Rassy cat & Howard, Sick with kidney failure Options

[jackjackbojack]

**Joanne (jackjackbojack is a new member here. Two of her precious furkids (Rassy cat & Howard ) are very ill with kidney failure. With Joanne's permission, I'll do my best to get her posts together (along with their replies), so that she can have her own thread. **

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My two babies are dying of Kidney failure. There is just so little time left. My Rassy cat is 18.5 years old. My Howard is 16. I have been through this once before with my kittywillow. People here are so compassionate and kind. I can't stand it when people say to me its just a cat. Its not. These are my babies. I know how much joy those special little ones bring into our lives.

We enclosed our patios and made them into cat rooms. (We have one upstairs and one downstairs. We refer to our cats as the ups and downs. My up cats will soon cross over the Rainbow. All I will have are some pictures and lots of wonderful memories.

I don't want them to suffer. Rassy cat is still holding on. I know he doesn't want to leave me. Howard still has some time left before the curtain falls. I told Rassy Cat whenever he feels its time, to just let go. I would much prefer to see him die peacefully in his sleep rather than having to put either down. Howard is so attached to Ras, and sick that we might put him down just so he doesn't have to suffer the heartbreak of loosing his best friend esp in his condition.

I just continue to check on my babies. Rassy cat sleeps so soundly. I just keep checking to see if he will wake up. I try not to cry in front of him. He knows how much I adore him. And the last thing I would ever want to do is keep him alive if he is in pain.

Today, I told him, whenever you are ready to let go, its ok. Always know, I love you as much as life itself.

[toonie]

Dear jackjackbojack please come and talk about what you're going through as often as you need to. You have a treasure with your old cats. People who say it's just a cat, just a dog just don't know better. Just a cat, but so much better than just people. Just a dog but more special than most two legged friends. Just a horse but with a bigger heart than a person's.
Pity the poor people who don't know this. We do. Never mind them, they run on empty:empty thoughts, empty words and an empty heart. Ours may be heavy, but it's still full. Take care. Just do as you are doing now, you will find the strength through the love that they have taught you over all those years. Courage.

[Muffins]

jackjackbojack Posted: Oct 2 2007, 11:12 AM

Group: Pet Lovers
Posts: 5
Member No.: 3,649
Joined: 30-September 07


Hi Toonie

Time is drawing near to the end for my baby. My husband is out of town until Thursday night. Rassy cat has started loosing weight. Last night I got so scared I rushed him into the vet. His stomach was ok. We went to the vet this morning for his SubQ fluids. He just looks at me like why are you doing this too me. The vet said as long as he isn't in pain, not to do anything. I have cried to the point, I wonder how I am able to continue to shed more tears.

Our animals are so sweet. They bring us so much joy. Perhaps, I am being selfish because I just continue to hang on. The first time I went through this I didn't get to prepare. My kitty had fiv plus kidney failure. The fluid treatment extended her life by 1.5 years. But, when it was time, it just happened so fast. We rushed her to the vet. The vet said it was time. After it was over, I got so sick I developed ulcers and stopped eating. I blamed myself. Now here I find myself again blaming myself. I had taken Rassy into the vet for a host of other problems. He would come up to me and cry and want to sick in my lap. Little did I know what was happening. Then as I was sitting at my computer, I looked down at him. I thought he was having a seizure. We rushed him to the animal emergency. I just cried. No one wants to be told or believe the worst. However, I think if I had been taking him for fluids more often prior to all of this, he may not have gone down so fast.

I know the CRF is terminal for the majority of cats. There are the lucky ones who's masters can afford transplants and dialysis. I checked into the cost. It is just so out of our reach. I told my husband when we will the lottery, I would buy cat dialysis machines, train the staff and make sure for those who couldn't afford it, they could get treatment. I would do for others so that maybe they wouldn't have to go through this pain of saying good-bye.

I just wondering how I am going to get through each day after he is gone. I have had him since he was three months old. Now, he is 18.5. How am I going to get through a day without Mommy's cat.

Joanne

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jackjackbojack Posted: Oct 3 2007, 09:12 AM


Group: Pet Lovers
Posts: 5
Member No.: 3,649
Joined: 30-September 07


hi 5catsmom

I am so new to forums. I guess I should have started a new topic. I wasn't sure of myself with this computer. I am not real literate with computers.

