I am a cat lady and I am not afraid of this title. I love my furry critters to pieces, but it has been an eventful few weeks and I am finally ready to write about it. Last week, my cat of 22 years passed. It was a beautiful experience for my family and I. We all came together to spend time with her in her last few hours of life. She was an amazing cat that I had since I was nine and to this day I am amazed that something so tiny could be with us for 22 years of her life. I know she is resting happy in cat heaven and I feel good in knowing we did everything we could to make her life wonderful. Thank you Kitty, we miss you every day. (Yes, her name was Kitty, I was nine when I named her, hehe).
Kitty's passing was anticipated, she was older, she has not been the source of my cat related stress. My other cat, Guillermo, the cat I brought with me to NY from San Francisco started acting very weird about 4 months ago. He wouldn't come out of the closet and if you tried to pull him out he would howl at the top of his lungs. We couldn't tell what was wrong with him, he had his rabies vaccine and all other shots, he didn't seem injured and he was still eating. What could it be? We took him into the vet and they found nothing wrong with him, after running every test imaginable including shaving his little butt to see if he had been bitten, since many of his symptoms were leading to paralysis in his lower half.
Guillermo and Kitty together. They ended up very close and he even came out of hiding to be near her as she was dying.
So I brought him back home with the hopes he would get better. But he didn't, instead he got progressively worse, to the point where he couldn't walk properly, jump or go to the bathroom on his own. The doctor guessed at this point that he probably had a tumor growing on his spine that was paralyzing him and I would need to do an MRI to find out what was wrong with him and diagnose appropriately. An MRI for a cat runs about $2000 dollars, which was not an option for me and it is traumatic to the cat and may even put the cat in seizures. I couldn't take that risk.
In the middle of all of this, I was still in San Francisco teaching my summer class. Ironically the last night of my class, Guillermo ended up in kitty emergency care for not being able to go to the bathroom. I changed my plans and flew back to NY immediately. I assumed I would be saying goodbye to my cat of 8 years. Luckily, they were able to express him but for about 8 weeks, he didn't go to the bathroom on his own. I took him to the vet every day for 2 months (our vet is amazing and didn't charge us for daily visits), to manually express his bladder and finally, I even learned how to do it myself. I can now say I know how to manually express a cat bladder.
I guess for those of you that aren't cat lovers, you are wondering why so much for a cat? I must say, I had to look within and think about if I was actually keeping him alive for his own good and there was actually hope he would get better or was I just keeping him alive because I couldn't let go. I came to terms with the fact that if he got worse or spent more time in pain, I would have to put him to sleep. It was one of the harshest realities I have ever had to come to, harder than I would have ever expected it to be. Guillermo is not just any cat, he is my cat and he is a wonderful cat (ask ANY of my friends :). He has slept next to me for 8 years and the thought of him dying was unbearable.
Last week, I realized that it was unrealistic to keep Guillermo alive much longer, if he can't go to the bathroom on his own. I travel a lot for my job and it is a lot of stress on my mother to take him to the vet every day (who is another cat lady and doesn't mind too much actually), but I was growing impatient. I sat with Guillermo and I talked to him and I begged him to get better so I wouldn't have to do something that I would carry with me forever.
And then a miracle happened. On September 1st, I woke up to the sound of a cat peeing in a cat box (I know gross, but considering the circumstances, you can understand my excitement), but I assumed one of the other cats had gotten into my room and was using the cat box. But no, I opened my eyes to see that my Guillermo was using his box. I thought I was dreaming. I woke up and called the doctor and they said to bring him in right away. The vet checked and Guillermo had successfully emptied his bladder. They said to make sure he kept going and to bring him back if he couldn't. Well, it has been 4 days and Guillermo has gone to the bathroom every single day. He has also gotten movement back in his tail, is playing more, cuddling, coming out of hiding and walking better.
I never thought it would happen and I was ready to let him go. We still don't know what is ailing my feline friend, but he seems to be getting better. The doctor said it was my persistence, but I like to think deep down that he wasn't ready to leave my side yet. I know I shouldn't get too hopeful, but I am so excited that there is a chance he will live and I can rest knowing sometimes things can work out.
