Loved and Lost, Guardian Angels

Loved & Lost

My guardian angels...

Monet
Lovey
Molly
Elsinore
Meow Meow
Latifah
Afer
Omaha

Monet

A fellow student asked me to keep Monet while he went out of town on summer break in 1988. He never asked for her back, and hoped I'd keep her. I'll always feel guilty I didn't ask for Monet to live with me, rather she was sort of thrust upon me, and she was my "trainer cat" where I made many of my mistakes. She was a wonderful, sweet cat and never seemed to begrudge me all my shortcomings. I lost her to CRF (kidney disease) in May of 2002 (around age 16).

Lovey

Lovey is the biggest regret of my life. I adopted her in 1991. She had elimination issues - urinating outside of the litter box. I took her to the vet, but there was no medical reason for it. In 1994, I lost patience - I could no longer stand the urinated carpets, the pulling bedspreads and coats down and urinating on them, etc. I felt I couldn't condemn her to living the rest of her life in a small cage at the shelter where I got her, nor make it another person's problem. I had her put to sleep - and I'll regret it the rest of my life. Thinking of her brings me a tremendous amount of guilt over how I failed her. I'd live in a home reeking of urine if it would bring her back, but I can never undo the decision I made.

Molly

Molly was always an angel. I adopted her from Furry Friends Foundation in 2001, after I moved to a condo that would allow more than two cats. I thought it'd be a good idea to introduce a new cat to Rumpelmintz, before Monet passed on - as the vets didn't think she had much time. I fell in love with Molly when I saw her "on display" at a vet's office that I stopped by for information. She had the sweetest "smooshie-pushie" face. She was my first cat that wasn't declawed - and how I learned and understood the benefits of that. She wasn't with me long - in May of 2002, only a week after Monet passed away, she left for the rainbow bridge. She seemed a little "off" that week - and she went to the vet that Thursday only to discover she was in dire straits. She'd had CRF (kidney disease) and I hadn't realized. She'd never seemed sick - only vomited once. I think she didn't want to be any trouble.

with Monet (top) and Rumpelmintz (left)

Elsinore (a.k.a. "Ellie")

I adopted Elsinore from the Tree House Animal Foundation in October 2005. She was dumped on the front porch with another cat, Eduardo, in late September, 2005. It was discovered she had an inoperable cancerous tumor by her left ear, possibly metastisized from her salivary gland. She was also hyper-thyroid. The vet felt maybe she had a couple months to live. I loved her immediately, and decided to take her home and love her as much as I could.

When I took her to my own vet clinic, they performed x-rays and discovered at least two more tumors. Despite all this, she hung in much longer than expected.

On the evening of February 26, 2006, Ellie took a rather dramatic turn for the worse. Nerve damage, probably caused by the cancer caused her to lose the use of her back legs. She was very weak, but still would struggle to drag herself to the litter box and to the food bowl, though it was obviously a huge effort just to adjust her position. On February 27, my vet examined her. He ran his hands down her spine, and she cringed, despite the pain medication she was on. He also found her eyes unresponsive to light (so she may have lost her sight) and her lymph nodes dramatically enlarged. I was able to stay with her while they sedated her, then they helped her across the bridge. She fought so hard to stay with us, even struggling to stay awake despite the sedation. She was a very brave soul, with a tremendous fighting spirit. I am very honored to have known her and been allowed to live with her for four months.

Fly free, my dear Ellie Mae. Free of the body that could not keep pace with your spirit. I will love you always, my sweet princess.

First day in new home - Adopted from Tree House October 29, 2005

On her "water bed" (the box of sub-q fluids/Lactated Ringers)

Kissing her beloved vase

Meow Meow (a.k.a. "Princess Meow Meow, drama queen")

I adopted Meow Meow from the Furry Friends Foundation in July 2002. She looked so sad. She just lay pathetically in her cage. She would come up to the cage door when I approached. Then when I walked or looked away, she'd lay down sadly again. I got to take her out of her cage, and she sat in my lap and purred. When I got up to fill out the adoption paperwork, she sadly walked back into her cage. The volunteers said "No, Meow Meow! It's your turn, honey! It's finally your turn!"

She purred in the cab the whole way home. I intended to keep her separated for a while, but she kept escaping. I'd look up from watching T.V., and there she'd be... looking at me as if to say "Hi! You left me in the other room, but I wanted to see you, so here I am!"

