Socializing My New Semi-feral

[Avery]

Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear about the difficulty getting her pain meds into her. Could you mix the meds into something like chicken baby food? Tuna fish? Or maybe carefully put the powder into a pill pocket? (My cat Ruby did not like pill pockets but did like her pill coated in butter and wrapped in the tiniest piece of ham!) It truly sounds like you are trying everything -- I'm betting that the Royal Canin will work. So nice of your vet to offer to accept texts while he is on vacation.

 

[rubysmama]

Tomorrow sometime I'll get a delivery of the Royal Canin kitten food that the vet was giving Chai.

Fingers crossed she'll eat that, as kitten food has more calories than adult cat food. I suspect she can taste the medicine in her food, which is why she's not eating it.

 

[rosegold]

Fingers crossed she'll eat that, as kitten food has more calories than adult cat food. I suspect she can taste the medicine in her food, which is why she's not eating it.

It is a different medicine (antibiotics rather than steroids) but the vet said
it still should have no taste or smell to her. She was eating it fine the first couple of days but now she isn’t. Vet says maybe without the steroids, her appetite isn’t as strong as it used to be. He said when he returns from holiday on Thursday he can put her on steroids again or at least check her out if she still isn’t eating well. In the meantime he agreed I should start syringe feeding her if she still refuses the Royal Canin.

I am trying not to be discouraged and upset, but it is really hard to see her scared of me whenever I approach now. I worry that I must’ve done something wrong, or been too pushy and scared her off food, and now she is the one suffering because she’s not getting enough food. She hissed and growled at me today because she was so scared.

 

[rosegold]

She’s had a couple bites of the Royal Canin kitten food and a couple bites of other stuff throughout the day. Not great but it’s something...

If she gags or sticks out her tongue or drops it or otherwise has some difficulty eating, it REALLY seems to put her off—her eyes will get scared and she’ll leave. It’s almost like she’s scared of her own weird mouth. This sounds kind of ridiculous, but it almost seems like a confidence issue over a pain or appetite issue. After all, we do have a friend staying with us, new Christmas decorations up, and most of all she is trying to get used to a brand
new mouth... but maybe that’s silly.

I’m going to try a play session tonight before dinner and see if I can bring her confidence levels back up. She hasn’t been very interested in playing but we can try again. I’m also going to offer food at head-level so she can eat while standing with her head straight, to hopefully help her swallow easier and not gag so much.

 

[rubysmama]

It’s almost like she’s scared of her own weird mouth. This sounds kind of ridiculous, but it almost seems like a confidence issue over a pain or appetite issue.

I don't think it sounds ridiculous at all. In fact, it makes sense. Her mouth is completely different from before, and even if she normally swallowed her kibble without chewing, her teeth probably still helped her move them around her mouth. And I'm sure the gagging scares her too.

I know you had a whole buffet of choices for her, but was it all cat food? Have you tried tuna water? Or maybe plain yogurt, which I think is easier for cats to digest than cow's milk.

 

[rosegold]

Chai had a seizure and we are on our way to the emergency vet. Please send prayers and healing thoughts. I am worried out of my mind.

 

[rubysmama]

Oh no... Sending vibes

 

[Tobermory]

C’mon, Chai. Little sweetie. You can do this. Get better. Get better fast. We’re all so worried, and we’re all sending you thoughts of love and healing.

 

[rosegold]

She had xray, bloodwork, and neurological test. All came back normal. She had another maybe seizure in the waiting room which we took a video of and showed the vet, he wasn’t sure but agreed it didn’t look right. He didn’t think she needed to be hospitalized though so we are on our way home now. Ultrasound is scheduled tomorrow as part of screening for MRI, which would then be scheduled for the day after or sometime this week.

ER vet I are both worried that she is not safe for anesthesia (for the MRI), considering she just had a major surgery only a week ago and isn’t eating well.

ER vet’s best tentative guess is possibly she could have gotten a head trauma when she was presumably hit by the car and lost her leg, and the seizures are just showing up now.

