Cat Swallowed Foreign Object - Past Surgeries

[AlainaS]

Hi there! I have the information requested as best I can answer below. Thank you

1. Jasmine
2. 3 1/2 years old
3. Female
4. Spayed
5. Mix (domestic medium-length hair)
6. I'm not sure what her weight is at this time
7. What's their BEAM (behavior, energy, appetite, mood) - see below
8. We soak her kibble in water and feed her the non-gmo Evolution Pet Food kibble. For treats, she eats cranberries from Evolution Pet Food
9. She is not on any medications and has been vaccinated for rabies. She is not allowed outside but enjoys time in our sunroom.

I'm wondering about the future implications of two foreign object removal surgeries (one was in early 2023 and another was in 2022). Our cat, Jasmine, ingested earplugs on both occasions. My partner is obsessive about keeping them out of sight and very secure, but in the past, she found old ones and played with them before ingesting them on two separate occasions. Since then, her behavior has changed and I have not observed interest in playing with items of that nature. Her behavior is a 9 and she has been defensive at times when the 11-month kitten jumps on her. Sometimes she'll try to hide from Eclipse, the kitten, and we'll give Jasmine time alone to help. Her appetite is a 10. That hasn't changed and she loves getting her meals and treats. Her mood is around a 9 Her energy is an 8, but she used to play with her toys more often when she was younger. Jasmine's sister passed away last year and not long after, we adopted Eclipse from our local shelter. Below is a photo of Jasmine when she was a bit younger. In conclusion, what should we continue to pay particular attention to because of her surgeries in addition to her BEAM (knowing that her BEAM is one of the best ways to see if anything differs!) On a daily basis, I offer Animal Reiki as taught by Kathleen Prasad's Let Animals Lead method.

Thank you for all of your help!

Alaina

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hey Alaina!

Jasmine is adorable!!

what should we continue to pay particular attention to because of her surgeries in addition to her BEAM

What else has been going on with her throughout her life?

When it comes to intestinal surgeries, GI issues like diarrhea, gas, etc. are pretty common.

Now might also be a good time to start working with a vet homeopath and focusing on early warning signs:

How to Use Clues From Your Animal Companions to Promote Optimal Health - Holistic Actions!

www.holisticactions.com

Perhaps also consider moving away from kibble to a more vital fresh or even canned food diet.

 

[AlainaS]

Hi Dr. Jeff!

Thank you for the wonderful resource and recommendations. I didn't get a chance to expand as much as would have liked to earlier (was at work

Jasmine is such a loving girl and she is incredibly sweet. She loves to lounge on top of her cat tower and have her back rubbed and the top of her head. Every day on her perch, she loves to play with a wand with two stuffies on the end. She enjoys being brushed, lounging in the sun, watching squirrels from the windows, and observing a dog who lives next door. Jasmine will occasionally sleep near Eclipse and the other day she licked her while Eclipse was sleeping (she used to groom her sister, Rose, and be groomed by Rose all the time). Rose and her were very close. They played together every day and slept on top of one another, and it's tough to type all this...

Sometimes Jasmine will cry when she is downstairs and I hear her upstairs. If I call her name, sometimes she'll come upstairs and lie next to me. Jasmine and Rose would get homemade food in the past. We stopped and I picked it back up tonight (I made the "wild tofu" dish in Dr. Pitcairn's Natural Health for Dogs and Cats). Jasmine drinks water in addition to having her kibble soaked. We'll gradually transition to all homemade food. She loves to be with me in the kitchen and will vocalize more often (because she wants more cranberry treats!) My partner said at her last vet visit she was 8.5lbs and might be around 9lbs now. Jasmine is pretty time around people she doesn't know. If anyone besides my partner and I come into our home, she will hide unless they spend a longer amount of time here and then she'll peak out. A more recent photo is attached and I'm happy to expand on anything else here

 

[Dr. Jeff]

She's one beautiful, happy and lucky kitty!

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Hi Alaina! Honestly, I would be more inclined to think her diet is a factor than past surgeries, though of course there may be other factors not mentioned. But she may just not feel that great. Here is my reasoning:

Evolution is a vegan food. When analyzed, its cat food had many serious nutritional deficiencies. I have gone several rounds with this company over the years... personally, I do not trust it.

Kibble is not good for cats, no matter what it's made from. (See https://littlebigcat.com/why-dry-food-is-bad-for-cats-and-dogs) For cats, plant protein is poorly digestible. It's loaded with carbs that serve no nutritional purpose except calories. Dry food makes cats chronically dehydrated, and can contribute to urinary tract disorders. Unfortunately, moistening kibble can create huge bacterial loads, since the surface of dry food always carries some bacteria and mold (though this may be a bigger problem with kibble sprayed with animal fat).

Next Monday night our webinar will be about vegetarian and vegan pet foods, so you will definitely want to check that out! I have issues with Dr. Pitcairn's theories (that I have discussed with him at length!), but here's my personal point-of-view (which I updated today, just for you!): Vegetarian Cats? | Little Big Cat - Dr. Jean Hofve

 

[AlainaS]

Hi Dr. Jean,

Thank you for your response Jasmine used to eat homemade meals, recipes available on Compassion Circle using the Vegecat supplement. Meeka, our husky mix, passed recently at 16.5 y.o. and I focused on making her homemade vegan meals for about 9 years. I, unfortunately, didn't make homemade meals for everyone all the time. Still, I've started transitioning Jasmine and Eclipse to homemade and am more committed to following through and enjoying meals together. I am very excited to see the presentation on Monday with Dr. Allegreti and Susan Pitcairn. I recently reviewed Dr. Allegreti's site and find her work very inspiring Thank you again.