A cat health issue you should know (this is about mine)

Dear Forum goers,

I know that you guys probably could care less about my life (or else you REALLY REALLY want to know what's going on...um...take a step away, your breathing on my neck), but today I had to put my sweet Dexter to sleep.

The fact that you should know about this is that I don't want anyone else to have to feel stuck in this position.

Anyway, I actually took a "vacation" to the college I am going to around June 6 and 7th, and when I returned, I found Dexter a bit bloated and not in any mood to chat, as he really could not go to the bathroom. So, I took him to the vet when he threw up (well...spit up) I had read in a book (because I assumed that he was just bloated again) that "Be Careful" some cats may act like there bloated but actually have crystals/sand in their bladder that makes it hard for them to go to the bathroom. This was the case with Dexter. They immediately had to catheritized (spelled wrong) him to drain out his bladder. The first time, there wasn't enough time to properly drain him. So they set him up so I could take him home. I did, but that Sunday, his bladder was blocked again. So (with my dad's help) we took him to the Emergency Pet center. There, they drained his bladder. That monday, I took him back to the vets where he stayed all week...again. (By now this is getting pretty expensive and the assistants know me). I did get to take him home by that weekend. He seemed fine.

About a week passes, and he's taking his meds, but seems to be having a little "Leaking" and still some trouble. So, back again! Another round of Anti-biotics and muscle relaxants. Well, about yesterday morning, I finished the second round of anti-biotics, but he was still straining to use his box. Yesterday, I sort of watched him, took some pictures, and just did some stuff with him. Today, I woke up, and I saw him still trying. He tried on the floor my bed, ect. so at 6 I put him in the Bathroom. At 7 I let him out, but I knew I had to take him to the vet. I started crying because I was worried about the financial aspects (because I technically would not have money right now if not for my parents), but I think I knew what really was going on when I dropped him off this morning.

Anyway, the vet had called (this evening) both my parents, called where I work, and I got ahold of her. She told me two options: Surgery (20% chance of working, but more pain) or put him to sleep (no pain, best of the bad options). The reason for these options was because she could not insert the tube. The blockage was pretty good and there was a good chance his urinary tract had had it.

I chose to put him to sleep. I'm lucky my dad was off, because I left work and I met him there and stood with my cat for like half an hour. He had been under for about two hours. I wish it didn't have to come to this. I really don't, but in a way, it was the best option. I now don't have to worry about him while I'm at college (because there is a chance of a re-blockage) but I'm not going to be able to know that he is around. In a way, he will still be with me because I am getting his ashes.

The reason I want you people to know about this is that it seems to be that the diet can do this. My cat had eaten the same food for years, but now had this problem. I don't know. Just that if you have a male, overweight cat, this is a health problem to watch out for. Straining the first sign and when they throw up, the cat has about 24 hours left to live.

I also just wanted to tell you guys this for some reason because I know I mentioned him here a lot. I'm sorry I can't post a picture right now. I had some pictures on my other computer. One especially of him sniffing my Big O action figure...oh...now I'll never be able to do that comic with him and Big O...

I don't know if any of you have ever had this problem or know of anyone who had this problem, but I do. A few people have encountered this and I just feel terrible there wasn't much else I could do. (Their cats didn't have a bigger problem. Something was going on with Dexter)

My parents and the vet office have been so kind to me. I'm really glad that the one vet was the vet who watched over him so well.

I may have only had him four years, but he helped me through a lot of rough times. I'll miss him.

Blessed Be,
Pen1300

PS: I also want to say you guys are great. I was reading over Tick's welcome thread and that cheered me up a little bit. Also, the Pool Table is great. Thanks guys!

** hugs pen1300 ** I am so sorry about Dextor, dudette. I pray the Lord will allow him through the gates of heaven. I hope you are all right.

pen1300,
I am sorry to hear about your pet cat. It seems that you cared for him very much.

Well, I hope you can move on with your life and think of the good memories you had with Dexter.

Kind Regards,
Trisa

quote:

Originally posted by Tony ** hugs pen1300 ** I am so sorry about Dextor, dudette. I pray the Lord will allow him through the gates of heaven. I hope you are all right.

Ditto. I know how you feel, I too have had pets die. one in particular was my cat named Piere, he was my favorite pet and he died of feline leukemia.

My condolences to you.


I had a cat once who was also put to sleep. It just plain sucks. I would have gotten another cat, but then I remembered how evil they are when they are grwoing up. With the claws and the bitings.


So now I have a dog, who can't stand still.

quote:

Originally posted by Hienrich Ele My condolences to you. I had a cat once who was also put to sleep. It just plain sucks. I would have gotten another cat, but then I remembered how evil they are when they are grwoing up. With the claws and the bitings. So now I have a dog, who can't stand still.

LOL, that is so cute.

I have so many wonderful memories of him, especially how he was the only cat I knew big enough to lay on his back and let me pet his stomach. (I think he attacked everyone else who tried for more than a second ).

Yeah, I cared about him very much. Tonight I [hopefully] will have some comfort from my mom's cat (who I nicked named Princess) who decided to live up stairs with me. I like to think that Dexter and her would have gotten along at some point...

I'm very confident that he will come back in my life again (firm believer in reincarnation and familiars) when the time is right...except there is a chance I think that he might come back as a bull dog...(I had a dream recently he was a bull dog...huh...)

Later,
Pen1300

quote:

I'm very confident that he will come back in my life again (firm believer in reincarnation and familiars)

Would my fish count?

