Olive & Paula
Member Since 2015
Long Post.
I do not know much about his time before he came to live with me.
I do know in 1999 my cousin got Smokey (I don't know where) as a companion as he battled end stage cancer. Smokey was a kitten at that time. When my cousin passed his mother (my Aunt A) took Smokey. Apparently Smokey had some litter box issues my Aunt A. couldn't deal with. She was never an animal person. Smokey was surrendered to a vet, treated for UTI with a promise my Aunt A. would find a home for him. After a month or two another cousin took Smokey. She traveled with husband and/or was in school. My Aunt C. lived with them and ended up having to care for him, which she was not pleased about.
Aunt C. is another who doesn't like animals especially cats. All she did was complain how his stool stunk. She fed him canned tuna all the time, so I imagine it would stink. She did not like him but always told my mother how wonderful and special he was. One day Aunt C said she had enough so my mother said she would take him. We made arrangements to go from NJ to MA to pick him up. Aunt C called on a Thursday and said Smokey got out and she couldn't find him. She left food out and it was always gone, but never saw Smokey. Smokey was an extremely quiet cat. As it turned out Smokey had been hiding under a chair in the house for 3 days. She said come get him now or he is out. So mom and I dropped everything and drove to MA. I had to be at work the next day at 8 am. We got lost, my Aunt said she didn't know what time we would get there so didn't have lunch or anything for us. I was so pissed. Grabbed Smokey and left. He never made a sound the whole time in the car. The carrier she had was too small for him. We hit a blizzard, windshield froze, couldn't find a place open to get anything to eat, took 8 hours to get home at 2 am.
Smokey lived with my parents since 2000. He has traveled across country in an RV to Alaska and back. My parents had a vacation trailer in Pocono PA where he spent summer weekends. Smokey was a big cat topping 25 lbs at his heaviest. My mother was told he was a Ragdoll, however, I think he is Norwegian Forrest. Smokey was an object in my parents house. His needs were seen to, but really no interaction with my parents unless it was to show him off to visitors. When my husband and I would go there Smokey was always wanting us to pet or play with him. And we obliged.
Smokey always had vomiting issues and LB issues since I can remember. Never seemed to have an answer as to why. I remember my mother telling me he was diabetic, I thought it was in 2012 but Smokey was diagnosed in 2010. By now I was living in PA. I forgot Smokey was diabetic. When my mother became ill and hospitalized, I went to NJ. Lets just say the environment was less than healthy. My mother's dementia had progressed so much and my father didn't realize or couldn't deal with it.
Smokey was in horrible shape. Hadn't had his insulin for a good 6 months. My father thought my mother was feeding him breakfast and dinner. My father was responsible for the bedtime food which was 1/3 cup of dry so that's all he had been getting. Smokey had lost more than half his weight. His double coat of fur was totally matted right to the skin. There was no insulin in the house or any syringes that I could find. It was a weekend and I had no idea how much he was getting.
Monday I called his vet, which could have cared less. So I just took Smokey in unannounced and demanded to be seen. They wouldn't do anything. I got his records and they did give me some insulin and 3 syringes. They didn't even make sure I knew how to give it. I told them Smokey was now going to be living with me temporarily and we were headed to PA as soon as we left their office and I need some direction on how to take care of him. Again they didn't care.
On the ride home I called my vet explained the situation and his office waited for me to get there. Smokey's BG was 589. He was barely 12 lbs. Severely matted, fleas, nails overgrown, ears filthy. How he wasn't in DKA was beyond me.
So the vet shaved him down, cleaned him up and started on the road to recovery. Over 7 month period we figured out the litter box, found out he needed to eat every 3 hours so he didn't vomit. Got his insulin regularly or so I thought. Started him on better quality food, so I thought. When Smokey hit 5u of vetsulin the vet said there was nothing more they could do as they said it was the max dose. So I asked about food. Husband had been saying just like people maybe the food is wrong, but how would we know. I asked about carbs. Different associate gave me the list from Binky's site and said to find food under 12% and "lets see if the experiment works". Was not home testing, again I didn't know. So about a month later I noticed Smokey wasn't himself. Started googling and found FDMB Labor Day weekend 2015. Turned out Smokey was in a hypo episode. The people here were great at staying up with me and keeping him safe. I truly can not express my appreciation that night. I had no hc, karo, icing or ice cream. Did not have a car to get to ER not that I knew where it was. They got us through.
