Matisse was a very young cat, born March 2019.
I found and trapped him and his other three brothers and two sisters July 2019, they were the litter of a feral cat who rarely appears around my cat colony, and subsequently I have never been able to trap her.
All the kittens were taken to the local shelter, three of them were re-homed. Matisse, and his two brothers Leo and Romeo, stayed at the shelter as permanent guests. They were free to roam in the large fenced courtyard.
A few days before this past Easter I was called by the lady of the shelter who told me that Matisse wasn't feeling too good and that a visit at the vet's had been arranged already.
Unfortunately the response from that visit was a shock, very likely it was FIP. I was shattered, but the vet told me that a new unregistered treatment was available and asked me if I was willing to try it. She warned me that the therapy was very long and very expensive. I agreed, I have never let a cat down, even if they are feral.
This new, and rather promising, therapy started on the day after Easter and went on till mid July. After the first three or four injections of this drug, Matisse was feeling visibly better, and in a couple of weeks he was another cat, lively, hungry, full of energy. He had to live in a cage, because the injection had to be administered every day at the same time sharp, so it was advisable to have him at hand always.
The therapy ended, he was a brand new cat, the first blood panel and electrophoresis showed wonderful levels, we would have had a new blood test done two months later.
I was on cloud nine, I had done something amazing. I had spent thousands to save his life, I couldn't have been prouder.
Unfortunately, a couple of weeks later he started eating less and less. It was terribly hot and humid, I clung to this factor and didn't want to believe it was anything else, it couldn't be. But things didn't improve even during a fresher week, so on last Tuesday (August 11) we took him to the vet again, and the blood test showed something was going worse.
On the next morning Matisse got suddenly blind and couldn't coordinate his movements. I took him to the clinic promptly, I was told that he wasn't going to survive the night, but luckily he was still alive on Thursday (August 13). Anyway the vets were pessimistic and told me that his nervous system was compromised, there was absolutely no chance that he could ever recovered.
Putting him to sleep was the only solution, so we proceeded...
Before the vet did the final thing, I was given a few minutes to hug and kiss him. I told him he had been brave and patient, but he had to do a last trip to a wonderful place. Then, in two minutes, he got his new wings and flew up high, to the Bridge.
On the following day I took him to the crematorium, I had his ashes back right away, now he rests in his urn, here at home, he finally has a home.
RIP Matisse, I will always remember your courage. Keep an eye on your two brothers still at the shelter.
Matisse in his cage, halfway in the therapy course.
I found and trapped him and his other three brothers and two sisters July 2019, they were the litter of a feral cat who rarely appears around my cat colony, and subsequently I have never been able to trap her.
All the kittens were taken to the local shelter, three of them were re-homed. Matisse, and his two brothers Leo and Romeo, stayed at the shelter as permanent guests. They were free to roam in the large fenced courtyard.
A few days before this past Easter I was called by the lady of the shelter who told me that Matisse wasn't feeling too good and that a visit at the vet's had been arranged already.
Unfortunately the response from that visit was a shock, very likely it was FIP. I was shattered, but the vet told me that a new unregistered treatment was available and asked me if I was willing to try it. She warned me that the therapy was very long and very expensive. I agreed, I have never let a cat down, even if they are feral.
This new, and rather promising, therapy started on the day after Easter and went on till mid July. After the first three or four injections of this drug, Matisse was feeling visibly better, and in a couple of weeks he was another cat, lively, hungry, full of energy. He had to live in a cage, because the injection had to be administered every day at the same time sharp, so it was advisable to have him at hand always.
The therapy ended, he was a brand new cat, the first blood panel and electrophoresis showed wonderful levels, we would have had a new blood test done two months later.
I was on cloud nine, I had done something amazing. I had spent thousands to save his life, I couldn't have been prouder.
Unfortunately, a couple of weeks later he started eating less and less. It was terribly hot and humid, I clung to this factor and didn't want to believe it was anything else, it couldn't be. But things didn't improve even during a fresher week, so on last Tuesday (August 11) we took him to the vet again, and the blood test showed something was going worse.
On the next morning Matisse got suddenly blind and couldn't coordinate his movements. I took him to the clinic promptly, I was told that he wasn't going to survive the night, but luckily he was still alive on Thursday (August 13). Anyway the vets were pessimistic and told me that his nervous system was compromised, there was absolutely no chance that he could ever recovered.
Putting him to sleep was the only solution, so we proceeded...
Before the vet did the final thing, I was given a few minutes to hug and kiss him. I told him he had been brave and patient, but he had to do a last trip to a wonderful place. Then, in two minutes, he got his new wings and flew up high, to the Bridge.
On the following day I took him to the crematorium, I had his ashes back right away, now he rests in his urn, here at home, he finally has a home.
RIP Matisse, I will always remember your courage. Keep an eye on your two brothers still at the shelter.
Matisse in his cage, halfway in the therapy course.
