Everyone needs to revisit the 2012 story series for some awesome stranger danger floof suits!!
This one, and this one tell the story of Kennebec (from the Taters litter), who wanted to come in and see the ‘Maters litter – and then did.
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Robyn, question for you and/or your readers? I have a cat that is almost 18 years old and is having some stiffness in her back legs, especially climbing the stars, which is most likely due to osteoarthritis. Does Newt take anything for joint problems? My Vet suggested a new once-a-month FDA-approved injection called Solensia, of course, with a few side effects.Has anyone heard of or tried this? Any other suggestions for joint discomfort for elderly felines? Thank you!
Eva said: Yes! I started my old lady on Solensia about 3 months ago and it has made such a difference. She now grooms herself (she hadn’t for a very long time) and she appears alert and active more than before.
I highly recommend this med. It’s pricey but definitely worth it for their quality of life. Have not seen any side effects.
(Solensia link for reference.)
Newt actually gets around really well for an old guy, but every once in a while he has a day where he moves stiffly. The vet suggested Meloxicam for him about 6 months ago, and said that basically he could have it every day if he needed it, but Fred (who is in charge of medication for the permanent residents because I am better at medicating kittens than adults)(adult cats, that is, not adult humans)(but I could probably wrestle a Tylenol down Fred’s throat if I really had to) gives it to him on an as-needed basis. We got 15 doses about 6 months ago and still have 1 or 2 left.
I hadn’t heard of Solensia before, so am going to suggest that Fred bring it up at Newt’s next vet visit and see if it’s something she recommends.
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Robyn/readers, have you ever had a pair of kittens/cats where cat A was bonded to cat B, but cat B wasn’t bonded to cat A?
I’ve had pairs where one is MORE bonded to the other, but I can’t (off the top of my head, at least) think of any where the bond was entirely one way. I’m sure it happens, I just haven’t seen it.
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Uncle Charlie comes to visit again.
It just cracks me UP that despite the fact that she’s seen him many, many times, Wren still floofs her tail when she sees him. (Of course, Wren has a VERY expressive tail. And most of the time when she sees Uncle Charlie it’s downstairs, not in the foster room – which I am sure she considers HER territory.)
Charlie’s like “These kittens are going to follow me around and stare at me, aren’t they?”
He considers a nap in the puffy bed, but decides against it.
Wren snoopervises Charlie eating the left over canned food.
Tater goes in for a look and a sniff.
Rufous plays nearby.
Then gives Uncle Charlie a sniff.
Hmm. But where’s Starling?
Downstairs in Auntie Alice’s bed, of course. She’s trying to look all innocent, but you KNOW she knows this annoys Alice.
Charlie sniffed around the foster room for a bit and then wandered off. And then the kittens spent the next hour sniffing EVERY SINGLE SPOT where Charlie had been.
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Posted on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Tumblr) yesterday.
Pardon the blur, but it’s Thlurrrpsday, and Starling wanted to show off her form.
It’s Thlurrrpsday, and so please admire Tater’s form.
YouTube link
Throw Back Thursday: From a long, long time ago (about 6 weeks ago, in fact), tiny baby Tater (who we were still calling “Plover” because that’s her official name) and tiny baby Starling went exploring. Also: tiny baby Rufous and tiny baby Wren. SO TINY.
Rufous from above, showing off those pretty, pretty eyes.
YouTube link
Throw Back Thursday: From about a month ago, Tater chasing the dust in the air. CUTEST THING EVER.
Good night innernets. (Wren and Rufous, who are BFFs.)
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Previously
2022: A basket full o’ attitude, is what we have there.
2021: No entry.
2020: Bugs and Lola were adopted and went home yesterday!
2019: Madeline thinks about topping off her nap-filled morning with a little nap.
2018: No entry.
2017: Roux in the window, NOT spying on the neighbors, ABNER.
2016: Throw Back Thursday: Dirt Mountain.
2015: Roundup: Lucy.
2014: And then he sat there, all “What is that noise? I sure wish it would stop.”
2013: No entry.
2012: No entry.
2011: He’s hit that gawky stage.
2010: OH, was I livid!
2009: No entry.
2008: All in all, a very good weekend.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
I know someone whose old man cat was practically brought back from the dead by Solensia. As far as she’s concerned it’s a miracle drug.
