A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall The Critter Corner NOT for WEAK stomachs

right now, until all the crystals are completely cleared from his system, he DOES need to be on the special diet and the soft stuff (canned) is the preferred. still, he's a big kitty and obviously the canned stuff isn't enough to sustain him - especially as he's gaining his strength back after surgery.

ask the vet if you can get some of the prescription kibble to supplement the canned stuff.

and like I have said--if he cannot eat dry food wet the food with a little warm water oor i f he does not go for that try a little low sodium broth. (usually the warm water helps)

after it sets a bit it will soften up and can be stirred up a bit if you would like.

Joclyn - they did give us a 4lb. bag of prescription dry food - but that small bag costs $16.59!!! That is more than the very large bag we buy for all 5 of our other cats! My husband had started to give that to him as well yesterday. I spoke with the woman who runs the organization this morning - they offered to buy a case of cans for Butterscotch - 24 cans, and another bag - that was extremely nice and we appreciate it more than they will ever know. They said to give him a total of 1 cup of dry food and 1 can per day. He has been crying today when he didn't have food, and that amount doesn't seem enough for him. I'm hoping that in time he will adjust his appetite.

She also told me what Sylvia had told us - that Butterscotch would have died within 2 days of the date they took him to the vet. His blockage was so very bad that his bladder was about to burst at any moment - poor baby!!! She said it was a miracle that he had gotten into that fight and came back to us - that is what got the ball rolling to save his life! I am so grateful that these women took him into their hearts. I'm also very grateful that I didn't have to find him dead in the cathouse or on the deck a few days later!!!

He let Don pet him a long while this afternoon, and was even kneading and purring - very good signs indeed!

I too am greatfukl that Butterscotch came back to you in time--and for all the wonderful help that you have been given to help him.

and I knew it was just going to taken time for him to "come around" and accept you all---and while he may still have his "days", remember he knew where to go when he needed help and he knows that you are good kind people. In the end it will all be good I am sure.

Thanks again for all the information, Joclyn.

One thing though... these women keep telling me that he has to be on the s/d for at least 3-6 months and then the c/d for at least the rest of a year. Meaning prescription food for an entire year before we can give him the better over the counter food. Are they being a bit excessive, or is that really a concern for him?

Also, I keep meaning to ask you about this but forget - he has a black area on the top of his tail - had it when they first took him to the vet - they said it was secretions, and that after he was neutered it would stop. Well we hadn't noticed it on him all the while he was outdoors - only when he came back this last time. AND the black area is actually getting larger! Any ideas what is going on with that?

This cat site rocks and might be of help. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/

That is a great website Keith - thanks for posting the link! I'm sure I will get a ton of great info there, and will keep it in my favorites.

Joclyn - unfortunately, the vet that these women use is the same vet that we use, and if we want them to continue helping us financially we cannot speak with the vet about Butterscotch, or he won't be considered a stray anymore and the women won't be able to get their deep discounts there - got all that???

Once we take him on as our own, we have to bring him in for regular office visits and pay full price for everything. We're not ready to do that, and the women are willing to continue overseeing his care for a few more months.

As for the black spot on the tail - it is on the top of the tail just below where it attaches to the body. I have only seen him clean himself once since he's been in the room, and that was mostly his front legs and the area where they stitched the wound on his shoulder. By the way - the stitches are gone and there is only the slightest spot where the wound was - YEA!

He still isn't at the stage where he trusts us enough to try and wipe the black area - he is still swiping at both of us as we pet him, so we need to work that out first. The black area is so weird - it almost reminds me of tar. His tail was flat there also when he first came back to us and I noticed the black - I thought maybe he got run over by something, but the women told us that THE VET (our vet too) said it was secretions?

He was crying a good bit yesterday - he really wants to come out of that room. I go in as often as I can and spend some time either just sitting with him, or trying to pet him. I brought some toys in there but he isn't interested. Sylvia was saying that he needed a toy mouse, but he pays no attention to the one I put in there and was trying to play with him. I know this will all pass with time, but I feel badly for him being stuck in there all by himself when he knows that we and the other cats are on the other side of the door. Our Amber kept shoving a red mouse under the door yesterday - she always did that even before Butterscotch was in that room, and I'd have to retrieve it for her. Now she knows he's in there - he didn't pass it back outside the door. Just sat by the door sadly...

