3/11 - Xander | AMPS 393 (But Libre is still calibrating)

Brianna & Xander

Brianna & Xander

Very Active Member
3/10/25

Well, yesterday was quite a day. Thanks to everyone who was here for us through that!

Last night within a half hour of his stalled PM dose, his Libre came detached. So we replaced that and also put his new Thundershirt on to try it out. He hates it with the passion of a thousand desert suns, which I expected. So far he hasn't managed to get out of it though. He tries to lick the sensor through the fabric, but hopefully as long as he doesn't start biting it'll still work. And if he ever gets used to wearing it, of course.

He clearly couldn't get comfortable all night. I felt so guilty that I just stayed awake with him as much as I could to pet him and try to relax him enough to be able to sleep.

Now he just wants to be held and cuddled and not move. Poor dude. I'd guess that his near 400s today aren't just the expected bounce but stress too.
 
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At least he's sleeping for now. This is how I have to type 75% of the time, with his head resting directly on my hand. lol

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Brianna & Xander said:
3/10/25

Well, yesterday was quite a day. Thanks to everyone who was here for us through that!

Last night within a half hour of his stalled PM dose, his Libre came detached. So we replaced that and also put his new Thundershirt on to try it out. He hates it with the passion of a thousand desert suns, which I expected. So far he hasn't managed to get out of it though. He tries to lick the sensor through the fabric, but hopefully as long as he doesn't start biting it'll still work. And if he ever gets used to wearing it, of course.

He clearly couldn't get comfortable all night. I felt so guilty that I just stayed awake with him as much as I could to pet him and try to relax him enough to be able to sleep.

Now he just wants to be held and cuddled and not move. Poor dude. I'd guess that his near 400s today aren't just the expected bounce but stress too.
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Oh I’m so sorry to hear about the Libre last night! And the lack of sleep, which makes it all just worse. Sending you both hugs of compassion.
I never tried to thunder shirt on Ivy but she absolutely despised wearing a T-shirt. She said shoe holes in them and then her tooth would get caught in it and it’s terrified me.
I eventually came up with the idea of a “tube top”, which has no shoulders or sleeves, and she tolerates it actually quite well. She’s much more relaxed and isn’t so manic like she was when she had a T-shirt on.

I actually thought she was allergic because she was biting the shirt so much, but once I changed to a tube top, the biting and constant licking subsided. I was losing my mind trying to figure out what was going on.

I also cut up an old T-shirt and fold a piece into a square And just took that under her top and it sits on top of the Libre. It moves around sometimes, but it stays pretty stationary, and I feel like it just protects the Libre a little bit.

I know with trying different things you’ll find what works best Brianna, it just takes time and there’s a lot of things going on. You’re doing great with Xander.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Uh what a day and evening you had yesterday with Xander! :arghh: Great job keeping him safe and keeping him company all night. I’m sure he really appreciated that.

Hopefully he gets used to the thunder shirt. If only you could tell him the leave that Libre alone!

Come down gently, Xander :bighug:
 
Staci & Ivy said:
Oh I’m so sorry to hear about the Libre last night! And the lack of sleep, which makes it all just worse. Sending you both hugs of compassion.
I never tried to thunder shirt on Ivy but she absolutely despised wearing a T-shirt. She said shoe holes in them and then her tooth would get caught in it and it’s terrified me.
I eventually came up with the idea of a “tube top”, which has no shoulders or sleeves, and she tolerates it actually quite well. She’s much more relaxed and isn’t so manic like she was when she had a T-shirt on.

I actually thought she was allergic because she was biting the shirt so much, but once I changed to a tube top, the biting and constant licking subsided. I was losing my mind trying to figure out what was going on.

I also cut up an old T-shirt and fold a piece into a square And just took that under her top and it sits on top of the Libre. It moves around sometimes, but it stays pretty stationary, and I feel like it just protects the Libre a little bit.

