TOOTH "HURTY"

No, not a time of day, but a little laugh about a "sore" topic. My Siamese cat, Tuppy, has been turning his nose up at his kibbles, rather than diving in like his brothers and sisters. Since dry food is best for them, that is all I usually provide. One day recently he even pushed them all out of his bowl onto the floor. I began to be very suspicious at this behavior, and worried about his not eating. So, after he had rejected a few meals, I went to the pantry and found an "emergency" can of Fancy Feast. Well, he practically dove in. That told me that there was nothing wrong with his appetite or tummy, rather it must be a sore mouth. ( Obviously, kibbles would really hurt aching teeth or gums. ) The vet had told me a year ago that Siamese are notorious for bad teeth, and at 10 years old Tuppy was due for some serious problems. He will probably have to have a few taken out, unfortunately, maybe even one fang. .....This leads me to today's lesson: Watch for changes in your pet's behavior. Some injuries are obvious, like a limp or cut, and can be attended to quickly. Others, like Tuppy's, are difficult to diagnose since animals can't "tell us where it hurts". Also, unlike little children, they don't cry to let you know of their discomfort. My rule of thumb is to observe for a day or two. Sometimes the odd behavior: running to the litter box constantly, not eating, sleeping ALL day-not just their usual 15 hours or so, will stop and they'll resume their natural rhythms. Either way a chat with the vet or tech is always reassuring. In order to decide whether or not a visit is needed, they'll ask some questions, so it's up to you to listen carefully to what is unspoken, unmeowed, or unbarked!