Cal eating dinner under the lamplight...
Her daughter Minah...I called the hospital to speak to Dr K about Cal. Dr K told me that her condition has not improved and she is still not eating and not pooping. Dr K told me to expect the worst. I asked her what she meant and she said that I should be prepared to make some hard decisions. I am not prepared to make any decision on Cal at this point and told Dr K to give the antibiotics some time to work or not work. The only thing I can't take is how chirpy Dr K sounds "Hi Parking's owner....your cat is not any better...." in that upbeat way! You don't know what's wrong with my cat dammit! Stop being so chirpy about it.
I saw the old aunty walking Bobby her dog. She said she felt like something' is missing when she takes a walk around the neighbourhood. Usually Cal would walk out and greet her on her rounds or when she feeds Cal, cal would sit with her at the tables in the void deck. I told her that Cal's fate may not be sunny and asked her what she wanted to do. She told me her heart was heavy but she herself would think it not wise for Cal to be about when she cannot even walk straight or could not even protect herself from the neighbourhood cats. (Cal is really one of the most timid cats and would not come out to eat if there were strange cats or even FatBoy around...but only to other cats. She is very fierce with us.)
She told me that I should make the decisions (WHAT!!!) on her behalf. She told me that Cal is an old cat and has been around for ages. She kept giving birth until one of the residents, another caregiver, sent her for spaying. I do not know if I can make any hard decisions without bawling my eyes out :( Sighzz....
So sorry to read about Cal. Those are among the worst times to be facing.
ReplyDeletePurrs,
Sen-Chan
This is what pet owners and cat caregivers/guardians fear the most...having to make that decision one day. It's hard...very, very hard. We can only hope that we will make the right decision, if only to release the guarded from pain and further suffering.
ReplyDeleteI think the old aunty has come to accept what may be inevitable, and trying to make the decision less difficult for you. My prayers for you and for Cal.
Vet K is the latest addition, a very young vet.
ReplyDeletei hope Cal recovers. It is not abt age but quality of life.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we should put Cal down as yet, I don't think she is in pain as such. It is just that we haven't found the right vet and the right treatment.
ReplyDeletePurrayers for all of you.
Go for a second opinion?
ReplyDeleteYou may want to consult Dr Eugene Lye from Greendale ARC. The hospital knows him and they can make a call for you. Speak to him at 64637100. He is a very experience vet and will give you better advice. I am sure he can make a trip to see Cal.
ReplyDeletekatie
I think Cal is in great discomfort and cats are sick, they are so silent. The worst of the bacteria will affect the brain and confuse her senses. However, with the correct antibiotics, it will slowly heal. Cats with small ear canal or unusual wave canal will suffer from this.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don;t think it is the end for her. She needs time to recuperate slowly.
Hang in there Cal!
katie
Lots of healing thoughts for Cal.
ReplyDeleteJust give more time for Cal to absorb the antibiotics.
Is it her kidneys failing? Old cats usually suffer from that.
ReplyDeleteCal needs to eat and it's best you can syringe feed her when you visit. For XX when she was hospitalised, it can be a one hour affair per feeding but we do it until she gets tired. She needs all the nutrients she can get.
The best way to syringe feed I found out would be to blend the food in a blender (no need to add additional water) to a liquid form and then syringe one ml by one ml through the side of the mouth. The 3ml syringe works best in my experience. Suck up 1ml and then syringe. Then continue until she gets in at least 20 to 30ml per feeding. XX takes in 150ml per day to gain weight so for JJ, if you can get in 70ml in her current state, it should be good enough. I am using XX’s experience when she was hospitalised as a gauge.
If you need a 2nd opinion, you may wish to try Companion Animal Surgery which is just down the road where ARC Balestier is located. Ask for Dr Edmund or Dr Miles. Dr Miles is XX's kidney doctor. He has good bedside manners and mostly positive. Dr Edmund is our regular vet. He has a sharp tongue but don't take it negatively. He gives good practical advice as he has cats of his own. They are both good. But Companion fees are on the high side.
But you may need to make a decision for Cal if she takes a turn for the worst. My wife's and my philosophy is we will fight to the end with the cat until he/she starts to feel extreme pain or if its quality of life drops permanently and significantly with no chance of recovery. We will then consider PTS to ease him/her out of the misery. It may be a different process for you.
I agree with kxbc. i syringe-fed my sick cats if they refused food for 2 days. If not, there could be liver problems-common name fatty liver disease (feline hepatic lipdosis). You can use a/d diet or arvc's Critical Care Diet.
ReplyDeleteThe consistency depends on what the cat could tolerate without throwing out.