poor Butterscotch

lynneny

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Hi all! I'm not sure if I am posting this in the right place, but I have posted about Butterscotch in this forum before ("black gunk on tail") so I thought I'd post here.

Butterscotch is a male orange tabby about 3-5 years old who found us sometime last summer following another feral cat that we were feeding on our second story deck. The other cat was found dead in a neighbor's yard last fall, but Butterscotch returned to us a few weeks later. We had been feeding him since then outside. He must have been someone's pet a while ago, because he loves attention and being petted. Though he is skitterish since he's been outside for at least a year now, and only lets us pet him to a point, before he swipes out with his claws.

A few weeks ago, he went missing for 3 days and then came back with his ear shredded up (again!), but he wasn't putting any weight on his left front leg. Not having the means to take care of him financially, I found a wonderful organization who was willing to help us out with Butterscotch. They even use our same vet - who is very generous with this organization, giving them a much reduced fee.

They took him to this vet, he was neutered, his wound was stitched up on his shoulder, and he was found to have a severe urinary tract blockage. The vet told the women that he would have been dead within 1-2 days if they had not brought him in! The vet extracted a lot of urine from him, and he was put on prescription s/d canned and dry food - again many thanks to these women for providing us with the food for him for now.

He stayed in a cage in our garage for a few days until we were able to clean out a small room off our kitchen for him - he's been in there for a week now. He had a voracious apetite and I couldn't give him enough food. He started using the litterbox on the second day in the room, and used it well.

This past Friday night, our grown son gave him dinner for us, as neither my husband nor I were home at dinner time. He gave him the correct amount of the wet food, and Butterscotch still had some dry food in his bowl. Saturday morning, my husband found that he had vomited all over the room, and also made diarhea all over the room - yet most of the food was still in the bowls!!!

He has eaten only a few licks of the wet food (fresh) since Saturday morning and no dry food at all. He only used the litterbox a few times on Saturday. Not at all today.

I have spoken with the women today and he will hopefully go back to the vet tomorrow morning. BUT... we have to get him in a carrier - we had used food to get him into the trap and cage last time, but he is not interested in food right now. Again, I appreciate these women more than they will ever know!

I'm pretty sure he must be totally blocked again - he is so miserable that he even bit my huband's hand this morning and broke the skin - he usually lets him pet him for quite a while, but bit him when he went to take out the old wet food. He did let him pet him for a while about an hour ago, so that is good.

I guess I am writing here because I don't know who else to talk to about him, and I am very worried about him. As cat lovers, you all would understand.
 

proudmamiof4

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Oh I am so sorry! and you clearly have found some angels in this orginization that is helping you with the poor little guy! that he gets well!
 
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lynneny

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Thanks so much proudmami and Keith! It really helps to talk things out with people who you know care as much about these furbabies as we do!

That is a great idea Keith - about the catnip. I will ask Sylvia about it first - many people do not approve of using it because of its effects on cats, so I will let her decide.
 

keith p

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Also, if he is in pain the catnip might make him feel a little better until tomorrow or take his mind off of it.

Catnip is not bad like you think it might be, people always compare it to us taking a certain plant, which is not the same. I have wild catnip growing by me, the strays/ferals roll around in it very often and some eat it, if it was bad they would be sick right now. The scent basically makes them feel relaxed and more playful like when they were kittens, which for animals subjected to so much stress in the wild they probably look forward to it.
 

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I have had cats that will not go into carriers, feral or not. When you cannot tempt them with food, you should use a large blanket and roll them up in it, and then put a heavier blanket, like a cloth tarp over the first one, and roll it all into a large carrier if you have one.

If you don't have a carrier, just keep it all bunched together.
 
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lynneny

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WOW Barb! Thanks for the suggestion but I do think that would terrify Butterscotch more than he already is, and I'd like to avoid that at all costs. Plus I will be driving him without any help, and I'd like to know he is secure in the car, if you know what I mean!

Last night my husband stepped in a puddle of urine when he went in to say goodnight to him, and this morning Butterscotch was leaking on the floor when I gave him a tiny bit of fresh canned food. He really wanted to eat it, but only got half way done and couldn't eat anymore. This was only half of 1/8 of a can! At least he did get something into him before he is put in the carrier.

He still has not used the litterbox at all since Friday night, and only ate a couple of pieces of the dry food. He seems to be having difficulty eating the round pieces - he finally gets one chewed in half and one half falls out of his mouth onto the floor or back into the bowl. He never had a problem with dry food before, but it wasn't round like this is?

I am waiting to hear back from the women after they speak with the vet. Once they know if he can be seen this morning, one of them will come over and try to help me get him into the carrier. Meanwhile he is wanting lots of attention and rubs.
 
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lynneny

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Thanks again, proudmami.

Well I took him in right after I wrote here this morning - Sylvia was a pro in getting him into the carrier - I was so impressed!!!

