A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall The Critter Corner Butterscotch part 2

just getting this ready to continue the story so we can all follow his progress.

//www.agardenersforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/280792/fpart/1

Thanks Jiffy!

Hopefully a new thread and a new beginning for a sweet kitty!

Butterscotch is a very sick little boy. Apparently because he has had this condition for quite a while (unbeknownst to us), his bladder is now paralized. The vet has had to catheterize him twice a day, and he also is not happy being at the vet's.

We are to talk with the vet about the choices when she gets out of surgery - the options are to put him on medication which is 2 pills a day that might or might not help strengthen the muscles and make them work properly again, or to euthanize him. The pills could take a week or more to work, and he could totally block up again within 2 days. So we all need to decide if it is cost effective to either keep him at the vet for this week, or take him home and see what happens - assuming we CAN give him the pills. If he blocks up again, he will have to go back and be euthanized for sure. The woman from the organization that is helping us told us that in all her many many years of doing this, she has never had a cat with this situation, and that if he was a feral cat he would have been put down right away. But because he is such a sweetie, they wanted to try and give him a chance at a good life. These women are a god's send!!!

I don't want him to suffer, and the thought of him dying from a ruptured bladder makes me terribly sad. Of course on the other hand he is such a sweet kitty...

We have to wait for the vet to call back before we can move forward. I'm very glad that my husband took today off from work, so that I don't have to go through this alone.

Thanks for reading here - it helps me greatly too!

OH MY Lynne--I wlll be praying for you all. Poor, Poor Kitty---

Thanks so much Carol and Cindy!!!

Cindy - he has been on Hill's prescription s/d for a week and a half now - ever since he went to the vet the first time. Apparently it didn't work...

I didn't know you were a vet tech, cindy--it is good to know-----

Thanks again, Cindy!

Here is what we have all decided to do... as the woman who is paying for all this suggested...

Keep Butterscotch at the vet for one more day, taking the catheter out and starting the medicine. If he pees on his own then we will take him home - if not, then we will have to euthanize him. We will know around 4:30 tomorrow afternoon. This way he won't suffer more than he has to, and we will hopefully know better about his condition.

It's hard being attached to these furbabies! I don't know how these women do what they do without falling apart. But again... we appreciate them more than words can say!

I too am praying for that.

Thanks again, Cindy and Carol.

And yes, Cindy - we are very greatful that he found us when he was in need - I would hate to have found him outside like we found Slinky. At least he and we know he was loved.

And since we had to put our sweet Cookie down 8 years ago, we know how it works... doesn't make it any easier, but knowing what to expect is better this time around. It's also good that Butterscotch hasn't been in the main part of the house and mingling with the other cats as one of our own - his situation is separate and that is how I have to keep it in my mind. For now... with hopes that he will improve of course, but also understanding if not...

The woman keeps saying that in all her extensive experience she has never come across this - and it could be congenital too...

That is sooooooo true Lynne,, Hold on to that,, "given him love he would never have known." ,, You are his Angel,,

Lynne,
I too Live in Rockland..I TOO :) have been adopted by a stray (pregnant)
kitty. I typed in low cost spaying on google and somehow landed on this site with your story of Butterscotch. I have read the whole story and am praying that this poor kitty will be ok. Thankfully he found you and your husband.
I have now joined the site..and just love all the info on gardening.
I also have black bear, coyote, turkeys, red foxes and Raccoons.wandering around in my yard..lol.Rockland County has quite the wildlife..I even hear there are PANTHERS down in Tallman state park.. Good Luck with Butterscotch.
Ill keep reading.

Welcome DawnMarie! I live VERY close to you - Montebello! We probably share the same animals - have you read my "Animal House" thread here in the critters forum?

I just remembered - a year ago in the fall, I took a drive up Torne Valley Road to take pictures of the pretty leaves turning color, and way up on the road by the end there was a male orange tabby that was so very friendly! He was a gorgeous shade of orange and even jumped into my car when I had left the door open to go out and pet him. He loved the attention, purring up a storm - and did not want to get out of the car!!! No collar - if we didn't already have 5 indoor cats here, I would have taken him home. But I didn't know if he belonged to someone and was just out for a stroll that day, and we really couldn't afford another cat. Have you ever seen him by any chance? I was worried about him being out in the elements during winter if he had been someone's house cat. I took pictures and posted them in this forum back then - don't remember the name of the thread though. I will try and look for it later when I have more time.

