Kitty trust

We are back home from another round of vet visits. Last night, I wasn't sure if I needed to take Tenzing to the vet again, but this morning, after a rough night for everyone concerned, I was sure. He's normally grateful when I (finally!) go to bed each night, and sleeps contentedly on my knees, but last night was different. Through the night last night, he woke me every 1.5 - 2 hours, needing to be held and comforted.

This wasn't Tenzing.

Tenzing demonstrating the cuteness that has managed to keep him alive for all these years.You can't kill me. I'm too cute.

I called the vet at 7am, right when they opened, and they agreed to set up an appointment for him at 11:30. I offered to bring him by two hours earlier so we could get him situated in a kennel with special litter, to try to get a urine sample for him.

I got a call about an hour later: "We need to run more tests." I agreed to the cost. It was comforting to know that my spidey-sense wasn't haywire; something was really wrong.

It's the urinary tract infection with a vengeance. Poor little guy. His bladder is swollen and he has radiopaque crystals in it, but as the vet noted, for a 12-year-old cat, he's amazingly healthy overall. His blood work is spot on, and there's nothing else in his little body that warrants worry. He even commented that for a cat who eats dry cat food, he's amazingly well hydrated. (I mentioned his water fetish, and getting him the water fountain.)

We'll do an immediate diet change, of course. If I hadn't already gotten the free-flowing water fountain, we'd need it now. He'll start a diet formulated to help form fewer crystals, and if I can somehow find a way to convince him to eat wet cat food, all the better.

It wasn't a cheap vet visit, and I have to give him more pills, but I'm relieved to know there's no immediate danger of losing him. I would have coped if that were the case, but not having to do that now ... or any time in the next year or so ... would be a very good thing for me.

In hindsight, I should take his reaction as a compliment: when he was in pain, he came to me and wanted me to hold him, comfort him, and make him feel better. Kitty trust, indeed.

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Comments

I wish Tenzing for a speedy recovery. It is quite touching to know that Tenzing knows where to go when he needs comfort.

 

Your affections for your "children" make me wish I could be a part of the "rent-a-cat" program. I'd be happy to cat sit for someone if I didn't have two people in my house that were allergic to them. I miss the cats that I've had over the years, each of them hold a special place when I bring them to mind. 

Here is to Kitty-Kitty, Junior, Little Girl, Joey, Ahaz, Cloe, and Gonzo. They all bring smiles to my face when I think about them. Especially that nutzo cat Joey who we would find laying comfortably in the strangest places (in the middle of the litter box, and in the middle of the birthday cake when we came home).

 

It's been a couple of weeks now since this happened toTenzing; I hope he's doing well.

 - Tim

Blackholes are the result of God dividing the universe by zero :-)