Help Save Gracie!

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AlwaysAardvarks

AlwaysAardvarks

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I live in Lancaster, Ohio, and have an 8-year old female tabby named Gracie. She was diagnosed with diabetes about 18 months ago, and I haven't been able to keep buying the insulin, having lost my job last summer.
My wife, bless her heart, has put up with Gracie's vomiting and inappropriate urination (which do not occur with the injections) for almost a year, but now she's done with it all - the reasons aren't that important.
Gracie is scheduled for euthanization tomorrow at 1120 AM.
Can anyone please give Gracie a home? When she has the medication, she's fine, but without it, she's lost a lot of weight, and has rubbed most of the hair off of her spine at the base of her tail.
I know I should have contacted this board months ago, but my wife just made this demand this afternoon. I'm just too defeated to argue with her about Gracie.

Can anyone help, on such short notice? If Gracie has a new home, I'm sure my wife would allow her a few more days; or I could transport her to almost anywhere to save her life.

Please help, if you can.
 
I'm so sorry to hear what you've had to go through. Have you tried contacting Diabetic Cats in Need? They might be able to help you out with the insulin costs and/or finding a new home for Gracie.
 
Please contact DCIN. Hopefully, they can help you to save Gracie's life and help you to find her a new home.
 
Is there anyway to stall the euthanasia to give us a little time to find her a new home? And or set up transport if we do find her a adoptive or foster home?

I would foster her but I'm in Nebraska and have 14 of my own so I could only foster her short term. I am checking with a few folks to see if they can help.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn and The Fur Gang
 
Trying to figure out a way and a place to hide her for a few days. She CAN'T be here tomorrow when the wife gets off work.
Please call me with any ideas. [Phone number removed by Moderator.]
Thank you!
 
I am in Columbus, Ohio.
I tried to call you at 8:15 am 11/7/2013 and got no answer.
I work until 6 pm in downtown Columbus.
I've sent you a private message with my phone number - look at the top left of the screen.
Call me.
 
Dear Gracie's Dad

BJM is ready willing and more than able to take and care for Gracie. I have another person waiting to come get her and help get her to BJM. Please call BJM. To pick up the private message look at the top of the page. Click where it says 1 new message.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn and the Fur Gang
 
Terri got hold of him and is going to pick up Gracie.

Gracie will go to my vet first to be evaluated for DKA, FeLV and FIV.

If looking OK for now, and not too ill to come home, I have asked for full checkup, vaccines as needed, treatment, and Lantus in pens changed my mind and asked for Prozinc due to erratic schedule!

I still have some syringes from Spitzer that I missed shipping to Missy!
 
Bless you both for helping save Gracie. The Fur Gang and I will be praying hard for you all. Miracles happen daily around here. :-)

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn and The Fur Gang
 
To Always Aardvarks

Please tell me either her or in a pm (little button to right of post) as much about Gracie as you can.
Was she and indoor only cat?
Do you have other cats or does she get along with other cats?
What have you been feeding her?

Any vet records would be helpful.
Was she ever tested for FIV, FeLV?
Has she had any other illnesses or injuries?
Any dental problems?
 
Gracie has been picked up and is now at BJM`s vet for evaluation. BJM will most likely let you all know how Gracie is per her vet visit and keep all paws crossed she is doing well.


Terri
 
Hello!
What wonderful folks! Thank you one & all! Awed by all of you.
Best wishes to you all and Gracie,
Sophie
 
Health report on Gracie

Spayed female weighing 10 lbs and front declawed.
She is a bit dehydrated although NOT in DKA.
She has an elevated white count and will receive Clavamox in case there is an infection.
Vet believes she may have allergies. I'm thinking some l-Lysine couldn't hurt.
Her blood glucose was 468 (not fructosamine), so we will start insulin.
- roughly 100-189 mg/dL of that may be due to vet stress.
- depending on what she was fed, about 100 mg/dL could be diet.
 
This gives me the good kind of chills! Everyone here is so awesome that it makes my heart all warm and fuzzy and brings tears of joy to my eyes! I love you guys!
 
I cannot wait to hear how Gracie does in her new home and I hope there will be picture too! Congratulations BJ on your new addition. She is a very lucky little lady.
 
Okay, I am crying now. I read this post yesterday and like many others here I'm sure, felt so badly for Gracie, wishing I could do something to help her, but unable to.
The compassion of the people here never fail to amaze me.
Thank you BJM and all involved in saving Gracie. Bless you all.
cat_pet_icon
 
Small change in plans - going to go with ProZinc to start as my schedule is rather variable and she's not Spitzer, so may respond to it better (no IBD, for one thing!). Plus, after I get some data on her, I can, as needed, shoot what I see.