Anyway, i do thank you so much for your kind words and compassion. I looked up on the internet about cats and reincarnation. There were some interesting stories and accounts of how the cats and their loved ones united.

It was before Rassy Cat got so sick, that I told my husband out of the clear blue there would be a very special cat enter our lives. I told him I didn't know when. I just knew it.

Yesterday was hard on me. I really thought it might be the end. I had called the vet to make some kind of arrangement. Then I realized something. Rassy Cat I sense wants to die at home with his other friends. It seemed like after I got this message, he perked up.

I am trying not to be sad around my baby. I think this makes him sad too. You are so right about these memories now. My husband is out of town. He should be home tomorrow. When he calls, I put the phone on speaker so he can talk to Rassy Cat. My husband has come to adore him. When Jim comes home, Rassy Cat seems to just perk up.

I found a site on talk radio about animal communicators. It was interesting how these women seem to know so much. From what I understand, some cats reincarnate into new bodies, because their work isn't done. And somehow, they do unite with their previous masters. Others just go on and cross over on to a new journey, new home, etc.

Thank you for taking time to respond to me. Its so hard to hold back the tears. For anyone going through this, its very hard. This is the second cat I have lost to Kidney failure. Its been seven years since the first one. You know there are times, I wonder if it is worth getting so close to go through such grief. But, then, I realize, grief is just an expression of love and letting go. This is what is so hard is just knowing its almost time. I have resigned myself to live from moment to moment with my baby.

Its very hard on the other cats too.



k9pal Posted: Oct 2 2007, 01:47 PM


Group: Pet Lovers
Posts: 111
Member No.: 3,079
Joined: 4-June 07

jackjackbojack -- I've noticed you on this site lately and it sounds to me as if you are going through a hard time right now. I'm very sorry that Rassy is not doing well. May I suggest that maybe you should post a new topic of your own. That way people will be able to respond to you on a more personal level. I hope all is well with Rassy. Take care k9pal

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5catsmom Posted: Oct 2 2007, 09:28 PM


Group: Pet Lovers
Posts: 452
Member No.: 1,278
Joined: 13-December 05


Jackjackbojack, I know what it's like to see your cat with CRF, one of my oldest friends, a cat named Heidi, passed away from it, and it was one of the most traumatic times of my life. She was 18, and the fluids prolonged her life by maybe 9 months. I didn't think I'd make it through, I wish I'd have known about this site then because I really feel it would make a difference. The loss of a pet is so unspeakably painful. Spend as much time as you can with Rassy - the memories you make now, although they will hurt terribly after he leaves, will one day be priceless and never to be lost to you. Do take care and let us know what happens - Barb



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toonie Posted: Oct 3 2007, 11:30 AM


Group: Pet Lovers
Posts: 271
Member No.: 2,632
Joined: 25-February 07


Hi Joanne, you seem to have the right att*itude, taking it one day at a time and trying to know what your kitty wants. Hang in there, we are all here with you. One day at a time, and try to savour each moment. Take care.

[k9pal]

Hi Joanne, I just want to start by saying that I think that you are such a caring wonderful mommy. I'm sorry that Rassy and Howard are ill. I hope all is well with Mew Mew. Rassy cat sounds like he is a darling. It is so adorable that he drinks from the spout. How are you holding up? I know how stressful and exhausting it must be for you. Just know that we are all here for you. Take care k9pal

[Furkidlets' Mom]

Joanne,

Rassy Cat's and Howard's story just breaks my heart. I, too, lost my girl Nissa to kidney failure (at least that's what it appears to have been from, ultimately, but for all we know, there could have been something else as WELL....she had many ailments...) Since I still just don't have the strength to write as I used to, perhaps you might look at some of my older posts (click on the member's underlined name to get to their Profile, then click on "Find all posts by this member" to get a list to choose from, then click on the underlined Post Preview # to see the entire post and its thread) to see some of the many things I did for our girl to keep her going....if that's what you'd like to do for your babies.

Before I forget, to type Pus*sywillow's name in, add an asterisk somewhere in the first part of the name so it shows up properly. The anti-spamware is simply trying to get rid of po*rn-type language, which it sees pus*sy as being.

It IS hard providing the care-giving to ailing kidlets while still trying to provide for any others, and we don't often get enough credit, or help, when we're faced with this monumental task. I hear you there.

