[JakiChan]

I go in a couple of weeks to get my car at the PEC in LA, and I was so excited. But now my kitty is very sick and will likely leave me soon, and my heart is broken. I've been wishing for time to pass as quickly as possible, and now I want it to slow down to enjoy time with him. I feel guilty about being so obsessed with a car when I knew this could happen.

 

[MLJJ]

Use your emotional capital on what is important now. The car is a piece of metal/plastic that will be there when you are ready. If you've been through this before (with human or pet family) you know it will get better with time.

 

[RGM718]

Having lost 7 cats over the years.................definitely understand. They become such a part of your life - ask so little yet provice so much...

 

[trusted]

Very sorry. I love cats and I love my cat. Hopefully getting your 718 will be a welcome distraction...

 

[duegatti]

Bringing my cat back to the university vet school for endoscopy/colonoscopy. Been battling weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea for 18 months. Presumably we'll distinguish between inflammatory bowel and lymphoma. Take care of yourself and your cat; best of luck. Let me know how things go.

 

[GregW]

I hope you have good fortune with your cat. There are a few kitties I miss even though 2 others let me live with them.

Having good and bad happen at the same time is really hard. Enjoy the good, suffer the bad, and do your best.

 

[My718isPorsche#5]

I hope it helps knowing other 718 owners love cats & have gone thru what you are going thru. After our last kitty died at 19 years and 7 months of age, We waited about 5 months then got 2 rescue cats that selected us to be their servants for 8 years now. Love you kitty while you can.

 

[duegatti]

How's today going? If I may ask, are you working, or home with the cat? What's the health issue?

Just got back from dropping Bindi off at University of Tennessee. I don't know how much more time we have; I can't imagine that it would be a year. She's only 9. I began retirement last year, and thought I'd have years of her health. Trouble began almost immediately; really I think there were some signs a month before. I don't think she has any idea there's something wrong. And I really can't treat her with food, as that's central to the problem. I almost killed myself last year taking care of her. I've committed to going easier on myself this year, and somehow, mercifully, it seems to be working.

It may be the wrong time or too early to say, but you can have more of that joy and love, again, with an adoption in the future. I don't know if I could ever live without a cat. It would be good for both of you. Meanwhile, take care and good luck. Let us know what's going on.

 

[ZuffenHouseRules]

Feel for you @JakiChan

Blessings winging your way from our houseful of furry-faced (canine) kids.

 

[OldJedi]

JakiChan, we can certainly sympathize with you through these tough times. We almost lost our cat just before Christmas last year. It was supposed to be a time of joy and instead we were making daily trips to the hospital. Thankfully she pulled through. We have lost pets in the past, both cats and dogs. They are members of our family, just a little smaller and furrier. But, we still love them very much. We hope you and your family the best during these times.

 

[Cinnamon]

I'm with you guys, and wishing you and the felines as well as can be. We had four cats, now three, with the two elderly ones on special diets and regular visits to the local vet. We lost my favorite of 17 years in January to cancer, about a year after diagnosis, during which time she made two trips per month to a vet teaching hospital 3 hours drive away for radiation and chemo. My new 718 Cayman S enters the story in December after we got back from vacation, when I drove it to the vet hospital and ended up in an ice storm with summer tires. Trucks were out spraying de-icer. It was worrisome but the car, cautiously driven, felt surprisingly secure, and the Cayman brought my sweet companion "Cinnamon" and me home safely.

Doug

 

[JakiChan]

How's today going? If I may ask, are you working, or home with the cat? What's the health issue?

I've been spending as much time at home as possible. We've been taking as many afternoon naps as possible.

Just about a year ago exactly he was in congestive heart failure due to an enlarged heart. He spend 3 days in the hospital and came back home and had been doing well, although the prognosis for that disease is not good. About 2 weeks ago he was suddenly in heart failure again, so he went back and was only in the hospital overnight. They increased his dose of diuretic, but that combined with a bladder and possible kidney infection mean he's not eating. The cardiologist had us take a "holiday" from the diuretic a few days so my terror is that I'm going to walk in and find him unable to breath again. If that happens then the cardiologist said we should just let him go.