Right?! The cat starts to move and do things they hadn’t in quite a while, especially groom.
The literature suggests you take videos before and after you start the med so you can see the differences. I didn’t need to do that to know/see the difference.
FWIW, I will add second-hand info on Solensia. Several of my online chat mates have old cats who have done remarkably well on it. My current and only cat is going for a wellness check today. She’s about ten, and since the last three all started developing arthritis around ten or twelve, I’ll be chatting with my vet. Looking down the road, I doubt it’s needed just yet.
One would think so.
Oops. Wrong remark. Sorry.
Now I am visualizing you forcing Fred to take a pill…
Me too! LOL
Also, Caspian’s story from archives is hysterical.
I started my 18 YO cat on Solensia this past April and saw a big difference in his ability to move around and his personality/disposition after just 2 – 3 weeks. I swear he aged backwards 5 years! I did take videos of him walking and climbing the stairs before his first shot and I can’t believe the difference. My vet said after the initial three monthly injections I could try spacing them out 6 weeks or so to see how he does.
My almost 19 year old boycat is on Solensia and it definitely made him more mobile. He started jumping back up onto higher things. No side effects. A friend with 2 elderly cats of her own has also had very positive results with no side effects. Yes, expensive, but worth it.
Solensia has been amazing for my 18yr old cat, Percy. He had been previously on gabapentin for his arthritis, but that tended to have a bit of a sedative effect. These days, he’s back to smacking his sister (well, we would have preferred this bit didn’t happen, but we’ll deal with it lol) and being more his usual self. The only thing about Solensia is that it’s expensive. I pay about $200 for two vials, which is 2 months supply (Canadian dollars). It’s easy to give (subcutaneous shot) and my vet has allowed me to do so myself instead of having to take Percy in every month. If you can get it and can afford it, it’s a good option. I also have a friend whose lovely 11 yr old lady cat was suffering from arthritis and she says her girl has practically turned back into a youth, jumping up on sofas and tables and places where she hadn’t gone for years. 🙂
We have been giving our 13-year old boy cat a Cosequin for cats capsule once a day for a few years (we just sprinkle the powder into his wet food) and it has done wonders! He leaps and runs with his younger siblings and really gives them a run for their money. Might be worth a try. I get the capsules from Chewy and Amazon.
My nearly 14 year old Chloe has done really well on Cosequin for Cats also. About 2 years ago she began favoring one of her front paws and after an xray, her vet suggested I try it with her. After about a month of giving her the powder from one pill in a little wet food daily, her limp was gone entirely. At that point I cut her back to a pill every other day and she’s still running, jumping, and playing with her toys 🙂
Solensia was a game changer for Psycho. Limping badly on the front left leg and after the first injection ina week no more limp. He s had 3 months Lu injections and is still doing well ing with acupuncture. He’s 16 and also has Small Cell Lymphoma in remission,CKD 2, & pancreatitis . No side effects from it at all and it s safer than meloxacam.
Solensia sounds wonderful. I wonder if I could get some for myself instead of meloxicam! I’d like to feel 5 years younger (wouldn’t that be about 28 in human years?!)
I’m beginning to think I need Solensia. That’s a joke, because it was developed specifically for cats. But you would think if they can do it for cats, they could do it for humans, wouldn’t you?
One would think so.
I will add to the pro-Solensia comments, our 14 year-old Ellie is on it. Her improvement wasn’t as remarkable as some have noted but really like that it has no side effects. She does seem more playful now that she’s been on it. I do hope they can research something similar for humans. It is expensive, and Ellie hates going to the vet to get her shot enough that on a daily basis she hides out in the mornings–those are the down sides here. They’ve shown me how to give that so I am hoping to be able to do it at home in future. She was on Cosequin when she first had trouble with limping and clicking and an exam ruled out tumors or other non-arthritis issues. It seemed to help. One of the vets does acupuncture and chiropractic and those have also helped. Now she has Dasuquin, and I’ve been wondering if it’s really necessary to keep giving it to her.
>>(but I could probably wrestle a Tylenol down Fred’s throat if I really had to)
God I completely cracked up at this point in the blog. You never fail to bring a smile to my face, even when it’s early and I am grumpily at work!