I sit here trying to absorb what happened earlier today. He had a bad bout of diarrhea and I had no choice but to bathe him. I have a basin that I put on a chair in the shower and I bathe kitties that way. He just laid in the water and didn’t move. I had to hold his head up, or he would have just dropped it into the suds. The water was blood red and he was bathed several times. I was wondering if I was just bathing a cat who doesn’t want to live, but then just when that thought entered my head, he bent over and repeatedly headbumped my hand. I don’t know who got wetter in this bathe- him or my face. I was crying so hard by the time I was done, I could hardly see.
He laid on the rug with warm towels over him as I combed him dry and also used the blow dryer on him. He didn’t move an inch. I am not kidding when I say this boy is depleted.
I have to go and comb him out again, because he is still wet on his legs (where there is little hair) and his belly (again no hair) so it is a careful assignment.
I feel like I am breaking apart here. I have several kitty crisis going on, and my cat project with Victannie, the spays and neuters and just the worry of finding homes for all these beautiful kittens. For some reason, working with Victannie is so hard because I wonder if I am doing the right thing? I think a lot of it is related to my Dad’s passing and just the great sorrow I feel at the loss of such a special man. I know he is whispering in my ear and telling me I am doing all I can, but when Vic goes flat- that doesn’t mean much. I have NEVER bathed a cat that didn’t move a muscle before. 🙁
And yet, three hours after his bath and recovery and a bit to eat- here he is:
As you can see, he has a hard time right now just sitting upright.
Vic
🙁
Haven’t even been lurking much – life continues to be very difficult and traumatic, both mine and my cats (just discovered another senior cat may have oral SCC). Hard to read so many heartwrenching stories, even though there is good news interspersed with the bad. Too many triggers for my own traumas. But I’ve been peeking in again lately and have been following the Vic saga. That’s been bad for my conditions, too, but can’t help being hooked on him and cheering him on.
I think, for now, you ARE doing the right thing. He has shown some remarkable resilience. I think the medical reports didn’t turn up anything overly concerning? – except for the “dilute” blood. Maybe he was just so close to death’s door when he was found that his recovery may be up-and-down, not linear? I know it’s maddening when you think he’s better, then he’s worse; you think he’s worse, then he’s better.
Could he/would he/should he eat some organ meat to help his iron levels and maybe his blood in general? Lightly cooked liver or chicken hearts. Most of my cats go nuts for the hearts, even the picker ones.
Could you tell when you bathed him – was the blood in the diarrhea (maybe/maybe not a major issue), or was it dried blood on his skin from the previous severe flea infestation (less of an issue, since the fleas are gone)?
I know you have your hands full with Vic and all the others. I hope Vic’s collapsing episodes are just exhaustion, and that the love, food, supps, meds, etc will gradually work to overcome his depletion. From your descriptions, he’s clearly responsive to you, he knows you are taking care of him, he knows he is safe with you. That can go a long way in anyone’s recovery, and I hope his strength and health gradually return. I hope to read a later update when Vic can be short, not just for Victannie, but Victory!
P.S. One of the things about Vic’s story that led me to keep reading was his original gender and name. I also had a rescued orange tabby, presumed female, who I named Marigold. When she was found to be a he, his name was changed to Rufus. We had several good years together, although his final year was a nightmare of inept medical care. After months of struggle, we finally found the right doctors/modalities to undo the damage the others had inflicted. Unfortunately, his immune system hadn’t yet recovered from all the stress/medications, he developed an aggressive cancer, and had to be put down a month after starting the new, effective treatment. He was one of my favorite cats, and I will always miss him. Hoping VERY hard that your rescued orange boy has the happy ending that Rufus was not able to enjoy.
Thank you for reading and responding. Like me, it sounds like you are down in the trenches of rescue and I do apologize if my writing is raw for you to read. It is just my life, a glimpse into rescue of high-risk cats and kittens and yes, it can take a toll on anyone.
I am feeding him AD at the moment. The supplements he is getting is supposed to help bump up his immune system and keep him goiing. I haven’t tried the organ meats- surprisingly, not many of my cats like those.
