All together now... "meow meow meow" go Boy Kitty and Abbie Cat until I give them food. Abbie just doesn't stop mewing til she gets food. Whata big fatty she's turning out to be. Last week she started to paw at my hand (no claws) when I take her bowl away. Very cute. I take this as a big step in our relationship. My mother visited her today, said she just wanted to pet her, but Abbie backs up and hides, too scared. My mother doesn't care for cats, so this was new feeling for my mom. Unfortunately, Abbie isn't warming up to anyone else but me.

Boy Kitty is also obsessed with food. He's pooping a bit more, but not consistant yet. He sleeps and meows at me alot. I don't know what he wants. I just want him to hang on a bit longer so we can all move into our new place... maybe he will be more comfortable. At this point Abbie will be released, but confined in a different room, separated from Boy Kitty.

Anyway, all seems well with both felines.

Boy Kitty had his T4 retested today. It's too low again -- .5. Dr. Roof told me to cut the dosage back to 1/4 tablets twice a day. He said he would rather his thyroid be a little higher than this low. This is frustrating.

$60 for today's office visit. They charged me the exam which was a little over $20.

Dr. Roof wants us back in 4-6 weeks for retest of total bloodwork.

He said everything else is looking good and that I am doing a good job with him.

Boy Kitty is still having trouble pooping. He's just not regular yet. He's also been meowing at me alot which I take to mean that he is uncomfortable. I'm doing what I can.

I picked up sub-q fluids from the vet yesterday. Dr. Roof came out to see me and ask how BK is. Dr. Roof is another vet that I've seen in the past and he also keeps in touch with Dr. Lester. I was happy that he remembered and that he asked about the Boy. I told him what was going on and that the "fainting" episodes have stopped (as far as I've seen) and he looked flabberghasted as much as I am.

Boy Kitty goes on Saturday for T4 test.

Here's a pic of Boy Kitty (turned his head last minute). Shows that though he's skinnier than what I am used to, he still has some meat to him... even after being furminated today!



Abbie Cat is doing well. She even liked being furminated too.



I know she is getting tired of the cage and she's getting a little chunky too. Few more weeks and I will assimilate her into the house after I move.

Saw her old boyfriend last night. No mistaking it. One of her kids looks just like him.

We have poop!

Day two of no poop for BK. Sigh...

Boy Kitty is doing pretty well. I know that he is still a bit constipated but he's going little tiny turds. Poor guy. I put a bit of Miralax in his food and that is helping. I've watched him a lot this weekend and he didn't fall over again and noone else has seen him do it either. He's still eating, sleeping, walking around and meowing as usual. So I think all is pretty well right now.

Boy Kitty pooped today! Yay! To keep him regular and keep him going from this day forward I will continue to feed him a syringe of pumpkin mixed with Miralax (1/8 tsp per day spread throughout all meals). This should help with any constipation and just keep him going!

I have not seen him fall over again since the other day. That doesn't mean that he hasn't done it when I have not been home and not around him though. When I am home this weekend I will be able to watch him better and see what is going on.

Boy Kitty fell over one more time around me when he was eating. He got back up and continued to eat. He continues to eat, drink, sleep, walk, jump as normal. Sometimes he looks drunk and wobbly on his feet. I noticed he hasn't pooped since Saturday, except for a small turd. I started to force feed him some pumpkin in a syringe to give him more fiber which will help him go. I am also giving him laxatone to help with that and hairballs. I was very panicked this past weekend thinking the end was near. Now I am taking this day to day. He's still functioning. Whatever this falling down business is I am not sure. If it happens more often or whatever, then I'll decide what needs to be done then. I am thinking about picking up a potassium supplement too to help with muscles in his hind legs. Right now his potassium levels are normal but they may not reflect a true reading. Many on the cat forum suggest renal k supplements. I also need to pick up welactin for him and Abbie Cat... speaking of Abbie...

Video of Abbie

Boy Kitty had some more falling episodes today. I took him back to the vet where the vet told me various things it could be. Basically, I will wait and watch. Maybe I will have them do an ultrasound. But I think I will be thinking of putting him to sleep soon. :(

Today I rushed Boy Kitty to the vet after I saw him stand up, back legs give out and then his front legs gave out. He had trouble getting his footing, then I scooped him up, gave him sub-q fluids, and then took him to the vet. They ran his bloodwork and his bloodwork came back stable with some improvements. T4 was high though and so he's on a different dosage of meds starting this afternoon.

current (range) last visit
T4 (thyroid)1.8 (1-5) 6.4 (Dr changed dosage today)

