My Cat

[Kelley24]

I know this aint really a question, but i wanted to tell animal loving people about my day. need someone to talk to. lol.

One of my cats, Jess, is 14 years old and has been acting weird today. i went to the vets to get a cut looked at on her ear. But i came out with some worse news than that. She didnt have a cut, it was ear mites, not a major problem. but the vet wanted to take a blood test, so i hung about to get the results. only to be told that my beautiful cat's kideys are failing. she's been given a huge steroid jab and was very well behaved through out. but vet cant treat kidney failure they way they do with humans. there is no dialysis etc. its basically a waiting game for her to pass away. it could be days, weeks or possibly months.

It makes it worse cos she's my 'baby'. was born to my aunts cat and i've had her since i was 11, i'm now 25. and also i helped hand rear her when her mum died. Shes never been poorly, only been to the vets once to be neutered years ago and thats it.

she's my 'baby' and i'm not ready for her to go yet.

[mycatis]

Oh God kelley24, you poor thing. I'm really really sorry to hear this. I cant imagine what you are going through. I love my cats to bits (I was there when they were born) it must just be the worst thing ever.  Will be thinking of you and if you need to talk (I know that might not help very much) then please come on and share whatever you need to, dont feel bad that it isnt a question. Again I'm very sorry x x x x

[spangle111]

This happened to my cat too, and like you he was my baby. There is nothing I can say to make it better love, just to echo what mycatis has said - we're all there for you whenever you need us. Be brave love and remember you're not on your own xx

[Litchick]

So sorry, Kelley 24, please come and talk whenever you need to -- I lost my beloved baby 2 years ago and still cry when I think of him.....don't let anyone make light of it -- pets ARE family and are loved and give love just as much.  We since have a new kitty whom we adore but we never forget our 1st baby....the memories will comfort you, I promise you.  Who knows?  She may surprise you and stay with you for a long time! x

[cat woman]

Hi Kelley24, I am so truely sorry to read of your sad new's, I know how you are feeling' I had a lovely gentle cat called Misty for 18 and a half years, we got her when she was 8 weeks old, for the last 9 months of her life she was on anabolic steroid injections to keep her going as she was failing in nearly every part of her body. I made the heart breaking decision to let her go, as I knew it wasn't fair to her as she had no quality of life to wards the end, I was absolutely heart broken but the vet said it was the best thing I could do for her, this was 5 years ago and I still think of her and miss her too.  It's hard to let go as our pet's are part of us and as we grow with them they become our best friend's, and are a big part of the family unit too.  I consoled myself in the fact that Misty had been happy, heathly and much loved cat and like all the other cat's before and after her she was our baby, it helped to ease my pain to think that way, but one things for sure, nothing or no-one can take away the precious memories.  I just like to say that I will be thinking of you and your little one and you dont have to carry this heart breaking new's on your own, all the pet lover's on this site will be right beside you.  God Bless.  cat woman xxx  :-( 

[lindapinda]

Hi kelley,I can't say anything more than the others have said so well.I'm so sorry about your awful news.My own two babies are 12 and 9,and I already dread the day I'll get news like yours.We'll all be thinking about both of you,here,god bless.

[Litchick]

Catwoman, thank you!  You actually made ME feel better too.....!  We had to put down our 1st baby and it was a heartbreaking decision as you said...you feel that is there one more treatment you can try, is there another doctor who will help, but in the end you know the decision has to be made. I still feel awful about it but no cat, well, except the other ABer's ;=), was more loved than my baby...He had a wonderful life for 13 years and I know I gave him the best of everything. :)

[Peri]

http://www.2ndchance.info/homemadediets.htm Have a look at this site Kelley.  My cat had kidney failure and went blind but was on a special diet and lived a good life for another year and she was 17.  I know exactly what you are feeling and going through and my heart goes out to you.  Please let us know how you are getting along.

[Peri]

http://www.petcaretips.net/feline_kidney_disease.html  Try this also. 

[Kelley24]

Thank You all for your kind words a support.

someone mentioned about me only having one cat, i actually have 3, Sophie who is approx 12 (we rescued her out of a river) and Ramsey who is 10. So now my worry is that the other 2 cats are going to go in the same way. Litchick mentioned about her maybe improving and lasting longer than the vet said, but unfortunatly this is untrue. I have to take her back to the vets next monday, but if she hasn't improved, then sooner. The vet looked very shocked when she saw the results of the blood  test and said she was suprise she was alert as she is. there were 2 results from Jess's blood that the vet showed me that shocked us both. I cant remember what they were called but the levels should have been between 10 and 68 on the first on and Jess was at 168 and on the other it should have been between 50 and 169 and Jess was a whopping 868!!!!!

i have been told to prepare myself for the worse on monday. if she is worse than i will have to agree to send her to kitty heaven with her brother Felix.

She had a massive steriod injection at the vets and she has perked up a bit, but still not her normal self. and she is eating the special food the vet pescribed for cats in renial failure.

The vet stopped by this evening cos she was worried about jess, but said she has perked up a bit but is still very very poorly. It kinda seems unreal.

i will keep you all posted and hopefully she will improve and i can keep her longer, but i know she will never get better, just more comfortable.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks again for everyones support and the web site links were really interesting, thank you Peri

[lindapinda]

Hi kelley,its comforting to experience the fact that your vet called round,although you couldnt get better news.It makes a difference at a time like this. People who love animals,will always understand.

[Kelley24]

Just a quick up-date. Jess is ok today, well as ok as can be expected. She wont go outside and is sleeping a lot. She is also attention seeking a lot, which is what i do when i aint well. So i've done no house work etc cos she's been on my lap for the most of the day. I nearly took her to the vets again cos she has lost a lot of weight already, i can feel every bone in her spine and she has always been a healthy cat weight wise. She looks a bit sorry for herself. Its kinda like looking after a sick child at the moment. And she aint as vocal as normal. But she is purring a lot, which must be a good sign cos surely she wouldn't purr if she was in pain, would she?

I'll keep u all up-to-date. Thankx for all support. x

[Peri]

Kelley I hate to say this but sometimes purring is a sign of stress in a cat.  I dont know what type of purr though.  But on the positive side if she is looking for attention thats good too.  It is a very hard time and I am thinking of you.

[Diane]

My beautiful Zippy had the same problem. He was given a course of tablets from the vets called Fortekor that did help for a while but he eventually went into full kidney failure and had to be helped on his way. All you can do is your best. Give puss lots of love and attention. Good luck.

[Kilala]

Hi Kelley,

My thoughts have been with you- what's the latest news?  It's always those that lve the most that get hurt the most at these times. xxx

[Kelley24]

Hello all, heres the next up-date. Jess is coping well, better than me. I've stopped watching her every move cos i'm sure that aint good for her. She's eating loads now that i have put her on the diet the vets told me to. Its expensive at �14 a bag, but she is worth every penny. She actually looks like she is pregnant at the moment, although she aint cos she was neutered years ago, but her belly is massive. so now i am worried about her over eating, but she seems content. Shes still acting a bit spaced out, but compared to monday, she's loads better. I did ask about tablets, Diane, but the vet said her kidneys are too bad for medication, it wont help. She is due for a check-up on monday so i'll c how that goes. I'm assuming the steriod injection is whats making her perk up a bit. I'll keep you all up-to-date when we are back from vets. Thanx for all support. Its nice reading all messages when i'm feeling a bit upset. x

[Kelley24]

for anyone that has posted on this thread, i have replied to a post that Peri has put up. Its is here if you wanna have a look at the up-date. http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Animals_and_Nature/Question143031.html