Meow Meow was diagnosed as diabetic on April 1, 2004 at her dental. Before we could even get settled on insulin shots, etc. she suffered from ketones and was admitted to the emergency hospital on April 4. She spent the day at the regular vet on April 5, and then got to come home.

Thank goodness I discovered the Feline Diabetes Message Board, and Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins. They have been an invaluable resource, and fantastic emotional support! Meow Meow started on Humulin N, then we tried Humulin L and Humulin U, until we finally had success with PZI-Vet. With the help of a low-carbohydrate diet, Meow Meow went "off the juice" (no insulin) on 1/1/05! Yippee!

Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with kidney disease in January 2005. She saw a nephrology (kidney disease) specialist, and was on several medications (Benazapril, Renegel, Citrolith, and Omega fatty acids) as well as subcutaneous (sub-q) fluids. She also received acupuncture treatments.

I lost Meow Meow rather suddently to congestive heart failure on August 25, 2006. Fly free, my sweet princess. You taught me so much. I hope to continue your legacy by educating others about feline diabetes and helping other "sugarcats".

laughing (well, o.k. yawning)

Walked by one day and she was just nonchalantly standing on the stairway railing

my geeky system for remembering insulin shots

Doing better - five months after diabetes diagnosis

Meow Meow with my mom - October 2004

Showing off her sexy fur bikini, belly shaved for ultrasound at initial kidney specialist visit

September 2005

Meow Meow really likes "Hump-me" the tiger. (Omaha is horrified.)

Latifah

I fostered Latifah for Tree House Animal Foundation from March 17, 2006 to October 20, 2006 to transition her to a low-carbohydrate diet and regulate her diabetes. I grew so enamoured with her, I adopted her on October 21, 2006.

Latifah has pancreatitis, stomatitis, and an intestinal disorder. However, she does well on a proper diet - primarily homemade raw food based on the recipes at CatInfo.org and CatNutrition.org. She does well on Dr. Hodgkins' treatment protocol for feline diabetes, and has gone over two weeks without needing insulin!

Latifah showed symptoms of hyper-thyroidism, so I took her to a specialty center for a special scan. The scan confirmed the hyper-thyroidism, although her T4 blood levels were normal. She had radioactive iodine treatment and the hyper-thyroidism resolved quickly. However, she still struggled with pancreatitis (which caused her diabetes to flare up on and off, and stomatitis). We found a regime of cyclosporine and Metacam (meloxicam) which worked to control her stomatitis fiarly well. She got famotadine (Pepcid AC) and sub-q fluids for the pancreatitis. Unfortunately, I lost her February 16, 2008 due to something neurological, possibly a complication of the pancreatitis.

As a foster - in the basement

April 2007

June 2007

December 2007

Afer, a.k.a. Lil Miss Mouser, a.k.a. Afer E. Baby, Afer E. Grannie

I adopted Afer from the Tree House Animal Foundation in January 2004. I loved Afer from the minute I began volunteering there in June 2002. She'd been at Tree House since she was 3 years old (1991). I felt I didn't have room for any more cats, though. She was adopted in the spring of 2003. However, somehow she escaped her new home and was on the streets for months. Finally, someone found her, and through her microchip she found her way back to Tree House.

In January 2004, she spent time in the clinic. That cinched it for me. I couldn't stand it if she spent the rest of her days in the shelter. I took her home, at age 16. She's flourished. She gets night crazies, and loves her catnip mouse. She used to pick on poor Meow Meow when she's not feeling well. I think she was just excited to have someone to pick on - given she's such a teeny kitty.

She loves to be brushed and petted, and will do "kitty yoga", practically doing handstands her butt gets so high. She's still nervous of being picked up or restrained, but we're working on that. She's doing extremely well, considering within her first week here I had medicate her. She likes to play with pom pom balls, her catnip mouse, catnip pillows, and plastic rings. She also enjoys napping in her wicker basket and in the little bed I put in the windowsill for her.

Afer made the Tree House 2003 Year in Review!

Afer was diagnosed with kidney disease in August 2004. Fortunately, with treatment her values stayed fairly stable.

I took Afer to the emergency vet clinic Christmas Eve, 2006 with labored breathing. She had 145 cc's of fluid drained from her chest. We suspected heart disease. She was able to come home Christmas Day, and continued to do pretty well. She was less playful than previously, but still enjoyed napping in pet tents, licking catnip toys, and some good canned food. A visit to a cardiologist showed nothing significant - minor heart issues and very small nodules on her liver (too small to biopsy).