ALB 3.3 (2.3-3.9) 3.1
ALKP 53 (14-111) 25
ALT 60 (12-130) 28
AMYL 1346 (500-1500) 1688
BUN 66 (16-36) 61
CA 10.1 (7.8-11.3) 10.6
CHOL 215 (65-225) 250
CREA 3.1 (0.8-2.4) 3.7
GLU 145 (71-159) 128
PHOS 4.8 (3.1-7.5) 6.0
TBIL .5 (0-0.9) 1.0
TP 7.8 (5.7-8.9) 8.4
GLOB 4.5 (2.8-5.1) 5.3
sodium 166 (150-165) 168
potassium 4.0 (3.5-5.8) 5.7
chloride 127 (112-129) 130
WBC 9.57 (5.5-19.5) 13.0
RBC 5.24 (5.00-11.0) 4.11
HGB 7.0 (8.0-15.0) 6.8
HCT 22.96 (25.0-45.0) 18.7
MCV 44 (39-50) 45
MCH 13.3 (12.5-17.5) 16.6
RDW 14.56 (13-17) 15.5
PLT 324 (200-500) 213
MPV 10.12 (6.5-15.0) 9.0

Cost: $240 (with meds)
plus bought a new water fountain dish at petsmart $50

Will be seeing Dr. K now that Dr. Lester has moved away. I've seen Dr. K before with other pets and I do like him. He wants to see us back in 3 weeks to recheck his T4. If Boy Kitty loses footing again, we may do an xray to see if there is something else going on. Other than that he was very pleased with his bloodwork. I am concerned though. My Boy really scared me today.

Boy Kitty's T4 Test

Today BK had his thyroid rechecked since Dr. Lester lowered his methimazole dosage because the last test results showed that his thyroid was too low.

Weight: 8lbs (last visit 8.4lbs)
T4: 1.8 (1-5) and last visit was .5
He is normal!

Vet visit $21.96

Dr. Lester suggested that Boy Kitty's urinating problem may be behavioral and she told me to place a few litter boxes around and especially where he is urinating. I placed two extra litter boxes with Cat Attract litter in the areas where he is urinating and I caught him urinating elsewhere -- and not in any of the boxes. I threw a inflatable swimming thingie at him to get him to stop because I couldn't reach him. He didn't stop. After he finished, he came to me and I placed him in the litter box. He jumped out. Placed him in again and he jumped out.

I know he is very grumpy because he had to be poked today. He didn't even want to eat when we came home. I usually drop him off at the vet and leave him there all day but because he's become so grumpy with them, I decided to make an appointment after work and bring him there so he wouldn't have to sit there all day. Results? Still grumpy.

Maybe I will try the Feliway spray since the plugin didn't do that much. Feliway is a feline phermone which should help behaviorial problems. I didn't think the plugin helped much but I will try it again.

Today was the last visit with Dr. Lester. Her last day is sometime next week and she will be on her way to NC. BK and I will definitely miss her!

---
AbbieCat is doing pretty well. She isn't coming up to me much but she does allow me to put my arm inside the cage to pet her. Next week I will work on coaxing her to me.

Unexpectedly, AbbieCat returns....

Taming Abbie sidelined and so I returned her to the backyard.

I had a great accomplishment with AbbieCat and a huge setback with her all in the same night last night. I had her sitting on my lap (not freely) and was petting her while she kneaded my leg. Then she got away from me and I could not catch her. She actually went feral - hissing, spitting, growling, biting, climbing up the screened porch. I tried so hard and couldn't get her in the morning either. She was so sweet when confined and so feral when she was loose.

Here was the moment I had to flash forward into the future but also assess what was happening right now to decide what to do.

My vet recommended that the cats stay separate. My boy doesn't like her and was growling at her last night when she kept trying to bug him. He's declawed, he's old, he's sick. If I have to choose one, I have to choose my boy. When I move, I can't have them tearing each other apart in an apartment. I thought with time my boy would come to accept her as he has done with all of my new additions, but in a month, that didn't happen.

I also had to think about Mocha, my chihuahua. When I move, what if Abbiecat isn't so kind to her? I am not saying she would tear her apart, but Mocha is such a weenie.

I had Abbie confined for a month. I fed her, played with her, gave her a ton of treats, petted her, gave her shelter. I thought she was coming around, and she was, but it's amazing how quick the feral returns or more appropriately, resurfaces. Maybe if I didn't have my boy... maybe if I wasn't moving out... things could be different. Or maybe she is just meant to have fun outdoors. I can still provide shelter -- there's a small dog house outside that I put her cat scratch bed in. I can still feed her (when I am gone, my parents will feed her) and give her water. I can still play with her if she would come close (she hasn't all night and she runs away when she sees me). She's spayed, has had shots, and she's still a fighter so I am not too worried about her defending herself. But I can't protect her from cars or kids or wild animals.

