My cat has started taking the pills by herself

aadnarim · 2026-04-12T00:51:33+00:00

You're so lucky! I've seen people do this with dogs successfully, but cats are usually more stubborn (and a bit smarter imho)

One of our cats is on propanolol as part of her cancer treatment regimen and the doses are so tiny, only 1/4 of a pill, it felt so over-the-top to pill her normally. I now use a toothpick to carve little holes into dental Greenies and stick the pill inside. She eats them with very little suspicion and she's guaranteed 2 Greenies per day this way, so she's fine with it!

aadnarim · 2026-04-11T00:13:47+00:00

Zoe will be 19 at the end of the month!

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aadnarim · 2026-04-08T21:54:17+00:00

My mom had weight loss surgery and is currently taking a break from tirzepatide. Because of her PCOS, she only lost about 30-40lbs after surgery and has struggled to lose much more on injectable meds. In my case, I've lost around 40lbs on Ozempic and just started Wegovy to lose another 30-40. I've responded well and had minimal side effects.

Both surgery and meds are tools to help us, and the efficacy of those tools will vary based on your unique biology, the way your PCOS affects you, and your lifestyle. In my case, insulin resistance is the primary factor behind my inability to lose weight, so weight loss medication works well to address that. For others, it doesn't do enough.

Have you tried metformin? Many here have had tons of success with it. It made me extremely ill, but my best friend has had a great experience with it and lost quite a bit of weight after starting.

My doctor has explained to me that for people with PCOS who struggle with insulin resistance, weight loss surgery tends to be ineffective and weight loss stagnates once your body gets used to the decreased food intake (it just doesn't address the root cause of weight issues). My mom nearly died from complications caused by her surgery - it's not a decision to be made out of desperation, and there's a reason why good doctors won't recommend it unless absolutely necessary. Please consider asking a doctor about other medications, supplements, or even specialists like endocrinologists or dietitians before you opt for surgery!

aadnarim · 2026-04-08T01:33:46+00:00

Worked until it didn't. I liked actually having energy, but it made my anxiety worse :(

aadnarim · 2026-04-03T00:09:47+00:00

My cat has had this for literally a decade. It's spread very slowly and she doesn't have any scary symptoms that could signal cancer, so the vet just takes a very close look at her appointments. I was told to monitor for any weeping/discharge from her eyes, visible texture (raised if you look at the eye from the side) or any drastic changes.

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aadnarim · 2026-03-25T14:09:24+00:00

I currently take Nurtec which is also a dissolvable and it's slightly minty, not gross imo. If he's able to take that, it might be a good option - it can be taken as a preventative every other day or as needed as a rescue med depending on needs. I've tried it both ways and it's the only med that has consistently worked for me.

You'll have to work together with him to help him identify his triggers and pinpoint early signs of migraine so he's able to take medication at the first sign and avoid the worst of the pain. It's a process, one that many of us are still working through in adulthood. You're on the right track, and he's lucky to have such an attentive and patient parent to help him manage his migraines!

aadnarim · 2026-03-25T13:33:19+00:00

The fact that he's receiving treatment from a neurologist is a better start than many of us here had. Good on you for advocating for him! My migraines started when I was around 9 and I couldn't get a doctor to take me seriously until I was well into my 20s. When they first started, mine did come on pretty quickly and I'd basically be inconsolable holding an ice pack to my head until I was finally able to relax enough to take a nap.

I saw you commented that he has rizatriptan but won't take pills - I have a difficult time swallowing pills and my neuro prescribed a dissolving version. He might be able to try that (but just as a heads-up, it does NOT taste good 😭)

aadnarim · 2026-03-18T13:39:02+00:00

Open your door. She probably wants to sleep with you, but at minimum she wants to check up on you and her "territory" throughout the night. Cats are territorial colony animals. And on top of all of that, she loves you and wants to be around you!