It's interesting that your search for low cost spaying brought you here to this post, but we're glad it did - you will meet some of the friendliest gardeners on the web here, with tons of great information and lots of fun thrown in too! :wink:

Thanks for your kind words Diane, Joclyn, and DawnMarie! It really helps to know that others are with us in our journey to help Butterscotch. I am a bit nervous about finding out which way we will go later this afternoon , but such is life unfortunately or fortunately. Let's hope it's the latter!

By the way DawnMarie - I have also been posting about Butterscotch on the cat forums that Keith kindly linked me to a few days ago. You might want to read there in your quest about the spaying. You can find the link in the first thread about Butterscotch here.

OK! Butterscotch is back home for now! He did urinate last night at the vet's, though did not emtpy his bladder all the way, but the vet thought he would do ok here - at least hopes he will. And no one wanted to euthanize him just yet - mostly Don and I - we were dreading the late afternoon phonecall!!!

He will be on 3 pills once a day. Two for the bladder issue, and one for another problem that appeared today!!! Below the ear that he always had beaten up in fights, apparently was a large absess that the vet had to drain. She said it got infected, and he needs to be on an antibiotic for that as well - his immune system is just not good at all right now. Don also needs to put neosporin on it.

He was not happy when we opened the carrier in his room. He came out whining and only wanted out of that room. I think he has had enough of all this and just wants to go back outside and resume his former life - POOR BABY!!! He took 2 licks of wet food and then sat behind the closed door. We left him in there for a few minutes, and then I went back in to sit in the chair, and to take a few pictures. He did come over to me for rubs, but at first gave me his infected ear side - EWWWWWW! He then turned so we got a nice rub in, until he had had enough for then.

Here is is laying down by the door.


And if anyone has a strong enough stomach and cares to see his new wound...
It really turns my stomach, but I will deal with it for him!

that does look bad, Lynne--I am so glad he was back at the vets and she noticed it--
But ya know otherwise Butterscotch looks healthy- -
and I am sure he is happy---even if he wants out--he may think that the reason he does not feel good is that he is in a different place--as he gets better he will realize--he is already fond of you and Don otherwise he would not be showing the affection he does--even if it is in small increments

I hadn't thought about the infection and his bladder, but he has had this bladder issue for a very long time the vet said. Interesting connection though.

As for wandering the house - there are no doors on the kitchen, and once he is out of the small room off the kitchen he's be able to go upstairs too. We can't let that happen until he is much better, and we also want to test for FIV and FLV 3 months after he was first brought to the vet, because they don't know if the animal who injured him is carrying it! I'd rather be safe than sorry, so we will tough it out in the small room. I've been spending lots of time in there with him - talking on the phone, or just resting in the chair. He seems to enjoy just sitting a bit behind and beside me. So that is fine for now. He's not interested in any toys I've tried to play with him - no toy mice, balls, or feathers on a string and stick. I think he's afraid of them actually.

Thanks for all your suggestions, Joclyn - keep them coming!

Thought I'd update on Butterscotch.

He's been doing well - he has even started playing a bit with the toy mouse in his room - it's fun to watch him because he's a bit clumsy with it. But he has made great strides since he's been back home and on medicine.

Here is the thing though... I spoke with Ilene about refilling his bladder meds - they only gave us 10 days worth because they weren't even sure he would make it that long, and she had told me that he needs to be on it at least a month to make sure it's working. She called the vet to refill the prescription, but the vet told her that if he was urinating at least 2 full streams each day, he didn't need the medicine anymore. Both Ilene and I are a bit uncomfortable with that, but the vet has the final say so that is what we will do.

We are to watch him carefully and call the vet as soon as we see something wrong. I'm so afraid that he will block up again, or his bladder will get paralyzed again. I hope this vet knows what she is doing - this is the same one who diagnosed our Roxie with a cold, when she actually had a broken foot as a kitten!!! I kept telling the vet she was limping - how do you get a "cold" from that description?!?

OH MY, I am so sorry, Lynne---Poor Butterscotch--- and just when he was feeling better too...I wll be thinking of him :wink:

I was sitting her laughing--not because such a thing was funny but because one assumes that with as much schooling as a vet must have, one would think they could see a difference there---so it was a rediculous thing to hear...

Wasn't it Carol??? I was so upset with this vet - she just would not listen to me. Of course Don had to bring Roxie back there a few days later - I had gone to a casino with a friend for the weekend up in Connecticut, and I found out by phone that she did get her foot put in a soft cast by the other vet there - the one who owns the practice. So whenever I need to make an appt. for any of our cats I try to get him, but apparently the woman vet is the one who does most of the surgeries, because she did Olivers, and took care of Butterscotch when he needed it too.

