Are there any other dudes out there that love cats?

[akira3d]

Well, we need to get xrays and an ultrasound taken first to see if this is just a localized thing or something that is reflecting deeper issues....and then a biopsy to see what exact kind of cancer it is. Both of our cats are 15 1/2, so the age factor means that any kind of surgery carries additional risk. Regardless, I did NOT need any negative news right now. I've had my fill of it over the past few months.

 

[enkrypt3d]

Well, we need to get xrays and a sonogram taken first to see if this is just a localized thing or something that is reflecting deeper issues....and then a biopsy to see what exact kind of cancer it is. Both of our cats are 15 1/2, so the age factor means that any kind of surgery carries additional risk. Regardless, I did NOT need any negative news right now. I've had my fill of it over the past few months.

aww man sorry to hear this! I know how that news is tough.... I just got news that one of my family members has cancer........

I hope your're doing well! Long time no see on prime!

 

[akira3d]

aww man sorry to hear this! I know how that news is tough.... I just got news that one of my family members has cancer........

I hope your're doing well! Long time no see on prime!

Sorry to hear that.

Part of the reason I haven't been more active on Prime or with the NSX community is that my dad passed away in October. This has been a rough year.

 

[enkrypt3d]

Sorry to hear that.

Part of the reason I haven't been more active on Prime or with the NSX community is that my dad passed away in October. This has been a rough year.

omg I'm so sorry to hear of your loss! Let me know if there's anything we can do to help... I'm hoping my aunt can pull through... Sending good vibes and prayers your way!

 

[ACCD]

I understand the impact of the news. Hate to hear this. I lost my father a while back and now my mother has been ill. Interestingly enough my current Bengal has been a great source of joy and companionship.

A couple of years back I had to put our first Bengal, Bailey, down, had cancer. My wife was traveling and I was alone through the process. The following year Baileys half sister Bengal developed complications from oral surgery... long drawn out process that I hated to put her through. This has been a long way of saying, first and foremost as your pets "master" / owner or caregiver, your job is to ensure quality of life and not keep a pet in pain just to ensure you have a few more weeks of companionship. The very best thing, most loving thing you can do is to make wise and hard choices to ensure your cats comfort during illness or even through death. It's hard, very hard to make a decision that will separate you from something that has been so close to you for so many years, however, your duty is to usher a loved pet through illness and make wise choices.

It was very hard for me. However, both my brother and my mother waited way too long in letting their pets go and they felt bad and guilty afterward. I had zero regrets and reflected on the value, love and joy our Bengals gave us. We'll keep you in our prayers. Reflect on the value your loved ones and pets have giving you and be assured that others are looking toward YOU for that same support and love.

Best of luck.

 

[akira3d]

Well, Meeko has been doing very well since we found a prescription food option he would actually eat. He seems to be back to his normal self. He also he has grown attached to the cage we put him while he healed. He may not want to give up his temporary accommodations.

Mushu had his surgery today and everything went well. The vet was able to extract the entire mass without taking too much muscle with it (in this case, his sphincter...yeah, this really was a pain in the ass). Our vet said the surgery went quicker than expected, so she was able to clean his teeth while he was still under. I forgot to mention that his bloodwork, xrays, and ultrasound suggested that the cancer had not spread, so we elected to have the entire mass removed now. There will still be a biopsy of the mass to tell us exactly what caused it.

Mushu always has a voracious appetite (we cannot leave food out or he will clean the bowl...completely clean it). His first meal tonight showed that his appetite remains unaffected...he was even licking anything that dropped into his cone of shame.

My mom shared this picture (he's going to spend the night at her place before coming home):

 

[ACCD]

GREAT news, glad to hear it. He's looking good!

Well one picture deserves another.

Our troubles started with a simple tooth extraction. Came home and then my father in law unexpectedly passed away. We left Puddy, in picture, alone and when we came back a bone infection had developed. The result was half of her jaw being removed and a feeding tube for 60 days. This seemed to heal up fine, but then a month later, congenital heart failure. Tried treating this but no luck. Since then I often reflect on "how much is enough" to put our pets through. Puddy was only 11 years old, so we thought it was worth it. In the end when she wasn't responding to treatment or eating, we let her go. Again, part of life and we're able to reflect on the joy and love that our Bengals give and are giving us.

