Keeping Up With Kitty While You Are Down
Along with the holidays, parties, shopping, and fun gatherings comes colder weather which brings on the yearly round of viruses. The flu shots can help, but I am told there is a lot going around that is miserable but not necessarily the flu. So as I was one of the unlucky to catch a mystery virus right after Thanksgiving, I thought we could use some tips on how to keep up with kitty’s needs while your limbs weighs five tons and the stairs look like Everest.
My strategy is to stay as close to the normal “testing” area as possible. Stairs are NOT your friend, but a comfy couch, blanket, and binge watching can be. I usually recommend calling in reinforcements, but it is just not nice to expose outsiders to your misery, and, if you are like me, I am one that is visually and obviously ill – definitely not the best time to be seen – I have scared the mailman before – no joke.
The good news is many viral illnesses give warnings. These can include feeling more tired than usual, achy muscles, sore throat, etc. before getting into full blown not-moving-for-anything-mode. This is the time to prepare! You know it is coming – just not when or how bad.
Make a mini-kit if you can. This is good for travelling with kitty of course, but also helpful while you are not feeling your best. A mini cooler or cold pack for the insulin and a little bag of supplies to have nearby may be a good idea if your kitties like to be close. My cats usually hang around me more when I am ill, so you may be able to get away with testing in place depending on how cooperative kitty feels that day.
If your illness comes on suddenly, there is still hope. Luckily, most viruses cannot keep you in full-on misery mode every minute. I usually have a short window of time when I first wake up that I feel okay and for some reason at 9:30 at night on the dot every single time. Take advantage of these times. Do your testing as close to the time you normally would. Your phone alarm is your friend in case you fall asleep – you will. Make it loud and make it annoying so you will be so desperate to shut it off you will actually get up. Most people have that one song that is akin to fingernails down a chalkboard so, use that one.
Most importantly, understand that if you do not test or feed right on time for a couple of days, it will be okay. If you do not take the time to rest and care for yourself, you are doing kitty no favors. Enlist the help of your significant other, older kids, or other household residents. You don’t have to do it all. If you live alone, then do the minimum. The dishes can wait. The laundry can wait as long as you have comfortable PJs and a blanket, and almost anyone can get any kind of food delivered these days once you feel like having a meal.
Otherwise, enjoy some extra snuggle time with your fur baby. It will be better soon!
As always, extra motivation and support is available on the Feline Diabetic Support Group on FB. I have no doubt there are many other tips and tricks to help us weak humans out when we are the ones that are down.