He is not due back to the vet so far as I know. All the issues are being taken care of by the women either over the phone, or picking up things we need for him. Again... if WE take him back we will have to pay full price and we will lose the assistance of the women for good.

by all means, continue on (for as long as you need to) as if he's just a stray!! i understand completely :)

it may be that they're urging you to continue him on the food so that they are still involved - some people who offer help, like they have, do so to have control and they sometimes like to keep that control as long as is possible. that may not be the case, though. it may be that he does really need to be on the special diet that long. if they're willing to help with supplying the food for a while, then go with it as it's certainly not going to hurt him any!

once you get to the point where you can take on any vet bills and/or he seems to be completely clear of the crystals, you can start weaning him off of it.

i hate to see any of my 'kiddies' holed up due to illness - they are SO good at giving those pouty/poor-me faces and it just breaks my heart to have to keep them confined!! he still needs time to recuperate though. and he still needs time to get completely comfortable with you and your husband. as well as adjust to being an indoor cat now.

in a couple weeks, maybe bring in one of your females and do a short intro - if all goes well, you can continue to give them some time together each day and maybe even leave her there with him - would be good company for him and would help to get him acclimated to the others (you could do intro's with the others in the same manner once he's comfortable with one of them).

you're absolutely right, it's going to take time for him to adjust. he will though and quicker than you may think - just look at how far he's come already and in such a short time, too!!

Unfortunately, it seems that Butterscotch is blocked up again.
Or there is something else going on, but most likely blockage.

Yesterday morning, Don went downstairs to find that Butterscotch had thrown up and had diarhea all over his room. And he had hardly eaten any of the food our son had put out for dinner Friday night. We gave him 1/3 cup of the dry s/d yesterday morning, which he usually gobbles up in a few minutes - it is still mostly there right now - over 24 hours later.

I gave him a small amount of the wet s/d food this morning - he took 2 licks and walked away. Just now, about 4 hours later, I moved the bowl next to the chair I sit in, and he ate a bit more, but not all, like he used to do.

He is also licking himself often, which is another sign of a urinary tract problem. So I called Sylvia, and they are going to have him go back to the vet. She is coming here early tomorrow morning to hopefully help me get him into our carrier. I don't know how we are going to do that, as we lured him with food last time, and he doesn't seem interested right now. We cannot lift him and put him in there - he bit my husband this morning and broke the skin - first time for that!

So it will be interesting to see how things play out tomorrow. I just feel so badly for the poor fur baby! He wants out of that room so badly, but we can't until he is totally healed.

Jocyln - I don't think that he just wants out because last night my husband stepped in a puddle of urine when he went in to say goodnight to him, and this morning Butterscotch was leaking on the floor when I gave him a tiny bit of fresh canned food. He really wanted to eat it, but only got half way done and couldn't eat anymore. This was only half of 1/8 of a can! At least he did get something into him before he is put in the carrier.

He still has not used the litterbox at all since Friday night, and only ate a couple of pieces of the dry food. He seems to be having difficulty eating the round pieces - he finally gets one chewed in half and one half falls out of his mouth onto the floor or back into the bowl. He never had a problem with dry food before, but it wasn't round like this is.

I am waiting to hear back from Sylvia after Ilene calls the vet. She was supposed to have called the vet about 20 minutes ago. Once they know if he can be seen this morning, Sylvia will come over and help me get him into the carrier.

Oh MY Lynne--I am so sorry--I hope it is something minor and can be easily fixed. --I wil be thinking of the 2 of you.

Thanks Carol!

Well I took him in right after I wrote here this morning - Sylvia was a pro in getting him into the carrier - I was so impressed!!!

The vet picked him up and felt underneath, and right away said he is so blocked up that this is an emergency case!!! He didn't even want to hear about anything else - Sylvia told me to be sure to tell him everything - like the fact that she thought he was dehydrated - he said that first and foremost he is terribly blocked and if he can't fix that then the other things won't matter!!!

He asked me what I wanted him to do, or if he should call Ilene - I said yes call Ilene, because right now we are "fostering" him, and the final decision is hers. He told me that they can try to unblock a male cat 3 times and that he really needs surgery which is VERY costly. I told him that neither we, nor the organization can afford that, so when he called Ilene he asked if she wanted him to try and unblock him, or to euthanize him. They agreed that he is such a sweet cat, and to try to unblock him once more. So I left him at the vet's and he is also going to stay at least til Wednesday so the vet can see how he does.

I was able to overhear him talking with Ilene on the phone in another room, and I got choked up - he really is such a sweetie. I hope this time works like a charm... poor Butterscotch!!!

Poor Poor Butterscotch--I am so sorry for him--and for you

Butterscotch,,
Lynne I'm so glad you have him,, and know what to look for,, You are Butterscotch's Angel
Please keep us updated.