The veternarian delivered the bad news yesterday

[elfs]

Dinah Kitty

Ever since the food recall, Dinah (The Bloody Cat™, The Burning Cat™, Frankenkitty™, The Cat With the Pop-Top Head™) has been off her feed. We've been worried about her, because a cat her size is supposed to be eating between six and eight ounces of food a day, but she's been eating less than two daily. We've tried everything, gone through two dozen different brands, refreshed her water more than twice a day. She's lost a lot of weight in the past three months.

We took her to the vet twice in that period, and both times the vet said, "It's probably the feed. Cats her age are picky. Just keep trying." So we did. We've found that she likes chunky food, and she's big on poultry. We're using some high-end brands now.

On her second trip to the vet (after Dinah had what looked to Omaha's inexperienced eye like a seziure) (remember, Omaha's only ever seen one seziure: I've seen over thirty) they took blood samples and the results came back. We got them yesterday.

Dinah's not eating because she has elevated stomach acid, which means that eating gives her nausea. Surprisingly enough, there's a cure for that: Pepcid AC, 1/4 tablet a day. But elevated stomach acid in a sixteen-year-old cat happens because the kidneys are no longer removing from the bloodstream the hormone that causes stomach acid production.

Dinah has early-stage chronic renal failure. The veternarian said she has between six months and a year, maybe two if we were aggressive about it. It's one of those things where you have to question just what you're after: the cat's comfort as geriatric decrepitude starts to take her, or putting off your own pain of her mortality as long as possible.

To our relief, Dinah took well to the kidney diet; a low-acid, low-protein, high-potassium diet. She's always tolerated medicines well, and I'm dissolving the Pepcid in a syringe and shooting it down her throat so she can't easily retch it if she's feeling nauseus. We're having to alternate the kidney-diet food with a high-fat food that taxes her kidneys but now that the acid-blocker is working she needs to put some weight back on. We also bought her a water recirculater that aerates and filters her drinking water, since she needs more water to push wastes through her failing kidneys.

Omaha and I have had Dinah longer than we've had the kids: since 1992. She's a wonderful cat, tolerant, loving, sometimes desperately needy for touch. I'm just not handling this well; I get teary when I think about it too much. And, grief, what am I gonna tell the kids?

Comments

[katybeth]

Poor Dinah. I hope this works to give her and you some more happy time together.

Narshie sends good wishes. Well, no, Narshie just wants to be where my laptop is. But I send good wishes.

[intrepid-reason.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry to read this. I am a proponent of the "cat's comfort as geriatric decrepitude starts to take her" option, but understand the dilema. If it was Tinker, I just don't know for certain what I'd do. Probably wait until she was actually suffering at all to choose.

I am so sorry

[dakiwiboid.livejournal.com]

I still miss my little tortie, Harlie, who was my One True Cat. I hope that her last days are as comfortable as possible.

[grum]

Oh, dear. I'm sorry. Good luck keeping Dinah healthy and happy for as long as you decide to.

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

Our cat, Mouse, was diagnosed with chronic renal failure at age 9, two years ago -- we have been giving her subcutaneous fluids (first daily, then every other day, now once every three days, as her condition has stabilised) to help her body flush toxins. Like your kitty, she stopped eating, which was our only clue that she was really sick (she hasn't had any seizures). And no, it hasn't harmed her quality of life.

I'm very surprised your vet didn't suggest this option, since it's readily handled at home and can help a cat be much more comfortable and able to cope with the illness. Your kitty is much older, and to some extent it's a matter of deciding how long she would live if she didn't have kidney disease. But without more fluids, her chances of stabilizing seem slimmer. Ask your vet about the option, please.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

Oh, he did talk about sub-cue fluids. But really, at sixteen, we'd only be delaying the inevitable, and it doesn't really help make her more comfortable, since she's already deep into the weight-loss stage if it's not just the nausea.

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

It really may just be the nausea -- Mouse went from 13 lbs. to less than 8 before bouncing back with fluids (and us finally finding food she was willing to eat, which in her case is raw, organic free-range chicken; no substitutes!). I hope your cat does become more comfortable, recovers her appetite and feels better. Kidney disease is really so not pleasant for them. :(

[mothball-07.livejournal.com]

So sorry. :( I think that pets are one of the best modern options for helping children accept the cycles of life gracefully. We rarely watch our elders fade and die any more, but we can learn those lessons substantively with our pets if we see a good example of grieving and recovering and moving on.

Not that I'm one iota good with that. ;-)

[pixel39.livejournal.com]

*hug* We lost our Koshka two years ago from renal failure that we didn't catch in time. I'd write more but I start crying every time I try.

[desiraes.livejournal.com]

Oh guys..I am so sorry.

She is a wonderful cat. Just continue to
give her lots of love, you will both need it.

Hugs to you both,

Denise

[kendaer.livejournal.com]

*hug* You have my sympathies, and I can only echo what Melissa said above.

Hopefully you are able to find a situation which will allow her to be with you without being in discomfort, but I understand how hard it is, having been there far to many times.

[hlmt.livejournal.com]

Oh, sweeties, I'm so sorry. It's even harder when you have advance notice of sharp decline. I still mourn my Joshy Woshy, and it's been 5 years...

I would recommend telling the children the truth--as much as you know it, both about the medical condition and the consequences--so they too can enjoy the good memories over the next few whatevers. I don't know what approach and discussions you've had about death in your household; ours came about by complete chance, sparked by a careless library book choice on my part (erm, I pulled it randomly off the shelf). It was about a little girl dying of cancer who'd befriended a caterpillar; just before the girl died, the caterpillar morphed into its butterfly shape. The book described the girl's death, therefore, as a stage, or transformation--which leaves the parent with a whole lot of options. =) I just left things as vague as possible, but non-threatning...

Good luck, and best wishes, to all.

Dinah

[ideaphile.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear about Dinah. She's always so nice to me when I'm visiting. Well, you're all nice, but Dinah is much more willing to let me pet her than Omaha is...

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[halloranelder.livejournal.com]

You have my sympathies.

However, at 15 Dinah has certainly had a good run at life. Just be thankful for the time you have had.

*hugs*

[j5nn5r.livejournal.com]

I've always loved Dinah Kitty. I hope things go well for you and yours, and for her.

[j5nn5r.livejournal.com]

Oh, and until I can see her again, tell her I said, "meh".

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[fallenpegasus]

I'm so sorry. As you know, I've been there.

Don't be so quick to dismiss SubCu fluid treatment. It really does help with getting the weight back on, and very often will add years of life that is life-worth-living for her.

[mg4h.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry. My first cat died of this. It was too late to do much more than make her comfortable for her last few weeks of life.

Enjoy what time you have left.

*HUG*