But you are right about trying to stay in the PRESENT with Rassy Cat and focus as much as you can on JUST the love and loving, while you still can. BUT, if you HAVE to cry at the same time, so be it. That's okay, too. Rassy Cat will understand. He knows your very soul, not just your outward persona, and feels your suffering heart just as much as you feel for him.....because you're bonded to each other. Some people have ended up feeling like they didn't do their furries any favour, trying to hide their real feelings from them, as if that said they didn't care as much as they really did. So just trust that your babies DO know and DO understand, and they love you no matter which way you handle things. They'd do the same for us, were the shoe on the other paw, so it's no different.

Have you asked your vet if an animal tech might be available to come to your house to give fluids when needed? Some provide such a service, or you might find one from another vet who does. Or, as we did, one of you might learn to do this yourself at home. Some people just can't, but it might be worth looking into and trying under the supervision of your vet or vet's tech while in the clinic - they SHOULD teach you how to do it first there.

It could even be that Howard and Rassy Cat are going through this together, by choice, on a spiritual level, so that neither one of them will feel alone during this illness. While it's very natural to worry about such things, perhaps you don't really need to when it comes to Howard, as he may just decide to naturally leave himself, soon after Rassy Cat does.....maybe as part of a soul agreement they've worked out. But if not, he WILL have you and your husband, still, and you might be surprised at what may come out of your bond with him, should he be the one remaining.

And just a note: kidney cats like and need extra warmth when their kidneys aren't functioning up to par anymore, so providing them with a steady but mild heat source that won't burn their tender skin is always a good idea. We used covered gel-pack pillows from the drugstore, which we further covered with a zip-lock freezer bag (after many heatings, the gel can start to leak suddenly...time to replace then), over which the flannel cover went. We heated them in the microwave, but ONLY to a certain point that Nissa found comfortable. This alone was work, doing this several times/day or evening, depending on if she was on them or not, but she loved her pillows so it was always worth the effort. We also hand-fed her many times....and she liked that, too. She lived to 19 yrs, 7 months, btw, with tons of care along the way. I'll never regret all that I/we did for her, or the fact that I helped her stay with me as long as she could. She didn't want to leave me, either, so I couldn't have done otherwise for her. We BOTH hung on to each other, and there's no shame in that! It was what it was......nothing short of great, great love between two forever-bonded souls.

Mew Mew will also help all of you through all of this, too. Why else would she be there??? We join up with who we need to join up with, for reasons we don't usually comprehend until later. Your family is what it is for many reasons and you will support each other through it all, as will those here who know your pain.

[John B]

Oh Joanne,
I am so so sorry that you and your babies have to go through this. No words can ever take away the pain of saying goodbye to our special friends that we love so much. I'm glad you found this place. We all certainly know what you are going through.

I know that you will be okay and get through it...but I also know how hard it will be. I pray that God gives you grace to see you through whatever. Love your kitties to the utmost while you can. I wish I would have had more time with mine.

Take care
John B

[Furkidlets' Mom]

Joanne,

Something important to keep in mind as even many vets don't seem to know this (or remember it when they need to?) - if a cat is dehydrated at the time of a blood test, they may show FALSE indications of kidney problems....so if Mew Mew is too dry, make sure she's properly hydrated first, and then don't get another blood test until at about 48 hrs. after hydration. I've heard of this happening far too many times already and it's just wrong! Of course, you still have to figure out WHY a cat gets that dehydrated, but that might be far better a picture than kidney disease. Let us know what they come up with.

Okay, so HEAT isn't going to be a problem, I see!

As for Tootsie, if anything ever warrants a trip to the vet, you might just want to check her thyroid....just in case it's not just a simple matter of overeating, which it very well could still be, though. I'm a proponent of a raw food diet for maintaining the highest level of health for our furries, but in a nutshell, each to his own. Our kidlets ate both a homemade raw food diet and high-quality canned, with very little dry in later years....would have done NONE whatsoever if they'd agreed to it. Dry food is terrible, btw, for worsening the kidneys and most mainstream, traditional vets don't know this, either.

I'm glad that Rassy Cat is getting less stressed at the clinic. That goes a long way towards health, too.

