 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsGeneral TopicsCat AnecdotesHealth and BehaviorRescue CatKB.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / May 2008Calming a Pet: Mom is getting more desperate, I'm getting more anxious
So... I just placed a call to Persia's vet. I want to find out if he thinks something like Rescue Remedy will help keep her calm in what will amount to a two or three leg journey (with stays in pet-friendly motels), me driving us about 700 miles. A local farmer's market advertises an herbal thing called 'Peaceful Pet', an herbal thing. Says it can be used in addition to Rescue Remedy. But I've no idea what is in this. And the fact that she says it can be used in addition to Rescue Remedy tells me, it's probably a bunch of hooey. It simply says what is listed below: http://www.localharvest.org/store/item.jsp?id=4542 A tincture of WHAT? It doesn't say. Besides, it's sold at our farmer's market? Oh, but you can buy it online. Herbalists are a dime a dozen. I'm all for herbals; I take St. John's Wort when I'm stressed. When I can't sleep, Valerian root or valieriana tea. Doesn't mean giving some "tincture" to my cat. Which also works with Rescue Remedy? So, which one is doing what? I'm waiting for a call back from the vet to find out what he recommends. He's had time to observe Persia since 2002. (She actually showed up in 2001 but that vet left the practice.) He called in a surgeon to do her bladder surgery for crystal oxolates in 2004. He's been around for all her subsequent boardings. He knows Persia. So I'd like to hear what he has to say. One thing I worry about is getting her into a motel and her yowling all night, keeping the other customers awake. Pet-friendly or not, I'm not sure how they'd take that if she did it. I don't know for sure that she'd do that, but she might. Maybe she wouldn't as she could snuggle up with me. On the other hand, she might cower in the bathroom or under the bed. I just don't know. Persia seems pretty resiliant to me, but I've never put her under this particular stress before. Travelling. She's no Harry Roadcat! Then to be introduced into my Mom's house. Everything all different. What bothers me the most is the thought of a long car trip with her shut in her Sherpa bag. I don't want her to think this is a really long trip to a vet. She gets (understandably) upset when the bag means "trip to the vet". But we're talking 700 miles here. I hope her vet can give me some ideas, like Rescue Remedy might help soothe her. I should be getting a phone call back in the next 30 minutes. He's good like that. Jill > So... I just placed a call to Persia's vet. > [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > > Jill On a side note, but you probably already thought of it: have both your address and your mom's on her collar in case she escapes the car or motel (and both phone numbers). If she doesn't already wear a collar, it might be a good idea to get her used to one right away. Bobble >> So... I just placed a call to Persia's vet. >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Bobble Oh yeah, she wears a collar with a tag with my phone number and her name on it. She fought me initially about a collar in 2001. It was obvious she'd never worn a collar. She kept shucking it over her head. I persisted, you *will* wear this. She gave in :) She doesn't mind the collar. And she looks so pretty in it! http://tinyurl.com/5atk5b It's a red breakaway collar with a bell and her tag. Oh, and she was licking her nose ;) Her S-hook connection to the tag actually got caught in my blanket in January. She was able to break-away from that collar rather than stay hooked. I need a new, less-loose knit blanket. I don't have time to remake a tag with both addresses, but she's microchipped with my information. That was since her "great escape" shortly after she came to me. Jill > So... I just placed a call to Persia's vet. > [quoted text clipped - 73 lines] > > Jill can you set up a larger cage in the back seat of the car and give her more room and a different enclosure during the ride so she won't associate it with a visit to TED? maybe large enough to accomodate a litter box, and pillow for her. We traveled like that with a cat a few years ago, tho we found we had to cover the cage with a large towel because he was seeing 'too' much :) but being able to see us in the front seat comforted him. (btw, he meowed a lot and was 'pathetic'... until we ignored him. Then he'd start poking us with his paw! once he had our attention again, he'd start meowing again. silly boy) Sara > So... I just placed a call to Persia's vet. > > I want to find out if he thinks something like Rescue Remedy will > help keep her calm in what will amount to a two or three leg journey > (with stays in pet-friendly motels), me driving us about 700 miles. Well he was no help. He asked if I could pill Persia. Well, sure, I can. I know how and have done it. Has some sort of pill, or something he says he could distill in liquid for me to give her if that's easier. I said, Doc, I don't want to knock her out, I just want her to not be anxious the entire trip. We're talking 12-13 hours. I'll be on the road and with her in a car for 2-3 days. Checking into motels, etc. I was asking about known herbal remedies you might recommend (or not). He said "Oh, well I have nothing against herbals. They may or may not work." In other words, YMMV. Great, thanks. Why am I not comforted? And my brother who promised to take care of Peaches just went out of town on business. Oh great. He thinks you can leave a cat alone for 3-4 days. So he's a great one to leave a small parrot with. I don't want to go to SC right now. It's just not right. I have to make sure my animals are taken care of. But I'll feel so terribly guilty if something happens to my mother in the interim. Dammit. Jill >> So... I just placed a call to Persia's vet. >> [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Jill It sounds as though you're between a rock and a hard place. You'd also feel guilty if your animals weren't properly taken care of and something happened to one of them. Nobody but you can make the decision. I hope you've been able to talk with your mother's doctor about how she is really doing. From here, it