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I too am a proud cat lady.
Perhaps Guillermo was freaking out about the move? I know that my cats totally freaked out (including getting sick, loss of apetite) when I moved to a different house in the same city. They can definitely sense big changes like that, so Guillermo's problems could have stemmed from psychological issues.
But, of course, I'm not a vet, so feel free to take my opinions with a grain of salt.
I hope he makes a full recovery!
I totally get why you go through with it, I love my cat to death. Growing up I had a gorgeous siamnese cat who got in an accident, he curled up underneath a car and got cut up by the fanbelt. Mom said she just didn't have the heart to put him down, because I loved him so much, so went ahead with all the surgery he needed. No one gets that and thought we were nuts, but sure enough he made a full recovery and lived many years longer.
Another proud cat lady here.
I am so happy for you. I know how terrified and helpless one can feel when a pet become seriously ill, because they can't tell you what's wrong or how to fix it. How wonderful that Guillermo seems to be coming around. My best wishes for his continued recover.
(FWIW Terry Gross and Fresh Air on NPR have been [re]running a series of stories regarding animals, including some interviews with Temple Brennan and the author of "Tell Me Where it Hurts." Good stuff for pet parents or animal lovers. Or just people, really.)
i love my cat, but i think i'm more of a crazy turtle lady--or at least i will be one day when my dreams of a backyard turtle pond can be fulfilled..
i would do anything for my cat, if i could. luckily, she's seventeen, and is super healthy. i can't help my attachment though; i've had her most of my life (since i was six). i hope she lives forever!
not everyone gets the attachment to animals, but that's their loss, i think. i once got a huge vet bill trying to save my pet rat--but i had to feel like i tried, you know?
I have a 17 year old kitty too :)
beautiful story. I hope your cat will be okay. I am also a proud cat lady :-)
I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but I guess I'm missing the point? I am not a cat lover at all, but this must have something to do with feminism that I'm missing since it was on the front page? Really, not trying to be snarky at all...I just wana know..
All the posts that the editors make go on the front page. Even when it's not on a specific feminist topic, like when Jessica blogs about her dog, Monty. If you need it to relate to feminsm, we could say here is a peek into the lives of some feminists!
lol miki mouse..sorry
nah that's no problem, i was just wondering; i didn't know all editor's posts go on the front, it makes sense :)
I totally understand your excitement, and I hope Guillermo is on the mend. I once had a Kitty, too, and I'm very sorry for your loss.
Your story is so touching. I'm a cat lady too, as proud of it as you are. I would have done the same thing for my baby Beau. I'm glad to hear that Guillermo is recovering.
I like to think that our pets can understand us when we talk to them. Guillermo must have heard you and thought he'd better stick it out :). He knows that you love him. Hope all turn out well for you and your kitties.
There must be something in the air today, as a lot of people are blogging about cats (me included).
I'm delighted that your cat is getting better. Did they ever find out what was wrong with him?
"Petrichor" (also a proud cat mother - of five! I found a new addition to the family a few days ago).
im sorry you had to go through so much heartache, Samhita. I am completely obsessed with animals, so I totally get your devotion. I once drove an hour to an emergency 24-hour vet clinic with a baby squirrel that i found barely conscious in the road (he made it!!!) your cats are so lucky to have a wonderful person like you in their lives, thanks for sharing your story.
The week before I left for school I realized that my 15 year old cat, Sam, was looking a little skinnier than normal. Sam is a fat cat, I mean, he epitomizes fat cat, and yet, I could see his spine...not good. So I told my mom and asked her to keep an eye on him for me while I was gone (he's the type of cat that likes to stay away from big groups of people, so typically he just likes to hide away in my bedroom). Today I got a missed call from home while I was in class, and when I called back my mom told me that she had taken Sam to the vet and that he has to spend the night in the hospital. Apparently earlier today she saw him stumbling through the kitchen so she brought him in and he was super duper dehydrated and was having liver problems. They're keeping him for observation while they rehydrate him, but of course I'm really worried that I won't be home for him. So, in short, I completely understand where this post is coming from.
