So I finally had a handyman come and spend the day here today, and among other things he installed my cat shelves and the hi-cat pole! So there is now a full-fledged cat super-hiway up in my office now, and downstairs in the living room, with the hi-cat, there is now some new shelves, offering a new sleeping place, and a better way down for the cats!

It's funny because I had the cats locked up in the bedroom while all this was going on, and when they came out all three were very weary (with all the noise and such). They all seemed pretty unsettled at first with the changes they were seeing. But as usual I decided to let them discover things at their own pace. I went back to work on some film editing, then realized 30 min later or so, that things were very very quiet. I looked up, and saw:





Then I went downstairs, and Serafina and I had a good time playing with the new shelves.



Gaga is doing well. No more seizures since that incident several weeks ago. Her body is tolerating the medicine better and better, and she now has the run of the house all day. Serafina still has the occasional "flare up" at her, but Neytiri seems to have accepted her back now.

On the downside, she continues to get harder and harder to pill. I've been working with my vet to look at medicine options, and we've been working with a couple of compounding pharmacies. One offered to put the medicine into "treat chews". Little rubbery capsules that come in 5 different meat flavors. For a trial we got non-medicinal samples of the chews, but Gaga (and my other two) all rejected every flavor of them. We contacted a different compounding pharmacy that said that they don't even bother offering such products anymore, because the acceptance is so low by cats. But they did offer to make the medicine into a meat-flavored liquid. I gave the first dose of that to Gaga and I think the experience wasn't too different than the pill. But perhaps the liquid will offer fewer "re-dos", and perhaps it will be slightly less unpleasant. I'm getting much better at administering the medicine, but Gaga is getting more and more weary. At least once it's over, she seems to "firgive me" each time pretty readily. And I still do treats after each pilling, which probably helps grease the wheels a bit.

I took Gaga in to the vet this weekend to get blood tests. These are supposed to determine whether we need to adjust the meds up or down, depending on how much is getting into her blood stream. I hoping for down (less)! But I'll find out mid-week.

Still no clue what to do about cat-sitters though, but I think in the coming weeks I'll try to interview some new ones and see. Maybe I'll find one that is a rock-star at pilling cats. I can hope...

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The little monsters 3

What an amazing set up, they're going to love using that

So glad to hear that Gaga is doing a lot better.
My Alex is impossible to pill, even the vet can't do it.
Last year I had to take him every single day for an antibiotic injection, for 2 weeks. So tedious.
So I feel your pain. Bloody cats

Wow, that is some serious catification! I'm not allowed to put stuff up like that so Oscar has to do with two huge cat trees. Sounds like Gaga is doing well, she looks great on that shelf! Love the Seraphina 'Spider Cat' picture! Pilling cats is so hard, if someone just invented an easy way they would be a billionaire overnight! I much prefer the look of the angular Siamese head compared to the applehead Siamese - much more character and elegance! My hairdresser has three burmese and they sit on my chest (all three) when I have my hair done, just love them all! Cats are so precious and it makes my heart glad to see Gaga well again and chilling on the shelf.

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

That is so fab! I'm also not allowed to put things like that up, but would love to - I don't think my two would come down very often!

Good to hear Gaga is doing well. Hopefully she will adjust to the pilling and start to see it as part of her daily routine - unlikely though... I really hope you manage to find a way forward that is stress-free for both of you!

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Oh Brian, what a set up you have! I know the gals are absolutely loving it! I wish I could do something like that around my house, but I have such short wall space and even my windows go floor to ceiling so there's nothing I can put above them. I am super jealous! LOL

Happy to hear GaGa is doing well, except for the medication thing. Maybe with time it will get better. I know Raiden has finally stopped floundering when I try to give him his Frontline each month. He's now to the point that he just stops and says, "okay, do it." I know pills are different. Can this medication be administered by shot? It may be easier for the both of you -- or maybe not! It's difficult enough when one has to give a medication for a short period of time -- I will always prefer the shot route! In fact, when we took Raiden to the vet after his last big cat fight, they gave him an antibiotic injection that would last 14 days. Made it so much easier on me, except for the pain medication he was to get -- and he didn't take very well.

Sometimes I think cats will eventually get used to the idea! They don't understand that they will feel so much better and with GaGa, it's super important that she have her meds. You're obviously doing something right since she hasn't suffered another seizure. It would be great to get her off the meds permanently, but that's probably not going to happen.

Great job on your cat-ification!

Brian, all three of your cats are so beautiful and look so happy on their new playground equipment, great job!. I love the close up photo of Gaga's pretty face. The cat pole looks cool. Does it have cut outs in the pole for them to go inside and sit? I keep looking on line at that cat cup, tunnel and shelves you put up. For some reason I thought they were much smaller and I thought my cats would be too big to lay down on them, but I can see they are much larger than I thought and there is plenty of room for the cat to sleep on them. I keep thinking I want to add a couple of shelves on the other side of the ledge in my bedroom so there is a second way to get down from the shelf in the wall. Although I had some friends over this weekend and they think I am pretty out of control with the cat stuff as it is, so I am trying to quiet that little voice inside.

Hopefully with time she'll get easier to pill.

Diesel had to be pilled 2x a day for about 2 months. The first few weeks were rough, always gave treats after (which he loved), but it was really stressful for everyone. Then one day I decided to try putting him on his back so it would go right down his throat. He lets me hold him on his back so it was worth a shot. It worked like a charm. It went down before he even knew he swallowed it. That's how he gets pills now, laying on his back and I put it in the back of his throat with the pill "gun" and he still gets treats afterwards.

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Dallas, TX USA
Diesel - snow Bengal born 09/01/2013 adopted Feb 2014
Tuck, Chloe, Buddy, Lewis & Tia - rescue kitties
Clyde, Bleu & Coal - Great Danes

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The little monsters 3

Did you try what I suggested in your other thread with putting the pills into gel capsules and coating with butter? That solved all of my problems, and I was really skeptical

The gel capsules must be pretty small for a cat to not choke on them. I would really think a pill shooter would be the best thing and I may need to get Raiden one for the next time around!

I tried a pill shooter and unless you have two people, it is rather difficult. I use pill pockets and my two gobble them up. No way I could get a pill into either one of them otherwise.

My vet told me the flea medicine comes in a pill form. I am going to try that and see if there is less itching with the pill. Plus putting that liquid on their fur is like a circus.

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The little monsters 3

If only cats would understand that the medication is going to HELP them. Then again, parents have the same problem with small children. And you'd think we big people could overpower a small animal! LOL. Maybe not with the claws and teeth! Thankfully, I do have a hubby who is happy to help me out when he's home to help out. I hope you're able to find something that is easier to work with, Brian! I've had to administer insulin shots and subq fluids to a kitty before ... and it went well -- at least for the cat. She was not bothered by any of it.