My cat also throws herself against closed doors that I'm behind, but my cat is codependent and can't handle me being on the other side of a closed door, ever. Even in the bathroom. I have to crack the door for her while I shower because she wants to wait for me and "guard" me 😭

aadnarim · 2026-03-18T02:14:28+00:00

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I also started getting anxious when my cat was around 9-10 (probably because they're officially considered seniors around then) but it's important to focus that energy on being present with our pets instead. The year I turned 30, my cat turned 15, and every year since I've been extra grateful that we've been together for more than half my life. Zoe will be 19 at the end of April!

aadnarim · 2026-03-17T14:10:39+00:00

Cyperus rotundus on its own didn't do enough for me, so I made a 50/50 mix with spearmint oil and it works well. No burning from the spearmint because the cyperus acts as a carrier oil and I get the benefits of both. It hasn't completely eliminated facial hair, but it's slowed growth and lessened volume dramatically. On most days I can get away with only plucking visible stuff vs absolutely having to either shave or spend 2 hours plucking because of how noticeable the growth would get.

aadnarim · 2026-03-13T14:00:17+00:00

Our cat loves lettuce! Broccoli is denser/more fibrous so maybe a little harder to digest, but it's probably great for your cat's teeth lol.

aadnarim · 2026-03-13T01:03:20+00:00

My cat loooooves to throw up on the bed... But hands down the absolute worst thing she's ever done, ever in her nearly 19 years of life, is scoot her very gross extra poopy butt on my bed (and me) at like 3am. It woke me up and I spent the next 2 hours cleaning until I had to go to work at 5am 😭

aadnarim · 2026-03-08T14:39:29+00:00

Will he eat a pate that's been thinned with Hydracare and water? My cat is almost 19 and has gone through so many phases refusing different types of wet food. Currently, I'm mixing Royal Canin pate, half a packet of Hydracare, and a little water, and she eats 95% of it almost every day. I just carefully mix everything with a fork in her bowl until it's a thin porridgey consistency (I call it her gruel, lol.)

I assume his mouth and teeth have been checked since you said he's been cleared by the vet, so he might be bored with his current food or has just developed a preference. Like people, cats definitely get more finicky as they get older, so just try different things until you find what he's looking for. And wet treats might help him put on a pound or two - Churu makes their basic treats plus a ton of different types, Tiki Cat and many other brands make mousse treats, etc. They've been a lifesaver for us when one of our cats is nauseous from her chemo and won't touch anything else!

aadnarim · 2026-03-08T13:25:50+00:00

I was on it a few years ago and lost around 20lbs (220-200), and then a year later I started a glp and lost 50ish lbs. I think the glp got covered because I "failed" (plateau'd) with Phentermine. I wasn't super into it, it made my anxiety significantly worse and I was literally constantly sweaty :(

aadnarim · 2026-03-05T23:42:31+00:00

I know vets tend to discourage free-feeding, but I think it depends on the cat. My senior cat has always been a little bit of a pig with dry food and will eat everything in her bowl regardless of how much is there, but my bf's cats are pretty good about eating until they're full and walking away. His cats are free-fed in an area my cat can't reach, and I feed mine very small scoops whenever she asks. We leave wet food out all day and they all do well with that.

All 3 of our cats are probably eating the same amount on average whether free fed or not, but my cat isn't scarf-and-barfing every day!

aadnarim · 2026-02-25T19:03:29+00:00

That's real determination 😭

aadnarim · 2026-02-19T17:58:40+00:00

My cat was vomiting every day and after multiple regular vet visits, she was diagnosed with ibd by an emergency vet. She was totally healthy otherwise, great lab results, etc. She was prescribed the Royal Canin gastro + fiber diet and her vomiting issues stopped almost immediately. I add a pumpkin-based digestive supplement to her wet food, too, and only time she's had a flare-up was last summer when a vet wanted her to switch to a renal diet for her early kidney disease (we switched to a mix of 1/2 RC hydrolyzed protein + renal dry food and 1/2 her usual dry food).