Tonight is kind of busy, so I won't get to the pharmacy for more testing supplies, U-100 syringes, and a battery for the meter (well, its been almost 2 years since Spitzer passed!)

She is resting in the back third of my basement, where it is calmer and dark right now. I left her in the carrier, with the door open, by the litterbox. There is a nominal 'fence' around the entry to that area, but the younger cats can get in and out, so I suspect she'll figure it out once she gets the lay of the land. (Note to self: get handyman in to do better job of enclosing that area!
 
@ Gracie - you may have had some bad luck recently but right at this moment you are the luckiest kitty on the planet!

Bless you, BJ!
And yes, we want pics, as soon as the little lady is up to it. :smile:
 
BJ you are wonderful for taking this poor girl in. I'm sure you'll get her numbers down soon and she will feel much better. Pic's soon I hope.....
 
BJ you are an AMEN to our prayers.I hope this all works out with you. At least a life is saved. Gracie you are one lucky little kitty.
Thank you BJ
jeanne
 
*sigh*

At the moment, she is hiding somewhere in the basement and I couldn't find her to start treating her last night, nor this morning.

I'll go search for her again after work and put her in the 4 foot tall cat condo when/if I find her.

There is low carb food and water in the basement, if the other cats will let her get to it.
 
Well, I went down to the basement and saw her, then she went behind the dryer, cursing the entire time. She is not happy about all these new cats, the accomodations, all the change and I'm to blame.

I brought Tux upstairs for some lap time. The younger cats (the Heat Waifs from 2012 and the trio from 2009) attack or corner her and prevent her from getting to the litterbox. They tend not to go to the far part of the basement often, letting her have some peace and quiet. I was hoping it would be quiet for Gracie, too.

And the housemate doesn't realize there's another cat here yet! (Don't ask; don't tell!)
 
Oh (((BJ))),

My heart goes out to you.
But she will come round in time, I'm sure. It's all just so new and scary to her at the moment. And I expect she's missing her Dad.

Painful as this situation is at the moment, DO remind yourself, often, that if you hadn't done this then Gracie wouldn't be alive right now. I know Gracie doesn't understand this but being a bit scared and pissed-off for a while is a whole lot better than being dead!

I wish I could give you some useful advice, but you're the one who's always giving the useful advice to others because you know so much about kitties!

Hmmm... If I were in your shoes though maybe I'd be thinking 'Feliway', 'Bach rescue remedy', trying to win her over with some utterly delicious treats.... All of which you've probably already done.... :-|
In the case of our little feral girl (who was utterly terrified when we brought her home) it was grooming sessions that eventually won her over.

I know it's different in Gracie's case though because she's diabetic and needs her insulin and tests so you have to be able to handle her now... Ah, just had a thought. I'm sure Mel (momma of muse) has taken on diabetic kitties and has had to start shooting/testing straight away.... Maybe she could give some advice...?

Keeping fingers and paws crossed that Gracie settles down really soon.

Eliz
 
BJ you are truly a kitty's angel!! o:-) I cant wait to hear more about Gracie's journey!!
I have a friend who is in the process of starting a no kill shelter for cats. One day Im going to work for her and be able to save a lot of kitty's 9 lives!!
God bless you~~
 
BJ

Were you able to test her this morning or give her a shot? Is she eating, using the litterbox? How is she doing?

Terri
 
BJM, you're an angle! Do you have a room Gracie can have all to herself? That way she's not being bothered by the other cats and you can come in and spend one on one time with her and get her tested/injected. The other cats will smell her little by little and will get use to her scent. Eventually you can let her out and mingle with the other kitties.
 
Nope.

This is under the heading of me not being fully awake and thinking it was a temporary hold. But hey, in for a penny, in for a pound.

She's starting to come around a bit and has let me pet her a few times. I may shoot blind (cautiously) for the moment with 0.5 units, since I see by the water consumption she is drinking like a fish.
 
Thank God for people like you, BJ. You are truly a wonderful kitty momma and thank you for helping Gracie. I hope she's adjusted a little better and your roommate deals with it...lol
 
BJ - its so nice of you to take this extra kitty. I am sure she will come round. Some cats take longer than others and given she doesn't feel well that makes it so much harder.

Wendy
 
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