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Fri 6 Jun, 2003 05:03 pm
My oldest, longest lived and most beloved cat, Kita stopped eating.
She would try to eat, then spit it out and run away. Almost as
if it "bit her". A trip to the vet proved that she needed her teeth
cleaned badly AND she has mysterious, painful
mouth & throat sores which we're treating with clindamycin antibiotic drops.
Kita is 8 yrs old, so any cat over 7 years is "geriatric".
My POOR baby! Now, they gave me valium to boost her appetite
and calm her down. Her vet thinks that Kita might be a tooth grinder. 
I didn't know cats could have emotional problems, which I always
think of, when I think of bruxism in
humans. I don't know for sure if there is an emotional component
to the tooth grinding & tongue biting syndrome - but she DOES
seem to be very, very sensitive, ...doesn't like other cats in her territory.
wants to sleep ON TOP OF MY HEAD, if at all possible,
which it isn''t. So she settles for getting her head as close to me
on the bed as she can & then cuddles up right next to me. AND
she whines & complains when I get out of bed to use the bathroom
in the middle of the night 
She is very possessive.
MY PROBLEM: We're PLANNING our first camping trip with my 6
yr old grandson, Jade; & my 3 yr old grandson, Seth; & my 2
year old granddaughter Madison (along with moms, of course)
in the Great Smoky Mtn Nat'l Park beginning on the 15th of this
month. Normally, I have a neighbor come daily to feed our 3
cats, but with Kita being so sick & having to take the antibiotic
for another 2 weeks - I just don't know WHAT to do. Boarding her
at the vet's will be traumatic. Leaving her with only a neighbor/
friend to come & feed her is inadequate. Taking her with us is a
thought too hard to comprehend. The vet says that if the antibiotic
drops don't completely cure these sores, she may have an immune
deficiency of some kind. (she's been tested for feline leukemia and
has all her vaccines for all that stuff) Here I am -
with RA, an autoimmune disease - a good friend, who might care
for her who has systemic lupus, another autoimmune disease.
Good Grief! This world is becoming too toxic to live in I think.
I know of at least 15 women who live on this little island & they
all have severe autoimmune diseases like me. NOW my cat???
Does anyone have GOOD experience with boarding your pets?
It will only be for a week. I just don't know what to do.
If you have confidence in your vet, boarding at his/her place seems like a good option. The vet knows Kita's medical problems, and can take action as needed. I'd check out the location boarded cats are kept, and if they get some handling each day. If your sense of the place and personnel is positive, it will probably work out well.
Vets if the boarding place cannot handle her I would say, Babs.
It might need to be a pretty special place to do so, I would think.
I have had cats develop obsessional habits as they grow older - one wonders if there is a sort of dementia beginning for your little one.
Good luck with her!
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