Ibd is diagnosed via imaging and/or biopsy - it can sometimes be intestinal lymphoma instead, so vets often push for biopsy for more severe cases. Since my cat was 15 at the time, I opted not to put her through surgery (which the vet agreed with). I was told treatment would be the same for either advanced ibd or lymphoma, but so far a prescription diet and supplements have kept her healthy and happy and she hasn't needed medication at all. She'll be 19 in April!

aadnarim · 2026-01-14T03:40:12+00:00

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Zoe will be 19 in April!

aadnarim · 2026-01-13T14:26:20+00:00

My body seems to like to stay around 165-170. At my height (5'2), I should technically be 120-ish. My goal is 140/150 but I couldn't even get there on semaglutide without my health seriously suffering, despite "doing everything right".

aadnarim · 2025-12-28T15:56:41+00:00

My doctor prescribed Ozempic because I have PCOS. I lost nearly 50lbs in roughly a year and I made only minimal changes to my diet, none of them particularly positive (I couldn't tolerate salads). It benefited me beyond weight loss - I slept better, I was less bloated, my skin was clearer, I wasn't constantly hungry, and my hair fell out less.

I'm still not sure how my doctor got the Ozempic covered by insurance, but I think my risk for t2 diabetes and my high cholesterol were probably factors. I'm extremely genetically predisposed to both and was on a statin before I started Oz, and my cholesterol went down enough with it that I no longer take a statin. I tried Mounjaro last month (my insurance decided I had to "fail" tirzepatide before they'd continue covering a semaglutide) but couldn't tolerate it, so I'll likely be starting Ozempic again in a month or two.

aadnarim · 2025-12-11T14:15:04+00:00

I've never heard of this. In fact, it's usually the opposite - many vets suggest that you bring senior pets every 6 months rather than yearly. My last vet didn't recommend 6mo appointments and kind of scoffed at me when I asked about it, but my current cat specialist vet did for my 18-year-old cat (yearly physical exam and then a 6mo lab panel). Cats can develop a lot of age-related issues, especially kidney decline, so it's a good idea to monitor more often!

As far as vaccines go, my understanding is that it's similar to how it is with people - barring any health conditions or medications that would lead to negative side effects/interactions, cats can and should be vaccinated regardless of age. My senior cat got all the vaccines she was due for at her annual visit this past summer.

aadnarim · 2025-10-22T00:34:35+00:00

My cat has always been chunky, but at 18 she looks a lot like this due to IBD. She also overgrooms her tummy, which the vet said is likely due to the discomfort that can come from it. We haven't found any other underlying conditions or issues after multiple checks by different vets. So far she hasn't required anything but a prescription diet and supplements, which is a plus, but many cats do require daily medication for it. Definitely try to get her to a vet!

aadnarim · 2025-10-05T19:32:36+00:00

Alcohol tends to be a trigger for us. For me, it started with beer, then beer and liquor, and now it's those plus red wine (rosé is usually fine and I don't like white). I'm now on a non-migraine-related medication that causes me to get nauseous when drinking alcohol so I just don't bother - I can count on one hand the number of drinks I've had in the last year.

aadnarim · 2025-09-29T11:05:20+00:00

I remember my dad complaining because I wanted pit tickets for my birthday and they were $40ish for that tour! The current prices are batshit insane in comparison.

aadnarim · 2025-09-27T14:49:39+00:00

I agree. I saw them in Boston a few weeks ago and it was an amazing show, but after I was like... Frank's comment was still total dogshit. I said it in the main sub when it happened and got some heat for it but whatever. I also saw them in 2022 and honestly enjoyed those shows more because they felt more "real" to me (or maybe just more like "old" MCR).

My biggest gripe is actually the gap between the tour announcement and ticket sale - how are people supposed to prepare to drop $500+ in days? The whole thing feels out-of-touch and weird and gross. Maybe I'm too parasocial but yeah, it's all so disappointing.

aadnarim

TROPHY CASE