In May of 2007, she had a vestibular episode secondary to an ear infection - but once again, amazed us all with a speedy and complete recovery!

In March of 2008, I noticed her T4 values had increased from previous bloodwork. I opted to take her to a specialty center for a technitium (scintigraphic) scan of her thyroid. The scan showed significant hyperthyroidism. She was treated via radioactive iodine (I131) therapy in July of 2008.

In September of 2008, she became inappetant and rather lethargic. A visit to the vet revealed an elevated white blood cell count and she was put on antibiotics. Her appetite improved. However, in October I noticed some coughing and that her breathing was more from the abdomen. Another vet visit revealed fluid build-up in the chest and an enlarged liver. We rushed to the cardiologist, who confirmed congestive heart failure. They drained the fluids (120 mL's) via thoracocentesis and prescribed a change in medications and discontinuation of sub-q fluids for the time being. It's a delicate balancing act to treat heart disease (which calls for diuretics) and kidney disease (which calls for fluids). A few days later, I hadn't noticed significant improvement and took her back to my veterinarian. The fluids had built up once again, as much or more than they had been just three days earlier. There was little we could do, and we opted to set her free rather. As was typical of my little girl, she faced her journey bravely, happy and purring and responding with head butts and kitty yoga up until the end.

First day in new home - Adopted from Tree House January 2004

October 2005

January 2006 (Performing CPR)

March 2006

April 2006

with Ralphie, June 2006

In her "pillow fort" on the chaise - Feb 2007

March 2007

December 2007

with Ralphie

watching cat-sitter video

Omaha (aka Omie, aka Omie da Great, aka Omie da Terrible, aka Ohama bin Peein')

I thought Omaha was adorable, although a bit intimidating at over 20 pounds, from the minute I met him when I began volunteering at Tree House Animal Foundation in June 2002. Because of my initial fear, I began brushing him with the "magic pink brush" rather than petting. Turned out he liked being brushed - on the head only. He'd clean his front feet while I brushed his head. Gradually, I worked up to brushing his body. He began looking forward to our "beauty appointments". I started trying to sneak some pets into our brushing sessions. Then, I began sitting on the floor and sometimes he'd crawl into my lap, nuzzle his head in, and purr. (Too precious!)

End of 2002, I began noticing his fur falling out in big clumps and scabs on his skin. I felt so bad for him! Asked the clinic supervisor, and she said he got these "hot spots" on occasion. Oatmeal shampoo baths helped, but it was hard for clinic personnel to find the time to bathe him every week. Meanwhile, Omaha's best friend, Michelle, left Tree House. I don't know if it was because he wasn't feeling well, or he missed Michelle, but I noticed a change in his behavior. It seemed like he'd either just be lying there, seemingly not interested in anything... or would follow me from room to room and not want to leave my side.

I decided to take him home as my birthday present in February 2003. He was 13 years old. It took him about an hour to get over his "what is this?" frights... after being at the shelter 9 years, he wasn't sure what to think of this! But he quickly got over it, and purred up a storm in his new bed. He was inseparable from me at first, and would follow me from room to room and cry for me.

He scared the heck out of everyone at the vet's office, and most guests in my home... but he was a big teddy bear for me. In June 2004, his arthritis was getting worse, and he was beginning to have trouble supporting his weight with his back legs. Thankfully, someone referred me to Dr. Swanson, a holisitic vet and acupuncturist. After only two treatments, Omaha was *running*! After more, he was "bounding" up the stairs on occasion, chasing the other cats again, and twice I've even caught him standing on his back legs (with his front paws on a window or a bench)!

In 2005, I learned the benefits of a low-carbohydrate WET diet and got Omaha off the Lite dry food completely and onto a grain-free wet food (canned and homemade). The weight started to come off more rapidly than I could ever have imagined! Better yet, instead of only 1/8 cup of dry food twice a day, and being constantly hungry, Omaha could eat all the wet food he wanted. By October 2005 he was down to 14.5 pounds! Eventually, he was under 12 pounds. You can learn more at www.catinfo.org. Recent studies all show that a low-carbohydrate diet more effectively treats both obesity and diabetes.

Sadly, I lost Omaha October 14, 2008 - his neurological condition had been deteriorating over the last few months, and he begain having seizures.

Omaha was featured in a Tree House magazine, in the "Happy Endings" section on the back cover.