The Pet Thread

[Alvin Mpower]

Questions about bringing cats on long car rides. I tried to search this on Google but mostly just some general stuff. I definitely going to put him in the carriage and suspend the carriage between back seat and front seat so it doesn't move. I do long drives from Central VA to Rhode Island couple times a year, its 9.5 hours non stop but I probably will stop to chill with my friend in Jersey so it's probably gonna take 13-14 hours. I'm curious on how my cat going to handle the speed of my M4. I drive pretty chill 90% of the time, but sometimes I get bored I will do some pulls especially another M car pull next to me and want to do some runs. Would fast acceleration scare the cat? How sensitive are them to acceleration? When I brought him home from Humane Society it was only a 3 minutes drive, and I was driving like a grandma. I might try bring him in my car this weekend to see how he handle 10-20 minutes of car ride, also gonna have to bring him to vet next weekend so he's gonna have to deal with that too. I will try put him in the carriage for about 5 minutes a day and give him treats while he is in it to feed him positive feelings. Hope he don't pee himself in my car. He peed himself last night while I was trying to vacuum, bro is terrified by that thing.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Alvin Mpower

Questions about bringing cats on long car rides...

I've had cats all my life and none of them ever enjoyed a car ride but I wish you luck with that. And yeah, they don't like vacuum cleaners either. lol

A Roomba or similar vacuum I've seen on the web they had fun with. No experience myself.

[Maynard]

It is a very individual thing - most of ours HATE car trips, but our first just loved it. I've never been comfortable sedating them, but that is an option. Gradually conditioning them to like the carrier is a good move. Do avoid the hard pulls and high-g's as that really throws them around inside the cage and likely will freak them out. And also be really careful that they don't get loose at a stop - I wouldn't let them loose inside the car or they can hide under the seat and can make a break for it as you open the door.

For our cross country trips we got these really big carriers (they are hinged and fold flat, but at least 2 feet on the long edge). They fit a small 8x10 litter box and bed inside. No way on a 9 hr trip you won't get some pee, so put down tarp, bring extra towels. If you want I can try to find the make/model.

And if you aren't going to be gone for very long he'd probably prefer to just stay in your place by himself, or if you got him from a rescue they may be willing to board him for you for a bit. Ours are cool with 2 or 3 days if we just leave a pile of food, and they make autofeeders for this (but good to have s/b to look in just in case). We once had to turn around for something and got back to the house after about 45 minutes to find that our little terror had almost totally gobbled 3 days of food in that time.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by Alvin Mpower

Questions about bringing cats on long car rides. I tried to search this on Google but mostly just some general stuff. I definitely going to put him in the carriage and suspend the carriage between back seat and front seat so it doesn't move. I do long drives from Central VA to Rhode Island couple times a year, its 9.5 hours non stop but I probably will stop to chill with my friend in Jersey so it's probably gonna take 13-14 hours. I'm curious on how my cat going to handle the speed of my M4. I drive pretty chill 90% of the time, but sometimes I get bored I will do some pulls especially another M car pull next to me and want to do some runs. Would fast acceleration scare the cat? How sensitive are them to acceleration? When I brought him home from Humane Society it was only a 3 minutes drive, and I was driving like a grandma. I might try bring him in my car this weekend to see how he handle 10-20 minutes of car ride, also gonna have to bring him to vet next weekend so he's gonna have to deal with that too. I will try put him in the carriage for about 5 minutes a day and give him treats while he is in it to feed him positive feelings. Hope he don't pee himself in my car. He peed himself last night while I was trying to vacuum, bro is terrified by that thing.

Talk to your vet.

From Google since they said what I would've said:

"In cats, gabapentin is commonly used as a pain medication. Clinical research also shows it is very useful in cats to reduce fear and anxiety with stressful situations. This may include: Car or plane travel."

We've used it many times with our cats. Work good, last long time.

R.

[Alvin Mpower]

I was able to get him in the carrier and fed him a bunch of treats after. I got scratched for the first time, bro's leg got me when I picked him up. He got pretty calm after treats and I sat it down in his hidden place for like a minute for him to get use to. Then I took him to my car just to see where I can fit this thing. Unfortunately it was too big for the gap between passenger seat and back seat, couldn't set it down. Could not fit in the passenger seat gap too, the door won't close. The only way to put it in either on passenger seat which leaves some wiggle room or back seat and put the seatbelt on it, pull it all the way so it tightens up, that's the only secure way. Not gonna let him run free in my M4, I don't want any leather to be scratched. He already got my gaming chair which I don't care, not my M4 seats though. I searched up cats can hold pee and poop for 24-48hours, so I'm no worrying about him littering. Only worrying about him get scared and pee or poop himself.

[MassWholeBimmer]

My good boy.. Riplie

[Track/S]

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Track/S

Nice comfy looking spot for a good looking cat.

[flybigjet]

Calling out for "Good Thoughts & Prayers".

My wife and I's sweet, loving boy, Max, is having a hard time. He's about 15 years old, is a Russian Blue, is smart as hell, and is the sweetest, loving, most amazing cat I've ever had- and that's saying a lot. Best. Cat. Ever-- he'll happily spend the entire day just snuggling and purring with you. He doesn't have a hissable bone in his body. He follows you around the house all day and whenever you sit down, he jumps in your lap, purrs like a freight train and just totally blisses out.

