Diagnosis: tonsilitis. Why, except it’s allergy season, I have no idea. But I could tell the point at which he starts to gag on kibble is pretty well the point at which the food reaches the back of his jaw. So they x-rayed him for stray string or sewing needles—a possibility in this house—and negative on that. The tonsils, however—merited an injected antibiotic, and some painkiller I can give him via needle-less syringe every 12 hours.
He’s already feeling much better, doing his usual head-butting of my computer screen, and acting happy. Shu is hissing and spitting at him because he smells like the hospital.
My own leg got through last night’s climbing up and down the boat stairs to the top (I will eat out on the deck even when it’s raining, but the rain held off, and we had a lovely party…managed to coordinate Tim & Cheryl, Randy & Char, all of local fandom, and Patty & Mike Briggs, all on the same sailing, all made it through traffic —we squeaked in last!—and stuffed ourselves. Really good feed, and one dinner in which there’s not one single dish with onion! But I had to go upstairs and down with food and drink, and I was really stiff — didn’t sleep much because I knew I had to get Seishi in at 8:15 and I was afraid to take a pain med lest I oversleep.
And I was worried, of course, about Seishi. It was raining—at least it missed the party last night. And of course by the time I brought Seishi back, the sprinkler system was going, and soaked me—he was in his carrier.
But over all, not so bad a thing.
Oh, poor chap. I didn’t even know cats HAD tonsils. But at least the problem and solution are identified.
After I bought this place and moved in I was finding pins in the carpets for years! She liked to use regular pins to hang stuff on the wall, the tiny holes didn’t really need repair. And they had 3 kids–can’t believe that wasn’t an accident waiting to happen (though I never stepped on one, saw ’em first).
Is the painkiller Metacam/Meloxicam? I ask because if it is you need to be very vigilant for signs of it impacting his kidneys.
Have no idea. But thanks for the warning. I won’t give it unless he shows signs of needing it.
Glad you found the cause, and he’s responding so well to the treatment. Do cats with sore tonsils get frozen kitty-cream to lick, like a very young me got to eat as much icecream as I wanted for a day for having my tonsils out?
Well, at least cold refrigerated tuna with water.
Tuna Sorbet?
I go after my pins and needles with a magnet from time to time.
It is surprising what one can do at need, what can be endured and dealt with if one must. There is always a price of some kind, but others will amaze you, and you can astound and dumbfound yourself!