Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA
Member Since 2009
A year ago yesterday, I went to "see" Cami. She was a DCIN kitty. To be honest, she wasn't my first choice, or really any choice because she just didn't resonate with me, but I found out she was minutes from me and it just didn't make sense to be trying to transport a cat from hundreds of miles away when there was one less than a mile from me. So, I went to see her.
She did not endear herself to me, but I could see that she was in very bad shape and that it was likely that if I didn't take her she would be dropped off at a shelter and they would euthanize her. I was her only chance. I came back the next day, October 13th, and took her to my vet for a few tests (FIV, FeLV, & fecal because she was very bloated). The vet said she could develop DKA at any minute because she was not getting insulin and her BG was in the 300s. Then I brought her home.
Cami continued to be a difficult cat. All she did was cry (loudly) for food, eat tons (12-18 ozs a day), poop and pee, and hiss and growl at me and the other cats. She positioned herself in the hallway so the others could not get past her to the litter boxes and Beau was so upset he tried peeing in his own bed. I consulted an animal communicator, but Cami didn't get better. I was thinking I had made the worst decision of my life trying to save this cat. All that aside, she was very thin (6 lbs), had no undercoat fur and very thin skin. Her belly was bloated she looked 9 weeks pregnant and it made lots of noises. I could tell she was uncomfortable because she slept on her side stretched full out. She drank gallons of water (well, 12-16 ozs a day) even when her BG was under control, and peed on the rugs, carpets, and occasionally in the litter box.
I had gotten her regulated fairly quickly and she was OTJ after 4 months. It turned out to be short lived. One day in early March I noticed she was breathing very rapidly and took her to the vet. This started months of expensive vet visits and treatments that I won't detail, except to say they started with possible lymphoma (lungs and abdomen) and ended with a diagnoses of mega colon. She was, and is, on many meds, still drinking tons, getting dehydrated, was put on subQ fluids, had kidney insufficiency.... and on and on. But through all this she started to become affectionate and more relaxed even through she was still uncomfortable. Early on she was back on insulin and has been on it since. Her BG seems to cycle through regulated in the 80s to low 100s on .1u to unregulated in the 200s on 1u. I still am not convinced she doesn't have acro or cushings.
The even better news is that for the last month she has been off sugQ, drinking normal amounts of water, using the litter box 100%, going out on my balcony, coming for cuddles in bed almost every night and actually playing with toys. She goes nuts for cat nip (when last year she would totally ignore it), but gets a little bitey from it. This is a "normal" cat, and a total 180 from a year ago, well maybe a 170. She has put on weight, maybe too much, her belly doesn't make noises any more, but is still a little bit bloated, her fur has filled out and her undercoat came in so fast it got matted. After a few weeks of regular brushing that is under control and no more mats.
Picture below are "before" (left) and "after" (right):
She did not endear herself to me, but I could see that she was in very bad shape and that it was likely that if I didn't take her she would be dropped off at a shelter and they would euthanize her. I was her only chance. I came back the next day, October 13th, and took her to my vet for a few tests (FIV, FeLV, & fecal because she was very bloated). The vet said she could develop DKA at any minute because she was not getting insulin and her BG was in the 300s. Then I brought her home.
Cami continued to be a difficult cat. All she did was cry (loudly) for food, eat tons (12-18 ozs a day), poop and pee, and hiss and growl at me and the other cats. She positioned herself in the hallway so the others could not get past her to the litter boxes and Beau was so upset he tried peeing in his own bed. I consulted an animal communicator, but Cami didn't get better. I was thinking I had made the worst decision of my life trying to save this cat. All that aside, she was very thin (6 lbs), had no undercoat fur and very thin skin. Her belly was bloated she looked 9 weeks pregnant and it made lots of noises. I could tell she was uncomfortable because she slept on her side stretched full out. She drank gallons of water (well, 12-16 ozs a day) even when her BG was under control, and peed on the rugs, carpets, and occasionally in the litter box.
I had gotten her regulated fairly quickly and she was OTJ after 4 months. It turned out to be short lived. One day in early March I noticed she was breathing very rapidly and took her to the vet. This started months of expensive vet visits and treatments that I won't detail, except to say they started with possible lymphoma (lungs and abdomen) and ended with a diagnoses of mega colon. She was, and is, on many meds, still drinking tons, getting dehydrated, was put on subQ fluids, had kidney insufficiency.... and on and on. But through all this she started to become affectionate and more relaxed even through she was still uncomfortable. Early on she was back on insulin and has been on it since. Her BG seems to cycle through regulated in the 80s to low 100s on .1u to unregulated in the 200s on 1u. I still am not convinced she doesn't have acro or cushings.
The even better news is that for the last month she has been off sugQ, drinking normal amounts of water, using the litter box 100%, going out on my balcony, coming for cuddles in bed almost every night and actually playing with toys. She goes nuts for cat nip (when last year she would totally ignore it), but gets a little bitey from it. This is a "normal" cat, and a total 180 from a year ago, well maybe a 170. She has put on weight, maybe too much, her belly doesn't make noises any more, but is still a little bit bloated, her fur has filled out and her undercoat came in so fast it got matted. After a few weeks of regular brushing that is under control and no more mats.
Picture below are "before" (left) and "after" (right):
.... it just seems silly to me now.
to realize how far she has come. A real tribute to your care and your big heart. I love the before and after pictures...I remember the before...she has come so far! Such a sweetheart to realize she finally has a family she can count on to be there for her. And that she was able to go to Michigan with you all...that was great to hear. 
