Thursday, February 14, 2013

For my 'Cat People' Friends ....So Many Vet Bills ...but we love them.

With twenty cats it is not surprising to have had several sick cats over the past little while …poor Felix, our perfect tuxedo cat, got in a fight out side, which we were aware of by the chunks of missing hair appearing on his head but a few days later he seemed to be having trouble with his eye …we bathed it for a few days but eventually we took him to the vet …his eye had been scratched  and there was a scar forming ….sadly the creams didn’t really help his sight and he is now almost blind in that eye and it affects his depth perception. He is a cat who is only happy out side and sleeping on top of the kitchen cabinets at night …several times a week he falls, as he tries to jump up on to the cupboard ….and  I worry about him out side …. but he just could never be a totally inside cat even though he is a softy at heart.
 

 FELIX

 Rusty is our main problem …the vet is pretty sure he has severe Irritable Bowl Syndrome …it is a familial complaint which means Barnaby and Ellie may suffer to a lesser degree, as he is their uncle. Ellie’s only symptom  is wind …unbelievably smelly gas from both ends. Barnaby still has to eat kitten food or he gets diarrhoea that is more like water..  Rusty has to have a diet of chicken and rice …the sachets are not cheap so I tried preparing my own …worked out less than half the price …. would he eat it???? …who was I kidding. We will try again and then later try to wean him off the chicken but so far, it just results in his bowel bleeding. The vet has intemated he could be on it for life.
                                                                                                           
   RUSTY




                      
                                   





 




BARNABY
and                                                 ELLIE








    Rosie also has similar problems but we find by giving her bowel a rest for a few days,  she is fine for quite a while…not sure whether its IBS or that she eats things she shouldn‘t, when  out side.
ROSIE
Smudge has so far only had one seizure …not sure what caused it but the vet said it was quite common in cats around  7 years old …he may never have another but if he does he will have to become an inside cat and be medicated. It took a week for him to get over the effect …he just wanted to sleep and be with Jay, his ‘mummy‘. When it happened we had no idea except that he threw himself into the tiniest house space on the climbing pillar, which we thought was funny and Jay took photos …which we now feel bad about …it was only when he emerged and walked as though he has had a stroke that we realized there was a problem. I didn’t know, until the vet told us, that cats try to run away from the fit and want to be in a tiny area. They ignore all the signs that tell them the space is too small and so many get stuck …for this reason we should keep him in but as he has not had another fit and cries so pitifully to go out we decided to let him out before meals, which the vet said would be OK unless he fits again. So far he only stays out for a short time in this cold weather and is happy to spend the rest of the day sleeping.


SMUDGE














Just thought I'd keep you Cat Folk in the loop as you all have been there and have the T-Shirt.
Sorry about the spacing ...blogger was playing up ...maybe its me !! Take Care xx

6 comments:

Arkansas Patti said...

Yikes, big families sure have lots of problems. I wrote about Minnie having gas so bad she set off the carbon monoxide detector. I tried a lot of things but a particular dry cat food is the only thing that worked. It is called Halo Spot Stew, indoor cat formula. I get it from Amazon with free shipping. Not sure if you could get it there. It has really made the air sweet smelling here.
I also had a totally blind cat that adjusted very well. Hope Felix adjusts to his limited vision.
I know how vet can bills add up. My rescue work took almost everything I made for about 15 years. I am not sorry however for any penny spent. We do what we have to do. Good luck.

Rian said...

They can be hard to keep up with... and with 20 cats, you do have your hands full. We only have 2 'of our 6 inside only' cats that have *health issues* - Ghost who has genetic kidney problems and must stay on Rx KD with constant access to copious amts of water and Jack - who developed Feline Leukemia when he was 4 (altho he's never been an outside cat after we brought him and his 4 siblings in at 3 weeks). He takes Prednisolone daily and occasionally has neurological incidents. The others (knock on wood) are all healthy. 3 are 19 yrs old so they have their own 'age-related difficulties, but that's about it.

crafty cat corner said...

I suppose if we choose to have multiple cat families we must put up with all that goes with it.
People without cats don't understand and I know we are thought a bit cranky but we love our cats so passionately and would go without ourselves for them as I know you would Shozzy.
We had a cat with ingrowing eyelashes once and it cost us £1.600 pound in vets fees (specialist eye man). I sold loads on Ebay to get the money but it was worth it, although it did recur before he died.
Love to know all about your cats
Briony
xx

Anonymous said...

They're all lovely in their own way and I know you couldn't be without them, so I suppose the bills have to be a way of life and you just manage it all. Love Rusty's colours, never knew cats got IBS either!! I'm sure Felix will adjust too, but there will definitely be worries for you along the way. Have a great weekend.

Hugs
Brenda

Eliza said...

If you have pets the bills will keep coming. I so love all your cats, as someone said before me, people who don't have cats dont understand. I love my boys to the heavens and back they are a part of me. Actually the latest addition is becoming more and more beautful everyday, now he is loved the way he deserves to be loved. You asked what breed Yoda is and he is a Devon Rex Pedigree. How could someone lock him in the boot of a car with no light or exercise or care in the middle of winter, horrible people exist that shouldn't own pets. You love all of yours and it shows.

Hugs to all your furry children

Eliza

Deb said...

your cats are all so gorgeous Angie, vets bills are dreadful these days, one of the reasons we are sticking with one dog!
Debxx