Hello I've posted before about my 16 year old male bobtail,tripod cat named Bob. Currently I am at my wits end with this situation, allow me to explain fully (this will be a bit long and I really need to vent)
Bob was in an accident well before my family got him,he had been shot at and needed his leg amputated. The clinic that did this ended up having to keep him because the people never paid. My grandmother (who at the time was just known as the crazy animal lady, not the severe hoarder she really was) was always going to this clinic. I being very young always went too and played with him. Long story short we acquired another cat, Bob.
Let's fast forward many years later and many traumatic events with my grandmother being a hoarder, after graduating high school I felt it to be my duty to get her help for her problems,but small towns are not equipped to deal with problems like hers. So she wrote me out of her life and kept all her stuff and animals. My grandmother kept all her cats together in a building and over time their care was very poor(I was not there to care for them anymore)
My grandmother became sick right after I got out of the Army and needed my help. She had no one else and some "friends" were caring for these animals. Eventually I convinced her that we needed to rehome the ones that could be and she agreed. Upon my arrival at the heated and cooled building (though all that was turned off cause she couldn't pay it anymore) I found Bob. This old orange and white tripod cat I had loved so much as a kid was still kicking after all these years. I looked over the others 13 total (nothing like the 42+ she had when I was a kid) and knew I couldn't leave him that night.
I took him to my aunts and set him up proper. My grandmother did go home for a bit and I was her primary care taker for awhile. I gave her Bob to keep her company while I was at work and college. Eventually she became worse and we discovered it was cancer. Bob officially moved in with me after my grandmother went into the hospital. Now this cat he has been my buddy. I can't tell you how hard the adjustment was coming back to civilian life and then caring for my dying grandmother who had hated me for years (even though I just wanted to help). I suffer from depression and anxiety and dealing with those things seemed easier having this furry friend keep me in check. When I had to make the decision to "unplug" my grandmother it was the hardest one I've ever had to make (alone). I came home to this cat that just loved me and his (treats) and let me cry as long as I wanted. This cat has saved me in ways I will never understand.
Fast forward to Sept 14' and it was discovered Bob suffered from stomatitis so I had a FME done. We seemed to be doing alright but his mouth still had some inflammation and was angry. We started the atopica in November and it's been vet visit after vet visit since. He seemed to develop a URI a few weeks after starting the Atopica. Went to the vet, started antibiotics and thought we would be good to go. Took him in one day because he was not himself and did a full work up. All bloodwork looked good but he seemed to have an infection going on. More antibiotics. Cleared up for a little over a week and started sneezing again so I called aND was told let's do antibiotics again.
Okay. Here we are visiting family during the holidays and come home to find him with a bloody nose. I panic because my first thought is cancer. We take him in and do blood work again high count thinking infection. Vet tells me he busted his blood vessels in his nose from sneezing so hard. Perscribed neo poly dex for nose drops and azithromycin, injection of baytril and dex and sent home. 12 hours later he is like a new cat. Little over a week later he begins congestion again so I ask for more azithromycin. We complete it but it doesn't seem to help. He breathes (no blue color) but sounds terribly congested. Took him in to an ER VET that just gave him more dex and said call our vet monday...wasted 130 bucks on that one. Finally went into our vet and Perscribed neo poly dex drops with 1ml afrin,orbax,mirtazapine. Seemed okay until last Sunday his pupils were fully dilated. I stopped the antibiotics bc maybe that's what was causing the blindness? Took him into the vet who check BP and said yes way too high but let's stop all meds current just in case. He was put on bloodpressure meds and doxy this week.
Yes we are on lysine,do steam in the shower,have humidifier,and do little noses solution. I have done it all. I come home tonight and he seems to have a small circle/ring on his left eye the one that still has some retinal attachment. His BP has been checked numerous times this week and has gone down. But now I see this and I wonder corneal ulcer. It's not hair; I checked his eye numerous times tonight. I don't know what to do. Financially I am tapped out. I'm upset and angry (not with the cat, the situation). If I do anymore for him I won't have the funds to put him to sleep if it really comes down to it (which it is looking that way) if I spend much more to care for him. I'm trying to do what's right but I don't know what that is.
He is eating drinking using his litterbox. Gives me head bumps and snuggles. He sleeps a lot but he's 16 and he's always been a sleeper. He's still social and meows at us to give him treats when we bump the bag. He still has life, and that is what's making this so hard. Yes I have done Care Credit. I needed surgery and used it on me and him when we did the big panel.