The blood was from the flea dirt- not the diarrhea, I can be thankful for small favors on that front. His heart murmur is quite strong- but again the vet believes the fleas are the cause of all the problems that and the chitload of worms he was packing around!
Good luck and thank you for sharing so much of you here on my blog. It was something I needed to hear-
P.S. Sorry the above post was so long, but another thought: I’ve bathed plenty of cats, and some have been so freaked by the experience that they stayed still and submitted without struggle. Vic’s depletion in the basin was worrisome, but I’m hoping that it was partly just submission, and not utter exhaustion.
I believe “mycatsbreakmyheart” has hit on something. Your Vic may have been so close to death’s door that bringing him back is going to be an up and down challenge and a very long process. I too have had cats that I have bathed that exhibited the same behavior as Vic, just submitting to a bath, almost collapsing. And unfortunately I have not had a positive outcome for them. In my case, I had cats that was much sicker than I thought and unfortunately by the time it became really evident it was too late. Those circumstances I blame on myself because I was not paying closer attention. Please don’t misunderstand – I am not saying that your Vic will fall into the same category. You pay very close attention but it’s hard to say what came before he was found so he could have endured prolonged starvation, abuse, and who knows what else. I think all you can do is follow what feels right for you and him. It may be that one portion of your path is to help those cats in need as they near the end of their journey. While it’s heartbreaking, we are all mortal, even the kitties that we love and try to save.
Thanks for responding for the Vic update, including a new pic. Glad the blood was old flea dirt! From what you’re saying it sounds like the prolonged starvation along with the significant blood loss are the presumed sources of his depletion. Testing sounded comprehensive, so I assume hyperthyroidism was ruled out?
Maybe he has a weak heart from age/genetics in addition to the stress from starvation, anemia, etc. Muscle atrophy probably a given, maybe other organ damage? All of that would I think explain his persistent weakness. Have you used CoQ10 for cats with heart conditions and/or gingivitis? Would your vet be on board? For my cats with gingivitis/stomatitis (one of them has a heart murmur, too), I mix liquidCoQ10/Vitamin E in a syringe, squirt it along their gumlines, then rub it in with my finger. Consistent use (2-3 times/week) has made a difference. YMMV, and Vic has lots of ground to regain, but it might be another helpful weapon in the arsenal.
I used to always have a/d in the cupboard for convalescing cats, foster kittens, etc. Vets/techs for years told me it was loaded with calories – twice as high as a typical can. When Rufus was sick and I had to throw anything and everything at him to encourage him to eat, I started reading labels/researching more. I was shocked to find that a/d is no higher in calories than many “premium” brands. Maybe it used to be calorie-dense and they changed the formula without being upfront about it. (Gee, NO pet food manufacturer ever does THAT.) I just checked Hill’s website, and a/d has about 180 calories a can – not all that high. Hill’s d/d diets are higher – d/d venison is 197/can. a/d is still a good convalescent food, especially if you have to syringe-feed, but I haven’t used it recently. I keep meat baby food on hand as a carrier for supps and meds (way easier for me to get stuff into them). I will feed it outright for a picky, inappetent cat. Not a complete diet, and can’t feed it exclusively longterm, of course, but since Vic liked it in previous posts, maybe it could continue to be a boost to the a/d.
BTW, I was never a big-time rescuer, and not been active in that for several years (one emergency cat came in 2 years ago, but that was an exception). Too ill and stressed myself to keep doing it, and too broke now that I’m on disability from accumulated stress and trauma. You don’t have to apologize to me, Mary Anne, about the trauma that’s here on your blog. I know it’s what you deal with on almost a daily basis. Because I have/had so much trauma of my own, I need to limit how much I expose myself to. I was just explaining why I’ve popped in before, but haven’t for a long time. Plus, I still have several “rescue residue” cats who weren’t supposed to come in at all or were supposed to be temporary – have been bailed on by shelters, rescues, and adopters. But you know what that’s like.
Here’s hoping that Vic will slowly but surely recover and thrive – happy endings for all.
I think you are doing the right thing is caring for Vic. If he is not in pain, then it may be that he just doesn’t have the strength to do much for himself. Yet he wants to eat and drink, wants to use the litter-box. That means there’s life in him yet.