7/13 Loose Lips worried about Smokey

Good morning all,

It still seems strange to not do a morning Condo for Zeus, but I do read about you all every morning and every evening, even if I don't post. I miss Zeus.

I'm worried about Miss Smokey. She still isn't eating well, and because of that she hasn't been going poo either (she has only gone once since last week). She is still getting up to drink and pee, she comes for attention, lots of attention, but she is depressed and misses Zeus. Poor little girl has been laying on the hard floor behind the chair on the porch that Zeus used to like to sleep behind... Not great for her old bones. Smokey rarely laid on the floor before, she is more of a comfy chair/couch/bed kind of girl. She was a little wobbly on her feet a couple of nights ago, I don't know if it was from laying on the floor or because she is getting old (she will be 17 (I think) in Sept), or what. She can still jump up on the chair and the couch, and I bought her stairs for the bed a long time ago.

Yesterday I came home at lunch time and I couldn't find Smokey. She wasn't in any of the usual spots, I checked everywhere and started calling for her... Started to panick, and then I heard her bell. I don't know where she was hiding, I was just happy she was alive. Then last night, she was hiding again but I saw her walking towards the living room chair earlier so I went to look.... I have a chair in the living room that Zeus loved. It has a soft throw slipcover that hangs down over the sides. Zeus used to love to sit on the floor on the side of the chair, and he would pull the throw slipcover around him so that he was all snuggled/tucked in and completely covered. It was so darned cute. Well... That is where Smokey was. She had never done that before. She wasn't as tucked in as he used to be, her tail was still visible, but other than that she was covered. Poor little girl, I know she misses Zeus too, and she is lonely.

I'm going to call the vet this morning when they open. I want to give her the cypro that I have left over but I need to make sure they think its ok to do so. I hate to stress her out by taking her to the vet, I will if I have to, but I'd like to try the Cypro first.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Hugs and prayers and vines to all that need them,

Kathie

I'm sorry Kathie and Smokey ... Hugs and Skritches.

Will she eat in your lap or on the couch while your petting her if you have a small bowl of her favorite food there?
I think whatever she will eat is okay, until her tummy gets used to having food in it again. Sending eating vines to her.
I wonder if prozac or some antidepressant feel better emotionally type drug would help her.

Ginger like to hide like that too, and one of her places is on the floor between the chair and the blanket that's covering the chair and drapping to the floor. Maybe she would eat when she is in one of Zeus' favorite spots.

Just some thoughts. Good luck with the vet. Sending feel better and eating vines to Smokey.

My heart is aching for you and Smokey :sad:

Losing a pet (family member, in my eyes) is such a life altering event for everyone. I imagine Smokey is grieving too and what you're seeing is how she's coping with it.

I used to have 2 cats, actually I almost always had 2 cats. Binx (GA, 2010) was given to me by a friend. Poe came along later and was still really a kitten. When I had to send Binx to the bridge, Poe behaved a bit strangely for a while, but being he was still young, he bounced back from it pretty quick.

A trip to the vet is not a bad idea, if nothing else just to make sure everything physically is OK. The emotional aspect might just have to pass on it's own like it does with us beans.

Sending you hugs and lots of scritches for Smokey

Karen

Oh Kathie,

Poor Smokey :sad: It is so sad to see them grieve also. Makes it worse for the bean too. The not eating is the thing that worries the most of course. Not sure what her favs are, but maybe try something new, she has never had? You may have already done all this, but just throwing things out there.

Also, I once wrapped my kitty Linus in a towel (he was an indoor cat and would not walk on a harness) and took him outside in yard and held him up to bushes along fence, let him look/smell at different things. At first he was squirmy, but then things caught his attention, and he perked up a little. He was depressed because we had just lost his sister, Gypsy. DH though I was nuts, but he ate something when we came in! And, eventually he grew used to the harness and a very lightweight long leash, and he learned to walk outside.

Not sure if any of this helps, but I am thinking of you and Smokey. Hoping she eats her fuds!

Jane

Morning Kathie

Poor Smokie... I am sorry. They do grieve as much as us humans do. It will affect eating too. I will hope that all you've done for Smokey will help her get through the process. Mine used to visit places that belonged to the one that passed. Elsa did that too when we lost Mannie this spring. Hugs to all.

Sending tons of healing vines for Miss Smokey. I know all about how you and she feels. I, too, miss our Scooter, and I know that one of my civvies, Groucho, misses him, too. He's been laying on the very same pillow that Scooter used to lay on, and Groucho has been coming in at night when I go to bed. He's never done that before, and I just leave him there. Keep us posted on Smokey's vet visit. Sending tons of positive thoughts that it's nothing serious. :YMHUG:

(((Kathie))) and (((Smokey))),
I echo what others have said.
Keep giving her love, and please keep us updated.
Sending healing vines to both of you.
:YMHUG:

((((Kathie))))

It's so hard when we see our own grief reflected in our other kitties.

