RE: Off subject - boyfriends

[catatonya]

Been there, Denise. Just make sure you make a decision you can live with. I'm sorry.

tonya

  Denise Uriarte <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

My boyfriend Mark has been great (helpful and supportive) over the last four
years, but now the relationship is really tetering on the edge. To be
honest, I'll be surprised if we make it through the holidays.

The cats are definitely adding to the problem. I have no time left for him.
With a full-time job, two kids who are involved in every sport imaginable,
two dogs, nine cats and a bird, there is just simply no time left for
romance. Dinner discussions revolve around who eating today or not, the
various types of bacterial infections, worms (what did they look like? Long
and curly, or rice? I'm sure you have all been there), and the texture,
color and odor of poop !!

Not much to build a relationship on.

I know I am making a serious choice between him and my cat's, but I think he
knows the cats are winning.

I really can't blame him for leaving if he does.

Denise





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From: Gloria Bronte Lane [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2001 2:17 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Off subject - boyfriends

I agree - my cats win over boyfriends!

Gloria

At 06:33 AM 12/15/01 -0800, you wrote:



Marty,

When was the last time you ran bloodwork? You might want to
try to get that done again right away if it wasn';t very recent. The odor
could mean something is getting way out of whack that won't wait till
Wednesday when you speak with the vet again.

I've been down that road with boyfriends and cats. My cats
always win :)

I think you did the right thing to stay home. Pudge sounds
very fragile right now.

tonya

MARTHA ANDERSON <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:

Right now, I don't feel like Pudge is so lucky. I
feel so helpless. He did start to eat last night, but he's still very
lethargic. And he's started coughing again. He had stopped that a month or
so ago when he started taking the prednisone. His breathing is pretty rough
right now. He wants me to be with him, but he doesn't want me to pet him
much.

I have noticed that he isn't grooming himself much,
which might account for his strange odor - it's definitely not his breath.
The vet suggested I check him over (Pudge, not the vet) very carefully for
any lumps or abscesses. I couldn't find any. I have noticed that Pudge's
stools are much lighter in color than usual. Not clay, but a lighter brown
or tan. And I noticed his box had a much different odor.

Gloria, I think that you are very brave to be able
to care for that many sick kitties. Sometimes this is unbearable for me. I
canceled a weekend at Disney with my boyfriend this weekend because of the
downturn in Pudge's behavior. My boyfriend is furious with me, but I'd never
forgive myself if Pudge were to become severely ill without my being there.

Pudge isn't on any supplements right now. I've read
some information on the Internet, but haven't been convinced of their
effectiveness. Right now, my vet says we can't do any more diagnostic tests
because he is so sick. How do you know when enough is enough?

Oh, and he is a 'he'. Someone asked me that in
another post. I've seen a couple of pieces of evidence, shall we say. Plus,
if he isn't, I'd sure like to know what the vet did when he neutered Pudge!

Thanks to all,
Marty
---- Original Message -----
From: Gloria Bronte Lane
Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2001 1:18 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: My Pudge

Hi Marty,


Beats me, but Pudge sounds like a wonderful, lucky
kitty to have you. Sounds good that you have a cat vet - I need to check
out one of those. Just in my small experience, I think predinisone can
suppress symptoms so kitty doesn't feel so bad, but doesn't deal with the
real problem, so it's still out there. And I think that being positive for
the FELV virus means more susceptibility to a number of conditions that some
on this list know a lot about.


I have one FELV kitty(Calawalla) that's a ball of
fire, and another(Mr. Black Kitty) that's FELV/FIV and is kinda draggy and
wormy, but getting better. I have another 18 yr old Lucy who is blind,
tootless, and has a chronic sinus infection (URI) and is so borderline
sometimes, and another kitty Nicky who I thought was going to die a year ago
of constipation(!) ..well, megacolon or something. I can't believe how good
he looks today, really, and I've had hi! m on Slippery Elm once or twice a
day for almost a year now, I think.


ANyway, I think you're saying that Pudge is not
eating or drinking, I think I'd try to use an eye dropper or syringe to get
some non-chlorinated water (mixed with Aloe Vera or slippery elm) into him.
Both are very soothing to the digestive system. I'd probably do Internet
searches, like you're probably doing. Sorry, I'm sure someone else will have
some more knowledge about his particular symptoms, but I wish you much good
luck.


Gloria




At 01:21 PM 12/14/01 +0000, you wrote:



Hi, all. My kitty, Pudge, and I are new to
the list. Pudge was a stray before he came into my life about six months
ago. We think he's around two years old. We discovered immediately that he
had feline leukemia. He seemed sick from the beginning - I'd never seen or
heard a cat cough before! My vet kept saying he's ok, and would prescribe
more antibiotics. I finally took Pudge to a cat vet. Pudge's xrays showed
enlarged liver, spleen, and kidneys. His white blood count was very low.
With the prednisone, he now breathes easier and doesn't cough. The vet
attempted to do a saline wash of Pudge's lungs, but couldn't because his
breathing tube was almost completely swollen shut. So we waited a week and
did a biopsy of his throat tissue. That was Wednesday, and we're awaiting
the results. Pudge was fine Wednesday and Thursday, but today he's extremely
lethargic. He wouldn't even come into the kitchen while I prepared his food.
He didn't get u! p once while I was getting ready for work. He's never been
this lethargic before. I have never before cared for a sick animal, and I'm
amazed at how emotional this can be. I note every little change in his
appearance or actions, as I'm sure all of you do with your own kitties.


Last night, I noticed a very strange and
unfamiliar smell on Pudge. He's always very clean, so the smell caught me
off guard. It was sort of a sickly sweet chemical smell, if that's possible.
Anyone experience this before?




Thanks,
Marty





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