Chase Face

Hi all!  Perfect time for a long awaited update right?  You all I'm sure want to hear about the Orinch Menis (he is SUCH a MENIS) or the meezers, or how handsome I am.  Unfortunately I can't give you what you want.  I'm sick.  Very sick.  I've lost 3 lbs. in the past few weeks, I'm lethargic, throwing up bile, and have had dire-rear. 

Last Wednesday the Woman (who I can't hate because she does keep pretty good tabs on me even though she's NEVER here anymore) notice I'm really skinny.  Well, she noticed even a week before that but the Awesome Man told her I'm fine.  Anyhow, she took me to the vet and we both disliked the vet we saw AND it was her last day in the practice....but they kept me overnight and gave me fluids and ran my blood and made sure I was eating.  They discharged me the next day without seeing anything really wrong (aparently...but I'll get to that).  The big-cheese vet man said if I wasn't better in a couple of days to get an ultrasound. 

We live next to, arguably, the best Vet School in the country: University of Pennsylvania.  All of our vets actually went there too.  They have 24/7 care and the Woman and Awesome man have been really busy so they planned on going tonight.  So the Woman calls and gets a rude lady who says they don't have any radioligists around and they can't do an ultrasound.  She calls the other hospital (that she despises from the Latte kitten fiasco) and they were friendly but also said no dice on the radiologist, they could admit me and have the radioligist appointment on WENDESDAY.  No dice.  She calls the local 24/7 clinic and they tell her about North Star which just opened about a month ago.  She called, and they said no problem on the ultrasound just bring me in. 

There were a couple of real woofie emergencies ahead of me that made the Woman cry seeing them so we waited a bit but not too long.  The vet man was really nice and was concerned with my blood results.  Oh yeah, knowing I'd be going to a specialist the Woman had asked the regular vet to send her my records.  It was a silly PITA because she PAID for them, she should get them and last we checked there were no HIPPA requirements for cats.  Anyhow, they were faxed along to her which made the most sense since we ended up at a completely different vet hospital than we thought.  My liver values are 3x the high range.  When she looked at that she got P.I.S.S.E.D.  that the vets hadn't pushed her as more of an emergency. 

So, where we stand is I'm in Central NJ getting fluids and awaiting the morning where the internist vet will be in and give me an ultrasound.  There are lots and lots of options of what is going wrong with me so we aren't freaking out yet.  I am just not myself, I feel really sleepy and uncomfortable and have very little interest in eating or drinking.  I weigh meezer weight 10 lbs.  Me!!  10 lbs!!  Things are not good with me and I can't wait to feel better.  Everyone's purrs from Facebook have been so wonderful and they remind the Woman that I'm not just her cat, I belong to all of my friends here, I have such a wonderful extended family even though we don't blog much anymore.  We love you all!

Finally, all of this is made so much less stressful to my humans because of my pet insurance.  We've said it all along, but this is the first time we've really needed it in 3 years of having it.  Pet Plan is such a blessing.  My bill is already $2,600 and all but $200 of that is covered under my policy; up to $8,000 (and I only have "bronze" coverage Kaze has gold for $12,000) per year.  Please everyone, have your humans consider insurance!!  It is only a couple hundred a year per cat.  The Awesome Man did the math and it would ake 250 months of payments to get to the point where it would be cheaper to have just paid for it yourself.  The hospital lady said only 10% of animals who come in have insurance, I hope I can inspire even just one of my friends to be covered.

Thank you all for the purrs and keep them coming!

Snap Update #2

We thank everyone for their continued purrs for Snap.

Meowmy went out this afternoon hoping to find her chipper and found her lying in the field. Her gums were dry and didn't have good capilary reaction. Meowmy called the vet right away and walked her until he got there.

This time the poop that came out of her was rock hard and had the vet not very happy. He put a big long tube up her nostril into her stomach and pumped mineral oil and water. Then he gave her 2 more of the shots he gave her last night. He told Meowmy to feed her some nice green grass and if she wasn't herself by 6 or 7 call him back again.

After a harrowing trip to Villanova to return a computer that HAD to be returned today they returned to the barn (she was being cared for by Jess while they were gone) and searched fruitlessly to find Snap some bran mash. Luckily Jess had one serving for her. Snap looks much better but still hasn't pooped in her stall this evening yet. Jess's boyfriend is checking on her when he gets back from Penn National racetrack late tonight.

Meowmy will head back out there dark and early to check on her again. This is really rough on Meowmy so I've been having to sit on her and purr a lot too. Thank you so much for the continued purrs. We'll keep you posted.

Snap Update

Meowmy and the Toy Man went back out to the barn at 11 last night and stayed until 12:30. Snap did not look any better and while she wasn't moving around she still hadn't pooped and was fidgety and didn't want anyone to touch her tummy. They hand walked her for an hour and it seemed to make lots of gut noises but no poop. Meowmy wanted to see the promised "huge amount of manure" the vet said to expect. Meowmy was a wreck leaving her and wasn't sure what to do. She decided to go back early in the morning.

Meowmy went out alone at 5:30 and found Snap sleeping where she had left her. At first it looked like no poop but she went in and found 3 mashed up piles. Then she sat down and cried in Snap's stall. Snap, always hating to see Meowmy upset pressed her muzzle against Meowmy's face for a long time and it seemed like she was telling her it was OK, she felt better and was so very happy Meowmy had been there with her.

So she's not allowed to eat grain yet and Meowmy needs to go out and find her a bran mash in the morning. She's also getting some pro-biotics for a few days. She still has lots of gas but she'll be turned out in the field in an hour or so and she can walk around out there and hopefully feel better. Meowmy is not going to Boston, she can't leave knowing Snap is just recovering.

Thank you so much to everyone that purred with us. Your comments helped wake Meowmy up early this morning and made her feel much less alone since so many of you knew what she was going through.

~Latte

Please Purr for Snap

Our very very big sister Snap is sick. Horses can't yak up hairballs like we can, in fact they can't yak at all- its a one way system so when their tummies hurt its a BIG DEAL and its call colic. So at 6pm the barn lady noticed Snap didn't eat her dinner, was pawing, pacing, had rolled on the ground (this can make their intestines twist which can kill them) and not acting herself. She called Meowmy who of course raced out there and the vet as well. The vet gave her a pain killer, and pulled the poop out of her (nice right?) and a shot of some stuff to help her pass her poop easier. There are different kinds of colic and the kind she has is called gas-colic so its like her tummy is filled with gas and it hurts her. She won't even let Meowmy touch her belly.

Meowmy just spent 2 hours at the barn with her (which is 30 minutes from the house each way) and came home since Snap was resting peacefully. However Meowmy is of course not completely satisfied so she's going back out there at midnight to check on her.

Could you please purr really extra loud for our sister? She's extra big so I guess it makes sense to purr louder. Meowmy was supposed to be going to Boston tomorrow but I think she's going to stay home with Snap even if she is doing OK. Silly Meowmy, never trusts the care of her furries to anyone but herself I guess. Yeah for us though!!

~Latte

I have a little cold

This time of year I'm never ready for the cold. I get all fluffy and shivery and search for every possible warm spot I can find. My Lap Lady dug out my coat and as soon as she put it on I started to purr. It made me nice and warm except Chase and Latte thought they could pick on me. I liked wearing my coat.

Sadly it was all too late and I now have a cold. I'm coughing and just feeling icky. My Lap Lady started me on my homeopathic anti-viral (ICK!!) and antibiotics for a URI. I hate medicines but I hate feeling icky more.