It’s almost a year since Basil lost his brother and he’s definitely a changed cat. He stays indoors more than he used to, he cries a lot more and over the last few months he has been permanently demanding food. We found out why this week – he has an overactive thyroid. Ironically, I have had the same thing myself in the past, so if it affects cats like it does humans, then I know exactly what he’s going through. Over production of the thyroid hormone stimulates your metabolism, making you burn off the food you eat quicker, often resulting in weight loss (Basil is down from 6.5kg to 4kg). That might sound like a medical condition you wouldn’t mind having, but there’s too many downsides to make it pleasant. Increased metabolism means your heart rate speeds up, you are anxious and nervous, overreacting to the slightest little thing. It can make you very lethargic as your calories are all burnt off so quickly you have no energy and it can play havoc with your concentration and emotions. Nope, not a pleasant thing at all.
I had this throughout my teenage years, then I was recommended to have an operation to remove part of the thyroid gland. I still remember the doctor telling me not to worry as if they took too much out, I would then have an underactive thyroid and that was much easier to treat!! Er, no thanks! I took matters into my own hands at that point and went for traditional Chinese acupuncture. It was so effective that six months later (after nine years of constant medication) my thyroid was completely back to normal and I was off the medication altogether. Apart from one brief flare up, I have had a normal thyroid ever since.
Trouble is, I’m finding it hard to find a cat acupuncturist! There is a rather expensive operation for the thyroid involving radioactive iodine and there is a vets practice in Ripon which could do it, but I’m not sure I want to subject Basil to that. He would have to stay there for several weeks as he would be doing radioactive poo for a while (nice) so all his waste has to be disposed of safely and he’d need to be monitored. I haven’t gone into all the details, but I have visions of the vets in big white protective suits, so I imagine he would be completely starved of cuddles during that time and I don’t think Basil would survive that long without cuddles.
So we’re having to give him a little pink pill every morning and night. Those of you with cats know what that means. Those of you who have never tried giving a cat a pill, they simply will not take pills in their food, period. If you crush the pill into their food, they just won’t touch it. If you hide it inside a chunk of meat, they’ll eat the rest of the bowl and leave that one chunk. If you push it inside a cat treat, they will spit it back out at you with a hurt look.
These particular tablets are actually toxic if crushed, so it has to be done the hard way, which means I have an ever increasing collection of scratches and a rapidly growing repetoire of tricks to get him ‘in hold’ so I can force the jaws open and pop the pill down. As you can from the picture below, he’s not impressed.
It’s not been a good week for pets actually. Derrick and Alma’s 14 year old dog, Shep is in a much worse state than Basil. He has two massive tumours on his liver and there’s nothing they can do for him, it’s just a matter of time. He is ok at the moment, he’s not in pain and he’s still eating. At some point he will stop eating and we’ve been warned he will go downhill rapidly at that point. Naturally Derrick is distraught. Alma’s illness means she can’t really express emotions, so we don’t really know if she is feeling it or not. Shep spends a lot of his time sleeping at her feet during the day, so I am sure she will miss him when he’s gone.
Meanwhile, Basil is feeling a bit sorry for himself. His trip to the vet was a little traumatic all round and as they couldn’t get blood from his leg vein, they actually had to get it from the jugular vein. Naturally he’s been milking this for all it’s worth and demanding extra treats, bed priv and lots of cuddles. He has also expressed a desire to join the ranks of the lolcats featured on the I Can Has Cheezburger website, so I am going through my photo collection looking for photos which I think lend themselves to lolcat style captions.
This one jumped out at me, so I thought we’d have a little caption competition.
If you’re familiar with lolspeak, go right ahead and give it a go. If not, don’t worry, just make a suggestion for a caption that you think would go with this photo. Leave a comment with your suggestions and if I can’t decide on a winner, we’ll put it to a vote. To sweeten the deal, I have a prize to give out to the author of the winning caption. I can’t show you a picture just yet, but I will give out a gorgeous set of brand new stamps that are being released in December.
Have fun!
How about ‘Catz will rool da ooniverz and then you will be sorry for da little pink pillz! Mwahahahahah!’
poor basil…the things us animals have to put up with…..and taking pills is one of those nasties….tell Mum to get a pill popper from the vet….it’s like a long syringey type thing and then to wrap you in a towel….keeping those sharp claws well out of harm’s way while Dad operates the popper and hey presto done and dusted before you know.
Big Hugs
Buddy….I’m a dog but don’t hold that against me….and I love anything that’s edible including pills.
xxxxxx
Basement cat laffs at your sorry attempts to control his power wiv medicashun! You will find those little pink pills jammin your printer….
