[Magdalen] Sad about sick cat

[Grace Cangialosi]

This is the first time I’ve had male cats, and so far there haven’t been any problems. But one of my female cats in the past had frequent urinary tract issues; in fact, my vet was surprised. At one point she had to have surgery to remove a stone from her bladder. I had no idea what they looked like, and it was actually pretty! It was oval, about the size of a quarter and pure white marbled with pink! I wanted to keep it, but the Vet said he wanted to get it tested so we’d know what to feed the cat.

> On Oct 30, 2017, at 12:36 PM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> It's particularly bad for boy cats, according to them, because of the ash
> content. But of course there is now the stuff for the urinary tract health,
> which there wasn't then.
> 
> On Mon, Oct 30, 2017 at 12:15 PM, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> That’s interesting, Jay, because all my cats have always had dry food,
>> except for the occasional tuna if I ran out of cat food, and I’ve never had
>> a vet say anything about it. I do use the food for urinary tract health,
>> but that’s it.  I’ve had these two cats for 11 years now.
>> I’m not disputing your vet’s opinion, of course, just commenting...
>> 
>> 
>>> On Oct 30, 2017, at 11:44 AM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> A constant diet of dry food is not good for cats, per every vet I've ever
>>> dealt with. All my kitties got a mix....usually canned food once daily
>> and
>>> a small amount of a good brand of dry left out for chewing/snacking
>>> purposes, or a once daily mix of both. depending on their weight. But I
>>> never really had a kitty weight problem either. At one time, a zillion
>>> years ago or so, we bought frozen cat food from a butcher that was made
>> of
>>> ground scrap cuttings and offal. It was rich and good for their coats and
>>> very inexpensive. But that was long ago and far away.
>>> 
>>> On Sun, Oct 29, 2017 at 7:48 PM, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Thanks, Susan! Burberry is doing far better now, eating ravenously, and
>> I'm
>>>> transitioning her back to the Fromm's food but keeping more canned food
>> in
>>>> both cats' diets through a daily treat. I don't want her to be
>> "addicted"
>>>> to the Science Diet digestive-friendly "prescription" food she's been
>> on.
>>>> 
>>>> The diagnosis was pancreatitis and some inflammation of passages around
>> the
>>>> gall bladder. The pancreatitis seemed dire to me, but the vet said it
>> could
>>>> have been a one-off episode and as long as she's eating well, she's
>> good.
>>>> 
>>>> Now she's got some conjunctivitis in her right eye, making it water, and
>>>> getting ophthalmic ointment into both eyes (to prevent cross-infection
>> as
>>>> well as healing the affected eye) is a regular barrel o' laughs.
>>>> 
>>>> On Sun, Oct 29, 2017 at 6:33 PM, Susan Hagen <susanvhagen at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Scott,
>>>>> I do hope things go well with Burberry.  My elderly cat, Catkin, has
>>>>> some kidney problems but for now is doing well with bi-weekly
>>>>> subcutaneous fluids and vitamin injections.  She has always been a
>>>>> picky eater but has condescended to eat Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers
>>>>> salmon with lots of water mixed in.  I had her in to the vet Saturday
>>>>> and she had gained an ounce which is a little victory for a skinny old
>>>>> lady.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Fri, Oct 6, 2017 at 3:07 PM, cady soukup <cadyasoukup at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> Very glad to hear that Burberry is doing better (and her humans!),
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> It's difficult when our non-talking fur-family have things going
>>>>>> wrong. Our daughter's dog was the recipient of emergency vet care not
>>>>>> so long ago. He had us all worried.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> gentle pets, hugs, & prayers,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Cady
>>>>>> owned by several fur-family rescues
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 10/6/17, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> She's not eating again this morning, but they did say she might need
>>>>>>> another round of the shots again today. And ongoing appetite
>>>> stimulator
>>>>>>> half an hour before mealtimes.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I need to do my job, too! Was hoping not to have to visit the vet
>>>> today.
>>>>>>> We'll see what they say on the phone when the pancreatitis results
>>>> come
>>>>> in.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Ideally, she would just need her appetite boosted, either for a few
>>>>> weeks
>>>>>>> or months, or always. It certainly worked for her last night.
>> Ravenous
>>>>>>> kitty!