My regular vet is being amazing and very responsive to messages but he’s on holiday in another country until Thursday. It’s Monday night here now. Part of me wants to wait to do MRI for him to see her on Thurs, but if something happened between now and then I would never forgive myself.

I don’t know if I can afford this. The MRI alone is $1,000. The emergency vet tonight was $350. No payment plans offered. And I just lost my upcoming new job last week, not of my own accord but due to my employer’s negligence about visa issues, so I’m not getting an income for at least another month or two until I can find a new one. I called my mom and she gently suggested I put a financial cap on what I will spend on this cat. But how could I?

I can’t stop crying. I can’t eat or sleep or do anything. Luckily my best friend is staying here to help me. I feel I have to do at least the MRI, that I owe it to Chai. But depending on what the MRI tests reveal I don’t know what will happen.

This cat doesn’t deserve to have this much pain in her life. The unfairness of it is killing me.

 

[Lari]

Oh no! Healing vibes for poor Chai. She doesn't deserve all this and neither do you.

 

[Avery]

We are all thinking of you and Chai and wishing the very, very best. Yes, your mom's concern about money is valid, but I agree that the MRI would be important if it can be done since all the other tests look so darn good. Hang in there and give Chai kisses and hugs from TCS.

 

[rosegold]

Since getting home she’s had about 30ml of Royal Canin kitten food smoothie in a syringe (she licked it willingly out of the end, didn’t have to force feed), about 7 kibbles, a full treat pouch, and all her antibiotics in the treats. That’s honestly the most I’ve seen her eat in one sitting all week. It’s encouraging but at the same time I’m still worried about the seizures of course. It’s past 1am here but I doubt I’m going to sleep at all tonight...

 

[Tobermory]

Chai seems to have such an indomitable little spirit. I’m so glad you and Chai have your friend—and Chilli—there for comfort and support. I’ve been thinking about both of you all morning.

 

[Avery]

That is really great news about her appetite! Such a good sign. Hopefully, you are getting some sleep and can put your worries on hold for a bit.

 

[rubysmama]

I'm glad to read that Chai is home, and that she had a decent appetite. I hope you are getting some rest.

 

[CL56]

Sending so many positive thoughts your way

 

[rosegold]

Thank you everyone so much for your support and kind words. It really is a huge comfort. I just can’t believe it is happening... feels like a bad dream.

Ultrasound appointment in a few hours. She’s not doing very well at the moment... just kind of crouched in a loaf on the rug. She will accept treat pouches and she had a little bit of syringe Royal Canin kitten food earlier. Her eyes are bright and normal (not glazed looking as I’ve seen with her stomatitis pain) and in general she is fairly alert, but her breathing is a bit fast/shallow and in general she tries not to move very much.

I hate to say this but it is possible that she has FIP. I forgot to mention the ER vet noted last night that one of her blood values—I can’t remember which—was very close to but not quite within the range that can signal FIP. He said he doubted it right now as he didn’t see any other symptoms, but it’s still a possibility. To me, she seems physically larger, but I’m not sure if it’s the dreaded FIP potbelly or just her being fat. Vet didn’t comment on that. I’m not sure if xray would show fluid in the chest/abdomen or not but she did have an xray. I know FIP can also cause seizures.

Of course it could also be epilepsy, a brain tumor... According to Google cat seizures can be caused by millions of things including sounds and toxins and other things that I suppose could be in my household. I am constantly researching and reading as much as I can today but I am getting overwhelmed with all the possibilities.

 

[rosegold]

At the vet now. The radiologist checked the xrays again and talked to me and said he thinks there is fluid in her chest and he is suspecting FIP. She’s having an ultrasound now and they also may take a sample of the fluid. I am trying to prepare myself for the worst...

 

[rosegold]

She is FIP positive. Confirmed by abdominal fluid drawn and analyzed as well as blood levels. I am going to my regular vet on Thursday, assuming she doesn’t go downhill before then, as a second opinion for my own sanity. Then I will most likely have to put her to sleep. My heart is broken.

 

[rubysmama]

My heart is broken too. Tears are running down my face as I try to find words to type. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this, when all you wanted was to give that sweet cat a loving home. And poor darling Chai. At least she got to know joy and love for a short time.