Sudden Kidney disease (failure) in 22 month old cat

Just got a diagnosis: Ruptured bladder (fluid in abdomen is urine/blood). Statistically - the elevated kidney numbers (in a very young cat) are related to the trauma and will likely normalize. She is going into surgery in two hours.

If they AREN'T related - the surgery is a waste. Vets opinion, in his experience - she is severely dehydrated, and once fixed and hydrated, they should be okay. I gave the go ahead. Likely cost in the end for everything (well, it does matter) should be around $8,500 (with previous costs, will be around $9,500). I have pet health insurance which pays 90% after $200 deductible up to $22,000/year. Some thought I was nuts getting it for young cats - maybe, maybe not.

So either she will recover or she won't. I'm surprised how well Artemis is doing with her not here.

I'm glad you finally have a diagnosis. Continued vibes for you and kitty. Remember, you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. (Lecture over)

Oh my goodness what an ordeal! But THANK goodness you have a diagnosis and treatment course. MANY vibes she does well through the surgery and recovery!

Well, she is out of surgery - wasn't quite routine... not out of the woods… in other words she remains in ICU. Normally a bladder is kind of "punctured," in her case it was split down the middle. Also her urethra is highly discolored like it was traumatized. So she is left with a catheter and drainage port. Her blood pressure is low and basically, it is up to her will to live at this point.

While not 50/50, the surgeon said that she has seen this urethra damage before associated with trauma, but as an indoor cat it is hard to place it. Perhaps she threw a clot for some reason??? It is up to the cat's resources and will.

I will have an update tomorrow morning.

A friend who is a true animal person advised me that it would be beneficial if I could visit her as soon as allowed. That my presence (her anchor in this world) could help her want to recover - just by my being there. So I will ask how soon I can be there.

Why did it take someone else to suggest this to me?

WARNING - THE FOLLOWING "CONFESSION" SOME MAY FIND DISTURBING - SO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. BUT ANIMALS AS FAMILY IS A NEW THING FOR ME. (MODERATORS FEEL FREE TO EDIT THIS PART OUT.)

I know this seems obvious to all of you, visiting as soon as possible, but it wasn't to me. My family of origin was very controlling and vehemently against pets so I have nothing in my past to build on in that area. Even my first TRUE PET, a cat (almost 40 years ago) was "just a pet." And I only had her about 4 months because I suddenly was dismissed from my job through the direct intervention of a scheming nasty coworker who wanted me gone so he could have my company car. Leaving a lot out, he fabricated an elaborate lie to get me fired so that I would not have enough money to make it through the next month and strand me 20 miles from my apartment. I was young and had no choice but to return to my home where NO ANIMALS, AND ESPECIALLY A CAT, IS ALLOWED. 

I didn't know about shelters (and even if I did, I was out in the boonies) and HAD NO CHOICE but to leave her behind, telling/asking my neighbor to see to her, leaving my stuff behind and catching a Greyhound bus.

My best animal-people friends who know the entire story also understand that I had no choice but to abandon her (yes, I wrote the "a" word). Goes to show that not everyone who does that has any other options that they are AWARE of. And, the worst of it is that I didn't have an emotional attachment... it was "just a pet," "just a cat." I apologize if this offends anyone, but it explains why I never even CONSIDERED going to see Jessie in ICU, and for this I feel profoundly ashamed too.

So, late in life I've come to understand that these fur critters aren't there just for show or companionship... but that a real two-way bond forms (in most cases). Two-way - that is new to me and I didn't comprehend. That a cat can look at its caregiver with love is all new to me, and precious. 

Yesterday morning I knew something was wrong NOT just because of her behavior, but by a distinct look in her eyes that said to me "help me." And there were moments last night when she knew she couldn't drink, wanting to so badly, and when I forced some liquid down her throat she still gave a look of thanks in her eyes even as she struggled to swallow.

Less than two years of being a "Cat Daddy" and it has changed me profoundly. So I will call to see when I can visit (I HATE seeing all the wires and stuff, creeps me out).

