Cat Lovers Thread

[Overmind One]

I'm sorry for your loss Overmind.


Thanks man. I still have him for now, but he is diminishing. He uses his energy to climb into my lap and I am going to hold on as long as he does. He is still eating enough calories in Temptations, and he is drinking water and walking with control. Even running to me. I have considered getting him a Sub Q fluid treatment at the vet to give him some more time, but that will be expensive and also will require multiple treatments per day. But is that for him or for me?

 

[heisenberg]

My poor kitty Fisher is in last stages of CRF (chronic renal failure), and I am going to have to put him to sleep. Unlike Dante, my first euthanasia, this one I could prepare for. I have watched his quality of life and his energy slowly ebb over the past two months, and now he is refusing to eat anything but his treats and he is super skinny. He is showing signs of toxicity, with his rear legs twitching and he is hiding. He does not appear to be in pain, but he is dying and there is nothing that can be done. I will miss him. I have not scheduled the procedure yet, but I am going to have to. Feeling sad.

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Siete is healthy and very happy, and I think it is going to be just he and I from this point forward.

What a horrible, painful way to go. Jesus christ. :'(

 

[Tripler]

Oh so sorry for your loss OM1 . All pets are good company ...

;(

 

[Lord Ba'al]


Thanks man. I still have him for now, but he is diminishing. He uses his energy to climb into my lap and I am going to hold on as long as he does. He is still eating enough calories in Temptations, and he is drinking water and walking with control. Even running to me. I have considered getting him a Sub Q fluid treatment at the vet to give him some more time, but that will be expensive and also will require multiple treatments per day. But is that for him or for me?

I don't know what that is or what it would do. If it would make him "normal" again then I'd say that would be a good thing for him. If it would make him slightly less poor off then it might just be prolonging his sufferring. I guess it all depends on just how much it would do for him.

 

[Overmind One]

I don't know what that is or what it would do. If it would make him "normal" again then I'd say that would be a good thing for him. If it would make him slightly less poor off then it might just be prolonging his sufferring. I guess it all depends on just how much it would do for him.

Nothing is going to cure the CRF. But the fluids will make him much more comfortable and active, and will extend his life. If I decide to do the daily routine, I can extend his life for several more months or years. I decided to get him treated with fluids today, and I will be getting a prescription for the bags and needles (if I decide to treat him long term)

 

[Quetesh]

You are doing the right thing to put him down if he stops eating on his own, my kitty Lucky had this illness and I pushed for his survival for 2 years. I bought the most expensive cat prescription food and nursed him for hours on end with hand feeding, but all the while he was in pain. I was so wrong not to have him put down, and because of my refusal to put him down, he wasted away to next to nothing. One day, I went to work, and before I came home, my poor daughter found his lifeless body on the kitchen floor. Nothing but skin and bones because I thought I could nurse him back to heath. He died alone, and it crushed my kid. I still feel bad for being so selfish to this day.

 

[Lord Ba'al]

My previous cat died of old age. At least that's what I think. There might have been an underlying ailment but I don't think so. The last year or so she was meowing a lot during the night. And I don't mean a cute meow but more like an alarm going off. I thought it had something to do with senility or something. But she was still doing everything cats do. She wasn't acting like a little kitten of course, just mainly taking it easy. But she ate and drank. It was not until the last few days or perhaps weeks that she got worse in that regard. I had noticed though for months that she was getting weaker and thinner. One morning I found her lying dead on a little carpet I had at my balcony door. I always kept that door open. I do not feel I did anything wrong by not having her put down. I know I had a special connection with that cat that was not just one way but both. She had been my companion for 19 years and I hers. If I would have had to have her put down it would have felt to me like euthanising my brother. I did not ever feel selfish for keeping her alive. Having her put down would in my eyes have been murder. There still was a connection from her side and I know that she did find enjoyment from that, even though she may have been suffering in other regards. But truly you can never know.

 

[Overmind One]

I don't know what that is or what it would do. If it would make him "normal" again then I'd say that would be a good thing for him. If it would make him slightly less poor off then it might just be prolonging his sufferring. I guess it all depends on just how much it would do for him.

Sub Q fluids is injecting a saline solution called Lactated Ringer's Solution to re-hydrate the body and flush out the toxins the kidneys are not filtering out. It goes under the skin and is absorbed by the body, helping to flush out those toxins. The effect is less nausea, hopefully improved appetite and higher energy levels. I will lose him to this disease, but he is not ready to go just yet. I will have to do this every day for about a week, then perhaps 3 days a week or twice a week after he is hydrated. During this time he should start eating again. But, he could continue to diminish. Either way, I am not going to give up on him and not do anything at all. I love him!