I thought about setting a trap out again - trapping her, keep her confined, try it all again. But if it doesn't work and I've kept her confined for 3 more months only to have to rerelease her again, what good did that do for her? After a month I know she is fully healed from being spayed and her ear is finally healed as of this week. I do not worry about her ear getting infected (the ear scab kept reopening and a piece of ear was cut off due to her rubbing).

But I can't help feeling so sad, so deflated. I feel like I failed when at one point I planned my apartment hunting around this new addition. But several factors, including choosing my sick cat over her, made me decide to rerelease her. I am glad she is still hanging around my backyard though. I will miss her coming out of the cage and pushing her head into my hand to be petted...

A feral cat expert wrote to me and told me to return her to my backyard immediately if it's a relatively peaceful place. She said what I am doing would be called returning and not releasing as releasing is when someone would just release a feral anywhere. I am not doing that. I am returning her to her original domain -- my backyard. She said that it was important that I return her now so she doesn't lose anymore of her street smarts. I feel better knowing that the expert is on the same page with my alternative plan.

Boy Kitty -- Bloodwork/Hyper T rechecked

Weight: 8.4lbs (gained due to thyroid being way off)

Todays Visit (Ranges) Last Visit
T4 Test .5 (1-5) 2.5
This means his thyroid is too low. Cut back to 1/4 tablet twice daily.

He's also taking clavamox for UTI for 2 weeks beginning today.

WBC 13.0 (5.5-19.5) 17.0
RBC 4.11 (5-11) 4.69 LOW
HGB 6.8 (8-15) 6.2 LOW
HCT 18.7 (25-45) 20.5 LOW
MCV 45 (39-50) 44
MCHC 36.6 (30-36) 33.7
RDW 15.5 (13-17) 16.6
PLT 213 (200-500) 269
HMPV 9.0 (6.5-15) 9.9
ALB 3.1 (2.3-3.9) 3.5
ALKP 25 (14-111) 35
ALT 28 (12-130) 26
AMYL 1688 (500-1500) 1246 HIGH
BUN 61 (16-36) 63 HIGH
CA 10.6 (7.8-11.3) 9.9
CHOL 250 (65-225) 164 HIGH
CREA 3.7 (0.8-2.4) 3.7 HIGH
GLU 128 (71-159) 172
PHOS 6.0 (3.1-7.5) 8.7
TBIL 1.0 (0-0.9) 0.8 HIGH
TP 8.4 (5.7-8.9) 8.2
GLOB 5.3 (2.8-5.1) 4.3 HIGH

Todays Visit $228.52
Dr. Lester gave me a bag of subq at no charge. I also had a $15 coupon.

Dr. Lester suggested I come back in two weeks to just have his T4 rechecked to make sure the thyroid is stable. A full recheck of bloodwork will not be needed to be done again for another month or so. I have to take Mocha back (my chunky chihuahua who gained 1.2 pounds in 9 months!) to get the remainder of her shots done in two weeks too.

Taming Abbie...

Decided since my last post to include Abigail's story too (aka Abbie, AbbieCat). As much time as I devote to my boy, I've devote a bit more to her since caging her because I want her to be able to roam freely soon within my custody. In just a few short weeks, she exhibited such positive behavior that she will be a formerly feral. I am just sure of it.

-- She meows at me now

-- She will lay in front of me

-- She eats in front of me

-- I can pet her entire body by hand

-- She plays with toys and interacts with toys I tease her with

-- I can scruff her neck and manuever her without too much protest

-- I can pick her up about two inches off the ground

I let her walk around the outside of her cage, just in front of me. And a couple of days ago I let her walk around the outside of her cage all the way to the back. She was really hesitant, excited, and wide eyed. I got her back to me with treats.

She is still timid and often retreats to her cage -- especially since I've been practicing picking her up. She hasn't bitten me... yet... but has swatted me a few times. Sometimes she is hesitant about letting me touch her but lately she pushes into my hand to be petted. Good sign. But it's back n forth -- hesistant/retreat and then rub me please!

She meows at Boy Kitty. He doesn't respond unless he sees her upclose and then he hisses at her.

Boy Kitty will be going to get bloodwork done on Friday. This will probably be the last visit with Dr. Lester and I am still pretty bummed about that. While I know people move on, it's still a bummer because I just so appreciated her warmth and thoroughness with my critters.

I will speak with Dr. Lester on Friday too about AbbieCat and when I can bring her in -- how tame does she have to be, etc.