One more thing... how is Artie handling this? Much better than I expected. Yeah, he's a Ragdoll, but he used to wail when I took Jessie out to the vet. But true to his breed, he is handling it very well (so far) - not looking for her, but turning his attention to me and expecting more from me <chuckle>. I was so worried what he would do if she wasn't around. Now I'm not... but I pray that she will make it. She is special (as are they all). Better to learn late than never. They are not companions, they are FAMILY. Mea Culpa.

Please allow me to add my own hopes and best wishes for Jessie's recovery. Also, please do not be so hard on yourself that it took someone else to suggest that your earliest presence could be helpful. Be thankful of having a good friend who can think to make such a suggestion. In times of family medical crisis having understanding friends and/or family around is a huge help. Regardless of your confession you obviously care a grat deal about Jessie and Artie now, and that is what matters. Hang in there.

I really hope that your little cat comes out of this okay! It sounds as thought you both have been through a lot.

Let me also add that I can understand why you chose to abandon that cat in the past. My best friend loves her two cats, but she still has difficulty with being a pet parent. Her grandparents are old-fashioned and lived on a farm. To them their animals were outside only, and animals were either food or had a job on the farm. They weren't considered family and they certainly weren't taken to the vet. My friend's mom got a cat for the my friend when she was child and the grandmother literally almost disowned them because they had a "pet" that would come in to the garage at night. It wasn't even an indoor cat! Now my friend has her two cats, and they are indoor/outdoor, and while she loves them like they're children, she sometimes has no idea about their body language/needs/nor does she take them to the vet (thankfully they haven't ever been sick, but that's only a matter of time). She learns something new every day, and learned SO much when she had a temp job at a local vet office.

So don't be too hard on yourself, you certainly aren't the only one! Even being the animal person I am I still do dumb things (like the impulse buy that is my two parakeets). You sound like you are a great cat mom!

Called - Jessie is stable, normal output of urine (hooray) from her sutured bladder. Will have blood work later to see how kidney numbers are.

Will go see her later - told that she is aware of her surroundings, but heavily medicated.

I went to see Jessie today and they brought her out to an examination room.

Medicated but alert, she pushed her head into my hand and, with what must have been a great effort, purred some.

They are monitoring her urine output and signs for leakage, but her kidney numbers have normalized.

She needs to remain in observation a few more days.

So far so good.

NBrazil said:

I went to see Jessie today and they brought her out to an examination room.





Medicated but alert, she pushed her head into my hand and, with what must have been a great effort, purred some.





They are monitoring her urine output and signs for leakage, but her kidney numbers have normalized.





She needs to remain in observation a few more days.





So far so good.

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This is so good to hear! I know it's not ideal, but considering what could have happened, or what it could have been.....this is definitely a more positive outcome!! I bet she loved to see you

I'll continue to send good vibes your way! Hang in there!

Thanks. 

Between modern medicine and pet insurance, she has been given a second chance. If either of these was not in the equation, no doubt I would have chosen euthanasia. The "miracle" of ultrasound to diagnose and the hands of a surgeon for the first part and freedom to do whatever is needed for the second part.

Basically, I've always felt that spending thousands (much less the approximately $10,000 this should be around) on, sorry, "just a pet," is outrageous. And even with her being family, I still could not have done it. Pet insurance means freedom to handle the unexpected and, in my case, the just plain crazy and inconceivable circumstance. Seriously, the doctors say this is one of the more unusual cases they've seen.

She makes it means she has burned through at least half of her nine lives. But youth and a tough tenacity is in her favor.

That seems like good news to me. I know it can seem iffy to get too optimistic after such a scare, but I think this is looking pretty good. Cats can indeed be quite resilient if the problem is caught and fixed soon enough, especially young cats. Jessie is probably a little confused by it all and will be even better off once she is able to come home and see you more often and be in her familiar surroundings.

I hear you on spending thousands. Your insurance purchase worked out well and your experience is prompting me to look into it again lest we experience some inconceivable circumstance with one of ours.

for you and more for Jessie. Given the very puzzling nature of the problem, it was likely something congenital. But it's been managed now - and I do hope she comes through with flying colors. :heart2:

Jessie ran a fever last night so they replaced her catheter and drain port, and switched some medications.