Most people think we're nuts on the amount of money that we spent for surgery etc... but we've been blessed with the financial resources to do it and we didn't think twice about it.

You're giving them lots of love which is the best medicine.


]

 

[queenlives]

Part of the reason I haven't been more active on Prime or with the NSX community is that my dad passed away in October. This has been a rough year.

i'm very sorry to hear this, my condolences to you and your family.

hal

 

[Kyras]

My vet says I should buy pet insurance for my Bengal because they are very likely to have problems due to inbreeding. Will any of you past or present Bengal owners give me your opinion on this?

 

[akira3d]

Most people think we're nuts on the amount of money that we spent for surgery etc... but we've been blessed with the financial resources to do it and we didn't think twice about it.

Tell me about it. There's a lot of money involved for sure, but I totally think it is worth it. Until it isn't, of course.

We had a third cat named Bella that we inherited from a friend's father over a decade ago. That cat developed feline hepatic lipidosis, but, because we didn't separate our cats when feeding them, we were unaware that she had stopped eating. We mistook her initial weight loss as a good thing, because she was overweight...but the weight kept coming off. By the time we noticed that her skin had yellowed, we couldn't even force feed her. The vet did some procedure that sounded promising but she passed away during the night while still in their care. I really didn't like paying THAT bill.

But I suspect that our boys will be around for at least a few more years.

Meeko first had bladder stones four years ago and I didn't catch it nearly as early as this latest incident. When I got him to the vet then, he was in pretty bad shape. At that time, he needed a couple of days worth of IVs to flush his system of toxins that built up while he was blocked. He's been healthy and happy since...until this latest blockage, of course. At that time, the only change we made to his lifestyle was removing dry food from his diet. Now that he is happily eating a prescription cat food, I am only concerned about those kidney stones resulting in another blockage...as we would have to go through this whole thing all over again.

Mushu has never really had any health issues...aside from the cancerous sore that only recently appeared on his butt and that has now been removed. It's weird to take a cat that seems perfectly healthy in for surgery. I know that cats are very good about hiding health issues, but Mushu really did not appear to be having any issues. His surgery was a no-brainer.

 

[ACCD]

one big thing, get them to drink LOTS of water. I encourage ours to drink out of the sink and whenever I have a cup of water, give it to her. Solves many issues with bladder etc..

Personally, I don't think the Bengals are any more sensitive due to breeding then others. I think it's a knee "jerk" answer. Now, what I have learned is don't always take your vets first answer. It pays to ask questions and NOT OVER medicate or treat your pet. Also, go with dry cat food, high protein no grain. Its the best thing for their teeth. Even though Bengals need or should eat high protein, the dry food keeps teeth and gums clean which is the most common point of entry for bacteria and other diseases. I do dry and then give ours chicken and other meats as a treat. I try to brush her teeth too.

Bengals do have heart related problems, but a good diet and exercise does wonders. Again, the bladder infections and stones can be a result of not drinking enough, so leave a sink dripping or cups of water around the house. Make is a social event for them to drink...heaven knows we're all social drinkers after all Keep the cat box clean and far away from food sources. I was even told to separate the water and food and it seemed to work very well. In nature the kill and water aren't typically next to each other.

One last thing. Cats typically don't show signs of illness until it's almost too late. The go along and then drop off the health cliff quickly. So don't be afraid to question any eating behavior, weight loss, coat or fur changes etc....it will tell you a lot.

If insurance makes it easier for someone then I would go for it...I suspect we had about $8k in spending the last 12 months for our past Bengal. Current one, knock on wood, has only been to the vet for shots.

Best of luck.