My Vet, Feral Cat, Update on my Boy

I found out today, while picking up sub-q at the vet's office, that the vet that I really like is leaving and moving to North Carolina by the end of August. I am happy for her but completely bummed because I just love her! You know how it is when you find a doctor or vet that you really click with and then you move or they move... it sad! What I love about my vet is that she is so thorough and tells me everything I need to know in laymans terms and will listen to me when I find out "internet" information. When we visit, she attends to the animal completely and doesn't rush through the visit. I so appreciate that! There are other vets at that office that I have been to before and liked... but they are not her. I am bummed. Our last appointment with her will probably be sometime at the end of the month.

Feral Cat
Two months ago I found three 3-4 week old kittens and a feral cat in the backyard. This is probably the 4th litter I have found (most kittens were dead and some were rescued and given away) but not by the same mom. My uncle took in the three kittens who are still growing and doing fabulous. He's completely smitten by the lot of them and plans to keep them all. What's three more in a bunch, he says!

I have kept the mother around by feeding her regularly with the plans of trapping her and taking her to a clinic to have her fixed. The first time I trapped her she got out of the trap when I stupidly opened the trap door a little to remove ant-infested newspaper. It took her half a day to come back to the yard and about two days to eat again. I kept the trap outside but closed and fed her near it. She didn't seem to mind it at all really. Last night I attempted to trap her again and it took about 4 hours for that to happen. As I type this she is at the nonprofit clinic who spays feral cats for about $40 (ear tipping, rabies, and a few other things included). My uncle met me there and gave me a big cage to set up on my closedin covered porch where I will keep her for a few days until she is healed. If I think she may be tameable, I will try and see what I can do to work with her. I know the chances are slim.

My cat and the feral will be in the same area but as I said above she will be confined. I am not too worried about it as it may only be for a few days.

Update on The Boy
He is doing pretty well, eating well, and seems a bit perkier. The only problem we are having is that he is not really urinating in his box as much. I suspect he may have another UTI which I hear is pretty commom in CRF cats. When we go back to see Dr. L in a couple of weeks I will ask that he be retested for that. I really cannot get him back there any sooner because I am lacking funds right now (I am still paying out of pocket for that one summer class). We will just have to hang in there a little bit.

Oh! He howled once around 2am two nights ago. I haven't heard him do that in a long while and not since. Not sure what that was about but he seems fine besides the urinating.

I wonder if he's marking his territory because of the feral cat? Wonder what will happen when she is inside and confined? It's going to be interesting!

One other thing -- I did go back to the regular dosage of the 1/2 pill twice daily of methimazole. He seems "better" while on this dosage. I know I said before he seemed so lethargic and with no connection, but on the 1/2 and 1/4, he seemed to get too hungry and restless. So I switched it back and all seems well.

He still will not eat Rx food so I continue to give him Fancy Feast and the like with aluminum hydroxide mixed in. I haven't administered the iron supplement because I have read it is not good to mix that and administer the AH near each other. Because he eats when he wants, I just didn't know what to do about that except not do it.

I think that about does it for now!

Mr. Handsome.

Picture taken today after I furminated him.

Since our last visit to the vet, I've reduced his medicine as directed. I give 1/2 tablet once in the morning and 1/4 tablet in the evening. The difference? He connects with me. He meows at me when I am around. He eats more (1-1.5 cans of Fancy Feast per day), seems more interested in the food, and not as picky. He certainly isn't acting as crazy-hungry and full of energy before the hyperthyroidism was treated. So, overall, I think it's a good change. He absolutely doesn't feel boney as he used too. He feels like my big fatty without being as fat as he used to.

It appears that he's doing really good. I will have his bloodwork rechecked sometime in July or August if he continues to do well.

Bloodwork and Hyper-T tests

Dropped the Boy off this morning to get his bloodwork/hyperT rechecked. When I arrived their computers were down so I had to fill out additional paperwork which I didn't mind.

Dr. Lester called a couple of hours later to tell me that his bloodwork had been completed. The results are below.

Weight: 7.8lbs (same as last visit)

Todays Visit (Ranges) Last Visit

T4 Test 2.5 (1-5) 2.6 This means his thyroid is under control. The increase in dosage may not have made that much of a difference. He's acting like an old tired cat which is normal for a cat his age.