 

[Overmind One]

You are doing the right thing to put him down if he stops eating on his own, my kitty Lucky had this illness and I pushed for his survival for 2 years. I bought the most expensive cat prescription food and nursed him for hours on end with hand feeding, but all the while he was in pain. I was so wrong not to have him put down, and because of my refusal to put him down, he wasted away to next to nothing. One day, I went to work, and before I came home, my poor daughter found his lifeless body on the kitchen floor. Nothing but skin and bones because I thought I could nurse him back to heath. He died alone, and it crushed my kid. I still feel bad for being so selfish to this day.

That was Dante for me. I was force feeding him, and I was trying everything but he was past eating and drinking and was likely a day or two away from death when I put him down. Fisher is still eating, although only treats. He is drinking, walking normally (but weakly), and is still affectionate and still interacts with me by crawling into my lap. I am not going to put him down just yet. I take him at 2:30pm today for fluids. I am not going to buy prescription food or force feed him, but I want him to feel comfortable.

 

[Overmind One]

That was Dante for me. I was force feeding him, and I was trying everything but he was past eating and drinking and was likely a day or two away from death when I put him down. Fisher is still eating, although only treats. He is drinking, walking normally (but weakly), and is still affectionate and still interacts with me by crawling into my lap. I am not going to put him down just yet. I take him at 2:30pm today for fluids. I am not going to buy prescription food or force feed him, but I want him to feel comfortable.

I feel so much better about this. I had not planned it but I ordered blood work to make certain he has CRF. They have him in back giving him fluids and taking blood. I would hate myself if I had not gone this route to save him. At the very least, he is not here to be put down.

EDIT (4:57PM PST)

Oh my God he is better! He looks sorta funny with the fluid pouch under his skin (it has migrated down his front leg), but it's harmless and full of healthy fluids for his little cat body to absorb. He is MUCH MUCH better already! I do not think I could have saved Dante with this treatment, but Fisher is already responding great. His blood work will confirm his CRF (I guessed at that), or something else. But if it is CRF, then this fluid routine can prolong his life perhaps a few years. He definitely is not going to die anytime soon with this sort of response.

Vet kept costs down. Blood was about $120.00, fluids were $39.00 administered onsite, exam was $59.00. I also got prescriptions for both anti-nausea medicine and the Sub-Q fluids setup if his blood shows CRF (prescriptions were free).

Unfortunately, this disease is going to eventually take him from me. But I have decided to go to bat for him as any of you pet lovers would. I have to stay within my limited means right now, as I have had several financial setbacks. I bet if he were human, he would do it for me.

 

[Lord Ba'al]

Great to hear that he is responding well to treatment!

 

[Overmind One]

Great to hear that he is responding well to treatment!

I can't believe what I am seeing right now. He is chowing down on IAMS kitten kibble, and having water between gorging! The vets will give me his results tomorrow, and even if acute CRF is detected, the sub-q fluids will allow him to live on for a few more months or years. The sub-q fluid treatment can save your cat from immediate crash. I have seen it today with my own eyes. He looks like himself again, with his body not so thin and skinny. I hold him and he feels solid again. I know this is just appearance and a temp fix, but after watching him go in a matter of hours from seeming collapse to eating and drinking and acting almost normal after a single treatment, I am convinced. If giving him sub-q fluids at home every other day or so will do this for him, I am all in. It takes only about 5 minutes to do it. The vets did the first one, but it is easy to do at home and requires no special training:


Considering how much my cats and any pet gives it's human in the form of companionship, love and happiness, this relatively simple task is doable and Fisher is worth it. When it comes time to stop doing it, I will know because he will stop eating and drinking altogether like Dante did.

 

[Overmind One]


Thanks man. I still have him for now, but he is diminishing. He uses his energy to climb into my lap and I am going to hold on as long as he does. He is still eating enough calories in Temptations, and he is drinking water and walking with control. Even running to me. I have considered getting him a Sub Q fluid treatment at the vet to give him some more time, but that will be expensive and also will require multiple treatments per day. But is that for him or for me?

Amending this:

• One treatment every other day to start (because he is drinking on his own also). Not several per day.
• Sub Q solutions and needles and the whole rig costs less than $5.00/week to buy (not expensive like I thought).

If anyone reads this who has a cat in the early or even advanced stages of kidney failure, sub q fluids will definitely improve his quality of life. I will update when I get his blood results.

