What's Going On

Update on me, Cal

I still had a pretty rough weekend, even with the medications. It may be because they haven't had time to work to their full effect yet, or because I vomit them up before they can even begin working. My vet said the predisolone could take a little time to calm the inflammation in my abdomen. Saturday lunch was the first meal I was able to keep down. However, I didn't keep my supper down that night, or my breakfast the next morning.

The lady had leaky eyes for most of the day yesterday because she feels very helpless (not in control) in this situation and there is nothing she can do to soothe my poor tummy. I gave her lots of headbutts to let her know she is doing everything right. She, in return, gave me lots of scritches. She and I spent a little time on the back porch yesterday afternoon. I love to be outside and it really seemed to perk up my mood. She even put my food out there , but I wasn't ready to eat just yet.

When I do decide to eat it is not much at all, only about a teaspoons worth of food. She brought home a canned food that I really enjoy, (at the moment) it smells just like a turkey dinner! I had breakfast this morning and took my meds (yuck.) Hopefully I will keep them down and not give her any surprises to clean up when she gets home for lunch.

The lady is supposed to call my nice new vet tomorrow with an update on me, I hope she is able to give a good report cause if not, it's back to the vet for x-rays. Please purr for me so I don't have to go back!! And thanks so much for all the kind words, purrs, and purrayers so far. You guys are the best!!! Not only do the kind words help to perk up my mood, but they are comforting to the lady and man as well!

Easy Like Sunday Mornin'

**We will update on Cal tomorrow**

Home

Shew! What a day.......no, week it has been! I am very happy to be home. This is the second time this week I have been held hostage and carried away to the v-e-t. However, this time it was a lot more pleasant and shall I say.....a bit of a relief. This new vet really listened to my problems, took a very thorough history, examined me, etc. She spent a good 30 minutes with me! Upon palpitating my tummy she said my intestines felt a big thickened, and given my history and current problems she thought it could possibly be inflammatory bowel disease. She wanted to rule out the thyroid, so she stole some of my blood and ran the T-4 test. The results showed that I am very close to being hyperthyroid, so we are going to re-run the test in a few months.

I was given an injection for nausea while I was in the office and was sent home with 3 medications! That is a lot of pills to swallow, but I am willing to take them if they make my tummy feel better! One pill is for inflammation of the intestines (prednisolone), one is for nausea (reglan), and one is to fight infection and also has anti-inflammatory effects in the bowel (metronidazole.)

I am very happy with my vet experience and was not as bad as usual. If I do not show progress in a few weeks I must go back for more tests. Please keep purring and purraying that this is the cure and I start eating again soon. I think the nicest thing the new vet told me, was that she would not give up on me. That made the lady and man servants feel very happy!

The outpouring of purrs and support from ya'll is so heartwarming. Thanks so much for all the comforting comments, we appreciate every one! We are sorry we haven't been by and visited ya'll much this week, but we will be back very soon!

I Want Action

Update on Cal

Cal has reverted back to sick, vomiting kitty, who will not eat. The lady has done lots of research online, and found that vomiting could be a symptom of a number of illnesses in cats. A friend asked if maybe Cal could be suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, at first the lady wasn't too sure, but looking at the symptoms, there are so many similarities. Vomiting, excessive thirst, weight loss, decreased appetite, etc. What really caught her attentions was that it can occur in cycles or the cat can have flare ups and remissions. Since Cal has been to the vet 3 or 4 times in the past year for the same symptoms, maybe these are flare ups of IBD.

Cal is going to another veterinarian today at 4:00 for a second opinion on his condition. We are going on day 5 of not eating or vomiting up what little he has eaten. This cannot go on through the weekend. We can no longer take the wait and see and let his stomach settle approach, we want action.

Please purr for Cal and pray that this next vet can get him feeling better again.

