sigelphoenix

Poor Drannor has come down with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, which is a fancy way of saying that he's having trouble peeing. This is my first time dealing with cat health problems, because Kershach is young and robust and has always been spectacularly healthy. So I'm ... trying not to freak out, because I know that far more cat owners have to deal with far more serious issues, and this is relatively minor. But I've been on a constant, low-level "fret" frequency since this weekend.

( The medical details, for the curious and/or my own records )

( Home, and meds )

( Food, water, and other preventative measures )

This part I won't hide behind a cut because it's cute: I thought at first that Kershach was oblivious to his brother's suffering, but I may be wrong. He didn't act any different on Sunday (he didn't even get out of bed when we got home from the vet :P), but he and Drannor slept with me in bed. This isn't unusual for Drannor, but Kershach has not joined me every night like he used to (lingering jealousy issues is our hypothesis). However, ratzeo said that when he came to bed late that night, he found Drannor with his arms around Kershach. You know, like this. ♥ Except it was hard to tell for certain if it was the same position, because it was dark, so all he saw was a black blob and white legs stretched across it. XD

And then last night, they also both joined me in bed, and I woke up in the middle of the night to find them lying in overlapping curve shapes. Kershach was against my side, and Drannor was sprawled across my hips, his head resting on the bed beneath Kershach's throat - the perfect position for Kershach to groom him. (I reached my hand out to pet them, and their faces were so close they both nuzzled me at the same time. ♥) So maybe Kershach is helping out his brother. ♥

So that's the story for now. The hope is that the painkillers will last until the antibiotics kick in and/or the condition clears up, but I was told to check in with my vet if he doesn't feel better within 2-3 days. So I'll be watching him closely today and tomorrow.

Please send good kitty vibes Drannor's way. He's a sweet boy and doesn't deserve to be in pain.

... to those who have ever had to negotiate that delicate balance of giving a cat enough treats to make the medicine experience less horrendous - not too many before the medicine so he gets satisfied and walks away before the medicine - making sure that you have access to both treats and medicine when your hands are already full of unhappy cat - trying to give him some treats afterward when he's mistrustful of anything from your hands - and then making sure to give treats and praise to your other cat(s), because you don't want them to feel "left out" from the attention and treats and praise your medicated cat is getting.

YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S NOT EASY. >_<