So the testing started, the food changed started. And Smokey changed. He started purring, something I never heard from him. He started flipping toys around. He started sitting next to us and would hit us so we would pat him. He wasn't sitting behind the chair so much anymore. When I started using the auto feeder, he would go sit by it an hour before it was due to open. He than started hitting it trying to get it to open even though food was in his dish next to it. He started taking interest in the birds outside our sliders. He learned to walk so the bell on his collar didn't ring. We never heard him so we needed to put a bell on him so we could. He started sleeping upside down with his feet in the air. When he pooped in the LB for the first time, I was jumping for joy. The first and only time he climbed on my lap (I was late feeding him). So many firsts. His weight went back to 18 lbs. He was a different cat. He was happy and healthy.
March 2016 is when everything seemed to change. Pancreatitis, heart disease, losing weight again, vomiting. I think he has always had pancreatitis issues that were never addressed. Like I said he always vomited and my Aunt and mother always complained about the smell of his stool. Yet no one looked into it.
He was a gentle soul. Considering he's never been around other animals, he adopted Tux and they were best friends. Grooming each other and on rare occasions chased each other down the hallway. They sounded like a herd of elephants. I enjoyed making his food. My husband even jokingly said "you will make food for a cat but not me". Husband could be found sitting on the floor with Smokey stretched out along side of him with a foot on my husband so many times.
Smokey you endured so much, yet never complained. You allowed us to be in your life. I hope you were happy here with us. Tux misses you so much and thanks you for sending PJ.
Be at peace and say hello once in awhile. Your tag has been put on my key ring so you are always with me . Be happy and free. We miss you.
I do not know much about his time before he came to live with me.
I do know in 1999 my cousin got Smokey (I don't know where) as a companion as he battled end stage cancer. Smokey was a kitten at that time. When my cousin passed his mother (my Aunt A) took Smokey. Apparently Smokey had some litter box issues my Aunt A. couldn't deal with. She was never an animal person. Smokey was surrendered to a vet, treated for UTI with a promise my Aunt A. would find a home for him. After a month or two another cousin took Smokey. She traveled with husband and/or was in school. My Aunt C. lived with them and ended up having to care for him, which she was not pleased about.
Aunt C. is another who doesn't like animals especially cats. All she did was complain how his stool stunk. She fed him canned tuna all the time, so I imagine it would stink. She did not like him but always told my mother how wonderful and special he was. One day Aunt C said she had enough so my mother said she would take him. We made arrangements to go from NJ to MA to pick him up. Aunt C called on a Thursday and said Smokey got out and she couldn't find him. She left food out and it was always gone, but never saw Smokey. Smokey was an extremely quiet cat. As it turned out Smokey had been hiding under a chair in the house for 3 days. She said come get him now or he is out. So mom and I dropped everything and drove to MA. I had to be at work the next day at 8 am. We got lost, my Aunt said she didn't know what time we would get there so didn't have lunch or anything for us. I was so pissed. Grabbed Smokey and left. He never made a sound the whole time in the car. The carrier she had was too small for him. We hit a blizzard, windshield froze, couldn't find a place open to get anything to eat, took 8 hours to get home at 2 am.
Smokey lived with my parents since 2000. He has traveled across country in an RV to Alaska and back. My parents had a vacation trailer in Pocono PA where he spent summer weekends. Smokey was a big cat topping 25 lbs at his heaviest. My mother was told he was a Ragdoll, however, I think he is Norwegian Forrest. Smokey was an object in my parents house. His needs were seen to, but really no interaction with my parents unless it was to show him off to visitors. When my husband and I would go there Smokey was always wanting us to pet or play with him. And we obliged.
Smokey always had vomiting issues and LB issues since I can remember. Never seemed to have an answer as to why. I remember my mother telling me he was diabetic, I thought it was in 2012 but Smokey was diagnosed in 2010. By now I was living in PA. I forgot Smokey was diabetic. When my mother became ill and hospitalized, I went to NJ. Lets just say the environment was less than healthy. My mother's dementia had progressed so much and my father didn't realize or couldn't deal with it.
