FIP Feline Infectious Peritonitis took my kitty

compassal

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Hi CatLove,
Yes, I do have a kitty now. I swore I would never get another! But after a short while I found myself at the local animal shelter allegedly just to cuddle some cats but not take one home. Well you know how that worked out! The children at the summer program had named this beautiful little 3 month old female, Ashley -- because she was the color of ashes. She sat atop my shoulder in the car on the way home purring in my ear. Ashley is now 11! She is just hilarious. Very happy and healthy and content as can be. She is the joy of our lives. I laughed when I read that if you whistle, your kitten will stand up and put her paws on your face and sing or chatter back! Ashley is also very talkative. Sometimes if she's in an exceptionally chatty mood, she will respond to everything I say with the same number of syllables and in a similar tone. It's so funny, my husband and I can't stop laughing!
Fondly, Lori
 

compassal

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Hi Hissy,
Thank you for your kind words. It's such a pleasure to talk to others who value these precious little creatures as they should be valued and loved. I've been reading many of your posts since I'm new to the site. What a fulfilling job you must have -- to be able to write about, advocate for, rescue and care for cats. I know it must be heart-wrenching many times, too - that goes with the territory of what you do. I've often thought about getting more involved with a career helping animals. My problem is that I become absolutely devastated when I see an animal in pain or fear. I don't know if I could handle it (ie., volunteering at a shelter where abused, unloved and unwanted animals are the everyday norm) I know it's not noble and I wish I could handle it better -- how do you do it when you see this sort of thing? -- Lori
 

hissy

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Lori,

Because of the deep caring and the committment that I feel for these cats that did not ask to be in the situation they are in, that is how and why I need to go on. Each cat that is here on my property, brings with it a story that sometimes could curdle the heart. Most of them, I will never know what they lived through (but could only imagine) and have to just tend to their wounds both physically and mentally. I had one cat, recently passed that was a near drowning victim and was afraid of the dark. More than likely because of the lake where she was being repeatedly held underneath the water. She slept with a nightlight.

I have had cats that have been surgically experimented on, by clumsy abusers, and even a cat that was crucified on a stop sign!


You never get used to it. Your tears never dry up, if they do, you don't belong in rescue, because you need the empathy to keep going and to keep focus. Once you stop caring, once you stop trying to change laws and make a difference, you may as well shrivel up and die.

I have met many wonderful people who care for strays and ferals along the way, and they all have that sensitive nature you speak about. It is vital for the cause to keep in tune with it, and you never want to get to the point where you are so numb you just don't care anymore. It is the caring that drives me. That, and I am crazy! Just ask anyone in my town!
 
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catlove

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To Lori,
I'm so glad that you took the chance and adopted another cat. It sounds like you have a wonderful one! It was your turn to make me laugh...I can just picture the talking cat, imitating your tone of voice, etc.



To Hissy,
I guess I have been truly sheltered, having not heard of the terrible things you have spoken of happening to cats. It is shocking and frightening that people can be so cruel. I commend you for the work you do and know that the kitty lives you touch are blessed!



Ellen
 

prinny

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A feral that I was starting to make some real inroads with had to be put down about 2 weeks ago due to FIP. It was bad enough to lose Josephine as she was very special to me. But now to find out more about this terrible disease makes her passing all the more sorrowful.

It's hard to let go, a necessary evil.

My sympathies to the owners and the cats.
 

hissy

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Ellen,

here is Dunkin's story. I still can't bring myself to put pictures there yet. Perhaps someday- she was very special to us. Because of the abuse she suffered, she walked funny- earning the nickname Drunken-which we called her with love.


Dunk
 

prinny

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Poor Dunkin. And God love ya for doing what you could in the time that you had with this cat. There should be a special place in Hades for animal abusers.

The special cases, such as Dunk, are the ones that touch our hearts the most. There is so much we could do for them, so much negative programming we could reverse if given the time. I recently lost a feral friend to FIP. I think the sense of loss extends more than to just having lost a friend. There is the loss of potential also, losing the opportunity to show these special, needy cats that all humans aren't bad, human contact can be good, life doesn't have to be a living hell and that love does exist.

I'd like to think you made a bigger impact on Dunk than you realize. Who can say what it meant to her when she cried about the dark and you left a night light for her. It may have done far more for her than just quieting her screaming.

Hopefully your Dunk is talking to my Jo-Jo about the humans who maybe weren't as bad as they thought.
 
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catlove

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Hissy,
Such a bittersweet story abut Dunkin'...
I am glad that there was some measure of oy in her life after the cruel start.

People who abuse animals are criminals.