 

[Quetesh]

It was really different for Lucky. He had once been a strong virile very alpha male cat. He became a frail shadow of himself and I could see he was in pain. Cats have an extremely high tolerance of pain and his vet was telling me for months how this was not comfortable for him. He was also terminal, there was no doubt. In the end I had to force him to drink water. I don't regret the first year when he was starting to show signs of health again, but when he went down hill hard the second year, I should not listened to the vet. There is no hospice for cats and so instead I just forced him to barely live as a bag of bones with sad eyes. I don't really know what would happen if I face this again because I too feel like it is murder but he was in so much pain, I just don't know.

 

[Overmind One]

It was really different for Lucky. He had once been a strong virile very alpha male cat. He became a frail shadow of himself and I could see he was in pain. Cats have an extremely high of pain and his vet was telling me for months how this was not comfortable for him. He was also terminal, there was no doubt. In the end I had to force him to drink water. I don't regret the first year when he was starting to show signs of health again, but when he went down hill hard the second year, I should not listened to the vet. There is no hospice for cats and so instead I just forced him to barely live as a bag of bones with sad eyes. I don't really know what would happen if I face this again because I too feel like it is murder but he was in so much pain, I just don't know.

I am so sorry for your loss of Lucky. When Dante crashed from this, it was VERY obvious. But he was very overweight and remained that way to his last day. He was full of fluid and it did not help because his organs had started shutting down. The decision to put him down ASAP was easy when he would just sit there and make slow painful sounds. I could not bear it. With Fisher, it is a general diminishing and nowhere near where Dante was. I think he is at the beginning of his CRF. I also know that it is incurable and that I will lose him to this. He was very thin and weak when I posted the comment about needing to put him down, but his behavior was within considering options. I am SO GLAD that I did. Him walking normal but weak, being able to jump and run for short distances and eating Temptations (better than nothing!), stopped me from making that final decision. If, after starting the fluid treatments, he begins to deteriorate again, or if he stops eating and drinking at all, I will let him go. For now, I am happy to have some more time with him.

He is so much better I cannot believe the change. He is sleeping peacefully now.

 

[Lord Ba'al]

I am happy that he is doing much better.

How old is he exactly?
And what age was Dante?

I must say that I'm finding it a bit peculiar that you have two cats this seems to be happening to in such a short time. Could there be something in the environment causing this? Perhaps a specific type of plant they've been chewing on? Or even a neighbor who is poisoning them? I know that's not a nice thought to think about, but this does happen. People are assholes, especially neighbors.

 

[Overmind One]

I am happy that he is doing much better.

How old is he exactly?
And what age was Dante?

I must say that I'm finding it a bit peculiar that you have two cats this seems to be happening to in such a short time. Could there be something in the environment causing this? Perhaps a specific type of plant they've been chewing on? Or even a neighbor who is poisoning them? I know that's not a nice thought to think about, but this does happen. People are assholes, especially neighbors.

He is 11 years old, and Dante was 12. Dante was already started on his CRF when I got him because he was very overweight. Fisher got sick after I moved to Long Beach.

The issue is DRY FOOD. Cats should only be eating wet food with occasional dry food, not as their primary food source. It is to allow them to use their water elsewhere.

I have always been surrounded by animal lovers, and my cats are indoor cats with outdoor visits supervised. I do not allow my pets to freely roam.

 

[Lord Ba'al]

My cats main diet is dry food. It doesn't appear to be any problem. Though my cats are still young. They do get canned tuna now and then. Why would dry food be bad?

 

[Overmind One]

My cats main diet is dry food. It doesn't appear to be any problem. Though my cats are still young. They do get canned tuna now and then. Why would dry food be bad?

Dry foods force the cat to use water to digest it because it's dry. My vets have all said to feed the cats high protein grain free wet food only. Siete seems to only want good foods anyway. But both Fisher and Dante before him much preferred the dry food.

An update on Fisher, I am waiting for his blood work to come back to me from the Vet, but he has crashed again already. He is wobbly, weak and thin again. He has not eaten since last night, has not pooped and is not drinking as much today. Perhaps I was a bit too optimistic? This is so fucking stressful I am stressed out. It looks to me like he is on the edge of death.

 

[Overmind One]

Bad news. Vet just called with the numbers and they are far beyond the range where he can be pulled back, even with fluids (because he will not eat). With the levels of toxins as high as they are, he is very uncomfortable and is probably in some pain. So, sadly I am going to have to say goodbye. I will be scheduling his passing shortly. I hate this! Second time is a little easier.