Smokey was in horrible shape. Hadn't had his insulin for a good 6 months. My father thought my mother was feeding him breakfast and dinner. My father was responsible for the bedtime food which was 1/3 cup of dry so that's all he had been getting. Smokey had lost more than half his weight. His double coat of fur was totally matted right to the skin. There was no insulin in the house or any syringes that I could find. It was a weekend and I had no idea how much he was getting.
Monday I called his vet, which could have cared less. So I just took Smokey in unannounced and demanded to be seen. They wouldn't do anything. I got his records and they did give me some insulin and 3 syringes. They didn't even make sure I knew how to give it. I told them Smokey was now going to be living with me temporarily and we were headed to PA as soon as we left their office and I need some direction on how to take care of him. Again they didn't care.
On the ride home I called my vet explained the situation and his office waited for me to get there. Smokey's BG was 589. He was barely 12 lbs. Severely matted, fleas, nails overgrown, ears filthy. How he wasn't in DKA was beyond me.
So the vet shaved him down, cleaned him up and started on the road to recovery. Over 7 month period we figured out the litter box, found out he needed to eat every 3 hours so he didn't vomit. Got his insulin regularly or so I thought. Started him on better quality food, so I thought. When Smokey hit 5u of vetsulin the vet said there was nothing more they could do as they said it was the max dose. So I asked about food. Husband had been saying just like people maybe the food is wrong, but how would we know. I asked about carbs. Different associate gave me the list from Binky's site and said to find food under 12% and "lets see if the experiment works". Was not home testing, again I didn't know. So about a month later I noticed Smokey wasn't himself. Started googling and found FDMB Labor Day weekend 2015. Turned out Smokey was in a hypo episode. The people here were great at staying up with me and keeping him safe. I truly can not express my appreciation that night. I had no hc, karo, icing or ice cream. Did not have a car to get to ER not that I knew where it was. They got us through.
So the testing started, the food changed started. And Smokey changed. He started purring, something I never heard from him. He started flipping toys around. He started sitting next to us and would hit us so we would pat him. He wasn't sitting behind the chair so much anymore. When I started using the auto feeder, he would go sit by it an hour before it was due to open. He than started hitting it trying to get it to open even though food was in his dish next to it. He started taking interest in the birds outside our sliders. He learned to walk so the bell on his collar didn't ring. We never heard him so we needed to put a bell on him so we could. He started sleeping upside down with his feet in the air. When he pooped in the LB for the first time, I was jumping for joy. The first and only time he climbed on my lap (I was late feeding him). So many firsts. His weight went back to 18 lbs. He was a different cat. He was happy and healthy.
March 2016 is when everything seemed to change. Pancreatitis, heart disease, losing weight again, vomiting. I think he has always had pancreatitis issues that were never addressed. Like I said he always vomited and my Aunt and mother always complained about the smell of his stool. Yet no one looked into it.
He was a gentle soul. Considering he's never been around other animals, he adopted Tux and they were best friends. Grooming each other and on rare occasions chased each other down the hallway. They sounded like a herd of elephants. I enjoyed making his food. My husband even jokingly said "you will make food for a cat but not me". Husband could be found sitting on the floor with Smokey stretched out along side of him with a foot on my husband so many times.
Smokey you endured so much, yet never complained. You allowed us to be in your life. I hope you were happy here with us. Tux misses you so much and thanks you for sending PJ.
Be at peace and say hello once in awhile. Your tag has been put on my key ring so you are always with me . Be happy and free. We miss you.
but so much love for you guys. Smokey got to know health and happiness because of you, sounds pretty basic but only when you've been deprived of both can you know how important they are. Smokey got to love and be loved, you gave him a life worth living. It took him a while to get there but that would have made him appreciate it all the more. In the end he was one lucky cat
Until you and your DH took him in. Then he finally had all the care and love he needed, and how he blossomed. Bless you both for what you did for him. I'm so glad that his final years were lived surrounded by love. 