 

[Kyras]

ACCD, my daughter who's a zookeeper, has told me the same thing about water. I took her advice and bought a Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain:
http://www.amazon.com/Drinkwell-Platinum-Pet-Fountain-168oz/dp/B000L3XYZ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387432285&sr=8-1&keywords=Drinkwell+Platinum+Pet+Fountain









^Here's something I really want to get for my Bengal. Talia likes to get inside my washer and she's getting it going.

The breeder had some but they aren't currently available at PetWheels.com.

 

[ACCD]

I love the treadmill!

Yup the fountain is great.. Bengals Love Water. I had the one you show but if I recal it was a plastic composite. Harder to clean and seemed to stain. I found a porcelain one that works well and stays very clean.


I'd say you've got it under complete control! That is a great looking Bengal!

 

[Kyras]

I love the treadmill!

Yup the fountain is great.. Bengals Love Water. I had the one you show but if I recal it was a plastic composite. Harder to clean and seemed to stain. I found a porcelain one that works well and stays very clean.
View attachment 108380

I'd say you've got it under complete control! That is a great looking Bengal!

Yes, mine is plastic. I didn't see yours when I was shopping online. There was a stainless steel one but reviewers weren't happy with the motor. My Talia's colors are fading. The black outline on her hind rosettes is about gone as they fade to brown. I knew that it could happen because I asked the breeder about color change. I wonder how faded she'll get. She's still a blast no matter what her colors do. Did your Bengal's colors fade?


I just ordered the Pet Wheel! I looked around online and called the company. They are about 20 miles away in Costa Mesa so they will deliver one to me tomorrow. Talia's graduating from the washer to the wheel! :biggrin:

 

[Ko-nsx]

I've been thru 3 of those drink well fountains. They are good but to many parts. My cat sitter broke the water reservoir once and it's a pain to clean thoroughly. My female Bengal developed kidney issues after 4 years old. Nikko has always had a heart murmur but has no no adverse affects so far and he's 9.

 

[ACCD]

My Talia's colors are fading. The black outline on her hind rosettes is about gone as they fade to brown. I knew that it could happen because I asked the breeder about color change. I wonder how faded she'll get. She's still a blast no matter what her colors do. Did your Bengal's colors fade?


I just ordered the Pet Wheel! I looked around online and called the company. They are about 20 miles away in Costa Mesa so they will deliver one to me tomorrow. Talia's graduating from the washer to the wheel! :biggrin:

Send me the link to the company, I'd like a crack at it, then I'll let the cat try

Talia should darken back up a little in the summer. I know ours "bleach" out some in the winter, but seem to have more glitter and contrast in the summer. Have you gotten into the "play fetch" mode? Virtually all the Bengal owners I talk to say they love to play fetch. Ours included..

PS...have you noticed that Bengals shed very little? Compared to other cats, Bengals are more hypoallergenic and shed little. The only place you can find cat hair in our house is in her cat bed, which is up high.

 

[Kyras]

Send me the link to the company, I'd like a crack at it, then I'll let the cat try

Talia should darken back up a little in the summer. I know ours "bleach" out some in the winter, but seem to have more glitter and contrast in the summer.Have you gotten into the "play fetch" mode? Virtually all the Bengal owners I talk to say they love to play fetch. Ours included..

PS...have you noticed that Bengals shed very little? Compared to other cats, Bengals are more hypoallergenic and shed little. The only place you can find cat hair in our house is in her cat bed, which is up high.

Oh, yeah! Talia was fetching as soon as I thought of throwing a toy. It has to make noise though so she can hear where I throw it. I haven't seen any shedding from her or Zion, my Siamese, but they are only 3 and 5 months old so they're in the growing fur mode. That's good to know about the colors possibly coming back. I did a search on it and I thought it was common for them to loose some color as their hairs get longer, from kitten-hood.

 

[docjohn]

Sorry to hear that.

Part of the reason I haven't been more active on Prime or with the NSX community is that my dad passed away in October. This has been a rough year.

I wish you strength in this period of loss..We lost my dad to copd complications may of last year....I know how you feel....His memory lives on...

