The saga of Damita comes to an end

Finally, the ongoing saga of Damita has come to an end.

February 2006: spayed, vaccinated, tested FeLV-...began foster care with me
March-April 2006: treated for 30 days for Ringworm Bout #1
July-August 2006: treated for 30 days for Ringworm Bout #2
October: began food trials for food allergies(chicken & seafood allergens)
November: developed litter allergies & lost fur on bum, switched to natural litters
Oct/Nov: I adopted Damita & Dorian after fostering for so many long months
November-December 2006: treated with a vareity of meds for Ringworm Bout #3
January: urine pH off the charts, put on Science Diet d/d for allergies & pH, weighed in at 8 lbs...had dropped 4 lbs since Nov.
February: urine pH persists to be off the charts, complete blood work up & FIV/FeLV test (-)
March: started on raw diet

Today is April 12, 2007. Today, she has hair, everywhere. It's nice not to have a naked bum stuck in my face. Today, she got raw chicken for supper & had no reaction to it what-so-ever....well, except for the initial "is this edible?" Her weight has leveled out. She has no hairballs, which were always a persistant & major issue. Her urine pH was 7.0-7.5 in mid March.....higher than our goal, but really good. On the charts! She eats on a regular basis, isn't always acting like she's starving, her teeth look pretty good, the bad breath has gotten much better, & she's more open to different foods. The best part of all is that her grooming that I chalked up to be stricly an obsessive thing, seems to have been something else, likely allergies. She grooms so much less now, although it is still an obsessive thing. After suffering for almost 6 months, she is finally comfortable in her own body.

I seriously cannot believe that this is the same cat! I am shocked she hasn't developed ringworm again, that she is "healthy" so to speak. She hasn't been healthy the entire time she's been with me! So many of her health problems can be traced back to food. It's amazing how much food can influence health.

And a huge thanks goes out to Jennifer for answering all my dopey questions & everyone who's been following me & helped me transition Damita to raw!!

Bet you are so relieved, fingers crossed it continues!!

Aww YAY! Congratulations!

go Damita!! go Natalie!!! I love happy endings!!

Wow, that's great ! Congratulations.

The hairball thing sounds very familiar btw, Mimosa's hairball troubles have ceased too since she started eating raw.

That is great news, Natalie!!!

We're so very happy to hear of your good news with Damita. Here's hoping she continues doing so incredibly well. Damita, you go girl!

The title of this thread SCARED me!

But then I saw that it wasn't in "crossing." PHEW!!!

She is one lucky little girl to have a meowmy like you who cared enough to go through all that - you deserve a medal for helping her to get to this new and healthy place!

I had the same panic when I read the thread title! Whew!

I am so glad that she is doing much better and hope the good luck continues.

I know I saw it on the front page and I said ...but I kind of knew you wouldn't title it quite like that if it was something bad.

This is great news!!! Congrats! I *so* know the feeling of having a brand new cat...Maybe the new Beandip and the new Damita should get together for a tasty raw chicken dinner.

Yay for Damita! Wonderful news!

Yeah Natalie - don't scare us like that!!!!!

I'm SOOOOOO PLEASED that the end is a healthy cat, and not what I was thinking! Isn't it amazing what switching to raw can do in some cats? I guess it's just preservatives or something like that which she can't handle.

Hooray for both of you!

Damita is so lucky to have someone who cared so deeply for her and stuck with her until you found a solution. You must have a wonderful feeling when you see her so beautiful and comfortable.....




.......don't you miss that hairless bum just a tiny little bit?

Congrates Natalie and Damita

Many people would have given up.
Damita is really fortunate that you are her Mommy.

As I was reading her initial treatment I'm thinking..."Oh man, this probably didn't turn out well", so this is GREAT news!

She and Dorian look so cute together.

Originally Posted by Mia mouse

.......don't you miss that hairless bum just a tiny little bit?

Click to expand...

Well, sorta. Now that she has hair on her bum, she gets poop stuck in it!

Sorry to have freaked you all out with the thread title, but really...this has been a saga. I've had people tell me they would've euthanized her. I can't say that thought never crossed my mind. She was so miserable for so long, it is hard to believe that this is Damita.

Damita is looking forward to a date with Beandip!

That's quite a lot of progress!

Hooray for you and Damita!!! What a wonderfully persistant Meowmy you've been. She's such a very lucky kitty!!

Tailer says to tell you that he'll provide the raw food dinner for Beandip and Damita out of his personal supply, since he currently has no use for it.