Midge the cat. She is lying in a patch of morning light, peeping at me to see what the heck I'm doing. Better not be anymore syringes of chicken broth and meds. I got her to eat a few teensy bites of raw chicken liver from my finger.
I came home from Christmas holidays and quickly surveyed the animals. Midge and Teddy would usually be the first ones there. No Midge. Unpacked, etc. Still no Midge. Went to look for her and found her curled up in her bed in the garage. Not a good sign.
Midge is the fattest and furriest animal of the lot. Her fur is legend. If you remember, I had a feral cat colony at the barn and fed and kept them on birth control for three years... Five of them that were spayed etc. lived up at the house and came and went through the doggie door. I tried everything, even once putting tin foil on all the countertops, trying to dissuade the cats from leaving dirt they roll in and cat hair all over the house. Clothes, furniture and even in my mouth. Finally, the doggie door was closed and the cats relegated to a life outdoors.
On New Year's day, I called the vet, but it was closed. I put her on antibiotics for three days until Monday morning when I took her to the vet. Checkup and tested for feline leukemia (neg) and given a long acting antibiotic shot. Wed. morn she was worse instead of better. Went back to vet.
She was in bad shape. IV fluids, other meds and kept getting worse. Her red blood cell levels extremely low. Finally, a blood transfusion as a last resort.
Here she is curled up with Sister. After a week at the vet, still on meds, she is not much better - weak and hardly eating nor drinking. Went from healthy? to near death in two weeks.
Midge isn't a cuddly cat. Her mother's name is Mean Mom, who misses her terribly outside. If Midge wants contact, she'll usually just walk by my leg for a tiny swipe against it and I might get a swipe down her back. It has to be her initiating the touch. I love her anyway as I do all my animals (even Mean Mom who tried to scratch my eyes out once and slapped my glasses off.) I'm not sure Midge is going to make it. I certainly don't want to prolong the inevitable, if that's the case with Midge. Maybe a false neg test, microplasmosis (I think that's what they called it), or infectious disease. If that were the case, I would think all the antibiotics would have begun to work.
Meanwhile, I am stuck at the farm, caring for her and don't know what next week will bring. I hate the worrying - makes my heart palpitate, so I try to keep busy. Don't want to have to take her back to the vet to board her. Some animals are not meant to be caged and I know Midge was miserable that week (even though the vet said at one point she was pretty loopy and out of it.) I never board my animals as I know it is too stressful for them and me.
Meanwhile, I am stuck at the farm, caring for her and don't know what next week will bring. I hate the worrying - makes my heart palpitate, so I try to keep busy. Don't want to have to take her back to the vet to board her. Some animals are not meant to be caged and I know Midge was miserable that week (even though the vet said at one point she was pretty loopy and out of it.) I never board my animals as I know it is too stressful for them and me.
Oh Midge. I don't want to lose her.
25 comments:
She looks good..if we should all look that good..she is photogenic even when feeling poorly..
never easy to have a sick pet..I hope she gets better soon..cause I don't want you to lose her either.Sister is so much a mix of my daughter's chihuaha and her tekla:)As is the two combined became Sister..They sure look comfy.
She is a beautiful cat though not grooming herself at present. Yes, caring for Sister is just about all I can handle. Still have to cook all Sister's food and give her insulin injections and drops in her eyes. Sister is just letting Midge lay beside her for the time being. You can tell by Sister's ornery face she's not having it for long.
Doesn't the vet know what's wrong with her Donna ? Midge and Sister look so happy together .... perhaps sister knows Midge isn't well. We've had three cats ..... it's not good when they don't eat ..... here's hoping that she gets her appetite back soon. XXXX
If she was a feral barn cat she comes honestly by undemonstrative behavior. My black and white is feral, and treats me just as Midge does you. Toby does wish I would learn to lick his ears, as our now deceased house cat number two did.
I have loved cats all my life, some more than others. I had a black and white when I first moved her. Close to twenty years on she wanted to leave this world, and I objected. The vet examined her for everything, and treated her for some things. Renal failure was coming on fast; I had her hydrated day after day. Then my sister said, "You're not doing that cat any favors," and Pasha and I made our last trip to the vet.
\oh dear Donna - poor you. There is nothing worse than a stressed out animal who can't tell you what's wrong. Hope things sort themselves out.
