Caring for an ailing pet can be challenging but it can be rewarding too! With the right veterinary care and the right mindset, we can adapt to the needs of our pets the same way they adapt to ours. Salihli Opperman is "a declawed, indoor, housecat with a passive-aggressive temperament that will occasionally get spooked by a cricket" but she is also one of our palliative care clients. Her owner, Kaitlyn recently spoke with us about just what it means to care for a senior pet.

"We have had Salihli since she was 6 and 1/2 years old. We had just moved from years of apartments into our first house and were looking for a pet to join us. I was committed to an adult cat, as these are typically harder to find homes for, already box trained, and have slightly less energy for two working adults to contend with." Kaitlyn says "She was a bit messy when we visited the Humane Society of Chittenden County, which may have been why she had not yet found a home. She was also very skittish, trying to escape the moment she was out of her cage. However, her very first mewling cry had us sold, as we could not bear to have such a sweet old cat put back in her cage."

Salihli wasn't always Salihli. She had a few other names before finding a home with Kaitlyn and her new family wanted to give her a name that reflected her breed. "She came in as 'Sassy' and was renamed to 'Susha' since there was already a 'Sassy' listed. Since we were told she was a Turkish Angora (though she looks much more like a Turkish Van) we wanted a Turkish name for her." Salihli (/sa.li.li/) is named for a large town in Turkey.

After arriving at her knew home, like most shelter pets, Salihli took a bit of time to adjust. "When we first brought her home, she was happy to be out of her shelter cage, but still very skittish and on high alert. Within 24 hours of owning her, we had lost her within the house somewhere. After an hour of searching with Salihli nowhere to be seen, she was finally discovered huddled under the dryer vent hose behind the dryer completely still and silent. She is much smaller than she looks with all the fur. It was just two beady eyes staring back, quite out of reach. She eventually came out at her leisure to eat before proceeding to claim the house as her own. Similarly she has hidden under stairs, behind boxes, and even in a wall despite her arthritis." Claiming a new spot in the house is Salihli's favorite activity. She doesn't want any room to feel left out so she rotates her sleeping grounds with great care. "We have found a tail sticking out from under our couch, a pair of eyes staring back from the closet, and a cat sprawling in the middle of the kitchen floor. She will sit under tables, on her cat towers, or in a box until she decides on a new favorite spot."

Caring for Salihli isn't just about tracking her down though. Salihli is almost 15 years old now and struggles with many ailments such as arthritis, kidney disease, and pancreatitis. This makes managing her medication tricky. "Salihli's only two skills in life are hide-and-seek and not-taking-a-pill," says Kaitlyn. "Salihli is currently on Omeprazole and stopping cold (by spitting out pills during boarding) once caused her a month of discomfort and a major pancreatitis flare up. Salihli will "melt" when she is presented with a pill, contorting herself away from it as much as possible. Even when in her mouth, she can hold the pill in her cheek or under her tongue for minutes and even start eating with it hidden before spitting it out unobserved."

Kaitlyn is incredibly attentive with Salihli and feels detailed observation is the best way for her to spot changes in Salihli early and make adjustments as needed. "I am glad that careful observations now can lead to a much more enjoyable

end of life stage for Salihli (…) The trick is to not over-correct and watch for signs that suggest the change worked or not before trying something else."

All pets have a different 'normal,' so when caring for an aging pet it's important to recognize deviations in their behavior and routines. That's where having a close relationship with a specialized veterinary staff can really come in handy. If you are struggling to care for an aging pet, call our office at (802) 871-2329 to schedule a telemedicine consultation.