My first two kitties were George and Gracie. I got them both as kittens and while they were not siblings, I think they regarded each other as littermates. Gracie crossed the Bridge several years before George. After she crossed, like you're finding with Smokey, George adopted her "spots." Gracie would lie by my head on the pillow while George was at the foot of the bed. After Gracie crossed, I would find George cradled in my arms at night and that became his spot. I'm still not sure if it made him feel closer to Gracie or to me.

I'm sure that in part, Smokey is responding to your stress as well as her own loss. Try to keep your routines the same. Cats are creatures of routine and having that to rely on will help to bring at least some things back to what's expected. No doubt, treats for both of you are the order of the day.

Morming Kathie, sending healing and good Vetty vines for Miss Smokie. My heart breaks for her and you, as it does seem like she's grieving and missing Zeus. I think that's a good idea just to get her checked, as you've noticed some other symptoms. Will be watching for an update. Hugs to both of you.

Another suggestion is to have an animal communicator talk to her and see if there is anything she would like. Hugs to you, Kathie.
Liz

(((((Kathie & Smokey)))))

You are in our thoughts today. Grieving is a natural process and it is something that absolutely has to take place, for us and for the kitties who have lost their best pal. I hope you can entice Smokey to eat today, or do something with her that will be entirely new to her to engage her interest (like what Jane did for her Linus). Does she like music? Perhaps you could play her some soothing music, or leave the radio on when you are out so she can hear voices. Gradually she will "live" Zeus into herself. She may always do those things that he used to do, just to feel closer to him.

If she isn't eating much it is not surprising that she is not pooping. Perhaps call your vet for suggestions. I agree that you don't want to stress her right now with a trip to the vet. Have you tried FortiFlora? Apparently it tastes really good when sprinkled on food and it is also a probiotic and will "move" things along in the digestive tract. You can get it from your vet, or online.

Thinking positively that all will be OK with Smokey and with you. We are all with you,

Hugs, scritches,

Ella & Rusty
Ella & Rusty

Kathie I'm sorry Smokey is still not eating much. I know she's grieving right along with you over Zeus. I hope the vet can give you some suggestions that will help her. Sending prayers and hugs.

((((((((((Kathie))))))))) I'm so sorry to hear that Smokey is feeling so depressed. I think talking to the vet is a good idea, she needs to eat and you want to be sure there is nothing physically wrong! And you have had a lot of other good suggestions here. A couple other things to try, depression is a stress on your cat's system. Feliway diffusers help to reduce stress and calm cats down. It might help w/ her depression too. There are other more natural things to try before Prozac too, Pet Naturals of Vermont make a calming treatw/ all natural ingredients. On the plus side Tess loves these things and they will get her to eat when just about nothing else will!

((((Kathie and Smokey))))
I want to add my prayers and vines for Smokey to feel better and eat. Poor little sweet one is grieving and she knows you are sad also. Maybe she'd eat a little if you fed her by the chair and throw cover that was Zeus' favorite spot. Maybe she'd like to cuddle up to you with that throw cover. I like Sienne's idea of treats for both of you.
Give her a soft hug from us and one for you also.

So sorry Smokey is missing her friend. I recently helped one of our droolers cross over. Sometimes we will come home to find the remaining drooler softly howling by the window. We try to remember to leave a radio or tv on for him and that seems to help. They go through just as much in grieving as we do. I'm glad you have each other. Sending happy appy vines to Smokey. I hope she perks up soon and there's nothing seriously wrong with her cat_pet_icon

(((Kathie and Smokey))))

I'm so very sorry that Smokey is grieving so. It can only be expected. I wish I could tell you how long it might last but it's so hard to say. ECID.

I don't know if you have ever worked with an animal communicator but I have a great one...very reasonably priced....and she has helped our other kitties and me when one has crossed. If you are interested, send me a PM.

Hugs hugs hugs.

And probably a good idea to call the vet.

Hi everyone, and thanks for offering support and vines for Smokey. I didn't get to talk with the vet today, I talked with one of the techs instead. She said to try the cypro, and that I should try baby food, new foods, pumpkin, catnip, play etc. kind of the same things that I have tried or the things that you all suggested.

Smokey has been napping for much of the day, and also hiding in Zeus' spots. I asked Zeus for help, but I think he must have tired himself out with the signs earlier this week. So, Smokey had a buffet served to her, including human tuna (she licked the water) and went crazy for the BF squash, but didn't eat a lot of it. I even bought her some Friskies dry food (I know, I know), but she ate Friskies dry for most of her life before Zeus was dx.... She wouldn't even sniff that bowl. I tried all different types of bowls, and the different places that she was laying. I tried lean treats that the vet gave us, and I did buy some of the pet naturals calming treats, she did eat one. I think I will try the ondasetron next with the cypro.

I hope that tomorrow will be a better day for Miss Smokey. Hugs to all of you, and prayers and vines for all that need them tonight.

Kathie

I'm sorry I'm late, but I just want to add my prayers for you and sweet Smokey....

Sending lots of prayers for both you and smokey *hugs*