. . . and now The Balance to all the good news and joy that I’ve been floating in for the last few months:
My cat, Felix, who showed up in our garage about three years ago and never left, has kidney disease. We discovered it about a year ago, and he was in the very early stages of kidney failure. Our vet told us that it would significantly shorten his life, but if we gave him low-protein food and a subcutaneous IV every other day, we could slow the spread of the disease, and he’d probably be with us for another six years or so.
About a two weeks ago, Felix started acting strangely. He was more lethargic than normal, and he just didn’t want to eat (he hates the low-protein food), so we took him to the vet. She did blood work on him, and the lab said that his kidney failure is advancing much more rapidly than we thought. He could be in as much as 85% failure, and he’s in danger of developing anemia or a whole bunch of other scary diseases.
I took him back this morning, because the vet wants to keep him there with an IV for a few days, to flush out his little body. On Wednesday, we’re going to take him off the IV, and see if it’s flushed his body enough to toughen him up. Felix is a tough little guy, there’s no doubt about that. He’s so tough, we call him The Bear, because he’s feisty and affectionate . . . but if he can give you a chomp at any time, if you piss him off. You know how they say dogs have masters, but cats have staff? We are totally The Bear’s staff. He sticks around because he approves of us . . . and I like to think he loves us as much as we love him.
When I left the vet this morning, I was sobbing so violently, I had to pull over so I wasn’t a danger to myself and other drivers. I love my Felix bear so much, and I don’t want him to die. I’m not going to keep him alive with treatments if he’s suffering, just so I don’t have to say goodbye, but our vet told us that there’s a very good chance that he could bounce back after he gets out of the hospital, so I am doing my very best to focus on the positive chance for improvement, and remain hopeful.
It would mean a lot to me and my family if WWdN readers could spare a few moments and send some healing energy, or prayers, or magic monkey voodoo or whatever to The Bear while he’s trying to get better over the next few days.
Thanks. Hopefully, I’ll get back to normal blogging soon.
UPDATE: I just got back from the vet’s, where I was able to visit with The Bear for a few minutes.
He’s doing so much better, it’s a miracle. His eyes are bright, he purred like a Harley Davidson, and he had many things to say. most of them, I think, had to do with how much he doesn’t like the IV in his little paw.
I took his little fleece bed over to the vet, and she said that he can sleep in it, which is cool, because when he saw it, he jumped out of the tech’s arms and right into it. I could tell that he was happy to have something that smells like home, and his mom and dad.
Thank you, so much, to everyone who is keeping Felix in your thoughts and hearts. I know that the miracles of modern medicine have a lot to do with the improvement in his condition . . . but I also know that your thoughts are bending the space/time continuum to give him as good a chance as possible.
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Wil,
Sorry about my cat. he gets onto the web sometimes when I leave my machine logged on. I’ll try to ask him not to cause too much havoc with his friends.
I’m sending you all the healing power I can muster up for your buddy, Felix bear. Sorry to hear that he hasn’t been well. Oh yeah – I’ll keep my ears open about those morons posting that crap here.
*hugs* for Felix
Laterz.
m0ppy
I can understand what you’re going through – about four years ago I lost not one, but basically two cats due to kidney failure. Barney and Snookie were brothers, almost 16 years old. Barney died after a long struggle with kidney failure, and Snookie followed him soon thereafter. The vets said that it was a virus, but I know it was from a broken heart.
My four kitties (Gizmo, Spike, Max, and Hershey) and I send our healing mojo to Felix!
These damned animals – they worm their way into your affections, and then they get sick and leave you, leave you crying and desolate.
My most loved and loving kitty, a siamese cat, disappeared never to return on my wedding day. Ironic really that I should have chosen the cat.
Anyway, glad to hear Felix is doing better, and much good thoughts into his continued improvement.
As a side note – anyone who likes reading funny kitty cartoons should check out Makoto Kobayashi’s ‘Michael’ series by Dark Horse. They are incredibly hilarious, the sort of thing you can read for the tenth time and still laugh at.
a year and a half ago my 12 yr old cat passed away, from cancer presumably. i’d have done anything to save him – but our normal vet didn’t care and didn’t believe us when we KNEW he was sick. he just blew us off, (hehe, tigger had attacked the vet once and scarred him). and tigger got sicker, and it was too late, we had to end his suffering.
my tigger will be praying for felix from cat heaven – direct link and all! and i will pray, here from earth, but i imagine tigger will be heard better!!
*scritches* for Felix.
And mucho sympathy as you go through dealing with his CRF decline.
We lost our kitty, Shara to CRF in September 2002.
Watching her get sicker and sicker and riding the sub-cutaneous fluid/low-protein diet roller coaster was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.
I hope that Felix rebounds well and will be with you for some time to come.
Sending you all much good karma to help get through this.
Here’s some “get well and keep fighting mojo” from my two cats Norbert and Daggett. The two boys who were so scrawny and didn’t have much of a chance at life when I adopted them turned out to be fighters and after almost 1 yr. They are still growing strong. If they can do it so can you Felix!
I’ve loved all of my cats, but Rudolph Valentino was special. Mostly my husband and I just called him Rudy, but when he was being a loverboy, we called him Rudybear.
This isn’t such a big coincidence. I’ve found cat and dog lovers alike will add the suffix “bear” to their very special ones. I’m not sure why. But Felix is obviously very special.
Rudybear liked to “paddypaw” (make bread) and have his entire face scratched. For Felix I wish whatever gives him as much joy as those two things brought our Rudybear. And no pain. Never.
I’m a little late on this, but thoughts and love towards Felix and his “staff”. I lost my 20 year old baby kitten to cancer a couple years ago and I know how loving a dying pet feels. Heart’s with ya, guy.
Best wishes and mucho mojo from: Jodie (me)– Kitten, Red, PeeWee, Bubba, Baby, Puddy, Punky (Yes, we have *that* many cats).
Major healing thoughts…
Jodie
i hope felix gets to stay with you for a long, long time. but again, wil, “I also know that your thoughts are bending the space/time continuum to give him as good a chance as possible” … do you really think this? if so, why? i’m thinking about you and the bear, but do you really believe the thoughts of your readers have any impact on your cat? i just don’t see how that can be.
Just a tip for you that worked for my in-laws when their cat had the same health problem: the vet said Booker-kitty needed to drink LOTS of water. As in no such thing as too much. So Mom put a goldfish in a big bowl of water, and Booker drank and drank and drank to try to get to the goldfish. Every few days, Mom would replace dead fish with a new one. Booker got much better and went on to live another couple of years to the ripe old age of 20 or so.
Best wishes for Felix.
I am sending good vibes you and your familys way. I know how a pet is endearing to any family and thier children.
Stay strong!
Hey wil,
This must be really rough for you. I’m pulling for you, the family and of coure the little chat known as the bear!
Cheers and best,
P
All good healing things to kitty, friend.
I’m sorry to hear about Bear..
All My best for His recovery.
I lost a dog when I was about 16 and that dog was the SMARTEST I ever had..could put Lassie to shame!
I love that little rascal..so I can empathize with your concern 200%
Good luck..
As for those LOUSY Pr**ks that did the kiddie porn
GET ‘EM!
sick SOBS!