Oh - she also broke our carrier - TWICE!!! She could not figure out how to get the door open - give me a break! It is a very common carrier, but she kept forcing the door open without turning the piece first. When she went to break it the 3rd time I stopped her, and that is when she offered me a much larger carrier that someone had left there in the office. I took it willingly, but still know that she isn't the brightest bulb in the pack, you know?

OH MY goodness, Lynne--now I am scared for Butterscotch---but then again extremely intelligent people often have absolutely NO common sense---
so I wll try to keep reminding myself of that---

Thanks Carol - that is what I have to do too - and hope that she knows what she is doing for his sake.

Well I say we go with it---and I will pray.....a lot!!!!

OMG Joclyn - I am so sorry that you are going through this too - I can actually say... I feel your pain!

How did you know he was blocked? Same symptoms as Butterscotch had?

I hope your regular vet has all the answers for you, and that Rusty feels much better soon!

I'm so sorry for you and Rusty, Joclyn. I do hope it's a quick fix and that he's feeling himself again soon. How old is he?

One of our cats, Amber, is forever chewing on plastic bags! It makes me VERY nervous. I try to keep them out of sight, but my kids don't remember. I'm afraid I'm going to come home one day and find that she choked on plastic. I wonder why some cats are fixated on that - she's the only one out of the 5.

Butterscotch was so enamored with Don's petting him this morning. Don sat on the floor and Butterscotch melted into "butter" with him petting everywhere! He is now gently reaching out to him with his paw when Don stops. And at one point, when he went to give a playful nip, and Don firmly said "NO", Butterscotch just layed his head down on Don's arm knowing he should not have done that and asking for forgiveness. It was so sweet to watch.

His ear is really crusty scabby from the abscess still, but hopefully that will heal soon. Don has not been putting the neosporin on it, because last week when he started to, Butterscotch was nipping him.

I look forward to hearing what your vet said about Rusty.

Just adding thoughts and prayers for your fur babies.

Thanks so much atokadawn.

Joclyn - I'm glad to hear that Rusty doesn't have crystals, and that hopefully it is just an infection that can be cured easily. You know so much about these animals and that is terrific for them. I'm sure they are getting the best care possible living with you.

Butterscotch had his last pills today. He eats the urinary tract ones readily in babyfood, but won't go near the antibiotic in the babyfood. It took all day the past 3 days for him to finish it - I had to keep adding a bit of the canned prescription food to it for him to even take a few licks. It would have been much easier if we could have "pilled him", but I certainly couldn't and Don didn't want to try after having been bitten.

So tomorrow starts day one without any medicine. I am a bit nervous about all that. But we will keep a close watch.

This morning, he was passing his little toy mouse under the door to Oliver and they played back and forth a little bit! It was sooooo cute! I love watching him "learn" to play. I keep wondering how he was as someone's kitten - he must have had a home somewhere to be craving so much attention and loving!

Lynne I'm thrilled to read Butterscotch is doing soooo Much Better.
I'm sure he is very grateful and shows that by relaxing so much with Don petting him.
I'm glad he found your family too!

LYnne--I am so glad to hear that Butterscotch is doing so well. I can just see him with Don and you there looking on in my minds eye--such a sweet scenrio.

I will anxiously await the day when he can have his tests again so he can be introduced to the other "kitties" in the famuly. It truely was a good day when he found your family. :wink:

That will be an exciting day for sure!

lynne, thank you for the update, and i'm so glad it is positive. now, all we need is good test results so he can really be "one of the family"

Thanks Diane, Carol and Jiffy!

Don made GREAT progress tonight. He sat in the chair in Butterscotch's room and picked him up and put him in his lap for the first time. Butterscotch settled into it right away and went to sleep.
Just a-purrrrrrrrrrrrrrring as loudly as can be!!!





He even put his paw on Don's hand, as if to say... "stay right there!"


Butterscotch still has that black "studs tail" stuff on the top of his tail as you can see in the pictures. It's hardened into the fur and we don't want to try to clean it just yet. He's just getting to really trust Don, and is sensitive when he's touched there.

Lynne--such good pictures---it is nice to finally 'see' your Don too.

Butterscotch looks so content and peaceful. and his fur looks so healthy--well except for that black mark on his tale.--He is sure 1 lucky "kitty".

and I have to ask: Is his fur turning to a tanish instead of a golden?/ or was your camera taking 'liberties'??

Now that's what it's all about right there,, Security, comfort,, happy! Great Pictures Lynne~