I know with trying different things you’ll find what works best Brianna, it just takes time and there’s a lot of things going on. You’re doing great with Xander.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Thank you, Staci! It was a rough night. The Thundershirt did actually work at keeping the sensor untouched, but I think it was too small and it was driving him crazy. If it fit I might've given it more time but I just took it off a couple of hours ago. Naturally he's already tried to bite the new Libre off. Sigh.

So the "tube top" just goes around her torso, basically? How much of it? If you have a picture I'd love to see! Did you buy a literal tube top for that or did you make it out of something else, like leggings? I'd imagine it has to be at least slightly snug in order to stay on.

You did such a good job sticking with it and finding what worked for Ivy! I'm so easily discouraged, but I need to try more things. Just so far he's been entirely uncooperative lol :bighug:
 
Briana + Binx said:
Uh what a day and evening you had yesterday with Xander! :arghh: Great job keeping him safe and keeping him company all night. I’m sure he really appreciated that.

Hopefully he gets used to the thunder shirt. If only you could tell him the leave that Libre alone!

Come down gently, Xander :bighug:
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It sure was quite a 24 hour period lol Thank you! I tried.

He really, really hated the Thundershirt. Just constantly came and climbed on my chest to lay with me during the day (which isn't something he does; he doesn't like being "held," or at least he doesn't think so.) so it seemed like he was seeking comfort. I think it was too small and it was driving him crazy so I just took it off. If it hadn't been too small I'd have stuck with it for longer. Unfortunately that was only a couple of hours ago and he's already tried to bite the new Libre off. Ugh. Yes, I keep saying that! I wish I could just tell him "I don't want to put this on you, so please just leave the sensor alone and I won't have to!" :arghh:
 
Brianna & Xander said:
Thank you, Staci! It was a rough night. The Thundershirt did actually work at keeping the sensor untouched, but I think it was too small and it was driving him crazy. If it fit I might've given it more time but I just took it off a couple of hours ago. Naturally he's already tried to bite the new Libre off. Sigh.

So the "tube top" just goes around her torso, basically? How much of it? If you have a picture I'd love to see! Did you buy a literal tube top for that or did you make it out of something else, like leggings? I'd imagine it has to be at least slightly snug in order to stay on.

You did such a good job sticking with it and finding what worked for Ivy! I'm so easily discouraged, but I need to try more things. Just so far he's been entirely uncooperative lol :bighug:
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Hi Brianna, I hope these pics give you an idea of what I mean. Yes, it just covers her torso and is slightly snug, I also put something I found at my local grocery store, which is a wide headband made of fabric underneath the tube top. So she’s really wearing two layers. (I don’t know that two layers is necessary for every cat, but Ivy tends to be a Houdini and likes to get out of things so it just seems to work for us)
I made these tube tops. I just bought some fabric and sewed up the seams and edged them so they don’t unravel, but I’ve seen things on Amazon that you could buy. I’ll try to find one and send you a link.
Yes you could probably take some kind of legging and just cut it off as long as it was slightly snug and wouldn’t move around.
Obviously, you don’t want it too tight like the thunder shirt, if it was driving him crazy.
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I know it’s hard, but try not to get too discouraged. Sometimes we just have to think outside the box until we find something that’s going to work for our cat. Ivy is a challenge with everything and I am always having to figure out something different for her. Other cats tend to go with the flow, but not my kitty. Hang in there!! :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 

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Brianna & Xander said:
It sure was quite a 24 hour period lol Thank you! I tried.

He really, really hated the Thundershirt. Just constantly came and climbed on my chest to lay with me during the day (which isn't something he does; he doesn't like being "held," or at least he doesn't think so.) so it seemed like he was seeking comfort. I think it was too small and it was driving him crazy so I just took it off. If it hadn't been too small I'd have stuck with it for longer. Unfortunately that was only a couple of hours ago and he's already tried to bite the new Libre off. Ugh. Yes, I keep saying that! I wish I could just tell him "I don't want to put this on you, so please just leave the sensor alone and I won't have to!" :arghh:
Click to expand...

Uh, poor guy!! You're doing everything you can too! I hope the right solution presents itself for you.
 
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