poor Butterscotch

lynneny · May 23, 2009

Thanks so much, cazlee!

This morning before I got up, my husband gave Butterscotch each of the medicines mixed in its own spoonful of baby food. He ate each one willingly - YEA Butterscotch! He also has his appetite back and is using the litterbox so far. I don't want to get too excited because it did take several days for him to shut down again last week, but hopefully the meds will kick in and be of great help!

gemlady · May 23, 2009

Do you have a blender? When my Mom was on a soft diet after oral surgery, she would take cooked meat and blend it to baby food consistency. Doing this yourself would guarantee the meat would be low in additives. Just a thought.

Give him a skritch from me.

lynneny · May 23, 2009

That's a great idea, gemlady!!! Thanks for the suggestion - I can broil up some chicken - do you know how long it would keep in a sealed plastic container?

p.s. - I just found the photo forum and posted some pictures of Butterscotch there in case anyone would like to see the sweetie!

gemlady · May 23, 2009

I wouldn't blend more than 2-3 meals worth at a time since there will be no preservatives.

faithv · May 23, 2009

I make my own baby food (for my human baby

) Generally the guidelines say consider it good for three days. It's best if you use a fresh spoon every time you serve it up from your storage container. Chicken cooked with broth can be blended / pureed fairly nicely.

gemlady · May 24, 2009

Thanks for posting, Faith. I was wondering if we had any mothers here who made their own baby food.

lynneny · May 24, 2009

Yes, thanks Faith and gemlady!

He ate the medicine in the baby food again today - way to go Butterscotch!

I tried playing with him with a cat toy that has feathers but he was afraid of it. I am going to get him one of those catnip/crinkly toys today and see if he likes that any better.

addiebee · May 24, 2009

Instead of poaching chicken breasts... I would cook darker meat - poach it. cook it in low salt chicken stock and nothing else... or water. The dark meat has more nutritive value... or make both. I made chicken thighs as a holiday treat for my shelter kitties... and chopped it up into tiny pieces with the broth... OMG... I thought I was gonna get mugged by a buncha cats!!!

It was a huge hit!

keith p · May 24, 2009

I am SO glad I told you to post here, after reading all this I imagine Butterscotch might have died if you hadnt been able to help him any later. I am so proud of what you have done, Butterscotch is so lucky to have you!

lynneny · May 24, 2009

AddieBee - thanks for telling me about the chicken. Butterscotch is really not supposed to have anything to eat other than his prescription s/d food, but the only reason we are giving him a bit of baby food meats is to get his medicine in him. But I will remember about the dark meat for our other cats, and if/when Butterscotch can have other foods.

Keith - I thank you once again for stearing me to this wonderful website. And thanks so much for your kind words and your goldfish gift! Everyone here is so nice, and friendly, and helpful - I'm sure I will be her for a long time to come.

lynneny · May 29, 2009

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, 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 - is anyone familiar with this first hand?

I hope this vet knows what she is doing - this is the same one who diagnosed our Roxie with a cold 7 years ago, 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?!?

nance · May 29, 2009

Sounds like he is doing well...thank goodness......I went thru this but it was yrs back and well my memory isn't the best with details but mine also was on bladder contracting meds....I couldn't tell u how long tho....I'd just watch him like a hawk to make sure he is urinating 2 full times a day....If not then call the vet back right away....Fingers crossed he keeps doing well

lynneny · May 30, 2009

Thanks once again, Nance! We are keeping a very close eye on him, and his use of the litter box!

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.

lynneny · Aug 22, 2009

We took Butterscotch to the vet today to get him retested for FIV/FELV since it is now 3 months since we've taken him inside and he was last tested. Back in May he tested negative for both.

Today he tested positive for FIV. I can't tell you how shocked and saddened I was at the vet's. I even cried when the vet told my husband and me. Butterscotch has been doing so very well in his little room off the kitchen. He has become very affectionate with us, eats very well - he even gained 4 lbs. since we took him in, plays with us and some toy mice now, and uses his litterbox well. His fur is nice and soft now that he has shedded his outdoor fur, and all his wounds are totally healed and not visable. We were certain that the vet would give us good news, and that we'd be able to bring him out into the rest of the house with the other 5 cats. Now it we will have to find him another loving home, because our other 5 cats do fight on any given day, and we just cannot risk them getting FIV.

The woman, who has helped us with him financially through her organization (which we appreciate more than she could ever know!), told me before he was tested today, that we would HAVE to keep him, and that he would NOT be contagious to our other cats. The vet said absolutely NOT - do NOT allow him to be with them. I haven't spoken with her since we found out - I assume the vet will inform her, as she also uses him for her organization. She says he is unadoptable because of his other problems with having had the paralyzed bladder, and urinary tract blockages and that we simply have to keep him even if he is FIV positive. (not if he were FeLV positive, which thankfully he is not.)

But here is the question... I was researching FIV online after I had calmed down, and found that it is often possible for a positive result to be false. That usually a second test - a Western Blot test - is recommended to confirm. But our vet did not mention it, which surprises me, as he studied at Cornell's Vet School and they even say so on their website.

I know I am holding onto hope that will most likely not be real, as Butterscotch WAS bitten and fought with very badly by a feral cat, and this is very often how they become infected with FIV. But is it wrong to call the vet and ask for this second test? Do we take him to another vet for that test if he will not administer it?

Any suggestions as to how to find him another LOVING home assuming the worst?

lynneny · Aug 23, 2009

Anyone have any ideas for my questions?
This thread is going quickly down the page and we are desparate here...

darlili · Aug 23, 2009

It certainly is not wrong to ask you vet for his advice regarding a second test to confirm - and to ask for his advice regarding Butterscotch's future, and whether he'd be ok as a only cat in another home. They're are people who will take special needs cats (a lot of people on this site have such kitties), but I don't know how you'd specifically seek one out in your area. Your vet may have advice on this as well. If he won't do this for you, well, a second opinion is standard in the medical world - he shouldn't get upset, even if he's 100% sure of his diagnosis.

Prayers for you and Butterscotch.

lynneny · Aug 23, 2009

Thanks for the quick response darlili!

While our vet was sympathetic, he did not have an answer as to how to find another home for him. He did say he could live a long life with this diagnosis - not sure about his other issues though.

The thing is... as is elsewhere I'm sure... there are way too many cats looking for homes here, and not too many people who are willing to take one in with so many health issues I'm afraid.

I am going to call him tomorrow about getting another test done though.

snake_lady · Aug 23, 2009

Were both tests the Elisia test? If so, definately specify to your vet that you don't want the Elisia test, you want the one that gets sent away. I believe there is less false positives with that one.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...=201055&page=3

That has info about testing for Felv..... (read Momofmany's last post) It should help you understand what I'm trying to say in the above.

ETA: sorry, just reread your post.... I think you've already been thinking of the different type of test.

I'm

that the next test in negative.

lynneny · Aug 23, 2009

Thanks so much, Snake Lady!

Yes the test he did in the office was for both FIV and FeLV, so I'm assuming it was the ELISA test - it was very quick. The Western Blot test is the one that gets sent to a lab, so that is the one I am going to ask him to do.

Thanks for keeping your fingers crossed - we have everything that is possible crossed here as well!

jack31 · Aug 23, 2009

There are some FIV and FeLV specific shelters that might take him as well. I know there are people who keep FIV pos cats with FIV neg cats. Do your cats fight and break the skin? My cats play fight pretty rough but have never broken the skin.

Good luck, I think the biggest positive to remember is that he has known love because of you--thats huge.

Leslie

poor Butterscotch

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member