My vet is on maternity leave and three different vets filling in didn't know other than what the blood tests showed. If it's an infectious disease, they are hard to diagnose. I assume it is viral or worse, but still hopeful she'll rally.
I am so sorry. They wind their paws (claws and all) deep into our heartstrings.
I understand. If the leukemia test was a false neg, they would have to go into bones for marrow test. All very expensive. Already spent too much and I have 6 more cats. That and I never did say it, but the $3500. cataract surgery for Sister's eyes turned into $7000. in eye stuff alone. Midge's kidneys and liver tests are good, just the red blood cell count bad. She's happy now in the house and sleeping in bed with me at night. We'll see. She's only about 6 years old.
I do too Pat. I'm never having another animal after these all go - maybe a goldfish or bird.
Yes Child. And, for us animal lovers, more so. I wish I didn't love them so much. My husband could care less about animals. At times like these, I wish I was like that.
What sad news today.
Whatever happens remember you did your best as you loved her.
It is so hard when they can't tell you what is wrong.
When Watson died at 17 with all his problems, last September I was shocked. He had a form of fast moving cancer. I always thought thehamish would always go first.
They love us we love them and then they leave us heartbroken.
cheers, parsnip
She does look a bit irked now that you mention it:) Out of her comfort zone..
I'm still giving her food and she went out in the sunshine a couple of times today. I'd say that is an improvement however small.
Donna, so very sorry to hear this. I do hope there is some improvement.
Donna, hoping that the care and treatment that you and the vet are giving to Midge will restore her strength. I'm more of a dog person than a cat person, yet can see the charms of both. One of my work colleagues and her partner are part of a volunteer team who rescue feral cats in Central Park, and do all they can to have them treated, inoculated for various diseases, and hopefully adopted into loving homes. I am in awe of all that they've managed to accomplish. These chilly winter months are particularly tough.
Best wishes. xo
I hope that Midge will start to regain her health soon. It seems like a good sign that she will take a tiny bit of food and liquid.
Thank you Michelle.
Thank you Frances. I applaud anyone who helps animals as they have no voice. I don't know why I ended up with that feral colony at the barn, but I did the best I could. Around here, no one wants a cat and feral cats usually don't make good pets unless you get them as babies. Still, I love them all, even Mean Mom and Pond Kitty who doesn't like anyone. I had her fixed and shots and brought her to the house, but she hates other cats and terrorized my weenies, so I took her back to the barn where she is happy and spends lots of time by herself at the pond. She will want me to pet her and pick her up, when I put her down and walk away, she yowls and slaps my legs. She is hopeless.
She is alert this morning, in my bed. I will try to feed her and medicate her in a bit. Thank you for your good wishes.
Donna, I am so sorry to hear this and hope that she gets better soon. I have one Himalayan cat, Miss Belle and I would be heartsick to lose her.
xoxo
Karena
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I know Karena. For some unknown reason, I have been given a "chicken heart" as Grandma Great used to call me. Feel deeply for creatures great and small. I found out today she hasn't been holding it until I let her out and the doggie bed is in the washer for the third time. Guess that bladder is still working.
We used to have so many animals hence the name of my blog. But we promised ourselves that as they passed on we would not replace them mainly because of all the vet bills. The hardest part is saying goodbye and we have a few to come.
Yes, Doc. It is very expensive to feed and care for them. I still haven't found a forever home for the horses and not a chance I'll find homes for a few of the cats. No more animals for me either. It just destroys me to lose them.
Dear little Midge.. I am sorry for you and for her, but you are correct that some animals should never be left caged at the vet. It would traumatize a kitty like her. You can only do what you can do, and let nature take over.. I know, I hate that too, I have lost so many and it is always painful to see them go, even a simpleton duck or an ancient dog. The best thing is, that she is not alone. I held my little Peepers in my lap last April, as she passed away. That hurt.
I keep waiting for her to rally, but I'm wondering if she's going to. I am mixing cat food and chicken broth and giving it to her in a syringe also putting little bits of raw chicken liver in her mouth. She is drinking, but I think it is down hill and will stop feeding her before long. We'll go back to the vet Monday if she hasn't changed. Won't do any more blood transfusions. She did get better after the first one, but to keep doing it. Well, I'll decide Monday.
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