Unfortunately for all of us, most animals today suffer from too many diseases that were brought on by poor quality food, too many harmful drugs and of course things like abandonment or abuse before they were lucky enough to be rescued/adopted. We are the ones who are left to deal with all this outfall, as are they. It's no different than with human families, though. We're almost ALL quite ill, whether we know it yet or not. So no, it's not fair, but it's of human making overall. And it won't be solved overnight. So we just have to deal with these horrid things as best we can, even though they tear us to pieces inside.

This is the kind of time one has to start counting small blessings like the fact that at least we'd rescued them so they're with US and not somewhere much worse (or already long gone), at least they're not going to be left w/o us to care for them if things were opposite and we were the ones dieing.....anything you can come up with. Sometimes it's those stray thoughts that give us the strength to carry on while being care-givers to our babies. You're being as vigilant as you know how to and that's all you can really do. Taking as many pics as possible is also a very good idea. Make sure many of them are of the regular, normal, everyday things, and try to include yourself in as many as you can, too, as a memory of your special relationship with each one. You're being proactive there and that's a good thing, too. That will help you later on, even if it doesn't right now.

And your former boss.......was a total idiot! So many people are, especially when it comes to animals. At least you're not one of them.

I'd LOVE to tell you all about how to get through this, but no one really knows. We all just learn and read about grief and experience it as we go, and it's never the same, even with different fur-kids. Each bereavement has its own challenges. And, if I knew myself how to get through Nissa's parting, I could gladly tell you, but I haven't, not by a long shot (it's been almost 14 months now), so you never have to feel like you're lagging behind - I'm a living testament to 'lagging'! I, too, spent years crying about Sabin's death (Nissa's brother), and Nissa's is so far even worse in many ways, as she was my last furchild. It's tough, so tough, and not any one person has all the answers. Many of us will be here to share in your pain and that's one help out of many you may find. But I would encourage you to do as much reading as you can about what's normal for grief (even if it's a book on human loss), whether now or later, as I know you don't want to take away any time you might spend with your babies. For now, the best piece of advice I could give you is to just BE there for them as much as possible.

[Muffins]

Dear (((((((Joanne)))))))

I just wanted you to know that you continue to be in my thoughts and prayers, along with all of your precious furkids.....
I am happy that you found your way here, to Lightning-Strike. There are so many sincere, wonderful & caring people here who truly understand what you're going through.

I am very happy to hear that Mew wasn't dehydrated . Please let us know if her blood tests reveal anything.

You are going through sooooo much - my heart really does go out to you! More than anything, I truly understand the love that you have for all of your very precious kids . I can hear it in your words.....

With regard to wet canned cat foods, have you tried, Innova EVO? http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1501 .
The canned does not have grain, it is high in protein and low carb.

Another good canned food is Wellness (the NO grain varieties).
http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com/wellness/c...key_salmon.html
Our furcats only have the no grain varieties - and, as well, they do not eat beef.

Roughly 80% of our Ms. Lucy's diet is raw chicken which we purchase through Feline's Pride. Our Mr. Yoster's diet is about 40% raw.
http://www.felinespride.com/flash/intro.html

Quoting Furkidlet's Mom:

Dry food is terrible, btw, for worsening the kidneys and most mainstream, traditional vets don't know this, either.

I agree! I am amazed that most veterinarians out there believe that dry food "is good for the kitties teeth" Nothing could be further from the truth!!

From reading your posts Joanne, it's easy to see that you are a wonderful, loving & caring mom to your furkids . I am here for you. Please feel free to PM or e-mail me whenever you'd like.

God Bless you and yours,

Denise

[Furkidlets' Mom]

Joanne,

Yes, the food challenges can be something else with kidney cats. The brands Denise mentioned might be worth a try, too, although the higher protein content in grainless foods might pose a problem (for a kidney cat), depending on how high the Creatinine and BUN levels are already. What our 2 holistic vets recommended was to use a high quality canned, but as Nissa's levels (slowly) rose, add in up to 20% of organic cream of white or brown rice, which I cooked (takes only about 5 minutes) and then further blended into real mush before mixing into her also-blended canned food. (I just made small 3-day amounts of the rice at a time) This allowed her to have better protein yet cut down the % to a more reasonable and safer amount for her kidneys to try and process. NB was one of the brands we used in rotation, too, although after some of theirs got recalled recently, I'd be more leery. Wellness, as far as I know, never got any recalls and was one of our staples.