The vet picked him up and felt underneath, and right away said he is so blocked up that this is an emergency case!!! He didn't even want to hear about anything else - Sylvia told me to be sure to tell him everything - like the fact that she thought he was dehydrated - he said that first and foremost he is terribly blocked and if he can't fix that then the other things won't matter!!!

He asked me what I wanted him to do, or if he should call the woman who makes the final decisions in the organization - I said yes call her, because right now we are "fostering" him, and the final decision is hers. He told me that they can try to unblock a male cat 3 times and that he really needs surgery which is VERY costly. I told him that neither we, nor the organization can afford that, so when he called her he asked if she wanted him to try and unblock him, or to euthanize him. They agreed that he is such a sweet cat, and to try to unblock him once more. So I left him at the vet's and he is also going to stay at least til Wednesday so the vet can see how he does.

I was able to overhear him talking on the phone in another room, and I got choked up - he really is such a sweetie. I hope this time works like a charm... poor Butterscotch!!!
 

gemlady

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Sending lots of for Butterscotch.

I had to reply because my sister, named Lynne, hAd a red tabby she called.Butterscotch.
 

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for cats that absolutely will not go into carriers, i put the carrier in a corner and guide the cat in w/a blanket. works every time.
 

cazlee

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I hope Butterscotch makes it with no lasting UT damage.

He should probably be on c/d instead of the s/d. I would mention it. The s/d is formulated more for the prevention of small struvite crystals only - "kidney/bladder stones" - Struvite stones are associated normally with bladder/kidney infections (in cats and people). The c/d is formulated to prevent the struvite/calcium oxolate uroliths - what actually causes the blockages. In a case like Butterscotch, he may have a disposition to forming the uroliths (big stones that cause the blockages) It's what my mother's cat is on, and he hasn't had a relapse since he's been fed the c/d formula.

If possible, make sure they run a kidney function panel to ensure he's not experiencing kidney failure. I don't think the panel costs too much if you have to pay for it out of pocket. If his kidneys are continuing to function properly, and you're able to keep him unblocked, Butterscotch is out of the woods.
 

farleyv

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the same issues with blockages. Was on CD until he grew out of the problem and was able to eventually eat normal food. Can't say that would be the case here, but ask your vet about CD.
 

proudmamiof4

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Originally Posted by LynneNY

Thanks again, proudmami.

Well I took him in right after I wrote here this morning - Sylvia was a pro in getting him into the carrier - I was so impressed!!!

The vet picked him up and felt underneath, and right away said he is so blocked up that this is an emergency case!!! He didn't even want to hear about anything else - Sylvia told me to be sure to tell him everything - like the fact that she thought he was dehydrated - he said that first and foremost he is terribly blocked and if he can't fix that then the other things won't matter!!!

He asked me what I wanted him to do, or if he should call the woman who makes the final decisions in the organization - I said yes call her, because right now we are "fostering" him, and the final decision is hers. He told me that they can try to unblock a male cat 3 times and that he really needs surgery which is VERY costly. I told him that neither we, nor the organization can afford that, so when he called her he asked if she wanted him to try and unblock him, or to euthanize him. They agreed that he is such a sweet cat, and to try to unblock him once more. So I left him at the vet's and he is also going to stay at least til Wednesday so the vet can see how he does.

I was able to overhear him talking on the phone in another room, and I got choked up - he really is such a sweetie. I hope this time works like a charm... poor Butterscotch!!!
That the surgery goes well! I will keep butterscotch in my prayers!
 
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lynneny

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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.

I don't want him to suffer, and the thought of him dying from a ruptured bladder makes me terribly sad.

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!
 

proudmamiof4

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Originally Posted by LynneNY

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.

I don't want him to suffer, and the thought of him dying from a ruptured bladder makes me terribly sad.

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!
I will keep on praying for him, I am sorry! I know this must be hard
I know how easily we get attached to rescues and fosters! here are some more good he can pull through this, and for you to make the best decision (even if it is the hardest one)
 
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lynneny

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Thanks again, Proudmami!

It really threw me this morning hearing about him, because I fully expected the receptionist to tell me that I could come and pick him up at any time today. This might sound odd, but thankfully this is not the first time we will probably have to put a kitty down. It is not easy at all of course, but at least we know what to expect this time.

Now if this headache would go away...
 

proudmamiof4

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Originally Posted by LynneNY

Thanks again, Proudmami!

It really threw me this morning hearing about him, because I fully expected the receptionist to tell me that I could come and pick him up at any time today. This might sound odd, but thankfully this is not the first time we will probably have to put a kitty down. It is not easy at all of course, but at least we know what to expect this time.

Now if this headache would go away...
It never gets any easier (having to have cats put to rest) but you just learn to accept it as a fact of other peoples ignorance (not spaying and neutering) and with the fact you save way more than you don't.Again I wish you luck and I am praying for butterscotch....no matter what the outcome.
 
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lynneny

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Here is what we have all decided to do...

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.

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!
 
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