Still enough energy to cause havok...

Rascal got me out of bed this morning by knocking almost everything off my dresser. After I put everything back, I got ready for work. Before I left, I gave him some different kind of Fancy Feast. It's called Elegant Medley's - White Meat Chicken and Whipped Egg Soufflé with Garden Greens. To my delight, he actually ate it. He had eaten quite a bit of it by the time I left. I hope that it's all gone when I get home.

Today, I called another vet I know. He specializes in cats. I left him a message and he hasn't called me back yet.

Emotional rollercoaster

This situation is getting to me. I certainly don't want Rascal to leave me, but there will be a little relief for me. Each day, my emotions run from hope and optimism to sadness and despair.

For the last few days, Rascal has not been eating much. About all I could get him to eat was the gravy out of the Fancy Feast I gave him. He'd take a little peace of the meat, suck off the gravy and spit the meat back in the bowl. I've been very discouraged. Tonight, when I got home, I tried giving him some of the lamb baby food. He ate some of it.

Everytime I leave the apartment, I dread coming back because of what I might find. I know that someday, I'm going to find his lifeless body. I don't want to, but I know it will happen. When I come back and I see he's still around, I am relieved... that is until the next time I leave.

I'm getting tired.

Missing him already

Rascal's basically doing OK, but I'm concerned that he isn't eating enough. I only rarely see him eat. He's drinking and using the litter box OK. I miss him because he's not acting like himself. He will sit in one place for hours at a time. He doesn't lie down much.

I'd give almost anything for him to bother me when I'm on the computer. He sit with me and let me pet him for several minutes. He didn't used to let me do that. I'm going to try to enjoy him as much as I can and make him as comfortable as possible. We'll just see how it goes.

One day at a time

Rascal was waiting for me at the door again tonight. I'm a little concerned though. I set out some baby food and dry cat food for him this morning. It doesn't look like he's eaten any of it. I didn't lock him in the bedroom, so it could be that he's eating Pandora's food. I'm giving her the same dry cat food I am him. I'll just have to keep an eye on him.

He seems to be fairly energetic. He's even been swatting at my belt when I put it on in the morning. This week has felt fairly normal to me. Last week was anything but normal. We'll just have to see how it goes.

He's back!

I rarely call Rascal by his name. I call him "Meanie". There's a reason for that. Usually, when any mess is made or when anything has been broken, he's the culprit. Also, when I used to pet him, he always wanted to play, and he wanted to play rough. Playfully biting and scratching was just part of his "charm".

Since he's been sick, he's been a good cat. Well, he must be getting better, because that is ending! Yesterday, when I came home, I found that someone had peed on the rug that I keep in my half bath! This is what he used to do.

Normally, I would be mad at him, but I'm glad he feels good enough to do that. I think I'm in trouble now. I'm glad to have him back for however long it lasts. :-)

Best day so far

Rascal did walk on me this morning. He greeted me at the door tonight. He's been in the cat carrier very little today (at least while I've been home). He's been eating and drinking. While we were watching TV tonight, I was petting. He (playfully) tried to bite me! :-) I'm pretty happy now. He seems to be feeling pretty good. We'll just see how everything goes. :-)

Still doing well

Rascal disn't walk all over me this morning, but he seems to be doing OK. He seemed to have as much energy as he has the last couple of days. He ate, drank and used the litter box.

I got the invoice from the doctor in the mail. Rascal's normal weight, when I took him before was 14 pounds. His weight the last time I took him was only 9 pounds! That's a 35% weight loss! Rascal doesn't seem to be quite as bony as he was last week, but that might be wishful thinking on my part. I should really get a scale and weigh him. Perhaps I'll see if they have something at the pet store.

A good weekend

Rascal has had a pretty good weekend. My friends, Judy and Tony came over on Friday night. Rascal was pretty alert and somewhat active. Judy brought Rascal several jars of lamb baby food. I gave him some while they were here. He ate a little of it then. The rest, he finished overnight.

Saturday was pretty good for him. He ate, drank, used the litter box and slept. He also was up and around. On Saturday night, while I was working on my computer, he jumped up on my desk. He hadn't done that since he's been home. It's funny, but it's those little things that tell me how he's feeling and that I miss when he's not doing them.

He spent most of the night in the cat carrier. This morning, he jumped up on the bed and walked on me when it was time for me to get up. Today, he's been outside of the carrier most of the time. He's jumped up on the desk a couple of times. My nephew and I went out for dinner. When I came home, Rascal was on the sofa, waiting for me. That's the first time he's been in the living room when I've come home, since he's been home.

I sat down and we watched TV together. A couple of times, when I was petting him, he playfully bit me! That made me feel really good. He's in the office with me now. He followed me in here. He may not get well, but I'm confident that he has some more good days left in him. I want us both to enjoy them.

All in all, I'm very happy today. He seems to feel much better.

Holding his own

I was out of the Gerber baby food when I went home. Of course, Rascal wouldn't have anything to do with the Del Monte stuff. I went to the grocery stor to get some more Gerber. I also got some Purina One for Sensitive Systems dry cat food. When I came back, I gave him some of the Gerber lamb and some of the dry food. Surprisingly, he ate some of each.