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Thu, Oct 5, 2017 at 11:18 PM, Lynn Ronkainen <
>> houstonklr at gmail.com
>>>>> 
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Great news Scott! Glad Burberry is on the mend!
>>>>>>>> peace
>>>>>>>> Lynn
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On Oct 5, 2017, at 8:44 PM, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Sad no more! Thanks to your prayers (and $750 later), Burberry is
>>>>> chowing
>>>>>>>> down on a special food and acting very Burberry-like. No abnormal
>>>>>>>> blood-test results, no GI obstruction or mass. We'll get
>> pancreatitis
>>>>>>>> results tomorrow. I think we'll be giving a positive report when the
>>>>> vet
>>>>>>>> follows up; we'd repeat today's treatment tomorrow if she still were
>>>>> not
>>>>>>>> eating. But she is! Music to my ears to hear her familiar clink of
>>>>> rabies
>>>>>>>> tag against bowl.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> She received hydration, appetite stimulation, and anti-nausea. We'll
>>>> be
>>>>>>>> giving her appetite stimulators for a while to keep things going.
>> She
>>>>>>>> seems
>>>>>>>> so much happier!
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> I can catch up on the sleep I lost about it last night. Hope she
>>>> keeps
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> food down; it's got concentrated nutrients to build her back up.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Thank you so much for prayers and support! TBTG.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On Wed, Oct 4, 2017 at 1:18 PM, Scott Knitter <
>>>> scottknitter at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Thanks!  Making an appointment as we speak.
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> On Wed, Oct 4, 2017 at 12:52 PM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com
>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Has she seen the vet? You and she need to hie yourselves off ASAP.
>>>>> My
>>>>>>>>>> kitty
>>>>>>>>>> Jack lived 3.5 years with kidney problems. There are a number of
>>>>>>>>>> reasons
>>>>>>>>>> cats can stop eating and that is only one. Thyroid problems are
>>>> also
>>>>>>>>>> common
>>>>>>>>>> with older cats and can be dealt with.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> SEE THE VET.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> NOW.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> On Wed, Oct 4, 2017 at 1:13 PM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <
>>>>>>>>>> oppenheimerjw at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> You all are in my thoughts and prayers. It is hard to live with
>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>> knowledge that your companion is getting older. And of course, we
>>>>> all
>>>>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>>>>>> getting older.
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
>>>>>>>>>>> *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not
>>>>>>>>>> preserved,
>>>>>>>>>>> except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> On Wed, Oct 4, 2017 at 12:15 PM, Scott Knitter
>>>>>>>>>>> <scottknitter at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> Just feeling alone with this problem and thought I'd ask for
>>>>>>>>>>>> prayers.
>>>>>>>>>> Our
>>>>>>>>>>>> older cat (13), Burberry, has suddenly stopped eating and seems
>>>>>>>>>>> depressed.
>>>>>>>>>>>> I fear it's kidney trouble, which can mean it's near the end for
>>>>>>>>>>>> her.
>>>>>>>>>> Not
>>>>>>>>>>>> sure though, and trying to find a time to get her in to see her
>>>>> vet
>>>>>>>>>>>> soonest. My dear partner works now in a far-off suburb (but yay
>>>>> for
>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> work) and it's just me and the cats at home during the day.
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> I've obtained cans of food I know she normally loves, and she
>>>>> sniffs
>>>>>>>>>> but
>>>>>>>>>>>> won't eat. Just curls up on dear partner's bed. Will purr and
>>>>> seems
>>>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>> appreciate loving pettings but is not happy.
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> :*(
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>>>> Scott R. Knitter
>>>>>>>>>>>> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>> Scott R. Knitter
>>>>>>>>> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>> Scott R. Knitter
>>>>>>>> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Scott R. Knitter
>>>>>>> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>>>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> --
>>>>> The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among
>>>>> you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the
>>>>> land of Egypt.
>>>>> Leviticus 19:34
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Scott R. Knitter
>>>> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>>>> 
>>