It's very tricky trying to balance all the particular needs of a kidney cat, but your vet is right - the single most important thing always remains the highest priority, which is keeping them EATING. We ended up using about 5 high quality brands, in flavours that she liked and that didn't tax her kidneys as much. Fish, unfortunately, was one we had to limit in amount because it isn't very good for bladder problems, which Nissa also had. I did use tiny, tiny bits of water-packed tuna (no salt! or rinsed if no-salt wasn't available) when needed for stimulating her taste buds (as 'icing' on top of her food), but also made sure it was the type (already forgotten WHICH type that was now!) that DIDN'T carry high levels of mercury.....might have been tongol tuna.

As for dry food, Dr. Pitcairn DVM as well as others has homemade recipes for "kibble", which would still be healthier (and fresher) than most bought dry foods. Or, you could try adding different amounts of purified water (or parsley tea, stinging nettle tea, catnip tea or other appropriate herbal preps. for kidneys/bladder) into the dry food to try and counteract its drying effect in the body. You could even separate the meal into 2 parts....one with moisture added and the 2nd offering with none, so that dry texture won't be totally 'spoiled' for Rassy Cat. Just some thoughts anyway.

But whatever you do or don't do, yes, you obviously love all of your kidlets very much and have quite a few problems to try and balance, which has got to be difficult, especially all at once! I hope Mew Mew's test comes back just fine - you've already got enough on your plate! Maybe she's 'just' reacting to all the stresses around her lately.

I used to tell Nissa she had pus*sywillow toesies, all silvery-grey and the tiny size of real pus*sywillows! I'd kiss them ALL the time....and she loved having them kissed and worshiped!

Your poor girl went through so much, too.....it just breaks one's heart, doesn't it? More than anyone, they deserve to be healthy and happy, and yet that's not too often the case anymore. But she was a real character, your girl! Who SAYS cats can't guard their people?!?!

Yes, staying in the NOW has its benefits. But if you can't keep it up all the time, don't beat yourself up for that, either. We're not used to thinking like this, so we have to forgive ourselves and even congratulate ourselves for those moments when we CAN accomplish it. Another thing that helped me somewhat was trying to remind myself that at least I'd been able to help keep Nissa going much longer than some vets thought she'd be able to go.....never long enough, I know, but it did give me an iota of comfort. Whatever works for you, works, so that's what you've got to use.

We'll be thinking of you and waiting to hear.....

[Furkidlets' Mom]

Oh, crap....well, this isn't good news!

I really have to run, but I just wanted to say a couple of things before I do:

One, those kidney values really could be showing higher than they really are, seeing as Mew was already so dehydrated before they took blood (as I'd mentioned before), so I'd suggest both making this known to your vet and asking for a recheck in a few weeks (not TOO soon, as you don't want to stress Mew out too much and she needs to rebuild the amount of blood that was taken....kidney cats are also at risk for anemia) I would ALSO ask if this is really kidney FAILURE in Mew already, or if it's 'just' kidney disease or "insufficiency", as there's a big difference!....usually "failure" is not technically occurring until the Creatinine value is above the highest range with repeated testing. And BUN values aren't anywhere near as indicative as Creatinine values. Your vet SHOULD be able to not only fully explain this to you, but also provide you with copies of each test for your own records.....you never know when you might need them.

And two, if you're currently using any chemical cleaners anywhere in your home (including common bleach).....GET RID OF THEM. Swiffer products, for just one brand, has been known to cause both liver and kidney failure as well as sudden death in animals. But most others on the market can be just as bad.....why do you think they have warning labels...that most people disregard? Our kidneys are the single, largest filterers of toxins in the body, so when they aren't working properly to begin with, all possible substances that might harm them should be removed from the environment. And cats of course, lick their skin and feet all the time, plus are just sensitive to many substances. The more natural and safe substances you can use, the better, including laundry supplies.

Oh, and any dietary changes should be attempted at a SLOW pace, like over a week, with cats, otherwise you risk intestinal &/or stomach upset, which also adds stress and can put them off the new food by association with vomiting.

(and yes, it was NB canned, wet food we used, too; the minimal dry food was Wellness Super5 Mix, which has now been changed to "Complete Health"...plus there's the no-grain formula of dry, but it's got a lot of fish smell to it, tho there isn't much fish in it....?????)

