He has hyperesthesia. I am a bit cross because I have been telling my vet this for weeks! Anyway this will be a long post so here goes :
Sarah is lovely she is very knowledgeable and very thorough. She went through Charlie's known history from day one very carefully asking lots of questions. She said his stress is at a very high level and the main factor is the high concentratin of cats in a small arear (15 cats between 9 houses). She interacted with him and said he is a social and beautiful cat but she could see his stress levels were high and were mainly concentrated on checking out his territory. She said the catproofing is a positive thing in his environment as it stops other cats encroaching on his territory. She said she doesn't think the field is a major issue and she can well understand why I have catproofed as, as she was driving to my house, cars were flying past her. She has given me a treatment programme to try for 3 weeks to see how he responds. If no better he will have to go on the cat version of Prozac for about three months and then be weaned off it.
She is confident he can be helped. She said I am doing all the right things but have to do some of them a bit differently. ie his play has to be gentler of less duration and more frequent. He has to have quiet and calm, no sudden movements, loud voices etc. I am not to approach him but to let him instigate all tactile contact and she showed me how to stroke him so it is a nice experience for him. Under no circumstances am I to touch his tummy, no matter if he offers it to me. His food has to be broken down into 6 meals a day and must not be ritualised. I have to try to slip it there with no production and make more use of his automatic feeder. I have to put some frosted stick on stuff on my dining room window to stop him seeing next door's cat Sophie and I have to try to put some plants to block his view of her when he is in the garden.
I asked her about another cat and she said 200% NOT. I also asked her about the FIP and she said whilst she could not guarantee it wont mutate it is very unlikely to.
She has given me four pages of handwritten notes which her secretary will type up and email to me. I have 12 months unlimited telephone/email assistance and she has completed the insurance forms and is claiming it as vet fees so the insurance company should pay it all (bar the excess of course). If I am struggling with any of her recommendations, or Charlie does not seem to respond, I am to contact her immediately and she will revise the method. I liked her a lot.
I don't think I mentioned before but I found a lump near Charlie's bottom the day before yesterday. He has not liked it being touched. She had a look and said it is an anal gland abscess and needs a/bs. She will ring my vet tomorrow and ask her to prescribe some to avoid the need for Charlie to be stressed by a vet visit. She will also update my vet with the diagnosis, treatment plan and any further issues.
I feel so relieved but frustrated that I have suspected this for ages.
Anyway there you go, thanks to all of you for your support, it is, as ever, much valued and appreciated and, of course, I will keep you updated.
xxx
