Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Cats & Kittens

1. 

   Called vet office as soon as I got in, test results not back yet. Verified my office phone number. Waiting for doctor to call.

   Tried chicken baby food last night. He smelled it; that was all. Not one lick. Mixed it with warm water to make it liquid; he didn't even smell it. Drained all possible liquid out of the one can of wet food on hand; he lapped up every bit of that and carefully avoided any solid pieces. Smeared some Nutrical on paws and tail; very annoyed as he licked it off, and ducked the next time I tried to pet him. Gave him the first dose of the antibiotic; very little resistance to being pilled.

   Is in the living room window for the first time today, with Penny resting peacefully on the other side of the curtain. Buttercup still hissing, but he's starting to ignore her. Social adjustment getting better and better even as he starves himself.

   Am sick to my stomach, worried, afraid. How long can a cat live without eating? Looking at him, petting him are painful; every bone can be detected. Just about despairing now; trying everything I can think to do and nothing is even coming close to helping. Have spent all I can at the vet this month, actually a bit more; anything other than a Bridge shot, I'll have to ask him for payment terms. How to buy my baby's life.

   A "hurry up and wait" day at work. Important document must be sent by e-mail by 4:00, but first it has to be written, then I review it. Waiting for it to come down, then edit it full-speed for deadline.

   Posted 3 years ago by Leeny #

2. 

   Aww Leeny,I'm so sorry,I hope it's something that can be treated.

   Posted 3 years ago by Buttercup #

3. 

   Oh Leeny..I hope you can feel my {{{{{{{HUG}}}}}}} while we all wait. Gabe's diminishment is heartbreaking but I love that he spent time sitting in the window, assessing the world outside. Leeny Gabe has never been loved so much as he has been loved by you. If Gabe needs to take the journey to the bridge he will take with him such wonderful loving memories. Let's not jump the gun here though as I'm praying someone will find the answer to restoring his health. In my thoughts and prayers today Leeny...you're definitely not alone.

   Posted 3 years ago by Karenopa #

4. 

   Leeny, you and Gabe are in my prayers. I wish I could help you and Gabe. Please keep us updated.

   Posted 3 years ago by cricketsmama #

5. 

   ((Hugs and Prayers for Gabe and Leeny)) I sure hope they can help that baby.

   Posted 3 years ago by HuddysMama #

6. 

   Me, too! Poor Gabe.

   Posted 3 years ago by GreatDane #

7. 

   Oh Leeny, I want to wrap my arms around you and give you a big huge. You're doing all you can. I know when my Mr.Bug was going downhill I used to take cans of wet food and mash them well or blend them into a thick liquid. Then Ron would hold him and we used a syringe and fed him. After the first couple days he stopped fighting he realized the food made him feel better even though he couldn't really eat himself anymore..We kept our baby with us another couple months, what was hard was for him to eat (he had a tumor) it blocked his air when his head was down, so we held him like a baby when we would feed him.

   Posted 3 years ago by 2bpurring #

8. 

   I'm hoping and praying with all my heart that Gabe can be treated. {{hugs}}

   Posted 3 years ago by Cats4Cats #

9. 

   Leemy, you and the sweet one are in my prayers. I know that you are doing everything that can be done. We're here when you need us. {{hugs}}

   Posted 3 years ago by BCAMflorida227 #

10. 

    Poor baby! Oh I really hope and pray that the vet can help

    Posted 3 years ago by MeezerMama in OK; 10/23 #

11. 

    Leeny, keeping my prayers coming your way. Thank God that Gabe has you to love him.

    Posted 3 years ago by Tigerlilly #

12. 

    Just finished the hurry-up part of my day. Still no news from the vet. Now we just wait.

    Posted 3 years ago by Leeny #

13. 

    {{{{HUGS}}}}} waiting is so hard..we are all there with you in spirit!

    Posted 3 years ago by 2bpurring #

14. 

