October 2009 - Hope for Liver Shunt Cats

Sweater Cape for the Hairless Cat

Had More fun working on this. Absolutely delightful. A puzzle, much fun, lots of comments from random strangers watching me work on the loom. A typical conversation went something like this:

“Whatcha doin’?”

“Knitting a sweater for a hairless cat in Scotland – he’s a friend of my Newt.”

“You aren’t knitting, you don’t have needles. And why would a cat have no hair? And your newt has a cat friend? Why would anyone have a pet newt anyway? I’m so confused.”

Hey, you gets your giggles where you can!

So it was an experiment. No actual pattern, I’ve never seen the cat in person, converting measurements from metric, flying blind. It was great. The first attempt was waaay too small. The second effort more reasonable. More of a cat cape than a cat sweater, but a good starting point. Can’t wait to try the next one and hoping that third time’s the charm!

Me: Pookie, when did you get so FAT?!?!
Newt: I am soooooooooooooo going to pee in your shoes for this indignity!
Cat Daddy: My wife is weird. Really, really weird.

2nd version a better fit. Prefer the copper colour, though. Newt prefers to be sans sweater, period.

Rib band a bit snug, but worked okay as a pullover style capelet. S’okay, he’s a supercat, so he should have a super hero cape.

Uses for Empty Prescription Bottles?

Okay, if you are like us, you probably have an ever-building assortment of empty bottles of Lactulose and antibiotics. Being ever frugal, and always seeking new opportunities for creating craft ideas, am experimenting with ways to upcycle these items. Even after recycling so many of them, using them to store beads, buttons, screws, nails, spare change, etc, they still keep multiplying!

First order has been using my handy knifty knitter to knit over them and turn them into cat toys. Hope to have a video tutorial on it soon. Of course, adding a few grains of dry rice and tossing them across the floor works fine, too! The Amoxy bottles are actually large enough that they don’t disappear five seconds after Newt bats them into the kitchen … and under the cabinets!

First Annual International Cat Liver Shunt Conference?

Well, it looks as if my hare-brained idea may be taking shape!

It originally started with me jokingly suggesting to SugarMint that while she is on vacation in Pennsylvania, that we meet halfway for lunch (aka the First Annual International Cat Liver Shunt Conference). She is still there, and hasn’t returned to Florida yet.

Plus, now we have Buddy in NE PA, and Abby is also in PA.

At a minimum, we are thinking about meeting at a big box pet food store along 95 in Philly, sometime in the next couple of weeks.

Anyone have any suggestions on cat-friendly establishments? I am not sure if Newt will be accompanying me, but am hoping to do some Reiki on SugarMint, so we need a place where we can have at least one cat, and possibly more, if anyone else want to come.

So, what do you think? Is this a good idea? Does anyone have any suggestions for a cat-friendly venue?

Are We Going Episodic Today?

Newt is on the verge of being symptomatic this AM. Refused his Ricotta breakfast and secondary chicken veggie meal.

Looks like tiny preliminary drool forming. Heavy purring.

Gave two servings of one Tablespoon Chicken with Lactulose, so he ate finally, yay. Now snoozing in window.

Changes in mentation are critical early warning indicators, especially in our shunt cats. Atypical behaviors (in Newt’s case, purring), changes in hair coat and texture, inappetance. With close observation to Newt’s early warning signs, we are usually able to intervene early, before the symptoms become full-fledged. He is now symptomatic approximately 10 hours every eight to ten weeks. Far far better than in his younger days, when he was symptomatic five days out of six.

Will monitor, and if symptoms persist, will direct dose with another two ml Lactulose, and syringe feed water.

More Shunt Cats

Buddy is in PA; just diagnosed, severe HE coma in ER, finally came home yesterday, meds, diet, etc, and is doing much better today (back to normal!) Owners aren’t getting good vet support, blah blah blah.

Yoda is a newly DXd kitten in South Florida. Says her vet is AMAZING. Yoda is in search of a home. I haven’t warned her yet that he probably IS home LOL and she just hasn’t admitted it yet

Pingu in the UK, Mylo in the UK, Lily also in the UK, Abby in Pennsylvania, USA

We are up to eighteen now on Newt’s Hall of Hope.

Wow. It’s wonderful and sad at the same time. Wonderful that so many folks are reaching out to help each other, and sad that we have such a dearth of information, and that we are facing this disease.

Hugs and purrs to all.

He’s OKAY!

Just got the call from the surgeon, he did fine. Still a bit unsteady, but ate his post op meal, Plan B (Sent a backup snack of CHICKEN just in case his normal meal wasn’t appealing. We know how much he loves his CHICKEN!)

She said he did fine, and is not getting around quite normally yet, but nothing to be alarmed about. She will call again by 330 and we should be able to get him between 4 and 5.

Woo Hoo! Now I can stop cleaning closets and scrubbing floors …

Lisa (and Newt, soon to be home again!)

The Whacking of the Woohoos Shall Commence

It’s official.

Done deal.

Decision Made.

Final Answer, and all that.

Newt is being “newtered” tomorrow morning. I’ll have to come back later and edit this post to include the complete tally of Newt’s spraying victims. Suffice to say the list is both long and varied. From Accordion to Zydeco and numerous points between.

Urinalysis clean. Ultrasound clean. Chem Panel Clean.

The suspects have been hiding in plain site all this time – right under our nose, every time Newt twitches his tail in our face. Yup, his pesky package. Rampant teenage boy hormones raging and all that.

Neutering is normally a routine procedure, and were Newt “normal,” would already have been performed. Although nothing about our boy has been normal yet, right?

Am feeling much better since meeting his surgeon today. (Side note, three, make it four) vet visits in three days; I think this is a record, even for us!) Follow up exam with specialist, pre-op meeting with surgeon, delivery and pick up for surgery tomorrow.

His surgeon has an excellent bedside manner, and is not only familiar with the special issues faced by liver shunt cats undergoing surgery, she has ALSO repaired a kitten liver shunt!

BONUS!! The first real life person with whom we’ve spoken who has encountered a shunt cat. Way cool.

So the plan is, fast after 8PM (Poor Pookie doesn’t get his midnite snackie tonite!), pull water after 6AM, drive to the hospital with meds and food for drop off at 730, and pick up to return home tomorrow afternoon. It was my understanding that typically they hold special cases overnight for monitoring, but am cheered and guardedly optimistic by this plan.

And yes, I did already ask the surgeon on behalf of the other shunt cats if she would like to include any information for the site

All healing energies, positive vibes, prayers, candles, etc, gratefully accepted. As for me? I’m planning to drink myself into oblivion with a bottle of Rescue Remedy