E
 

hissy

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yes they are, and I did not mean to hijack your thread. Simply to let you and the others know that this board is full of compassion for those who walk this path, because we have walked it as well once upon a time.....
 

cs_hopper

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Hi, i just read your e-mail. My kitten most likely has FIP, and now i'm faced with what to do. He's been running a fever and sleeping alot the last 5 weeks, but now his abdomen is filled with fluid. He's not sick, sick yet, still eating and purring etc. but the vet says maybe he has 2 weeks. When i read your post and saw how long you had your kitty i thought maybe he can live happy longer. I'm probably kidding myself, i would do almost anything to save him, as i love him so completely like you loved your little one. I just don't know how i'm going to face putting him down in the next couple of days because he still isn't real sick (last night he slept in our bed) I'm sorry for your loss, god i so understand, i'm worried about my other kitty as well who we adopted only 5 months ago. She is 9 years old. 2004 is right up there with my one of the toughest years of my life. Your not alone with your grief.
 

prinny

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Been there, having been in the position that if my Sam lived through the night, I was going to take him and end his suffering. It meant more to me that he be in peace. It was in his eyes, he wanted to go. Maybe you'll see that same look in your kitty's eyes. And perhaps you'll be spared the trip I didn't have to make. Angels came and took him to his rest during the night. (This was in 1977 and I'm still not over it.)

All you can do is make the most of the time you have left. Good luck and hugs.

Prinny
 
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catlove

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You responded to my posting a year ago. I can't believe it's been so long since I was forced to put my sweet Leenda to sleep because of FIP. I had just adopted a kitten when shortly thereafter I found out that my older cat Leenda was infected.

Just an update.

The intense pain has subsided from the loss of Leenda but I still feel sad when I think of her or look at her picture, which is still on my mirror in my bedroom. She will always be in my heart and my children and I speak of her antics and fun games as well as her beautiful colors and bright eyes. We wish she were still with us.

So far things are ok with the kitten who is now a full grown cat. Her name is Juliette. She is funny in her own ways and loving and sweet. I know she was exposed to FIP yet there have been no signs of it as yet. We pray that she will remain healthy, but with FIP there is no way of knowing if it will strike once the cat is exposed.

I so much want to adopt another cat but just can't bring myself to do so because I'm afraid that the same thing will happen again. I fear that Juliette will get sick just like Leenda did and then we'll pass it on to another innocent kitty. The vet says that she may never get it, but I don't feel comfortable taking a chance.

I was surprised to see a posting to this very old thread and it brought back these worries. Hope everything is going well with you and with all the others who care for their lovely furry ones.

Originally Posted by Xastion

I really hope that your kitten isn't infected. And I am dearly sorry for your loss.

Sadly, the world doesn't recoginize it because most people don't understand. Most people don't understand how a person can feel extreme grief over the loss of a distant relative and can not even fathom the idea of forming a tight bond with an animal.

Thankfully though there are enough animal lovers out there that there are places to turn to. Grief counceling for the loss of a pet is not unheard of - I mean, these little animals greet us in our homes, give us their love and their devotion, and show their friendship asking for nothing more then a home and a little love in return. That's more then what some people are willing to give.

Look around your area and you might even find pet grief counceling. Or support groups. It's going to be rough for awhile, but in time the pain will fade. I won't lie, it won't be tomorrow or even next week but it will fade.

I hope that after you take your kitten to the vet that the little dear tests negative. But if she is know that there are plenty of people here that will help you through this rough time.
 
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catlove

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I'm sorry to hear of your situation. It breaks my heart when I hear of the symptoms--the fever, sleeping a lot and the stomach filling with fluid. I remember very distinctly the very same symptoms in my Leenda. Then her appetite failed, she grew dehydrated and there was really no choice. I couldn't just let her waste away from starvation. My heart truly goes out to you. Be strong. You know what is best for your kitten. You will feel the grief but also know that you are doing the right thing by letting him go. Once I knew there was no way to heal my cat, I knew what I had to do, no matter how painful. Even my children accepted it. My daughter begged me not to lay her to rest, but she came to understand that I had no choice. We all cried. Let me know how you are doing.

Originally Posted by CS_Hopper

Hi, i just read your e-mail. My kitten most likely has FIP, and now i'm faced with what to do. He's been running a fever and sleeping alot the last 5 weeks, but now his abdomen is filled with fluid. He's not sick, sick yet, still eating and purring etc. but the vet says maybe he has 2 weeks. When i read your post and saw how long you had your kitty i thought maybe he can live happy longer. I'm probably kidding myself, i would do almost anything to save him, as i love him so completely like you loved your little one. I just don't know how i'm going to face putting him down in the next couple of days because he still isn't real sick (last night he slept in our bed) I'm sorry for your loss, god i so understand, i'm worried about my other kitty as well who we adopted only 5 months ago. She is 9 years old. 2004 is right up there with my one of the toughest years of my life. Your not alone with your grief.
 
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