 

[ACCD]

Silver Bengal on "cat wheel".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzF2yU5yzDs&feature=player_detailpage

 

[Kyras]

Silver Bengal on "cat wheel".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzF2yU5yzDs&feature=player_detailpage

That was really a neat wheel! Thank you for the link. I have never tried using the video function on my cameras but hope to take some of Talia on the wheel.

If you read the comments after the Youtube video, the poster said, "Yes, Ive got 2 cats indeed: Cleo: Egyptian Mau (female), Chip: Ocicat (male)"

 

[akira3d]

I wish you strength in this period of loss..We lost my dad to copd complications may of last year....I know how you feel....His memory lives on...

Belated condolences on your father's passing. Aside from obvious emotions, I was a bit unprepared for how much work needs to be done. I'm an only child and my dad was divorced...

So don't be afraid to question any eating behavior, weight loss, coat or fur changes etc....it will tell you a lot.

Yeah, you have to be hyper-sensitive to behavioral changes if you want to intercept issues early...especially eating behavioral changes since a cat going without food for a couple of days can lead to bigger issues (like what happened to Bella).

I suspect Meeko had been hinting that he had been experiencing issues going to the bathroom. He started dropping stools outside of the kitty litter. First, they were close to the litter, so I suspected I needed to start cleaning the litter more frequently. I questioned that theory when he would do it when the litter was completely clean. Even then, I assumed he might be doing it to avoid getting clumps on his backside (he has a really long coat, and, at this time of the year, it gets particularly thick...and he does get cling-ons). But then he started dropping stools by our bedroom door. He never had accidents like that before. Even then, I thought it might be a sign of age, perhaps the start of dementia. He otherwise seemed healthy until I observed him just beginning to have issues urinating. He has not had pooped outside of the litter since having the surgery.

I always figured Mushu would be the easy one to spot issues because he has such a voracious appetite. If he ever loses that, I will know something is seriously wrong. Fortunately his issue was easily seen...and we did not wait long before taking him to the vet.

BTW, that cat wheel seems awesome. I would bet that Mushu would have liked one of those while growing up...and it certainly would have helped manage his weight.

 

[ACCD]

A Mau! Wow, for some reason I had thought Mau's were solid color, longer and leaner...but they look a lot like a Bengal. Thanks for the heads up. I need to do my homework. Maybe somebody needs a new little sister...

 

[Kyras]

Belated condolences on your father's passing. Aside from obvious emotions, I was a bit unprepared for how much work needs to be done. I'm an only child and my dad was divorced...



Yeah, you have to be hyper-sensitive to behavioral changes if you want to intercept issues early...especially eating behavioral changes since a cat going without food for a couple of days can lead to bigger issues (like what happened to Bella).

I suspect Meeko had been hinting that he had been experiencing issues going to the bathroom. He started dropping stools outside of the kitty litter. First, they were close to the litter, so I suspected I needed to start cleaning the litter more frequently. I questioned that theory when he would do it when the litter was completely clean. Even then, I assumed he might be doing it to avoid getting clumps on his backside (he has a really long coat, and, at this time of the year, it gets particularly thick...and he does get cling-ons). But then he started dropping stools by our bedroom door. He never had accidents like that before. Even then, I thought it might be a sign of age, perhaps the start of dementia. He otherwise seemed healthy until I observed him just beginning to have issues urinating. He has not had pooped outside of the litter since having the surgery.

I always figured Mushu would be the easy one to spot issues because he has such a voracious appetite. If he ever loses that, I will know something is seriously wrong. Fortunately his issue was easily seen...and we did not wait long before taking him to the vet.

BTW, that cat wheel seems awesome. I would bet that Mushu would have liked one of those while growing up...and it certainly would have helped manage his weight.

I am guessing that of my three cats, only the Bengal will use the wheel. The old one barely gets up except to eat, drink and poo. I would love it if the Siamese kitten uses it but I kind of doubt he will.

 

[akira3d]

Ugh...just found out that the biopsy shows Mushu has adenocarcinoma...and they want him to start chemotherapy on Monday.

 

[BATMANs]

Pussy?

Negative Ghost rider:

toxoplasmosis