Cloud of worries

[eimarra]

Just got back from dropping our remaining cat at the vet. I got Cloud at the same time as Dancer. He was always the shy one, the one who made other people ask, "Are you sure you have two cats?" Until the last few years, when he started coming out to check out visitors. I was shocked today when the vet put his hand down toward Cloud and Cloud butted his head against it to get petted.

He's lost a LOT of weight lately. I hadn't realized how much. He hasn't been eating this past week--I realized the other day I haven't had to refill his food bowl. And he's looking almost skeletal underneath his fluffy fur.

Now he's at the vet, getting an IV for fluids, having blood drawn for testing, maybe getting an X-ray if it seems warranted. We'll pick him up before they close this evening so he can spend the night at home. Just got a call from the vet, and they really want him to stay overnight for the extra fluids.

Possibilities broached include everything from bad teeth (making it too painful to eat) to hyperthyroidism to diabetes to cancer.

I'm just hoping this turns out better than last September with Dancer. . . .

Comments

[ca-bookwyrm.livejournal.com]

*hugs tight* I hate worries about the little fluffy ones. They seem to so independent until all of a sudden you realize how fragile they are. I hope all is well with Cloud, and that's he's home safely soon.

[eimarra]

Thanks. I'll post updates.

[temporus.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[eimarra]

Thanks.

[eimarra]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

[livingindawnworld.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Sounds like what we went through with Zara back in 2002. He went from 17 lbs down to 11 in a matter of a month or two, stopped eating at one point, and lost a lot of fur when we brushed him. He also had this strange obsession of trying to get into the fridge every time we opened it. He turned out to be diabetic.

It was scary at first, but we learned how to deal with it. We put him on prescription food and gave him insulin shots twice a day (which gets easier with practice). The insulin got him back down to a normal range in about 6 months to a year, I don't quite recall at the moment. But seven years later, here we are. He's happy, healthy, and still eating his special food.

I hope Cloud has soon good results. I don't wish diabetes on you, but from what I understand, it's the most promising as far as treatment goes.

*hugs*

Dawn

[eimarra]

I think hyperthyroid is treatable, too, but I can't say that I really look forward to giving Cloud either shots or pills. That tends to be a two-beach towel (and two- to three-person) job. Still, better than the alternatives.

Thanks for the encouraging words.

[livingindawnworld.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Shots are definitely a one person operation. We'd give them to him right after he ate breakfast and dinner, and it was into the skin that puffs up behind the neck. And that was only until he was regulated. Now the food keeps him evened out right.

[bonniers.livejournal.com]

Aw, hugs, that's sad and scary. But it's funny how cats know when they need to be helped.

With weight loss that sudden, diabetes is very likely. My mom's cat with diabetes lived to be, um, 22 I think she was, more than ten years after she was diagnosed. But whatever it is, I hope it's something they can treat, and Cloud's soon home as good as new.

[eimarra]

Thanks for the encouragement. I do appreciate it.