    Poor Leeny and poor Gabe! I so hope you hear good news today and Gabe starts to recover. {HUGS}

    Posted 3 years ago by miu #

15. 

    leeney have you tried to force feed gabe? The meat baby food works best for this. YOu pop open his mouth like you would to pill him and smear the food on his tongue so he has to eat. I have had to do this with some cats and it does work

    Posted 3 years ago by TheKnittingNinja #

16. 

    Hope you get some news from the vet soon leeny - at least if you know what it is you can start dealing with it {{hugs}}

    Posted 3 years ago by MadcatwomanintheUK #

17. 

    KN, I haven't tried force feeding him yet because I wanted to know what's going on with him first. If his kidneys have failed, or if something else is going on that would make it best for him to go to the Bridge, I didn't want to resort to that. If, however, his condition is treatable and he just has to be made to eat until he recovers enough to do it on his own, I am prepared to force feed him. I did it with Katie in the last days of her life, even though it was pointless. Mr. Leeny, in a well-intentioned but unhelpful attempt to prolong her life, was less than honest with me about the amount she ate on her own when I wasn't there. After he admitted that, with much effort, he had only gotten her to eat a kibble or two, I helped her to the Bridge.

    Also, my father died at home under hospice care, and the hospice nurses told us not to try to feed him anything. Other than the fact that he could no longer swallow, they said that his internal organs had stopped functioning to the point where they could no longer process nutrients. Feeding him would have killed him outright. If Gabe's organs can't handle food right now, but will be able to handle it if something curable is cured, I don't want to risk damaging them further. So, I also want the vet's instructions on whether force feeding will help Gabe.

    Posted 3 years ago by Leeny #

18. 

    Good thinking Leeny, Gabe is in the most capable and loving hands..

    Posted 3 years ago by 2bpurring #

19. 

    Mr. Leeny just called to tell me that Gabe and Penny are exploring the house together. This is breaking my heart.

    Posted 3 years ago by Leeny #

20. 

    I know you wish you could be there, but Mr.Leeny is watching him closely..stay strong.

    Posted 3 years ago by 2bpurring #

21. 

    Gabe and you have all of TDK pulling for him! Hugs!

    Posted 3 years ago by GreatDane #

22. 

    Three more hours, at most, to wait; that's how long the vet's office is open today.

    Posted 3 years ago by Leeny #

23. 

    Hope it doesn't take that long, every minute must feel like an hour to you right now dear.

    Posted 3 years ago by 2bpurring #

24. 

    2b, I just read MCW's post about ABBA. My college education was set to their music. I remembered the lyric from "Fernando": "Every hour, every minute seemed to last eternity."

    Posted 3 years ago by Leeny #

25. 

    I loved that song!!!

    Posted 3 years ago by 2bpurring #

26. 

    That particular line first stuck in my mind during my first session as a student teacher in the nursery school/child development lab. That hour seemed to last eternity, also.

    Posted 3 years ago by Leeny #

27. 

    Ack! Thanks for the earworm, Leeny! (I mean that; I love that song, too).

    "There was something in the air that night..."

    Posted 3 years ago by Kilroy #

28. 

    "If I had to do the same again, I would my friend..."

    Posted 3 years ago by Karenopa #

29. 

    I'm calling the vet. In about a half hour, they're going to be swamped with pickups. I want to know what's happening before the weekend starts.

    They must be swamped already. The doctor's answering the phone, and he's put me on hold twice.

    Posted 3 years ago by Leeny #

30. 

    Some encouraging news: The blood tests point to an infection. He is very slightly anemic; the values were just a couple points below the low-normal range. There's also indication of slight kidney malfunction as shown by a slight increase in BUN levels. He also has a protein in his blood that is associated with infection.

    The doctor said that, considering Gabe's history of minimal immunization, he's concerned about the possibility of FIP. They can run that test with the blood sample they already have. I'm to continue with the antibiotics. If Gabe is no better by about 9:00 tomorrow morning, I'm to call the doctor and bring him in to start sub-q fluid.

    The doctor has also agreed to wait until I get paid at the end of the month for me to pay him for further testing and treatment.

    No trip to the Bridge today.

    Posted 3 years ago by Leeny #

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