Rest in peace Cal

Cal on Tuesday evening at the 2nd vet...

This vet clinic is very pretty and I think it was nice that Cal was being taken care of in this clinic when she died...

Cal died early Thursday morning, a little before 6 am. I brought her to this vet for a 2nd opinion and the vet said there was no infection at all. So the only conclusion left was she might have a growth in her brain or lesions there. She was hospitalised here for 2 nights when she passed away. I asked that she be cremated and her ashes be brought back for the old aunty and us to scatter at her favourite hangout.

I want to thank all of you who had written in to give us advice and to offer your best wishes. I also want to thank cat_aunty who had posted the latest developments on Cal when I was not able to.

Thank you for all the purrayers and prayers.

At this point, the amigos house would like to offer our sympathy for Jon Jon (one of aunty_p's gang) who died of kidney failure last night :(

ATAXIA

What? All these things could have happened to me?

from http://www.nativeremedies.com/petalive/articles/treating-ataxia-ear-infections-cats.shtml

Treating Ataxia and Ear Infections in Cats By Tess Thompson

Ataxia is the inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements. It can cause unsteady movements and a staggering gait. Ataxia in cats makes them move in circles and behave abnormally. This behavior is often very frightening for cat owners. Ataxia is usually caused by one of the following reasons:

A nervous system disorders
General weakness and anemia
Deformities of bones, joints or spine
Inadequate diet
Muscular atrophy

The different types of ataxia occur due to the impairment of various nerves in the nervous system.

Vestibular ataxia - a condition where the nerves related to the inner ear are impaired causing issues with maintaining equilibrium.
Sensor ataxia - an impairment of the nerves related to the limbs, and this kind of ataxia causes unsteady gait
Cerebellar ataxia – a condition caused by disorders in the cerebellum and is characterized by tremors and a high-stepping gait
The brain function in cats can be affected due to genetic reasons or a high dose of toxins found in vaccinations. To diagnose the condition properly, one needs to study the history of medications given to the mother during pregnancy. One should research whether such a condition is prevalent in the other kittens of the same litter. Trauma and nutritional deficiency also need to be studied. After adequate examination, if it is realized that the cause of ataxia is a genetic disorder, the following tests may be required.

Clinical examination
X-Rays and ultrasounds
Blood and urine tests
MRI
Cerebral spinal fluid tap and analysis

Sometimes ataxia can be caused due to simple infections that have intensified and led to other health problems. Cat ear mites are less probable than dog ear mites but they can still be a cause of ataxia. Inattention to ear mites in cats leads to numerous infections that can lead to ataxia. Although elder cats are known to develop immunization to ear mites, home remedies for dog ear mites can be used for preventing feline infections.

A good diet and nutritional supplements can help in alleviating ataxia symptoms. Cerebellar, sensory, and vestibular ataxias are neurological in nature, and therefore no specific treatment has been discovered so far. At most you can take refuge in symptomatic treatments and reduce the pain for your pet.