OK, gotta run! I sure hope things settle down for all of you in the next while!

[k9pal]

Joanne, I'm sorry to hear that Mew also has kidney disease. I don't know how your managing to keep yourself sane. My heart goes out to you during this painful time. I just want you to know that I think that it is remarkable the way that you rescue and nurture all those gentle souls. It says alot about your character. I'm so greatful that Muffin had compounded and made your post into your own thread. Now your recieving the advice and support that you deserve. I would of liked to respond to you more often but I'm afraid that I have no knowledge about felines health. I thought it best to step aside and make way for others who have the experience and knowledge about your cats health to respond. But, I can offer my shoulder to you during those tough emotional times. So if ever everything seems to become too overwelming just post and I will and I am sure others will respond. Wishing you the best k9pal

[k9pal]

Hi Joanne, You have so much on your plate right now. I honestly don't know how you handle it. I had one dog that was sick and my stomach was in a constant knot. Not to mention how emotionally and physically exhausted I was. You have three to care for plus all of your healthy animals. I can only imagine the anxiety and the emotional stress that you must be feeling. I'm happy to hear that Jim will be home today not only for Rassy but for you also. I hope he helps to perk Rassy and you up. As for your vet, he certainly does sound like a kind, and compassionate man. I'm glad to hear that there are still vets out there that are in their profession because of their love for animals and not the money. Take care k9pal

[5catsmom]

Joanne,
I am continually amazed that there are people in the world like you. And your husband, and your vet. What blessings. I know you have so much to deal with and so many people wouldn't feel the same sense of responsibility and love to deal with it all.

My experience with Heidi cat (I probably told you) was that she started every other day with sub-q fluids, and maintained fairly well on that. As she got worse, it went to every day. The fact that none of your cats so far are on daily fluids - am I right? - I think is a reasonably positive thing. Sometimes we have to look for the positive things, I think. In the end, when I'd made the appt to have her put to sleep because I knew she was struggling and the fluids weren't helping anymore, I had her spend the night on the bed with me (I kicked the husband out - but more about him later) and somehow during the night she let me know it was her time, and she and I eased her over into that other dimemsion, or heaven, or wherever it is that we all end up together. That was heartbreaking, losing her, but in a way it was a blessing - she chose when, she was comfortable where, I was with her as I had been all her life, and she didn't have to make the scary visit to the vet which would have traumatized both of us. So the actual leaving, while I dreaded it and it hurt more every day, I can look back now and see it as a series of serendipitous actions which made it all so much easier for all of us. (The note about the hubby - I'm an RN, and although I haven't worked in a while, we would take Heidi to a military vet hospital for the military dogs which also have room for extra pets on occasion. They would give us supplies and have us do the fluids at home, to save money and cause they weren't open every day. I just naturally thought that I'd be the one, with the medical experience, who would be doing the fluids, but I folded like a bad card table when it actually came to it. I just couldn't do that to Heidi. Hubby was a natural, the man whose main claim to fame was that he hadn't looked away when any of our 4 kids were born (and I was an OB nurse, I was so not impressed with that). But he had no problems with it, knew how to set things up, calm Heidi down, she came to trust him, and he hardly ever made a mistake, and he was a rock through the whole thing. (And now I'm gonna cry, cause he's going to Afghanistan soon, but stiff upper lip, now.)

Anyway, I've learned a lot here in all these posts about so much, from so many. Food, and how to serve it and make it better, and what brands. The care and treatment and love that all our pets need when they need us, which they always do. And again, the beauty of people like you, Joanne, who take in the needy and make their cares and sufferings and happinesses so important to your life. Occasionally, in times like these, we need to know that there really are angels unaware among us. So many are right here, all the animal lovers, those who go the extra mile and then some, and share their educational experiences with their pets as well as the heartbreaks which we all feel. I heard once that a heartbreak shared is a heartbreak divided - I'm not sure about that, because losing a pet can be one of the most devastating, unspeakably hurtful, lonely - well, you all know. But we're here, and we do care, wherever and whoever we are, and I admire each and every one of you for the help and love you give each other. In my eyes, there are few more noble causes. God bless and take care - Barb

[My Buddy]

