Good morning all! I am so sorry I’ve been MIA. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Yes, I was out-or-town during those dates. I’m in the Navy Reserves so I typically go out on orders 5 times a year. This is the first one since Petunia’s surgery, so I was a little nervous, but it went great! My sister and her fam watching P&P at their house. They have a dog that they keep on the main floor (there’s a gate at the bottom on the stairs) until he is 2 years old, so they kept my kitties upstairs. Possum is a very curious (and brave) kitty and would have no problem going downstairs through the gate to see the dog. But eventually they just closed the door on the master bedroom during the day (the dog is in a crate at night). They have the most comfortable and thick carpet and we think Petunia really enjoyed it!! My sister said she would find her in different places every time she went up there (cat bed #1, cat bed #2, mattress they have on the floor where her boys made a fort, and in the closet in their mater bathroom.

Something really cool happened though … when her husband would take their dog on a walk, my sister would open the bedroom door and let Possum roam the main floor while she prepares their dinner. When she headed towards the stairs, Petunia was HALF WAY down the stairs!!! Everyone cheered for her! I think that was huge because since she has been back home, she has gone DOWN the stairs/ramp from the couch THREE times … that I’ve witnessed at least! (Started last week.) So I’ve been grieving her free range of the house while I’m out of the house since then! I feel very comfortable doing so! 

Also another cool thing happened this morning was when I woke up, I saw her cat toy in the bedroom doorway, which means she brought it from the back room of the house! Petunia LOVES cat toys and will carry them everywhere, and it made me so happy cause she hasn’t played with her toys since the surgery! She also got her solensa (sp?) shot yesterday so maybe that has something to do with it. This is her first shot since she got in two weeks after the surgery, so I am very curious how she responds to it not that it’s been just over 2 months since her surgery. I’ve also gone down to giving Gabapentin once a day (at night) unless I hear her cry during the day trying to adjust her body. My sister made the comment the night I picked them up that she forgot to give her gabapentin that morning and that she noticed her to be much more energetic. The rehab specialist agrees that I should try to go down once a day. I do plan on doing solensia (sp?) every 4 weeks if that also would mean I can get her off gabapentin.

Speaking of the rehab specialist - I have learned that her sister owns an only-cat vet! I thought that was really cool! Tuni has her 4 week re-check this Thursday, so I am eager to see her progress! I am hoping we won’t have to go as often as Petunia has not been liking going to rehab or the vet in the last week. She meows a lot more, so I think she’s over it. She does love acupuncture - she might have a jump while some of the needles are put in, but she is so relaxed for the 20 mins they are in.

I think with this recent progress, I might move the litterbox back to its original spot, which again is halfway between the bedroom and back room, the two hangout places. She obviously has been getting out of bed in the middle of the night to play with her toy and then getting back into bed before I wake up. 😂 She’s been sleeping a lot so it’ll be good for her to get up and walk. 

I’m trying to think of other updates, but I think I covered everything! 

Awww y’all, I am so sorry that I had you worried! It does make my heart feel full to know how much you care. Seriously! There have been a lot of good progress that has been made, but the last few weeks also came with a lot of worrying and sadness that she won’t progress. Probably the day after my last post she had acupuncture early on in the day. She was walking so freely and amazing and I was gonna post how she seemed like a different kitty, but I got busy or something. The next day she was back to her “low to the ground” walking and it made me so sad. I was thinking, “thank goodness I didn’t post how excited I was cause that would’ve followed up with a feeling defeat post not even 24 hrs later. I think that is partly why I found myself going MIA cause my mind was a roller coaster of thoughts and I just had a hard time opening up at that time. Like just 30 mins ago, she was walking SO AMAZING and even went to the litterbox twice (guess she wasn’t done 💩 the first visit 😂), but then she seemed to crash on her way back and got tired. Which is okay, especially how many great steps/hops she took within the 5-10 mins. I am hoping the Solensia had something to do with that! I hadn’t given her a gabapentin this AM, and she doesn’t seem to be in pain, but had a moment of tiredness. Then again, maybe she just wanted to lay in the middle of the kitchen. Another reason why I may move the litterbox so she doesn’t have to walk the entire house length when she’s in the back family room during the day. And at night when I’m sleeping, it’ll be good for her to get some walks in the middle of the night to stretch her legs. What do you think?

Jerry, unfortunately her sisters all cat vet is further south of the rehab place, so I won’t be switching her over cause that is too far of a drive. I’m still gonna go to where they go now, especially if the only times I will need to go there from here on out is to give Tuni the Solensia shot, or to test her thryroid, etc. Anything major I may consider an all cat vet. I hope the Solensia shot works wonder on Nellie! Let me know if you’ve noticed a positive outcome! 

My rehab specialist said the same thing, she can progress and on some days, retreat. Earlier today I tried really hard to think about a month ago and how she was doing then. I remember constantly saying, “she’s not even walking.” Sometimes when you see a pet everyday, it is hard to see progress, but I’ll be honest, she is doing so AMAZING compared to a month ago! I actually think the Solensia has been a game changer this time around cause I don’t think I’ve seen great walks two days in a row! Last night she was having a little trouble, but that could have been from her great walks earlier tired her out and/or the gaba she got a few hours earlier. Today she’s looking the best I’ve seen, to be honest. I haven’t carried her to the litterbox in days, I trust when she needs to go, she’ll make that movement. As I said before, she lays on the pillow on the couch next to me while I work, so I’m making a point 1/2 through the work day, I put her on the ground next to her toys to just get a good stretch in for her leg and to have her move a bit more, otherwise she’ll lay on the couch for 12 hrs straight without movement. 😂 From there she can make the decision to go to the bedroom to use the litterbox, or return back to the couch. 

This is the second day in a row I haven’t given her gaba in the AM and she hasn’t shown any indication of pain. I’m trying to ween her off completely and hope Solensia will take its place officially. Will probably stop when I get to having a few left in the bottle, so I have a few if I decide maybe she needs to continue and have to wait for a refill. 

Holly - My bro does have a litterbox that has a low entry, but it’s MASSIVE! I might see if I can use it for a bit so I can have the two locations. I just don’t wanna spend any extra money when having two locations won’t be a forever thing (at least I hope not). 

Thanks Holly, Sally and Jerry for the continuous info, education and support!!!! 😀

No, you were right, I do have a second box, but it’s too hard for Petunia to get into. She’d have to jump a bit to get inside the enclosed box. The one my brother has has a low entry like the one in the bedroom, but like I said, it’s huge … maybe 3-4ft long.