seems as though she's pressuring you and trying to make you feel guilty. In that case, my inclination would be to wait until you can make sure the animals are cared for. However, you are the one who has to decide. I remember when I was growing up, I couldn't wait to be old enough to make my own decisions. I can't count the number of times since I grew up when I wished I didn't have to make my own decisions. My sympathy is with you, whatever you decide. (((((((Jill))))))) Joy I've driven 1,000 miles with cats twice. Smokey doesn't give two cares about being in hotels or cars. Nocturne gets cranky and makes a surly meatloaf, ignoring everyone and sulking, but if left in peace she does okay. Kumani and Tyche cry and scream a lot, and hide in hotel closets. We didn't give them any sedatives or herbal remedies, though about a month after the second move we got Feliway to help the kittens chill out. (The first move they were only 6 weeks old and I don't think they really understood they were in a car for 2 days.) We got them large carriers that would fit a small litter pan in the back so they could have a litter box available during the ride, plus a place to sit outside of the litter, plus water. We put a shade covering on the kittens who were agitated by sight out the windows. I would get the pill but only use it if Persia shows distress. The first move, we had pills for the cats but Nox and Smokey didn't need them. Good luck, Fil > >> So... I just placed a call to Persia's vet. >> So... I just placed a call to Persia's vet. >> [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Jill Oh, honey, I wish I had great advice for you. All I can tell you is that my parents moved, by U-Haul, with their cat, Sarah Louise, from Los Alamitos, CA all the way to Seattle, WA and after the first day, Sarah was fine. My dad drove with her perched on his shoulder and he said she was really interested in the scenery. Maybe Persia will settle in like that, too. You can't board her again so soon and you need to check on your mom. I think you need to pack both Persia and Peaches and take them with you. It's got to be less stressful for them to be with you than without you. I don't envy your situation one bit and you've got to be anxious as hell. Good luck, my dear friend. Let us know what you decide to do. kili > >> So... I just placed a call to Persia's vet. > [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > kili I think the trankie search is going on for the wrong entity...w/o knowing more, I'd say your Mom is a prime candidate for something...I hate to see her doing this to you. Have you spoken w/friends about all this? You have already gone through more than one hoomin should be expected to. She is fully aware that her male kids *might* attend her funeral, but can't swear to it, according to what you've posted about your brothers.I had a good friend leave a tearful voice message on my cell threatening suicide within past 6 months. Not being able to go to FL or do anything personally from MileHigh, I researched what police agency services her residence and called explaining (played the voice mail for the officers on the phone) my concern. A patrol went to her home and with backup delivered both her and her 87 year old Mom to two different medical facilities for care and treatment. When she was herself she called and thanked me for doing this. As others have asked, have you talked with her doctor and found out exactly what he is doing for her? If she is threatening personal injury or worse, local police will check out her welfare and BTW, the cops in FL called me back with full report on my pal's wellbeing, so did her neighbors, whom I know personally. I could write a book on the manipulative people in my family and know every trick they use (and I'm not talking the old ones, there *are* no old ones, LOL). I hate to see you go through all this mess again. Excuse me, but outside of her threatening to harm herself, *what could happen to her?* that couldn't be handled by people trained to deal with like matters? > Persia seems pretty resiliant to me, but I've never put her under this > particular stress before. Travelling. She's no Harry Roadcat! Then to be [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > vet. She gets (understandably) upset when the bag means "trip to the vet". > But we're talking 700 miles here. Could you partition the car and let her loose in the back, my three all spent two days in the back of my car when I moved from northern Alabama to southern Florida a few years ago. It was the first time they'd ever spent any length of time in the car and they took it pretty well.  SignatureNik Simpson > So... I just placed a call to Persia's vet. > [quoted text clipped - 60 lines] > > Jill I have travelled frequently with cats (one cat at at time, that is). I drove every summer from Texas to Ohio and back, always accompanied by my cat. I have done this with three different cats, and all travelled beautifully. All disliked it for the first few miles, then settled down, curled up and went to sleep. They would periodically get up, stretch a bit, etc. I travelled the first few years with the cat out of a carrier (didn't know any better then), and my cat would curl up right beside me. I did rig up a "seat belt" so the cat could not get to my feet. Now that I use carriers, I drape a towell over the carrier. That seems to calm them, especially if a cat that is nervous around traffic. I keep a spray can of Feliway, and I spray the carrier about 20 minutes before starting out for the day. I always *carefully* check the motel room to make sure (1) there are no holes that could provide an exit -- once, I found such a large hole under the bathroom sink that a cat could easily end up in the wall, and (2) no poisons. As soon as possible, I bring in the litter box and put out food and water. I keep extra paper towels on hand for cleanup, and I spread a newspaper under the litter box to catch some of the litter that invariably gets scattered. I also travel with a small portable vacuum cleaner. I leave an extra tip for the maid, but I think I do such a good job of vacuuming any signs of litter that there really is no sign that a cat was in the room. MaryL |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.