 

[Viffermike]

My thoughts are with you, @JakiChan. I have an 8 year-old black/gray striped tabby, Metallicat, that I dread these kind of days for.

Before Metal I had Billie, a brown-rust tabby. Both cats were stray pickups; Billie adopted me, and Metal adopted my late mom before I agreed to take him in. Billie lived to about 13, then passed over a weekend because of a brain aneurism. I'll save the details, but it was sudden and ugly.

It took me nearly a decade to allow another cat to enter my life after Billie passed; it was that traumatic. I've spared little expense to keep Metal happy and healthy. But one can only do so much.

Hang in there. Both of you.

 

[duegatti]

How long is the diuretic holiday? Any plans for treating the infection? How old is he?

I have always heard that, at least for us, congestive heart failure is a very easy way to go.

 

[JakiChan]

How long is the diuretic holiday? Any plans for treating the infection? How old is he?

He’s about 11 years old. The diuretic holiday is for an undetermined amount of time - his sleeping breathing rate will determine that. We’re going in on Friday (which is my birthday) to check is kidney levels again and see if they’re improving. He’s on an antibiotic called Clavamox right now that, in the past, has knocked out these infections. It’s not going quite as well this time.

And all of this is just to buy time. As his heart continues to expand he will eventually be unable to compensate. But for the moment he’s hanging in there.

 

[duegatti]

JC - are you back from the vet yet? What new data is there?

I wonder if you'll be able to go out of the house for a bit tonight, for the birthday. Might be good to take a breather if you can. In 2009, my previous cat just finished a month of subcutaneous fluids at home - which for me is the ultimate agonizing nightmare. Went to the vet on the Saturday morning and got test results back that showed we were losing the battle (almost four years of compensated kidney failure was finally falling apart).

I had an appointment at a Ducati dealer 60 miles away for a new chain and sprockets that day. I rode through a typhoon, a tsunami, a wall of water on I-40. Maybe 5 yards of visibility. The service department was stunned to see me. It was a stupid thing to do. But I had to get away from that cat, if just for an afternoon of horrible danger.

Good luck.

 

[JakiChan]

The news from the vet was that there is a slight improvement, but not much in the numbers. Well, actually, we don’t know. Before, his kidney values were so high that the machine couldn’t read them. Now they’re in the readable range. So it could be a little better or more than that. He’s still about the same - the vet keeps commenting that he seems good when she examines him.

I took today off, so after we got back from the vet there was plenty of nap time for both cats and myself. We’re going out to dinner shortly.

 

[duegatti]

How was the weekend?

Bindi recovered from all the anesthesia and routinely took the steroid, appetite stimulant, and probiotics. But today the university vet called with the pathology results - she does have small cell lymphoma. We're quadrupling the steroids, re-checking some blood work, and starting chemotherapy if the blood work supports that course.

I'll have a nice drive in a freshly cleaned Boxster to get more steroids tomorrow. Last year (this has been going on for 18 months) I pushed myself to the brink of physical and mental collapse. This year, somehow, I'm going easier on myself, while still doing everything for her. Wisdom? Maturity? Self preservation; exhaustion; acceptance. I love her and I'm going to take care of her.

 

[JakiChan]

The weekend was good. We snuggled and there were many purrs. His appetite may be picking up, but we’re having trouble finding things he’ll eat. The only product I’ve found is essentially chopped fish, and that’s not a complete cat diet. Our next vet appointment is Friday, and then we’ll figure out how to handle my trip down to PEC LA.

 

[duegatti]

How did the vet trip go?

With respect to the car vs. the cat . . . I guess I found it isn't necessary to sacrifice and hurt myself to know that I'm providing top shelf care for her. There is time for yourself, and I guess that's just one of the amazing things about life, in this case.

Do you have a sitter who can administer any medication? Any developments in the diet? I'd guess the PEC trip is not going to be very long - a couple of nights?

Bindi went back to UT for blood work, is responding to the high immuno suppressive steroids, and has begun chlorambucil. Somehow, I've managing to administer those two medications plus 2.2g probiotic in four commercial canned food meals. She is doing well at the moment.