I just don't know what to do. I'm beyond stressed with this situation and I just want to do what's right. I know ultimately it is all up to me but does anyone have any suggestions? Or even some kind words. Most folks don't understand the bond that is shared with animals much less a cat. Thanks
Bob was in an accident well before my family got him,he had been shot at and needed his leg amputated. The clinic that did this ended up having to keep him because the people never paid. My grandmother (who at the time was just known as the crazy animal lady, not the severe hoarder she really was) was always going to this clinic. I being very young always went too and played with him. Long story short we acquired another cat, Bob.
Let's fast forward many years later and many traumatic events with my grandmother being a hoarder, after graduating high school I felt it to be my duty to get her help for her problems,but small towns are not equipped to deal with problems like hers. So she wrote me out of her life and kept all her stuff and animals. My grandmother kept all her cats together in a building and over time their care was very poor(I was not there to care for them anymore)
My grandmother became sick right after I got out of the Army and needed my help. She had no one else and some "friends" were caring for these animals. Eventually I convinced her that we needed to rehome the ones that could be and she agreed. Upon my arrival at the heated and cooled building (though all that was turned off cause she couldn't pay it anymore) I found Bob. This old orange and white tripod cat I had loved so much as a kid was still kicking after all these years. I looked over the others 13 total (nothing like the 42+ she had when I was a kid) and knew I couldn't leave him that night.
I took him to my aunts and set him up proper. My grandmother did go home for a bit and I was her primary care taker for awhile. I gave her Bob to keep her company while I was at work and college. Eventually she became worse and we discovered it was cancer. Bob officially moved in with me after my grandmother went into the hospital. Now this cat he has been my buddy. I can't tell you how hard the adjustment was coming back to civilian life and then caring for my dying grandmother who had hated me for years (even though I just wanted to help). I suffer from depression and anxiety and dealing with those things seemed easier having this furry friend keep me in check. When I had to make the decision to "unplug" my grandmother it was the hardest one I've ever had to make (alone). I came home to this cat that just loved me and his (treats) and let me cry as long as I wanted. This cat has saved me in ways I will never understand.
Fast forward to Sept 14' and it was discovered Bob suffered from stomatitis so I had a FME done. We seemed to be doing alright but his mouth still had some inflammation and was angry. We started the atopica in November and it's been vet visit after vet visit since. He seemed to develop a URI a few weeks after starting the Atopica. Went to the vet, started antibiotics and thought we would be good to go. Took him in one day because he was not himself and did a full work up. All bloodwork looked good but he seemed to have an infection going on. More antibiotics. Cleared up for a little over a week and started sneezing again so I called aND was told let's do antibiotics again.
Okay. Here we are visiting family during the holidays and come home to find him with a bloody nose. I panic because my first thought is cancer. We take him in and do blood work again high count thinking infection. Vet tells me he busted his blood vessels in his nose from sneezing so hard. Perscribed neo poly dex for nose drops and azithromycin, injection of baytril and dex and sent home. 12 hours later he is like a new cat. Little over a week later he begins congestion again so I ask for more azithromycin. We complete it but it doesn't seem to help. He breathes (no blue color) but sounds terribly congested. Took him in to an ER VET that just gave him more dex and said call our vet monday...wasted 130 bucks on that one. Finally went into our vet and Perscribed neo poly dex drops with 1ml afrin,orbax,mirtazapine. Seemed okay until last Sunday his pupils were fully dilated. I stopped the antibiotics bc maybe that's what was causing the blindness? Took him into the vet who check BP and said yes way too high but let's stop all meds current just in case. He was put on bloodpressure meds and doxy this week.
Yes we are on lysine,do steam in the shower,have humidifier,and do little noses solution. I have done it all. I come home tonight and he seems to have a small circle/ring on his left eye the one that still has some retinal attachment. His BP has been checked numerous times this week and has gone down. But now I see this and I wonder corneal ulcer. It's not hair; I checked his eye numerous times tonight. I don't know what to do. Financially I am tapped out. I'm upset and angry (not with the cat, the situation). If I do anymore for him I won't have the funds to put him to sleep if it really comes down to it (which it is looking that way) if I spend much more to care for him. I'm trying to do what's right but I don't know what that is.
He is eating drinking using his litterbox. Gives me head bumps and snuggles. He sleeps a lot but he's 16 and he's always been a sleeper. He's still social and meows at us to give him treats when we bump the bag. He still has life, and that is what's making this so hard. Yes I have done Care Credit. I needed surgery and used it on me and him when we did the big panel.
I just don't know what to do. I'm beyond stressed with this situation and I just want to do what's right. I know ultimately it is all up to me but does anyone have any suggestions? Or even some kind words. Most folks don't understand the bond that is shared with animals much less a cat. Thanks
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