From one cat lady to another, I'm glad to hear that Guillermo's getting better, and I hope that he makes a full recovery. :)
Thanks for this. My year and a half old cat had a terrible accident on monday and shattered the bone in one of his legs. I just took $3000 out of my grad school fund to get him surgery. Happily he is recovering well and will be home with me tomorrow. So, anyway, I definitely understand where you're coming from, and it's good to know that there are other who will do whatever is in their power to care for their kitties.
I wish you the best of luck and continued health with your cat.
I haven't had a feline in three years because it was too painful losing him. He was only four and had frequent problems with his urinary tract, which happens with a lot of toms. Sadly, I didn't have the thousands of dollars, like you and other have mentioned in your own cases, to have the surgery needed to save him, which the vet told me only had about a 50% chance of working anyway. He wasted away to nothing and died, weak, and starved in my arms. I cried for hours.
Is there a reason you didn't have him put to sleep? I don't know if I am reading into what you wrote wrong, but it seems a little mean spirited and passive aggressively angry at people that could afford cat care? If its not true, I apologize.
I'm so sorry for your loss and suffering, and so glad that Guillermo made it. We went through something similar last December -- our kitty, Matilda, had nerve damage from being abused -- and she didn't recover. We had to have her put to sleep.
If the day ever comes that you have to make that choice for your pet -- to any reader -- I think you have to remind yourself that you're doing it in love.
I don't think Samhita necessarily posted with this intention, but I do think it's a good post to deal with the negative connotation of the "crazy cat lady"-- that is, an older, unmarried woman with cats instead of children. So I wouldn't say it's *totally* unrelated to feminism.
Incidentally, I've never understood why the "crazy cat lady" is such a negative stereotype. I have far more patience with animals than I do with small children. ;)
Eurgh! This was supposed to be in response to micki_d's comment.
Aw, Samhita, the beginning of this story just broke my heart. And then by the end I was nearly crying for a completely opposite reason. Great post, thank you for sharing! And I hope he continues to get better...your cats are lucky to be so loved. :)
You are a wonderful cat lady, so affectionate with your cats, Samhita.
I am also crazy about cats. Here's a story I wrote recently on my blog: http://www.thedailytail.com/?p=2446
Daniela Caride
I'm a cat person as well. This year, my cat Sophie passed away at age 14. She had a spinal tumor and was rapidly deteriorating. Fortunately, she died with dignity - my boyfriend and I were with her as she was being put to sleep. But I'll always miss my baby. :(
I hope Guillermo will be okay.
That was a beautiful story. I have four cats, and I can appreciate your devotion to your two. It's kind of strange letting my husband take over the litterbox duties because I am pregnant, after doing it all myself for the past 8 years. They really are our little babies! I'm sorry for your loss, but really happy to hear about Guillermo!
*squee*!! So excited for you! I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I would so bo sobbing with happiness, watching him piddle in the litter. *giggle*
I have two cats and am planning on rescuing a third soon, so I "get" it. :)
Another crazy cat lady here. I have five cats, all of whom were rescues and/or strays. My big fluffy gray cat Grayson was just released last Thursday after being at the vet's office for more than a week and a half. He had surgery for bladder stones four years ago and another one had lodged in his urethra, blocking it. There were some other complications that made his situation precarious, but my amazing bet persevered and he seems to be recovered. I paid $1,100 for his surgery four years ago and another $2,700 for this recent emergency. A lot of people might think that it's silly to spend so much on a cat, but for me, my cats are my kids. I also think that when you take on the responsibility of a pet, you also assume responsibility for their medical care. I was very lucky in that I had the available credit to afford what needed to be done. When I first heard about pet health insurance, I thought it was some kind of ridiculous scam, but even my vet now recommends it for situations exactly like these.
aw, yay! I hope he keeps doing better.
I was reluctant to get a cat before I got one but now that I have her, I can't imagine life without her. I would definitely manually express her bladder if it was necessary! heh.