Grandcats

Our grandcats, Katie and Bella, are doing well as the time for their return to home in San Antonio, and to their Mom, approaches.   Katie's chemo has gone remarkably well and without complications until recently after a dose of Vincristine.  It's been normal for Katie to have a day on which her appetite is off a few days after chemo administration so we thought little of it when she wouldn't eat the Thursday evening after Tuesday's chemo.  When she didn't eat Friday evening we became a little worried but Saturday evening she did eat a bit and we thought that all would be well.  Being a little anxious, nonetheless, we bought some designer cat hors d'oeuvres and fancy foods to tempt her but she ate nothing Sunday evening.  We could further tell she wasn't eating normally by the kibbles still left in the dish each morning despite Bella's best efforts.  In addition, my early morning pearl diving in the litter boxes wasn't as productive as it normally is.

Now we were worried.  Monday I called the vet who was concerned enough to have me bring her in that day.  This was about 11:15 and she said she could see Katie at Noon.  I was in my sweats and hadn't shaved yet (I'm retired, OK?) but had no time for anything but to collect Katie, throw on a jacket and head out for the vet.  It's about 25 miles from our house and takes about 40 minutes to get there.  Katie and I arrived just on time and the vet tech took her right in.  Turns out she was a little dehydrated and had an ileus (which I think is a blockage due to loss of normal bowel motility), a known side effect of Vincristine, which can cause nausea and loss of appetite.  The vet gave her some sub-q fluids (poor Katie looked like a camel with the hump on the wrong side), an anti-emetic, some prednisone, and a drug called Cisapride to relieve the ileus.

Happily, and a great relief to Janet and me, she perked right up and ate like she was ravenous that evening. We've continued to give the Cisapride twice per day through tonight but her appetite is back and she's eating again with gusto.  She had also begun rejecting the prednisone oral suspension we'd been giving her but we've found that at least for now, she'll take it in her soft food.  The animal druggist we go to for the meds, The Pet Apothecary, said that the prednisone has an awful taste and even flavored it can be a problem to get inside a cat.  Hopefully she'll continue to take it in her food but if not we'll have to pill her for as long as she needs it.

Although we'll miss both Katie and Bella - Bella is the nosiest most curious cat we've seen, ever - we'll be happy to get their Mom back in the USA and I'm sure they'll be glad to get back to Texas and a home without a large black dog.  I think they'll also be glad to get back to a warmer climate.  In the wee hours, as the house cools off, Katie now heads for the little dog bed and Bella for the heat register.