A few days ago, I heard a crash and a thump about 4 in the morning. My wife's Oura ring picked up something as well so I know I wasn't dreaming. When I got up, my wife told me that Max was more or less unable to walk on one of his hind legs. It looks like he fell off of the bed or dresser. I called our vet (we've had a relationship with her for at least 15 years) and even though she was in back-to-back surgeries all day, she was able to squeeze him in for a visit.

The verdict (so far) after x-rays and an exam is severe soft tissue swelling in his left hind leg. She prescribed a heavy-hitting anti-inflammatory and pain meds and told us to keep him in the bedroom so he wouldn't have to deal with stairs (we have a two story house and his litter bot is in the basement).

So, we moved food, water and litter upstairs and did everything we could to make him comfortable. But he's not moving much and has no interest in curling up with us when we watch tv or when we go to bed-- definitely unusual behavior for him. And no more purrs. We're five days in, and there's not much improvement.

That's a scary thought. He should be showing signs of getting better by now. He's able to limp to the litter box and his food and water, but he's definitely not feeling well. He pretty much spends all of his time on his heating pad under the end table in the bedroom loft. At least he's warm and comfortable.

We've got a pretty high bed and Max always sleeps with us. We got a ramp for him today so he can (hopefully) limp from the floor to the bed. My wife sort of "explained" the ramp to him today by using treats. He's still food-oriented and climbed up the ramp to get the treats, so I hope that's a good sign?

My wife and I are very worried though-- even though we have two cats, Max has always been special-- a once in a lifetime kind of cat. We don't have children, so they're our "boys". We're all stressed as hell and are waiting until I take him back to the vet on Thursday. I expect to get a call from the vet tomorrow since she should be calling for a progress report.

So, raise a glass and think a few good thoughts, yeah?

R.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

Calling out for "Good Thoughts & Prayers"...

...So, raise a glass and think a few good thoughts, yeah?

Best wishes for Max. Hope for a speedy recovery.

Good luck, old fella. 👍

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

... So, raise a glass and think a few good thoughts, yeah?

R.

Could not stop at one glass...

Donc Max devrais prendre du mieux bientôt.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

Could not stop at one glass...

Donc Max devrais prendre du mieux bientôt.

Well, frell.

Max started moving around today (which was good), but was dragging his left haunch (which was bad). So, back to the vet we went.

She double-checked the x-ray and even sent it out to a radiologist, but we don't think the bone is broken. Possible Achilles issue-- but she thinks she can feel the entire tendon and there's no sign of evulsion. However, he's still quite swollen.

So, she pulled a few strings and we have a consult with an Ortho Doc on Friday morning. The Ortho Doc wanted his leg splinted, so my Vet stayed past closing hours until my wife could bring him in.

I **LOVE** my Vet.

He doesn't seem to be in pain, but was slipping all over the hardwood. A quick Home Depot trip later and there's non-skid shelf liner on the three steps he has to make from the loft to the bedroom and moving blankets all over the rest of the hardwood so he doesn't slip. Best I can do for now.

This? Not so much fun-- but he's been FANTASTIC about the whole thing.

Keep those thoughts and prayers (and heavy drinking during) coming!

R.

[flybigjet]

So.

Max had his ortho consult this morning. Best case, partially ruptured Achilles tendon. Worst case, fully detached Achilles tendon. He’ll 'take a nap' and have a diagnostic ultrasound, PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) and Shockwave therapy on Thursday morning as well as having a mold made of his rear leg for an orthopedic brace-- we’ll know more then. Hopefully, the tendon's not fully detached as if it is, surgery is the only option. Either way, it's going to take therapy, time, multiple treatments, and at least six months in the orthopedic brace before he's better.

I never even know such a thing as an orthopedic brace for a cat's Achillies even existed. They showed me one they had for a dog so I'd know what they were talking about-- it's like something out of a Terminator movie and can be adjusted to introduce increasing movement into the tendon/joint as he improves. Poor boy- he's going to look like RoboKitty when he's wearing it-- which is probably going to freak the hell out of our other cat.

R.

[Esteban]

^ Let's hope for the best. My good wishes go to Max the RoboKitty!

[Maynard]

Best wishes for all of this. We are all pulling for him to make a fast complete recovery.

[JJ 911SC]

Resting after a Fetch session. On a good throw, it end up in the staircase.

[EdM5]

the sweetest girl

[Llarry]

RIP our cat of 10 years. I told my wife I don't want another cat; I don't want the heartbreak that comes with losing them anymore.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Llarry

RIP our cat of 10 years. I told my wife I don't want another cat; I don't want the heartbreak that comes with losing them anymore.

So sorry to hear, Llarry. Was a very beautiful cat.

My cat is 12 this July. Will hate to see her go when her time has come. Before her our cat was put down because of lymphoma; he was 14. I understand your pain, but I have always had a cat and always will. I need one in my life. Maybe in time you will too again. Good pet parents are hard to come by and I'm sure that's what you were. Again, sorry to hear.

[MassWholeBimmer]

Great story. Dog freed from tire...

https://apnews.com/article/dog-labra...2e90428e237414

[EdM5]

Another one. My proud girl
Australian Cobberdog btw.

[RickFLM4]

If Winston went to see the Wizard of Oz, he would ask for hands with fingers and thumbs.