I was a little disheartened last night because Rascal spent to whole night in the cat carrier. I thought he was just going to stay there. However, when I started getting ready for work, he exited the carrier, stretched and went to the food bowl. He actually ate a little more of the dry food. He also drank some water before I left. We'll just have to take it as it come.

My good friend Judy is hoping that he'll somehow make it through this. The vet isn't optimistic, but I really hope Judy's right, but I'm not going to get my hopes up. She's going to come over tonight and bring dinner. That will be good.

Getting back to normal

Rascal is still doing OK. He's eating. Although, he won't eat the less expensive Del Monte baby food. He likes the more expensive Gerber brand! He's a cat. It's his job to complicate my life as much as possible. :-)

He was doing OK this morning. He has eaten. He drank some and he used the litter box. He even jumped up on the bed this morning and walked on me when it was time for me to get up.

A little happier

I'm somewhat encouraged tonight. Rascal is still far from being his frisky self, but he seems like he's doing well considering the circumstances. I had choir practice tonight. I normally go from work to choir practice, but I came home first to check on Rascal. I had him shut up in my bedroom today because I didn't want Pandora to eat all his food.

When I came home and opened the bedroom door, he was at the door to greet me. I saw that he had eaten his food, so I gave him some more. He immediately went to work on it. I stayed for about 30 minutes and then left for choir practice.

When I came home, he was at the door to greet me. He wandered around the apartment for a little while. Right now, he asleep on a box, here in my office. Since I've been home, he's eaten, drank a little, followed me around and talked to me a little. He was also on top of the dining table.

He seems to have some energy back. The main thing, to me, is giving him a good quality of life. If we can extend it, that's great, but I'm concerned about the quality and that's what on which I'm focused.

For right now, we're doing OK.

The picture is from Sunday, 12/10/2006. It was before I took him to the vet for his blood test. He was being unusually affectionate that day. Were there any pirates that carried cats on their shoulders? :-)

Some of the Old Spark

When I went to bed last night, Rascal was lying on the foot of the bed. He laid there for a couple of hours. Eventually, he left the bed and spent the rest of the night in the pet carrier. I got up once and he seemed fine. This morning, after I woke up and before I got out of bed, I heard something fall in the bathroom. When I checked, I saw that Rascal was trying to lick the food out of a baby food jar. I had given him a jar before we went to bed. During the night, he had eaten it all and he was looking for some more. So, I went and got him another jar. This is going to be expensive at $0.80 a jar. At least he's eating. He didn't eat any more of the Science Diet K/D food. I guess he decided as long as he can get expensive baby food, why mess with the other stuff! :-)

So far, so good.

I got home around 6 PM this evening. I stopped at the grocery store and picked up some baby food (lamb) and some Pedialyte. The vet said that these might make him feel a little better. At this point, anything we can get him to eat and drink is good. The lamb will digest easier than some other foods and the Pedialyte will help replace some nutrients and chemicals he's lost. He's very anemic.

He was in his cat carrier when I got home. He didn't greet me at the door, but when I came into the room where he was, he scurried out of his carrier. I went into the bathroom with him and shut the door. I opened up a jar of lamb and he started going to town on it. He really likes it. While I was observing him, he also used the litter box.

After he ate, I brought him into the living room with me so we could watch TV. I laid him down on an afghan that a friend of mine made for me. He was content sitting there as I stroked him. He must be sick because he never used to let me do that.

I got up to do some things and he stayed on the sofa. I got out the other half of can of Science Diet K/D cat food. I went up to him and ran it under his nose. I then walked into the bathroom where I've been feeding him. He immediately jumped down from the sofa and scurried in after me.

I'm at least encouraged now that he still does have some good days ahead of him. I just pray that I'll have the strength to not fall apart. As I write this, I'm starting to cry. Just when I thought all the tears were gone, they come back.

One day at a time

I picked Rascal up from the vet today. I was both looking forward to it and dreading it. Rascal seemed to feel a little better. The prognosis is still not good, but I'm encouraged a little that he was somewhat active. The vet Dr. H. R. Gough, gave him a shot of vitamin B-12. Rascal didn't like that at all and he hissed at him. That was actually a really welcome sound to me. There still some life left in him.

I brought him home, but I had to leave for work soon afterward. I got him all set with his special cat food. He drank some water and ate some of the food. He actually jumped on top of the vanity. I have some hope that he'll have some good days yet. I can't wait to get home tonight and spend some time with him.

Pandora, I believe, has mixed feelings about having him back, but I think she missed him.

My cat is dying.

12/11/2006 9:30 PM

This has been a very hard day. I have two cats: Pandora (11) and Rascal (almost 10). Rascal has lost about 4 pounds in the last 2 months. I finally took him to the vet. He had blood tests done today. It’s Kidney Disease. The doctor says he has only about a month more to live. I’ve been dealing with this news all evening and I’ve cried several times. I’ve called several friends and family for support. I feel somewhat foolish since I’ve been so emotional. Many people would say, “What’s the fuss? It’s only a cat.” What some people don’t understand is that my cats are my family. They are as important to me as my flesh and blood. The people I called are very supportive and understanding however.

I love Pandora and Rascal differently, but equally. They each bring something unique to my life. I’m really going to miss Rascal (or as I call him, Meanie). I took him in for blood tests today. I will be picking him up from the vet tomorrow morning. Right now, I’m very sleepy. I didn’t get much sleep last night because I was so concerned about him.