Introducing Nostalgia!

[Vyaavi]

Thank you all for the good advice and well-wishes! I haven't posted in ages but I do try to keep an eye on how everyone is doing.

I did get a new camera, although the format of video it makes isn't compatible with my video-editing software, so things are a bit complicated on that front. But I did start a Flickr gallery of Nostalgia. In fact, I think it's been so long that I never even showed you all her X-rays!

Here is her X-ray. The vet said she has 3 or 4 fused lumbar vertebrae, possibly some malformation of the part of her hips between the spine and tail, and the tail itself is actually several teeny tiny vertebrae! Unfortunately she also has scoliosis in the fused section. This curls her hips in under her a bit, and also twists them to the right. The funny walk is her way of compensating for the scoliosis. So she's now taking a glucosamine supplement to support her leg joints.

I was also having trouble getting her to eat enough, and that was really part of why I wasn't posting - I just didn't have it in me to put my fears into words. But I started brushing her teeth (with a Q-tip, a tip that I picked up from this forum!) and suddenly she's eating more! She still needs to put on weight but I'm not quite so terrified of her wasting away. She's got another vet visit in her future though, just to make sure there's nothing else keeping her from eating. She's currently eating Acana (the old lamb formula), Weruva, and Fancy Feast. What a spoiled girl!

I'm not sure what to do with the vet, actually. She's of the old school of vet medicine, where everything can be cured with prescription foods. I think you all can understand why I'm not keen on that! But she did listen to my concerns about putting Nostalgia under anesthesia for her X-rays, and it turned out my good girl didn't need any sedation at all! I'm not sure how I'd go about finding a better vet though.

[NedF]

Those are some really great pics of Nostalgia. I love the nose close-up! Glad she's eating better!

[Mandycat]

Thanks for the update on Nostalgia. It seems she is doing very well and handling her issues very well.  The x-rays were very interesting to see.  She is a trooper!   

[bug]

You're little girl is such a beauty. Those x-rays are very interesting. you can see the fused vertebrae, scoliosis and the little "tail." I hope these issues never get in her way. Good idea giving her the glucosamine.

[catwoods]

Gorgeous kitty! It's good that she's eating. Hopefully she will do well.

[lesliek]

She is looking great ! You might to think about adding Trixsyn also, Mainecoopeg's Angel Rikers had congenital defects also & it helped her a lot.

[catbird]

I just now got a chance to look at the x-rays and the photo gallery. The x-rays are indeed very interesting, and the scoliosis is very clear.  She is a beautiful, beautiful cat, (of course I may be a bit prejudiced) and looks so Manx now that she has matured more.  She appears to have the characteristic Manx coat, too.  And the Manx zest for life!

[JJ]

Love that pic of her smelling the flowers, tulips perhaps?

[Vyaavi]

Lesliek - I'm looking into the Trixsyn, thank you for the recommendation! I haven't bought any yet but I will keep it in mind, especially if I notice her slowing down. So far so good, though.

I have a couple videos today! First, Nostalgia's tricks. I filmed that on March 22, just a few days after starting to teach her the turn-around command, and she's already much better at it. Clever girl! I'm trying to think of other things to teach her. I think sit and lie down are a bit more complicated than we can tackle right now - her "tricks" so far work with her natural responses to having a treat dangled in front of her, but sitting would be a little different. Anyway, the other video is just a walk in the back yard, which is horribly overgrown with bittersweet and who-knows-what. I'm working on cutting everything down so I can get a garden in. (At the end of the video I forgot I could pass the leash under the vine. Whoops! Sorry Nostalgia!) It's still quite chilly here, and the day after I recorded that it snowed a few inches. Ugh! So that's why she's wearing her adorable sweater over her harness. She fights it until she realizes she's going outside, and then she ignores it entirely.

Other than that, I'll be taking a class this summer that involves spending two weeks on an island in the Atlantic. Nostalgia won't be alone during that time, since I live with my dad (and brother, though we only see him at dinner...) but he works during the day so I'm a little worried about her. It's just two weeks, so as long as she keeps eating she'll be fine, and I'll try to get him to leave the TV on for her. I use that trick when I go off to school and it seems to help a little. So, good luck to us! I hope she forgives me when I get home.

[Spartycats]

Nostalgia is so cute and clever.  I had a cat who learned to shake hands, and sit. I just kind of gently pushed her bottom down, and gave treats, and she learned quickly.

It's interesting, how Nostalgia sort of bunny-hops sometimes with her back legs.
Her sweater is just adorable.

[catbird]

Nostalgia is so cute in her blue sweater!  And of course she had to go through the narrow space between those two bushes by the steps, so you had to disentangle the leash.  Typical cat!  I enjoyed seeing her tricks, too.  Manx are very smart, so I'm sure she will learn even more tricks.

[lesliek]

I can't believe she let you put a sweater & harness on her ! Looks like Nostalgia is getting the hang of moving her back end more easily.

[catwoods]

I watched the first video and will try to watch the second another day.

It was really cute watching her do the tricks!

[Vyaavi]

I'm sorry, I know I haven't been around much, but I just have to vent! This cat! She's lucky I love her so much. We've been to the vet three times in the last three weeks, and going in again tomorrow. First was just her annual checkup and she was fine - a week later, a lump sent us back in, but THANKFULLY it seems to have just been a weird bit of fat and I can't feel it anymore. But now, all of a sudden, today she's peeing blood! As if that weren't bad enough, one of her paw-pads is losing all its skin!! Some Google work suggested that she burned her foot, but I had no idea how that was possible until I mentioned it to my brother. "Oh yeah, she got out onto the roof while I was asleep this afternoon, she was really hot when she came in but she seemed fine so I didn't mention it." Words cannot express my horror and anger! That part of the roof is a tiny, steep ledge which is in the sun all day long! It must have been burning hot, and I don't know how she didn't fall off the house! I have no idea what to do for her foot. Our appointment is first thing in the morning, although it's with a vet I don't know (my usual, wonderful vet is out), so I will ask then. Poor Nostalgia! She's in so much pain but she hardly lets it show. She's a tough little cookie.

Anyway, phew! Sorry to vent, it's just all so much and I had to get it out. I feel like the last few weeks have been non-stop worrying. Oh, Nostalgia!

[bug]

Poor little girl. I would dip her paw pad in cold water, just like you would for a human burn. I don't think she'd tolerate ice. She also must have a UTI that has gotten out of control. A couple days of antibiotics will help her out. Maybe for now, see if she'll drink a little extra water to flush out her system.