Our furry, fragile children.: seanan

Our furry, fragile children.

Friday evening, Alice started looking a little ill. She was listless, unresponsive, and not interested in treats, although she did drink the juice from my can of tuna willingly enough (one of her favorite things). I consulted with a few people whose opinions I trust, and decided to monitor her condition before taking her to the vet, as no one wants to deal with the emergency vet when they don't have to. Saturday, she seemed better, although still droopy, and I thought she was recovering.

Sunday evening she took a turn for the worse, dramatic enough that I called my vet the second they opened this morning and made her an appointment. My mother, thankfully, agreed to take her in, since I had to go to work, and my vet agreed to treat the cat but allow me to pay over the phone via credit card. Thank the Great Pumpkin for reasonable people. At this point, Alice was having breathing difficulties, throwing up, licking her lips constantly, was extremely lethargic, and had visibly lost weight. (No, I am not a totally irresponsible cat owner. This all happened very fast, and Alice felt bad enough that she kept hiding under things, making it difficult to monitor her condition.)

After spending the morning in borderline-hysterics, I finally got the call from Mom: Alice has pneumonia, which she got the same way humans get it—bad luck, fluid in the lungs, and an opportunistic infection. She's been given an antibiotic shot and some fluids, and I have liquid antibiotics to pump into her for the next few weeks. I also have strict instructions to give her anything she wants, providing it won't hurt her, until she gets her weight back up. So I guess it's the all-wet food, all-the-time diet around my place for a week or two. Let's just hope she doesn't get any ideas about illness equating to better chow, shall we?

It's easy to be calmer now, to make jokes now, to talk about giving her an entire turkey for Thanksgiving, if that's what she wants. But the fact of the matter is, I've been terrified since last night, when it became apparent just how sick she was getting. I am so relieved that she's okay. She's only two. You're not supposed to have to worry about these things when they're only two. But you do.

Hug your kids for me, regardless of their species. I know I'm going to spend the evening hugging mine.

sheistheweather

November 22 2010, 22:56:26 UTC 6 years ago

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I'm so glad it's simple and treatable. Still keeping a candle lit for her speedy and thorough recovery.

valdary

November 22 2010, 22:58:16 UTC 6 years ago

For giving meds i kneel on the floor in a corner with my cat at my side, so there is a wall on his left, a wall behind him, me kneeling on his right side. I wrap my right arm around him and hold his jaw gently with my right hand while i put meds as far back in his mouth as I can reach. Then I stroke his throat with my left hand until he has swallowed a couple of times.

Having said that, the kitty burrito idea sounds good too.

Hope Alice is soon better.

November 22 2010, 23:00:04 UTC 6 years ago

forgot to say, am holding his mouth shut with my right hand while I stroke his throat with my left.

mlerules

November 22 2010, 22:59:22 UTC 6 years ago

Hope Alice gets all better soonest.

nyxalinth

November 22 2010, 22:59:58 UTC 6 years ago

*hugs* Poor boo. Hope she feels better soon

fadedbluejeans

November 22 2010, 23:03:15 UTC 6 years ago

*Hugs* You had me worried for a sec there, hon. I'm so glad Alice will be okay.

Love and hugs to you both, and all the tuna juice in the world to Alice.

elucreh

November 22 2010, 23:05:23 UTC 6 years ago

Sneak in a hug from me in between all your own hugging. I'm so glad she's going to be okay!

kitrinlu

November 22 2010, 23:07:36 UTC 6 years ago

So glad she's going to be ok. Hugs for you and her.

lovefromgirl

November 22 2010, 23:09:11 UTC 6 years ago

I hear you, pumpkin priestess. I had quite the scare with my boy-cat in summer; was very glad indeed that it turned out to be just a bad cold.

Once I have some Advil, I am going to find the nearest furball and cuddle hir. Gently, of course.

labelleizzy

November 22 2010, 23:14:01 UTC 6 years ago

*hugging*

glam_k

November 22 2010, 23:15:14 UTC 6 years ago

I stopped breathing until you finally said Alice will be okay (after boatloads of TLC and all the treats her Maine Coon tummy can handle, of course). Nothing else even comes close to that same level of absolute terror as hearing that someone's cat is suddenly, inexplicably sick! We can *tell* the doctor what hurts where and how much on us (and generally do, ad nauseum, hehe)... unlike cats, who generally hide and utter nary a peep (mewp, mraow, howl, etc.). I'm SO relieved for you. And for Alice. :)

joecoustic

November 22 2010, 23:22:31 UTC 6 years ago

*hugs*

Glad you caught it and she's doing better!!

redbird57

November 22 2010, 23:23:00 UTC 6 years ago

Poor baby! I'm glad she's ok. *hugs* you both.

ladymondegreen

November 22 2010, 23:23:11 UTC 6 years ago

Poor Alice, and poor you.

*many, many hugs*

tollers

November 22 2010, 23:23:47 UTC 6 years ago

Hugs have been administered to all critters here (well, except the garage mouse), along with salmon treats to the kitties and peanut butter cookies to the dogs (and an extra for Coyote).

If Alice is still not feeling like eating, you might supplement w/ Nutrical for a few days. Put it on your finger and then rake it off into the roof of her mouth. It's sticky, so even if she tries to spit it out she'll end up swallowing most of it (while appearing to go Nom Nom Nom through the whole process), and it will keep her calorie count up until her appetite comes back.

brownkitty

November 22 2010, 23:28:03 UTC 6 years ago

::HUGS::

While you're taking care of Alice, don't forget to take care of you too!

Snuggly purry rumbles from Smiley (Holstein cat), Pluto (Sonar Cat), Cedric (Gentleman Cat, and a suspected Maine Coon), and Davie (Garfield, because he's a Large Orange Cat).

The dogs send their love too, but don't want to distress anyone.

deakat

November 22 2010, 23:28:15 UTC 6 years ago

I'm so very glad that she's okay. Hugs for everybody!

yellowblackhaze

November 22 2010, 23:28:23 UTC 6 years ago

It's always hard when pets are ill, more because they can't tell you what's wrong. Best wishes for Alice and hope she's soon feeling well enough to once again enjoy water in her most uncatlike behaviour.

Glad Alice is doing better

cre8vekaos

November 22 2010, 23:38:47 UTC 6 years ago

Nothing scarier than our fur-babies getting sick. I'm glad she's doing better.

madfilkentist

November 22 2010, 23:43:35 UTC 6 years ago

Good to hear it's under control. That can be very scary.

I gave Mokka a hug and she gave me a poke. But that's Mokka.

markbernstein

November 22 2010, 23:51:00 UTC 6 years ago

*hug*

Um . . .

No, that's all. Just *hug*

naurwen

November 22 2010, 23:52:37 UTC 6 years ago

I'm so glad to hear it's something treatable and all that.
One does worry, a lot, and if the illness advances this quickly... I've been there and lost the kitty, though at least he was 13 by then.

janetmiles

November 22 2010, 23:52:38 UTC 6 years ago

Poor kitty, and poor you -- that sounds pretty damn terrifying.

I'm very relieved that it's something treatable. Best wishes to you and Alice for a quick and complete recovery, to your mom and the vet for being supportive, and to Lilly and Thomas just on general principles.