Dear Joanne, I have been reading your entries, I had to pass a note, I am soo sorry for what you're going through, 3 sick kitties...all at once, our old Frank who we lost 5 years ago, he had kidney failure and I actually gave him the Sub Q fluids for almost a year, he ended up getting cancer, but I was so torn with feeling that I was causing him suffering, but you know how strong and stoic cats are, they just keep living on for us, I kept telling him as I did my boy Hrudey, go ahead and go if you need to, unfortunately he had to be PTS in the end, but it was kind of his way, b/c he would never have done it on his own, it was just his way, strong strong strong, even in the end, I never knew cats before my husband came along with Frank, he was 22 yrs when he passed away, I loved him and will always be grateful for him coming into my life, his vet was amazed how he lived on with very minimal kidney function in the end....well, honey my heart and prayers are with you, I understand, its a terrible place to be, but I know your fur pals are so loved and you are doing all you can, that's all you can do, they are blessed to have you, love and hug them all you can...Best wishes, Tory, Hrudey and Frank's Momma

[Muffins]

Hi Joanne:

After visiting another site tonight that I frequent http://www.yourdiabeticcat.com/ , I came across a member looking for help for her CRF kitty. She was given the following link: http://www.felinecrf.org/

Perhaps you've already seen it -- but, just in case it has some useful information, I wanted to post it for you.

You are in my thoughts & prayers.

Peace & Love to you and yours,

Denise

[Muffins]

Dear (((((((Joanne)))))))

I've got to run to see my mother & then my dad in the nursing home, but I came by a site you might want to check out regarding holistic vets -- they might be in your area.

http://www.holisticvetlist.com/

I've been to the shirley's wellness cafe site -- there is sooooo much information there - about everything... I definitely need to take a speed reading course & then try and retain everything I learn in my brain.... I'll be 47 years young soon .

I am keeping you and all of your precious babies in my prayers!!

God Bless You & yours,

Love, Denise

[5catsmom]

Joanne,
I just wanted to say before I went to bed - God bless all of you, and I hope tomorrow is less painful for you and Rassy Cat and Mew. Please let us know, and take care - Barb

[toonie]

Dear Joanne,
I admire you very much for how you are handling this very very difficult time. Take care and may the angels help you carry on. Hugs. You are the best, your cats are very lucky to have you.

[iggiecat]

Hang in there Joanne,

Reading your stories breaks my heart, but oh! such lucky lucky kitties (and dogs) to have found someone as marvelous as you.

Mr Moose is trying to understand, and be supportive of you too, accept it when he gives it You are not going to love Rassy Cat any less for it. I pray that Mew will be a tough little girl, and that she'll buck up and fight like Rassy is. My heart & thoughts are on you today, and I wish you guys the best. Rassy had a great life with you, he is loved immeasurably, and just that fact alone makes him one of the luckiest cats alive on earth. Comfort yourself in knowing you've given him the best life he could have had here and i'm sure he's very grateful for it as well.

<3 Much love, thoughts & hugs

Liv

[Muffins]

Dear (((((((Joanne)))))))

God Bless you my friend.....

I was trying to write you a post about 1/2 hour ago, but what I was attempting to say, what was in my heart, wasn't coming out right.
I was trying to say to you that it was okay, that it sounded like the time was right to help your precious, beloved Rassy Cat on his way to Rainbow's Bridge....

I sincerely know how very, very difficult it was to do what you did -- but, you have given your precious Rassy Cat the most loving gift that you could have. You have given your most loved boy the gift of peace.
HE WILL ALWAYS & FOREVER KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVED HIM...

Years ago, when I made the decision to have my sweet girl Ernestine put to sleep, someone here told me, "Denise, you took on her pain so that she could be without pain".
In doing what you did tonight, Joanne -- that is exactly what you did. Because you loved your Rassy Cat soooooo very, very much -- you helped his sick & ailing body find peace. God Bless you for your courage. I know how hard it was -- we all do. We don't ever want our beautiful furkids to ever feel pain.

You, Mew and all of your babies are in my thoughts & prayers tonight... I will say a prayer to my beloved girl, Ernie , up at the Bridge, that she meet up with your boy Rassy Cat & show him the ropes up there . I know that Rassy Cat will have his Angel wings before long!

Sending you many hugs....

Comfort & Love,

Denise