After it died (I was quite young), I attempted to "heal" it after school..how you may ask? In my crazy concept of "medical knowledge", I thought that prodding it with a chopstick would cause it to begin breathing again (this sounds sick, morbid, and incredibly spiteful. But I legitimately did it hoping the fish was only ill. I'm an idiot, I'm not given to postmortem mutilation).

Point is, I buried it in..a semi-intact form, do the rules still apply?

Now you're making me sad, I had 4 cats but one of them was killed........

Anyway, I only have one male cat. He doesn't seem sick.....

He has only thrown up a few times in the last few years....., he isn't fat, but he has got a little pouch of gut..

Sorry to hear that Pen

I've heard of this before, and me and my mother keep a close eye on our cats health and behavior so I think we're ok.

sorry about your cat pen

Aww, I'm so sorry Pen1300.

I've had two cats (both overweight males) go through this. We had no idea what was going on with the first one, it was very scary and we ended up losing him.

The second one belongs to my parents and my mom has been watching him like a hawk. Mainly letting him have access to a special pH balanced dry food and lots and lots of water all the time, with canned food once or twice a day to make sure he's getting enough moisture.

The frustrating thing is that it seems to happen for no reason. Vet sites like this are trying, but mainly they just come up with things that might make it stop.


I hope your Princess helps ease the loss. They both sound like wonderful pets.

quote:

Originally posted by pen1300 I have so many wonderful memories of him, especially how he was the only cat I knew big enough to lay on his back and let me pet his stomach. (I think he attacked everyone else who tried for more than a second ). Yeah, I cared about him very much. Tonight I [hopefully] will have some comfort from my mom's cat (who I nicked named Princess) who decided to live up stairs with me. I like to think that Dexter and her would have gotten along at some point... I'm very confident that he will come back in my life again (firm believer in reincarnation and familiars) when the time is right...except there is a chance I think that he might come back as a bull dog...(I had a dream recently he was a bull dog...huh...) Later, Pen1300

well, i'm sorry for what happened to ol' bobtail (what i called Dexter). We all loose animals or things we hold dear (my car's taillight and my confidence in crossing traffic, for example), and i know, it's not fun

As for petting his tummy, i petted it a couple times (i think he scratched me once or twice for it though)

As for him reincarnating as a bulldog, i think dad likes bulldogs (if my bad memory serves me right) or mabye he'll become involved in my crazy life later on (knowing me, anything's possible)

Aww, Pen.... I'm so sorry

I know how painful it is to make that choice.
I've had my fair share of cats, and each one has been special in it's own way.

I remember my cat Tiger, he was a very sweet cat. I got him and his brother from the vet, and raised them since they were kittens. Two years passed, and I had come back from vacation. I had them watched by a neighbor, and I hadn't noticed at first but Tiger had a large burn on one side. Apparently he got so scared of the neighbor that he squeezed himself between the wall and the radiator. He seemed to be doing well despite it. So the next day I took him to the vet, and he go stitched up and all. He was doing just fine, and then it happened.......I'm not sure how many days or weeks, or even months it was after that, but I came home from school and went in to..................................................

I'm sorry, I can't finish this right now.

I'll try to finish it in a bit.

Ok, let's finish this.

................ my room, and I saw him by my display case for my models, he was I thought just laying down next to it, his brother was up on my top bunk. I went to say hi.......and that's when I saw he wasn't breathing, and his body was cold.

I called my mom in right away (she came home the same time i did and was taking care of other things), we tried to resuscitate him, but it was long after the fact.

I held him close to me for what seems like forever, hoping against everything that my warmth would bring him back. I had him cremated, and the cause was never determined because I didn't want an autopsy. The one main probability was a heart attack since he and his brother were big cats (they were found outside the vet's office in the "forested" area, so they were bigger then your average cat.

Still, to this day I have that moment of finding him like that burned into my memory.

• Attachment: me+tiger-cropped.jpg

Losing a cat sux big time. I've lost 2 in my life. The first was Patches (my mom's cat from before I was born), and when Patches died we burried him in the backyard with a wooden corss of his grave...(the area which then became covered with 10FT of wood chips ). The second was more recent (when I was iin 6th grade). My cat, Tag, had fallen ill and she was getting worse. She had problems eating and going to the bathroom...but to make a long (and painful story for me) short, she had problems with her kidneys and so she was in pain nearly all the time before she died. She died at home somewhere around 10:30 I think in the fall of my 6th grade year. (either fall of winter) ...I could tell instantly, at school, when she had died because I had sensed something during class (ironically we were discussing the Egyptians and mummies and their customs/beliefs).

I was broken up for a hell of a long time...You have my sympathies Pen. I wish you strength and well-being.

I am very sorry to hear of your beloved cat's demise, pen1300. Do you know if that infection can be found in female cats?

Pen and R. Smith, I feel for both of you. I had a dog named sage ever since I was born, and I felt awful for a long time when he was gone.



Edit: Oops! What I posted was supposed to be a PM to THEBIGDUOINFERNO.

Pen, I know how it feels to lose a pet, and how much harder it is to have to decide to let them die. Dexter will always be with you in a sense.

((pen1300))

Pygmalion

*hug-hug-hug pen*

Flashback of what I went through with Pixel back in Feb (dying of an infection and throat blockage). I know that animals are more than pets, they're babies. Dexter's joined Pixel and the other PCF babies and they're having a great time while they wait for us.

*more hugs*