I saw her today and she was capable of activity (just gotta watch them plastic lines), but I kept her settled down. They asked me to try and feed her because she hasn't eaten anything since Monday. (I'm sure they are giving her some nutrients IV along with hydration, but she really needs to start eating.)

So they hoped I could coax her. I couldn't, she just wouldn't eat from my hand and spit out the chunk food she normally loves. So, like the night I squirted water into her mouth, I put some of the really soft gooey food on my finger, pried open her mouth and spread it on her tongue. She swallowed it! I kept on doing that with breaks for awhile... breaks to stroke her and hold her close while she purred away... longer than she purred at home.

I mean I even stuck my finger in my ear, rubbed it in my hair to get my scent strongly on it and let her head rest on my hand while stroking her. I wanted her to know my presence strongly. I even got her to blow one "I (eye) love you eye kiss" back to me while I was sending them to her. 

But she is not a happy kitty with all the tubes in her and things so they can draw blood. Still, the techs love her - she is such a sweetie.

So I held her a bit longer before they came to take her back. Not out of the woods, but I hope my visit gave her more will to live.

Jessie is home. Scared, but cuddled up against me, groomed and purred.

I will go back and spend the night with her and see if she will eat in the morning.

Oh I'm glad she's home! :heart2: Continued !!

Yay! Nothing like home to help her feel safer and more comfortable again. Should help her recovery along. :-)

Okay... at least she peed a little bit (seemingly with difficulty,  but better out than in) which is good considering what is going on with her plumbing. She is licking her vagina a lot and rolling around in the litter. I'll keep on watching her. Also one tiny #2, but then she has hardly eaten since Monday.

She sniffs at food, but not eating more than a bite (or lapping up the gravy). So I've taken some pate and laid it on her tongue... she swallows, just to get at least some nutrition into her.

Otherwise she has periods of acting normal (she even tried to play with me this morning) and periods of acting scared and hiding. I guess it is a process and very early.

I've never had problems giving pills to a cat before, but her head has a small build. Tiny head, jaws of steel, and me with late stage Lyme - ruining coordination, muscle strength and tactile sensation made for some real difficulty. (Leave us not forget ruining finances, but that's another topic.)

And, speaking of which, the final bill for this  is $5,075 - much less than I expected, but not chump change. Totally unexpected for a cat so young. Guess this falls under accident. Pet insurance will cover 90% after $200 deductible - so my exposure is $688. Again, not chump change - and all bills have to be paid up front and you are reimbursed. Glad I still have credit available given that the Lyme has consumed most of it for my treatments - unfortunately, being very complex and individual, the progress has been glacial as I cannot afford the more effective therapies.

Anyway, Jessie has her second chance - youth is in her favor, but she isn't out of the woods yet. I'll release my breath on her second birthday in April.

IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT PET INSURANCE, DON'T. AND, IF YOU CAN, DO WHAT I DID AND GET IT BEFORE THEIR FIRST BIRTHDAY... MUCH CHEAPER AND BEFORE ANYTHING PRE-EXISTING CAN SHOW.

:heart2: How's our little patient doing?

She is getting back to herself, she continues to show what seems to be extra appreciation to me for saving her. Again today she shot out of her room to be with her brother, and seems to want to eat with him. Even though he treated her gently, I can see the look in BOTH of their eyes - they want to get down and play… rough! So I had to separate them pretty quickly.

He just pines at her door, chirping sweetly (unless I'm in with her, then he howls for attention). She did eat half of her food today, and that is a great improvement. Of course adapting to her restructured plumbing is proving to be an ongoing thing, so I'm still holding my heart close… at least until 1) her stitches are removed and she is examined and 2) her second birthday (and maybe 3) hoping she figures it out and has less trouble eliminating).

Mostly, it seems she is bored and lonely. For the first time she is actually talking back to me when I call her name, repeatedly. But she must remain in isolation/separated until the stitches are out.