WBC 17.0 (5.5-19.5) 12.2
RBC 4.69 (5-11) 5.21 LOW
HGB 6.9 (8-15) 7.8 LOW
HCT 20.5 (25-45) 22.6 LOW
MCV 44 (39-50) 43
MCHC 33.7 (30-36) 34.4
RDW 16.6 (13-17) 15.9
PLT 269 (200-500) 503
HMPV 9.9 (6.5-15) 9.5
ALB 3.5 (2.3-3.9) 3.4
ALKP 35 (14-111) 53
ALT 26 (12-130) 39
AMYL 1246 (500-1500) 1270
BUN 63 (16-36) 93 HIGH
CA 9.9 (7.8-11.3) 10.4
CHOL 164 (65-225) 199
CREA 3.7 (0.8-2.4) 3.0 HIGH
GLU 172 (71-159) 151 HIGH
PHOS 8.7 (3.1-7.5) 6.5 HIGH
TBIL 0.8 (0-0.9) 0.8
TP 8.2 (5.7-8.9) 7.8
GLOB 4.3 (2.8-5.1) 4.6

Cost: $82
I appreciate my vet lowering the usual amount. I appreciate every penny! It was done because the computers were down and because she is good to us!!!

She suggested I give him 1/2 pill in the morning and 1/4 pill at night.
She also put him on aluminum hydroxide liquid - 5cc once per day and this will help lower the phosphorus levels. He should actually have some of this with each food that he eats, so I will mix in at breakfast and dinner. I ordered a supply from thrivingpets.com.

http://www.felinecrf.org/treatments.htm#high_phosphorus
here's more about why getting the phosphorus is important.

Also, need to administer the iron vitamin supplement more regularly but not at the same times as administering aluminum hydroxide. I read some place that the two shouldn't be administered at the same time.

Overall, it was a good visit.

We go back in about a month to recheck.

Urinating

Tonight I gave Boy Kitty sub-q fluids. After we were done, he jumped off the table and tried to run to the living room. He heard the vacuum and turned around. I scooped him up to put him on the patio and as I was walking in the kitchen to the patio, he started peeing!!

This has never happened before! Is this some kind of CRF/HyperT symptom? Or maybe he just couldn't hold it or was scared?

I did catch him spraying a couple of times over the last week and but he's also going in his box. I will have the vet recheck for UTI.

Let's see what else...

He's down to eating about a can a day (of Fancy Feast) and dry food coated with Epakitin. But he's not losing weight either so that is good. He's drinking well.

He seems a bit more peppy but also rather grumpy.

Today I found him outside -- he slipped out somehow. Freaked me out, but at least he stayed in the backyard.

I am glad that I didn't take on a kitten because I really have my hands full with The Boy

Boy Kitty's Bloodwork and Hyper-T tests

Weight 4/18 6.4lbs, 4/21 7.2lbs,
Today's weight 7.80 (I'm really happy to see his weight increasing!)

Price: $176.31 (they waived the office fee :) every bit helps!!)

Todays Total T4 2.6 (1-5)
4/21 Total T4 5.1 (1-5)
Ranges in parenthesis

The following is today's Bloodwork AFTER being on methimazole for over a month .25 tablets (of a 5mg tablet) 2x daily /Ranges in parenthesis / April's bloodwork BEFORE methimazole
WBC 12.2 (5.6-19.5) 15.620
RBC 5.21 (5-11) 4.73
HGB 7.8 (8-15) 6.86
HCT 22.6 (25-45) 21.240 LOW (anemic?)
MCV 43.0 (39-50) 45.0
MCHC 34.4 (30-36) 32.290
RDW 15.9 (13-17) 15.470
PLT 503.0 (200-500) 336.0 HIGH
MPV 9.5 (6.5-15) 10.050

ALB 3.4 (2.3-3.9) 2.9
ALKP 53.0 (14-111) 70.0
ALT 39.0 (12-130) 50.0
AMYL 1270.0 (500-1500) 1292.0
BUN 93.0 (16-36) 55.0 HIGH
CA 10.4 (7.8-11.3) 10.0
CHOL 199.0 (65-225) 183.0
CREA 3.0 (0.8-2.4) 2.3 HIGH
GLU 151.0 (71-159) 162.0
PHOS 6.5 (3.1-7.5) 6.2
TBIL 0.8 (0-0.9) 0.3
TP 7.8 (5.7-8.9) 7.6
GLOB 4.3 (2.8-5.1) 4.6

Dr. Lester recommended that we take Dr. North's recommendation and increase methimazole to half tablet (2.5mg of a 5mg tablet) 2x daily and increase sub-q fluids to everyday.

She wants to see him back in two weeks to retest.

He came home, drank a ton of water, and threw it all up.
-----------
Looking at his values, most are within range and his hyperthyroid is within range too so why would I increase his dosage? Plus, tests show he's anemic. I'm seeking help online with these issues and will follow up with my vet in two weeks. In the meantime, I ordered some vitamins with iron and am going to order a different type of phosphorus binder and see how all that goes...