painful, ie, does he object to you touching it? i'm thinking injury.

Re: 7/24 Shasta AMPS=189 +2.5=176 +4.25=183

Nice blues for Shasta today. I don't know about the shivering. I hope you can figure out what is going on with her.

Re: 7/24 Shasta PMPS=269 +2.5=206 +4.5=157

Thanks for the information Amy. I did just a tiny bit of research on high BP and it all sounds so possible. Then I noticed that one of the possible medications was benazepril. My old vet put Shasta on it when she was first diagnosed with diabetes, but my current vet suggested she come off of it (along with the atenolol - for heart problem). He said he worried that those medications could "hide" a more serious problem. I took her off of the benazepril, but left her on the atenolol (her heart was throwing blood clots that would block the blood flow to the back legs and she would lose feeling to her legs and "sit like a dog" until she regained feeling.) My sister's cat (Shasta's niece) was diagnosed with hypertension...don't know if that's a hereditary thing, but something to mention to my vet. I also have concerns with what I think are her pupils being slightly dilated, but not evenly dilated...and not always. But then I start thinking that I'm seeing things or it's the lighting in the room... or I'm crazy.

Julie, I've been concerned about seizures and strokes. She does have "glazed over" times, but is it a seizure or is she just being a cat!?! As for touching her toe...she hates that, in general. However, it doesn't seem to bother her and when i can sneak in a quick touch, she doesn't seem to be in pain. :YMSIGH:

Thank you, Carla. She's such a good girl. I hope we can figure out what's going on, too!

I LOVE MY CAT SOOOOOO MUCH!!!! About 45 minutes ago, while I was reading condos, Shasta was napping on my lap. Until she suddenly awoke and with her bug radar going, she spotted a very, very, very large spider on the wall right behind my head!!! HOLY S**T!!!!! She continued to track it while I ran and got my "spider killing tools" and then stayed by my side while I killed it!!!!!! OMG...IT WAS ENORMOUS and I STILL HAVE THE HEEBIE JEEBIES!!!!! Something tells me that I will not sleep well tonight. :sad: nailbite_smile :? :shock:

Trix is on both benazepril and amlodipine for her high BP. The almodipine alone didn't do the trick, and benazepril alone really isn't adequate for controlling BP, but for Trix, the two work together well. I don't know too much about it, but benazepril is also apparently good for the treatment of CKD, which Trix also has.

I guess, basically, there are always pros and cons and meds can hide one issue while correcting another, so it's always that balancing act. And I'm like you, too...I'm always wondering if I'm seeing things like pupils that are different or not :roll: ...we hypersensitive beans sure know how to drive ourselves crazy!