I haven’t used that term but I’m definitely adopting it. 
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Sometimes one of our cats will lie with all four paws in a pile. That we call a “paw pile,” which has the added bonus of being ailuraphilically alliterative.
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So here’s some of the reason I’ve not been on here lately:
From the top: my bestie, Ruby the pug/beagle cross, Abby the floof
, my fat gut 
And to the right of me:
I’ve always been allergic to cats but I’m only slightly allergic to this one!
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omg now i gotta have this.
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Beautiful brown tabby! And Abby’s not shabby!
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Lol, indeed! She’s a very pretty cat and fine-boned, although she doesn’t look it in the photo. I’ll try for a better shot in the coming days.
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Sorry if this is the wrong thread for it, but… does anyone have advice for arthritic dogs? My poor girl Sheba’s having a flare-up, to the point where she’s having trouble walking because her back legs are weak. The vet says arthritis, she otherwise seems healthy. Right now she’s resting quietly but won’t eat. Maybe the pills are taking a while to kick in? (Or maybe they have and she’s semi-sedated, which they warned me might happen.) Do I try to get her moving around more?
I’d truly hoped she’d have more time after the surgery before the next health crisis. But I made the mistake of thinking, “oh she’s doing so well!” the other day, and here we go. 
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What are you feeding her? Her regular kibble? Maybe something that will be a treat (but not an unhealthy one, of course)?
I’m sorry you’re having to see your doggo not feeling good. It’s not a good feeling at all.
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I’ve been trying with her regular canned, but I’m going to do a quick grocery run and get her some hamburger to boil up. I mix it with canned green beans for fiber (my vet’s idea.) It usually works when she’s on meds and less hungry… but she refused a nibble of bagel with cream cheese earlier, and she loves that. Called the vet, they say give the meds a while, and if she won’t eat by tonight call back.
Thank you-- it’s horrible. Plus I had maybe four hours of (bad) sleep-- doesn’t help.
Poor Sheba, at the vet’s last night (2 A.M.) That funny square patch on her side is where she got shaved for an anesthetic analgesic patch after surgery. The hair hasn’t fully grown back yet.
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Sudden weak back legs sounds like it could be a pinched nerve. Did she get an x-ray? Could be just some inflammation in the nerve causing swelling and pinching.
But I’m not a vet or physician. I hope you can find a solution!
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I don’t claim any special knowledge, but there are a lot of treats available for hip and joint care. I’ve seen some improvement in my neighbor’s dog that I look after sometimes since he started eating them last year or so. not transformative change, but he seems better off than before, faster gait it seems like.
the ones my neighbor gets say “hip and joint” on them, not sure the brand, but I think there are a lot of brands.
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I insisted on an x-ray. The vet claims it’s arthritis, and pointed out a particular area of the spine as the problem. (To be honest, I don’t exactly remember everything she said, it was around 3 in the morning, and she was going back and forth between my dog and another dog who needed a cesarean because one of the pups was stuck. Momma and puppies got through fine, I’m happy to report. 
)
But she’s still not eating. She turned her nose up at the hamburger, which is unusual. We may be headed back to emergency. (Somehow I swear she always times health crises for the weekends and late nights, when the regular vet is closed.) I am at my wit’s end.
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I really hope things work out OK.
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Me too. Thank you!
I called my aunt, who has an elderly dog with arthritis, and the poor woofer went through a similar attack. It took him three days to recover, but he did. She stressed patience, to give the pills time to work. So we’ll see… but I do feel somewhat reassured. (My aunt is a terrific lady! 
)
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Support systems are awesome!
We have an elderly cat, Sona, who has obvious arthritis now. She needs a checkup soon anyway, so we’re going to see if anything might help. She’s 17, about a year younger than Dyson, who though not a spring chicken, doesn’t seem to have it nearly as bad. His problem is his kidneys are slowly giving up.
I wish they lived longer . . .
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This was surely NOT constructed as a cat lounge, but it is prime feline use real estate. Secure, single approach with good visibility, warm. Two cats can fit at a time, but I’ve never seen it. This old man, Mr. Stud, enjoys it most days. But he doesn’t like his picture taken, or really even being looked at, so he left right after this.
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I wish they did too. All we can do us give then the best life we can, and love them while they’re with us. Hugs…
Update: Sheba’s doing better. At her regular vet checkup, she got prescribed appetite enhancers, so she’s eating again (even if she’s still picky about food.) Her back legs are stronger, and even with the meds, she’s acting more like herself. >whew!<
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So glad to hear that!
We had an eating problem with Gloriosa before she passed away.
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