“i haz big teef and iz ready to bite teh hand dat feed me pink pillz”.
on a more serious note, are you using a pill popper? not that it eliminates the problem, just makes it marginally easier – sometimes. i always get frustrated when we go to the vets and see them manage to give our cat a pill one handed! my last cat was so crafty that he would pretend to swallow pills, and we later found a pile of them behind the sofa
is there anyone near you who does reiki on animals? one of the volunteers at our CP branch does this, and she’s had some great results, even on serious illnesses and injuries.
so sorry to hear about shep.
I don’t know about Reiki, but there is a homeopathic vet about an hour’s drive away. That’s a long time in a car with a cat who can’t keep his legs crossed, so we’ll wait and see how he is over the next month or so before putting him through such a long trip. G.
Said in the best Margaret Hamilton (aka: Wicked Witch of the West) voice: “Hello, my pretties…hehehehehehehehehehehe”
I haz pills, you haz plasters………….
fangs for the memory (well, it is Halloween!)
seriously, sorry to hear of Basil’s trouble, but what a lovely picture.
I agree with Debs – pill poppers do save on scratches – and welders gloves save even more! Have often thought that a mini crowbar would be another good accessory…………assume you have tried wrapping the reluctant and disgusted one like a mummy in a large bath towel before operating on him?
sorry to hear of Shep’s illness – it is so awful when there is nothing that can be done to help
“…youz ain’t puttin that rubber stamp where ze vet put iz needle…”
Poor Basil – must have been an awful experience – bet he’ll love it when the travel basket comes out next time!
Great comments, keep them coming.
Yes we have tried the pill popper, but it never worked on Basil – it freaks him out so much that it’s much easier without to be honest. Most of the time he’s fine, but of course it’s never been a long term thing before. I’m sure we’ll have good days and bad, we’re just stocking up on industrial quantities of germolene!
Glenda
Glenda
Have you tried looking for a chiroprator who works on animals in your area. Many of them also do acupuncture.
Sorry to hear about poor Basil, hope you can find someone to treat him.
How about:
Boys don’t ‘do’ pink pills!
So sorry to hear about Basil and I hope you find someone to help him soon. I used to wrap one of my cats in an enormous bathsheet warmed on the aga rail which helped contain her a little when pill popping. My caption – Purrrrrrrrfect exchange, pills for scratches!!!!!!!!!!! Cheers Rosie
I sympathise with you Glenda–wouldnt get anywhere near my cat to give tablets.They know when its in food and wriggle like hell when you wrap in a towel!!!!
‘Iz not havin no more pillz!!Teef and clawz rool ok!!!
best of medical luck xJoyce
Big Basement Kitteh iz watching u. No pillz or I takes ur hand off.
Glenda something that helped us give our cat pills – fish paste. I can’t imagine it works with all cats but ours is so fish paste mad that he’ll eat anything with it.
Iz sharpnd evrytin so jus yoo try puttin dat pill in der ….
or
I haz seen yur footur an it aint pritty, gimme 1 mor pill an it wil com troo ….
or
Com an hav a go if yoo tink ur hard enuff ….
I’ve had the misfortune of having to give my 3 cats tablets once, traumatic doesn’t even come close!!!! I ended up making tiny tuna cakes with a secret centre
Hope Shep is feeling better soon xx
Trick or treat !!!!!! I’m ready whatever.
Both our cats, brothers, had an overactive thyroid. Mowgli was fairly easy to give pills to but in the end developed other problems and unfortunately had to be put down a couple of summers ago. Kahn, who was always the grumpy “walks alone” type has turned into a big softy. He is always up for a lap and loves giving head-rubs. Although when Mowgli was ill we were not allowed to crush up his pink pills, we are allowed to crush up Kahn’s. Apparantly some brands are more toxic than others and the harm is more to the person crushing the pill than to the cat, especially if you are a “female of child-bearing age”. Go figure. However, if you don’t inhale (!) and wash your hands afterwards you should be fine. Kahn is allergic to poultry so we microwave up frozen white fish and give him his variety of crushed up tablets in that and normally he eats it all up. However, there is a cat food called Applaws that comes in cans in a variety of flavours that actually looks, and smells, good enough to put in your sarnies! If he won’t eat it in his drugs then he will always eat it mashed up in that food. Hope this helps the lovely Basil.
Aaaaakkgh! them pink pills are worz dan hair balz!
Sorry to here about your poor fur babies, Basil and Shep. I started the morning crying when I read this.
I lost my wee cat 2 years ago when we think she was knocked down by a car at the end of our street – usually a very quiet road. I still miss her lots. I know the trouble I had with giving her pills. She generally kept good health so it was only worming tablet time I had this trouble. This was the only time I felt her claws, trying to escape from bath towel, and me trying to get pill into her mouth.
She ate around it if I tried to hide it in her food, spat it out if she picked it up accidentally. Eventually I gave up trying her with tablets for a worming paste which she didn’t like either and spat out, but I was cunning and put it on her legs so she was forced to clean it off. Cats don’t like being messy.
