Cats Are the Mother of Invention

Renn is will finish his anti-biotic tomorrow. It appears to have helped him with his infection; he is back to wetting adequate amounts readily, without sitting in the litter-box for minutes, and there is no blood in his urine. The situation has been aided by a small increase in his dosage of anti-inflammatory medicine.

But the anti-biotic reduced his stools to near-liquid, and made him feel poorly, decreasing his appetite, among other things. This was bad in itself, of course, but also diminished the ability to give him his medicine in the first place, since it was provided with his food. Upon speaking with someone at the veterinary hospital, it was suggested that I introduce pro-biotic to Renn’s food, something I should have thought of priorly. I had some in stock, and the advice was followed, but my big boy still didn’t eat much of his meal. After all, if he doesn’t feel like eating, why and how would he eat the cure that was put into his food?

For some reason, I thought of a soup that I have for cats. I knew from previous use that no one really ate the shredded chicken that came with the broth – which is a waste but was not about to change – but liked the broth. So I mixed the powdered pro-biotic with the broth. Then, I thought, why not add the anti-biotic while I’m at it? It is largely flavourless, so if Renn will eat the pro-biotic soup, he will consume the anti-biotic with it.

This is what in fact occurred. My oldster licks the bowl clean. I give him only a small amount of broth, as I want it all gone, and the smaller amount assures that the pro-biotic and the anti-biotic are concentrated in what is consumed. I don’t know whether it is the taste of the broth or the pro-biotic that Renn likes, but he eats it all.

His stools are firmer now and his appetite has returned. His litter-box visits remain satisfactory. There is only another day of anti-biotic medicine to go, and my big boy is doing well.