Getting Better

Update on Cal

This photo was taken 10/24/07, it was just after he came home from his dental cleaning and he was still a little tanked. The vet had to give him extra juice because he was being such a little stinker. He weighed 14 lbs that day. Today he is weighing in at only 9lbs.

Cal did not eat anything yesterday. He didn't vomit anymore since the update yesterday.... until this morning. This morning, Cal ate about a teaspoons worth of wet food and not 20 minutes later it came right back out.....on the rug. So once he was finished expelling his breakfast he was given a 1/4 tab of Pepcid AC. Afterwards, the lady went to Pet Smart and bought two different kinds of cat food for sensitive tummies, some acidophilus, and Bene Bac.

Cal with his favorite person in the world, the man servant. This photo was from 10/28/07.

Cal went right for Royal Canin Digestive Special 33 cat food. Before she could pour a little bit in the bowl he stuck his head in the bag, this was a good sign. She only gave him a small amount and he ate it! After he ate she gave him some Bene Bac. So far he has held it down, hopefully the new food agrees with him. Now she can return the other bag she bought.

Thanks to all for the comments, purrs, purrayers, suggestions, etc. We have some great friends and wonderful support!

**The lady wants to know why cats choose to vomit on rugs and not on a slick (easy to clean) surface. She has 3 small rugs in the whole house and the rest is hardwood/linoleum. She says it doesn't matter where we are, if we start puking, we will run to the nearest rug. hehehe**

With A Little Help From My Friends - Update On Cal

**Update on Cal**
First we would like to think all of our friends in the blogosphere for their purrs and purrayers for Cal. It means so much to us!

Cal is so glad to be back home from the vet visit. The vet performed a blood chemistry panel, which checked his glucose, liver function, kidney function, etc. It all came back normal! Yay! The vet said it was probably a sensitivity to his new food. The food upset his tummy and caused him to vomit so much that he began to vomit up a little blood. This is probably from irritation in the lining of the stomach or esophagus. Cal is down to 9 lbs, he was 14 lbs this time last year, so that worries me. He was his usual bad boy self at the vet, which makes it hard for him to be throughly examined. He was given an injection of Metoclopramide (Reglan) for nausea and vomiting. He vomited again when we got home, but hopefully the injection will start working soon and he can eat again.

I know some of you are lucky to live in areas where you have access to holistic veterinarians, in these parts we don't have any nearby. I would much rather use something natural to help cure Cal of his tummy upset. Does anyone out there have any advice for some good remedies for cats with sensitive stomachs who vomit frequently??

Thanks again for all the purrs and purrayers!

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

Cal and Maizy Grace

It was a great weekend for fall bazaars and yard sales. Look what the lady got for $3 from a yard sale over the weekend. It was a baby doll bunk bed. However, when she saw it she automatically thought, that's a cat bed!! It needed a little bit of work, like plywood to go across the slats so we don't fall through and a little spray paint. Then she made removable mattress covers out of pink towels and ribbons.

She also bought an old, very dirty, bench for $5. She cleaned it up and put on a new coat of paint and pillows across the back. It is used for storage and extra seating in the living room for humans, but to us it is just another cat bed. She purposely did not add cushions to the seat of this one to make it less enticing to us kitties. We can just knock down the pillows and use those as cat beds.

We have about 6-7 actual cat beds in the living room alone and plenty others scattered about the house. However, no matter how many beds we have we would still rather nap on the counters and the sofa. We have heard a rumor that they might remove the pool table in the loft and make it a whole cat play/napping area for us!

**BREAKING NEWS......Cal is going to the vet this morning at 9:45. He began vomiting yesterday and this morning the vomit was pink (blood tinged.) We are hoping the pink vomit is just caused from an irritation to the lining of the stomach from vomiting so much. We believe the vomiting began because he is sensitive to his new food. We did the gradual switch like you are supposed to, but he may be allergic to it. I will post an update after the visit. Cal is a notorious bad boy at the vet. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst, they have him as a 12!**