I know this doesn’t help but I hope you find a solution for this, or alternative medicine route that’s closer to you so Basil won’t need to travel too far.
Sending gentle hugs for them both
xx
“put yer dukes up”
poor Basil, it’s soo dificult with cats isn’t it? my cat Fudgey, won’t even let me pick her up! the only way we get her to the vet, is because she loves the cat box! and goes in there willingly, but the whole of the vets can hear her cattawalling! poor Fudgey, poor Basil, poor you, i do hope something positive happens for you all soon
jan x
Sorry to hear about Basil’s probs – how about “I am really being serious when I say NO ! ”
Janetx
Poor Basil…….please tell him it is for his own good that his mummy is practically strangling and choking him every day! LOL
Caption wise how about ” Eatz yur heart out Prinze of Darkness….yoo ‘aint zeen nutting yet”
Not very original…….. love KJ’s
xoxo
“Fangs for the memory”
jan x
“Go on punk, make my day!”
You think I don’t know what you’re up to!!!!! Come near me if you dare !!!!!!!
I am so sorry to hear that some of the furry members of the family are not doing so well, my little Daisy has just got over a scare with a lump that appeared from nowhere – nightmare but thank heavens was not serious after all. I love the photo and I think the message being conveyed is probably said in a thick french accent: ‘Please listen carefully for I shall say this only once, put DOWN the pills’. Love the other captions, really imaginative. Best regards to everyone, PatW
Pink pillz not taste bad, but it pleases meh to spit dem out and draws bluds. Dats wat claws iz for!!
or
Ai haz teef and I noes how to use dem!!
or
Yous funneh when u trying to tink of ways to give meh pillz…and u not no I can talk!!!!
or
Tinking of evil plans make me happeh!
or
I laffs and it makes you worry wat I dun…heh, heh, heh……
Sorry basil is poorly. At least you’re lucky, there are 2 of you to give him the pills. Imagine what its like trying to do it on your own!!!
Love
Jill
x
Basil says “Betcha never thought I’d find your attempts to get me to take those little pink pills so darn funny!”
Hope he’s feeling better soon.
Hi Glenda
I know how difficult it is to give cats pills ( I have the scars to prove it!) I think all the possible methods have been covered now. It is the cats distress that is the hardest to come to terms with.
I think Basil is saying
” I haz the sweetest nature and now the umans iz givin me stuff that’s messin wiv my ed!
I hope his meds start to take effect soon
XX
Chris
I say don’t try giving me that pill. I am on to your tricks. That is what I think Basil is saying. I am from the states and we have a thing here that you can put the pill in the end of and then once you pry the kitty’s mouth open ( if you can catch him and then before he bites and claws you) and you push the end of the tube in and then that sends the pill down their throats. You still have to clamp their mouth shut. I hate giving my cats meds. I hope his meds take effect soon. The poor guy!
How about
‘Dracula who’
So sorry to hear about Basil Glenda. It’s so hard with animals as you can’t explain what’s happening to them. At least he seems to be tolerating the pills. My husband is going through the over active thyroid thing at the moment and had a horrendous reaction to the drug which had to be stopped immediately. He’s still suffering the consequences now. On Friday (6th) he’s getting the radio-active iodine treatment. He’ll be relegated to the spare room for a fortnight (on doctor’s orders you understand). It sounds scary stuff and we have to take lots of precautions re: cross contamination and him not being able to go anywhere public for a while – it certainly wouldn’t be any good for Basil. Do hope he stabilises soon and is back to his old self.
Beryl xx
he is a boy no doubt he objects to pink pills and wants blue!
“Basement cat says he is young grey whiskers are a figment of your imagination”
lolcat saiz cheezburger NOW!
i have cleaned my teeth this morning………..see?
Hi Glenda! I’m over-contacting you today! Just left a message on the Design Team blog. I just discovered your stamps today–I love them! I’m a vintage-style cardmaker, and the historical ones are just my style! Can’t wait to get some and work with them! Thanks for providing such beautiful stamps!
Poor, poor Basil he is in a sorry state. I thought he might be saying
So you think you can give me a tablet do you. Heres what I’ve got to offer in return!
Alison
Youz fergot I iz a boy? I iz very sore at mum giving me PINK PILLS – so now mum iz sore too!”
Oh my goodness Glenda, I think you’re describing my cat too – skinny, nervous constantly eating and crying for food (been wormed twice this year but doesn’t go out anyway) and generally shrinks away when you go to give her a little tickle. I think I’ll have to get her to the vet quick smart. Thanks for the posting.
So sorry to learn Basil is having a hard time of it.
Think he might be saying “You remember before you give me any more of those pink pills, I have nine lives lady but you only have the one!!” or possibly ” Just you try giving me one more of those pink pills & all your craft work is not going to smell too sweet!!”
Give him a stroke for me.